Citsncycles XM

[Charles M]

My grey XM is ETW silex. I think yours is the same. I have samples of both Silex (bought from https://www.paints4u.com/) and Meteor (from Halfords). I'll happily post you a couple of sprays onto paper if that helps.

As can be seen my XM has the wheel trims you are after - I am getting a set of alloys refurbished (it must be said, very low on my list of priorities) so if you are still after them in a couple of months, I'll happily let them go to decorate another early XM!

[citsncycles]

Thanks Charles, I may take you up on the offer for the trims if I don't find any.

Your car looks lovely - something for me to aim for! Mine's getting there slowly, but will need £££ spent to get it to the standard of yours (a complete set of bright trim for a start)

I can tell you that the Car Plan paint match is rubbish - much too silvery if that makes any sense. both their paint and the original seem to change colour slightly depending on the lighting conditions, so sometimes it looks beter than others. I'm going to keep experimenting on the bonnet, before tackling paint issues on the rest of the car. as I'm working my way round with the T cut and polish, it looks like at least 2 of the doors have had some paintwork done in the past (the odd run, plus the general surface finish seems to indicate this) so it's obviously possible to get a paint match. My local Halfords is olmost as far away as the local paint factor (Middletons in Gloucester), so I may just go up there and get some paint mixed.

I had a poke around the boost sensor last night - the connector seems clean, and I'll be replacing the pipe to it as it's got cracking on it, but I don't think it's leaking, so more tests are needed. Would I be risking any electronic components by conecting across the contacts in the plug to see if the gauge works?

[MTXM]

That paint code ETW can be confusing, on early cars it was Meteor, and on late cars it was Silex, which are not the same colour at all (Silex is much nearer black).

On earlier cars ETW was Mercury and Meteor Grey is EYY. It is correct that ETW is also Silex, or Silicon Grey, and a very dark shade of metallic grey. Regards, Matthew T.

[Dieselman]

Charles.
Is that car back with you now, or still int he frozen North?

[Charles M]

Still in the frozen North. More progress has been made this week to clearing my drive but I want to get the RR off before the XM comes back.

[citsncycles]

Another little issue has made itself known - the glow plug light doesn't any more. This has been accompanied by it needing several seconds on the starter before it fires, with just a couple of seconds of hesitation and a bit of smoke once it does, so I suspect it's more than the bulb. If so at least it show's the engine's in a fairly good state if it's starting without the glowplugs! I've had this in the past and got round it in an emergency by running a lead to the plugs from the battery to help starting until able to sort the problem, I just need to check I'm not risking frying something by doing this.

[russ92xmsed]

The glowplug light does stop working now and again. As you say, either bulb, or it's earths or connections on the glow plug relay. That is on the front of the battery box.
I believe if you clean the earth from the gearbox to the chassis that solves it.
Mine is intermittent. I give it 5-8 seconds then crank if it feels a need for a day off.

[citsncycles]

Ah, OK, I'll check that tonight, while I'm trying to sort out the cooling fans (could be the same issue if it's the earth strap I suppose).

On the basis that the electrical issues on the XM are less serious than on Timex (which currently has rigged wiper and brake light feeds, no washers, horn, instrument lights or working windows) the XM is off to Belgium this weekend where I'll be cycling between bars in the countryside around Oudenberg on an old bicycle!

[Dieselman]

Check the earth strap onto the gearbox. Mine was making poor contact and the glow-plug light was intermittent.

[citsncycles]

Well last night leaving work the glow plug light started working again, but the ABS went down! I did a rough timing of the glowplug light and I think the reason for the rough starting when it wasn' lit was more to do with me trying too early than an issue with the glowplugs themselves. As for the ABS light, after I'd stopped at Tesco's for a few minutes proper operation was resumed, as expected.

Didn't get a chance to check the earth strap last night as I was rather late leaving work, but I'm on an early finish today so will check while finishing loading the car for the trip.