Citroen XM Forum

closure! Like it... Feels like closure I suppose.

Well down here in the Cotswolds it has been nothing but sunshine and blue skies. So I got out there and like an old fashioned cliche, cleaned the XM this afternoon. I think the last time I really washed it was before the XM25 weekend. So it was grubby.

After spending so much time glued to my computer recently, it was so nice to just be out side and do something totally different. I like Vince do find cleaning and polishing the car sort of therapeutic in a way. Seems mad, but I do!

I managed to polish out some nasty scratches on the bonnet, but the nosecone is shot to put it bluntly. It needs repainting. Something for the spring maybe....
The front bumper I repainted in the summer has lasted very well indeed. Considering it's also the grey Xm's front bumper which had been in the shunt, it's okay. I need to swap over the chrome trim however.
Looking at the car, there's very little parking dings unlike my grey Xm. So the panels are pretty good. It's not untill you wash the car or really pay attention to it that you notice silly things like that.

The carpet in the drivers footwell, which got a good dose of coolant in October has finally dried out. I got a hair drier on it to make sure.
The leather, I treated with some E45 aqueous cream. That works well. So it's all looking quite smart.

I didn't get any pics as the light faded by the time I finished, but I will try tomorrow. Just imagine a shiny mandarin XM!

I've just come in from doing the tyre pressures on four cars and washing the Merc and one XM. The water was freezing on them as I was drying them, but they are a lot cleaner.

Crikey, it wasn't that cold here. Very nice day.... Almost spring like. I emphasise almost!

It seems many of use were out washing cars today.

I am thinking aloud here..... This morning the car just about started. The worst cold start I have experienced on this car. Two cranks on the glow plugs and on the second crank it finally spluttered into life. But only just and needed a few stabs at the accelerator pedal.
Curious this cold start fault, drive it down the road, switch off and restart and it clicks into life instantly. Leave it for and hour and a half as I did this morning and it starts first time.

All I can think of is air in the system, a section of clear fuel hose would be a good idea I suppose. It's on my nearly new fuel filter with clean filter now as well so shouldn't be that. Glow plug relay, or glowplugs are other possibilities, but if it's starting perfectly everytime after the initial cold start, the last two seem unlikely. battery could be low on volts. Must test that. But again seems unlikely.

It's never really had a good cold start. It could be the pump setting needing adjusting. It seems to idle on hot and cold at about 900rpm. Again seems about right.

Grrrrr, this is flipping frustrating.

Check the electrics first - it's easiest.
Start with all the connections at the glow-plug relay. If any insulation looks a bit blobby/melted, it's a sure sign something wasn't happy.
Battery connections (what else!!!!).
Glow-plugs easily removed and tested. Check connections (and cabling) to them too.

Second and hesitant start, and then AOK when warm, does suggest less-than-wonderful preheating.

Thanks Chris for your suggestions. You could be right. I will target the relay I think. Easiest thing to do first. Glowplugs are new last year, according to the history. Otherwise, I have a suspicion the fuel is slowly draining back into the tank over night. Just started it 40 mins ago after using it last at about 2:45pm this afternoon and it started perfectly. Come tomorrow morning it will be back to rubbish starting.

Also think there is a dodgy seal on the exhaust. Sounds throbby..... Ohhhh it's paying me back for ignoring it for the last month!

If you leave the car to get cold overnight, and then (before trying to start) pump the priming knob on the filter, does it feel solid, or does it take a good few pumps to become solid?
If the former, there is probably no air in the line, just fuel. If the latter, then air or no fuel.

Of course... A totally obvious thing to do, why didn't I think of that! right I'll do that tomorrow. See what happens.
Cheers Chris.

24 hours later and it took 6 pumps of the filter head primer untill it was solid. Which to me is too much????