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Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 8:04 am
by White Exec
Many plastics yellow with age, particularly white and grey ones, but transparent as well. Got any really old rulers, protractors and squares? It is a bromine compound that is released over time, and aggravated by UV, including fluorescent lights - which is why kitchen cabinet doors can acquire yellowed edging. Plenty on the web about the bromine effect. Plastic headlight fronts really vulnerable to sunlight. Many here go yellow, then light brown; some actually go milky-translucent.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:55 am
by Dieselman
White Exec wrote:Plastic headlight fronts really vulnerable to sunlight. Many here go yellow, then light brown; some actually go milky-translucent.
That is definitely the UV lacquer coating going milky. I had to sand and polish my old E Class to get them perfect again.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:48 am
by MTXM
When you say the Fresnels were the wrong way round James please note that they are switched for lhd cars! With regards, Matthew T.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 12:16 pm
by xmexclusive
For LHD the rough side of the fresnel faces the bulb.
For RHD the rough side of the fresnel faces outward.
Source 15 XM 541-1/1.
John
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:23 pm
by MTXM
Thanks for that John and it does look like James now has the Fresnels correct. Perhaps someone had taken the car abroad and made the switch, as I did with one of my mine! With regards, Matthew T.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:49 pm
by citroenxm
Thats increadable feasable mathew because when i first aquired the car 10 years ago the reversing lamp rear panel had a GB sicker stuck right in the middle of it.. . Was the first thing to go!
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 1:52 pm
by Dieselman
How has it passed any MOT tests with the headlamps cutting off to the wrong side. Beam cutoff is one of the checks.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:35 pm
by MTXM
when i first aquired the car 10 years ago the reversing lamp rear panel had a GB sicker stuck right in the middle of it.. . Was the first thing to go!
I must admit I have also done this Paul, although it was not completely covered!
How has it passed any MOT tests with the headlamps cutting off to the wrong side. Beam cutoff is one of the checks.
That also occurred to me Will and I hastily changed mine back before a recent MOT assuming it would otherwise fail!
With regards,
Matthew T.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 8:13 pm
by jamescarruthers
Yes, I am surprised at that. I am guessing that they didn't bother checking, or, the adjustment was so low as the centre little adjuster peg inside the lamp had popped out-- the internal lens was just hanging on the lower.
I guess time pressures and laziness on behalf of the tester on things like this? I suspect my Volvo is also poorly adjusted but flies through MOT's at various places.
I'm going to align them properly before it goes.
Re: 1990 XM 2.1 SED for Sale -- C6 ownership imminent!
Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2016 9:39 pm
by xmexclusive
I see that front light MOT check methods and tester briefing were changed earlier this year.
The reason given was to improve tester performance in their worst performing area of the test.
The changes were first made to the commercial heavy vehicle tests then rolled out to cars.
Some headlamps and cars are exempt the requirement for a side sloping cut off.
John