robert_e_smart wrote:Fortunately there is a join in the hoses for the headlamp washers where it splits from 1 to 2 near the drivers side, which will help you remove the front.
Unfortunately you didn't tell me that disconnecting this joint allows the tank to drain Robert
Good job I had a bucket nearby.....
Been out and had a good spanner this evening...
The nosecone is nearly off and the rads are dangling
But by golly, the XM is a bit of a rat's nest electrical-wise. Looks like the ES9 installation in there, unlike the Xantia, was a real Friday afternoon job and the wiring looks like another Stevie Wonder/Ray Charles job.
Got to admit, it's bloody awful
No wonder XMs were prone to the odd electrical issue. No bloody surprise really
As I say, the front is nearly off but the wiring to the rad fans seems to be a deterrent to removing the front completely or am I missing a trick?
The car is in my opinion borderline restorable. It appears very rusty in places and determined to find the extent of the crustiness I unkindly attacked all structural bits with hammers and pointy things and despite lots and lots and lots of surface rust all the structural bits are as sound as a pound.
The coolant rad is a bit suspect. It looks like it's leaking a bit but not so bad as it won't at least do for a bit yet.
I can't see how to avoid depressurising the A/C system as the condenser is going to have to come off to get the engine out or am I again missing a trick?
She looks bad and is bad in places but the general overall condition means the restoration is on for now unless a big showstopper rears it's ugly head.
On the corrosion side of things, I can only assume the whole of Scotland is made of salt if the surface rust is anything to go by. The poor car looks like it's been living in the sea for a few years
Still, hopefully caught in time...
