Citroen XM Forum

BERU are extremely high quality and long-lived, I found.
What you describe does sound like a glow-plug or two not working properly.
Easily bench tested, and checked with a good meter, or simply replace the lot with a new set.
C.

That's interesting you both say that. Rob did get in touch and said, when the plugs were changed there wasn't much difference to the difficult starting. But then he had the fuel heater thing bypassed as the typical problem of air ingress causing the issue.
That seemed to solve the problem. But I suppose that doesn't mean since then, the plugs or one or two, might have gone causing more difficult starting.

I think I might change them to Beru then.

While you're at it, Russ, check out your main battery connections (replace the old lead lumps if you've still got them), and also the bolted connections on the underside of the Pre-heater Relay (which turns on the glowplugs).
The connections are in an exposed area, like a good few other things which fail from time to time.
I'm assuming your 2.1 has something similar to the 2.5 piccy above.

Yes it does Chris, very similar to your pic. It has new battery connectors. No lead lumps there. I will check the glow plug relay connectors later I think.
Thanks for the suggestions.

Had a bit of a tinker with the Mandarin car today. The rubber trim around the windows and the windscreen were almost brown with blotches..possibly mould. So thought maybe a bit of Jiff might work. And it did work quite well. Although the blotches are more very shallow craters now. Difficult to explain! Washed it all off and gave them a good Vaseline in the sun and the difference is quite amazing.

Did some checks in the engine bay ect and cleaned up the glow plug relay. I have four new Beru glowplugs on order.
Although since changing the filter it is starting on one burst of glowplug preheat. But still not as prompt as the grey one.
Talking of which, that is now safely housed in the garage. ...insurance is dragging on.

Whilst having a good poke about the engine on the Mandarin car, I realised a relay from the offside slam panel had jumped ship at some point. Totally gone.... no where to be seen. So nicked one off the grey XM. Well it has no lights now to worry about relays! I stuck some black tape over it incase it has similar ideas.

So now I can slowly take parts off the grey car and refit to the Mandarin. Window and seat switches, at least one wingmirror, glovebox, mine has a working catch but useless gas strut. The mandarin total opposite. So two makes one good one...hopefully! ...are some of the first things to do.

Sounding good, Russ . . . Nothing beats a good Vaselining on a nice day . . .

Might also be worth having one set of your injectors out and having them serviced by a good diesel specialist, if not done within the last 60k. A poor spray pattern might not affect running much, but can upset starting.

Haha, funny you should mention that Chris, it crossed my mind today... Wondered if the injectors were okay.

Cost me €70 for set of four - complete strip-down, rebuild and testing/calibration, including new seals.
C.

Time for an update. well the mandarin SED has been settling in fine. I cured the bad starting by simply replacing the fuel filter, which was mucky.

However, today it was all fine and started up very well a couple of times....with no tell tail signs of anything failing. Went to start it this afternoon, after dropping some stuff off in the garage and nothing. Well the ignition lights light up and everything does the correct startup procedure, but one very dead engine, no cranking at all. Complete Silence. I haven't done anything yet. Obvious initial things is battery, starter solenoid and maybe the gearbox switch, where ever that is. Haynes directs you to the relevant chapter, but doesn't mention it at all. ERGH! but it's safe were it is for now. Glad it didn't conk out elsewhere.

Blimmin cars.

You haven't left it in P have you? I did that once.