Russ's 2.1 SED Auto now in Mandarin

[russ92xmsed]

Initial inspection seems to be a successful fix. It lashed it down last night and this morning and everything is bone dry inside.... and no steaming up either.

So that's now jinxed it ......

[captainhaddock]

Good work Russ. DIY rules.

[russ92xmsed]

Thanks Jaap, nice when it works....

Fitting the interior back tomorrow.

[CitroJim]

Excellent news Russ

[russ92xmsed]

Been up in Northumberland for the past week, with no internet and limited phone signal...interesting being cut off..like old times ...not helpful when running your own business though. still a good time was had.
Didn't take the XM...c5 was the chariot.

Anyway....XM...left it slightly disgraced as on Thursday 31st ...day before I went tup north... I was driving round a roundabout and water began dripping through the passenger sunroof visor fixing. Couldn't believe it. I had a look and it cannot be the sunroof as water was within the chassis roof pressings. Only can think of it being the aerial now. Or the drain tubes. So investigations tomorrow and will seal the aerial base.
However, no water ingress whilst I was away, so it could simply have been trapped water that finally escaped.
It seems to be all dry still, no tell tail damp rear windscreens. So I think what has happened, is the hot weather over the summer, has probably caused the seals to unseal and create havoc as soon as the weather has changed.
Anyway...getting there with it. Only taken nearly three months!

With the weather hopefully being a little better tomorrow, I would like to get under the car and make a start on the rear subframe rust proofing. Desperate to get that done and would have it done by now...but certian sunroofs dominated my attention. We will see..might have a peek at least.

Oh and took it for a drive today, and now the weather has gone cold, my car does this odd thing, where, only half warmed up, and sitting at traffic lights...steam appears from the drivers side bonnet gap. Slightly alarming. It does clear and it certainly isn't over heating. Must be damp evaporating off in the engine bay. All I can think of. I did check it when I parked up, but nothing obvious. Quite strange. Will check coolant tomorrow just to make sure.

And for those who were interested in my silver tape I put on my trims. Well it is still firmly stuck on. I am quite impressed.
Not bad for £8!

[CitroJim]

Wondered where you were too Russ. You were very conspicuous by your absence! And missed

It could have been trapped water Russ. I noticed mine dripped from the top of the door seal yesterday going around a roundabout.. It was raining rather well at the time...

Been a lovely day for working on cars today and almost warm too

Was your trip to Northumberland for any interesting reason or did you just fancy a week of splendid isolation?

[russ92xmsed]

yes is was a little frustrating not being hooked up to the world. Suddenly realise how reliant we are on the internet. Anyway back now.....
The reason for being up there....several. My Dad's 61st birthday and my Sister lives in Newcastle. So he had a free weekend from a pervious stay in a bothy out in the sticks...so we all had a week up there. Never been to Northumberland before. There really are some lovely sights. Bamburgh beach......

Well the weather was indeed clear blue sky's and sunshine today. A pounding headache this morning stopped immediate play, but I got out there just before lunch...and did some jobs on the ol gal!
First was looking into this curious water leak. Another one..really fed up with this now , but this one is very odd. I noticed yesterday there was a some water in the main arm of the passenger sunvisor in the fixing plate. No drips and no damp headlining though. So took it all apart...can do that with my eyes closed now...and there was some damp and a bit of water within the roof. How it got there I really don't know, because it cannot get there from the sunroof. My only deduction is the drain tubes. It cannot be anything else. So strapped more cable ties on both tubes and sealed the aerial up too just to make sure. So we will see what happens. The main thing is it isn't cascading in like before.

After that some greasing of hinges and sunroof ect for the winter. Fluid level check. No loss of coolant, so my curious steam phenomenon must be damp evaporating off the engine. Checked underneath the rear and sprayed the suspension height control arm with some wd40. Did some Citrobatics and I have to say, I am quite pleased with the rear subframe. Need to drop the spare wheel and have a good look in the week. I will still be under sealing it...But it isn't as bad as I thought it was. Cleaned out the bottom of the wings...not totally blocked, but certainly worth doing it.
Adjusted the headlight beams again. So they are better now, but will no doubt need proper adjustment for next time next summer. They were pointing way too high.

My buttons for the ashtray and radio also got some attention. An odd thing, but they needed it!
The ashtray one has lost its modification and would not stay shut. So I re modded it. Basically the ashtray lid has warped and moved out of alignment and won't stay shut. Annoying.
And the radio button wasn't lighting up as nicely. So took it out for a clean and found the bulb half hanging out. What I hadn't realised was it had been melting the button from behind. So a file down of the little tube and the bulb is firmly back in. Cleaned inside it too and now have lovely green light again. It's the simple things!

I think it also needs another track rod end doing and I would rather like to have the auxiliary belt replaced too, not looking too hot.

Otherwise, next week it needs a clean and spruce up for a friends wedding on Saturday. I know a fellow citroen Xm owner is going who I haven't met before. So this will be interesting....

[CitroJim]

A week in a Northumberland Bothy sounds quite peasant Russ. A full escape from the 21st Century and sometimes that's not a bad thing to do at all

leaks can be exceedingly frustrating. I've had similar 'fun' on a 205 and many Xantias in the past. Touch-wood all three of mine are OK. I hope!

Only yesterday we sealed a Xantia aerial base. I was quite shocked at how little sealant they came from the factory with... In fact it was hard to see how they sealed at all...

[russ92xmsed]

I found that on mine Jim. It was only a white plastic ring acting as a seal. The cap that covers the nut and aerial base was a little corroded, but no rust. Must be aluminum. So if it was leaking, then I have resealed it. See what happens.

The bothy was actually a modern house / barn conversion type construction, which has won a design award. So it was mod cons apart from no wifi. AHHHH! But actually it didn't hurt. Pub in the nearest village had wifi...good excuse!

[CitroJim]

Pub in the nearest village had wifi...good excuse!

A good spin on a very old Double Diamond advert straplline 'I'm only here for the beer...'

Now it reads 'I'm only here for the WiFi..!'