Citroen XM Forum

Well done Neil and if it is any compensation I have just put the rhd 24v back on the road after a rest and quite a lot of welding was required. On my car one sill had been extensively welded at acquisition and the other side now needed plates front and rear, plus there were small holes in the front and rear chassis rails and rear subframe. I might put up a separate post about the extensive replacement hydraulic pipework that was also required. As mentioned before these early cars are now reaching a certain age! Hopefully see you and the car at the X. With regards, Matthew T.

Finally got chance to have a look at Goldie today. Poor bugger hasn't been out of the garage since it passed the test.

I turned the key in the ignition . . . and nothing! Put the jump leads on from the Xantia and she kicked up straight away. Drove her down home to set about a few minor jobs. Parked on the driveway, switched off, then realised in order to undercoat the welding it would be best if the suspension was on the high setting. Turned the key . . . dead!!

Decided to fit the new battery clamp onto the earth leads first whilst the battery was on charge. Then set about the boot lid which refused to open. Bit of a pain squeezing into the boot to remove the boot card but once off the problem was easily solved. The mechanism was seized, which is a surprise as I gave it a good seeing to last year. Plenty of GT85 and work the mechanism back and forth and eventually it worked fine.

Next was to start the car after the battery had had a short charge. It kicked up with ease, raised the suspension and left it running whilst I undersealed the welding. I then switched it off and deliberately left it for a hour, whilst I gave it a good wash, to see if the battery would hold the charge. Turned the key - CLICK!!! Nothing at all. Seems like I'm going to be needing a new battery. Probably put a new one on the Xantia and use that one, which is about two years old, for the XM.

Hmmmm... Altinator charging ok??

That multi meter thing you have will help tell you that neil! It should read 14.4 volts when running, with the meter on the correct setting!!

citroenxm wrote: . . . with the meter on the correct setting!!

Still trying to figure out which way up you hold it.

Alternator may be possible, but the battery is not the best anyway.

Thinking about it Neil, if the battery is buggered and you drove from your lockup to house, then the altinator must be putting enough volts out to keep the injection system going and all the electrics.

A dead altinator on a petrol engine soon wouldn;t last very long at all!! So id say the altinator is A OK!

The best way to test a battery is to charge it then leave it standing disconnected. If it loses charge, say in one week, it's duff.

It could just be a poor connection on the battery Neil as I had a similar problem myself. If you still have the old lead fittings it might be worth replacing with the clamp-on type. With regards, Matthew T.

Check the earth strap at the gearbox end, they corrode underneath.

MTXM wrote:If you still have the old lead fittings it might be worth replacing with the clamp-on type.

The Xantia was sluggish at starting so I changed the earth clamp, which was buggered, and it wizzes round now. The earth clamp on the XM was in no better state, so I put a new one on, and it has made no difference. Both cars still have the original lead fittings which seem to be a solid fit.

I'll have a look at the connection on the gearbox, but it'll have to wait until the weekend. Same problem with charging the battery and leaving it for a week. May just leave this battery on for the run down to Burghley Park, but put the Xantia battery in the boot with the jump leads.