Citroen XM Forum

Robert

Not tied down when I am going yet or or consulted SWMBO.
Need a bit more as contact details if this has to be done on a formal basis.
The chances of me finding the last Citroenian to look it up is NIL.
What sort of thing is wanted.

Paul

You going to do Chinese Lexia demos?
I have been meaning to make contact with you to sort out if we bring any bits to swap.

John

xmexclusive wrote:Need a bit more as contact details if this has to be done on a formal basis.

Rob's email address:
cx_section@citroencarclub.org.uk

Thanks Franklin,

The Rob that Franlkin is referring to isn't me, just to avoid any confusion.

Robert

On another note, I'd like to see one of these Chinese Lexias in action.

John, I found the dead strut tops that you brought along to the national of interest.

robert_e_smart wrote:The Rob that Franlkin is referring to isn't me, just to avoid any confusion.

Robert

Yep, good point Robert...Rob Draper is the Chairman.

Hi Robert

I guess I could work the strut heads and the XM rusting problems up into something along the lines of:
"Why your XM may never make it to be a Classic".
Will be coming in the Green one that I am going to give up on so that can be a rusting exhibit.
Will email Rob to find out more about the extent of the commitment.

John

Hi John,

How much more rot have you found on that car now? It looked good on top from memory.

They can't all make it I suppose and welding under a car isn't fun either.

Hi Robert

The underseal has failed and bubbling.
If you pierce the centre of each bubble you get a few drops of rusty water on your head.
Push into the centre of each bubble with a pointed bit of metal and you generally find a small rust hole.
Half of the inside of the cills are plated already.
Also needed work on the front subframe, front bulkhead and by one of the front strut mount points (chassis not strut head).
Apart from the odd folded lifting point no visible signs on the external body.
All this, including FSH and it not yet 140k.
Most likely the trim will go into a 205k body that is in far better state.
Not sure about the engine yet as it still has the major oil leak that the PO paid £1500 to have cured by fitting a brand new sump.

John

Hi John,

Was it a coastal car?

I'm going to investigate the underseal of both my XMs for deterioration, any bubbling or peeling will be removed, the sufrace rust cleaned back, and then I'll wax oil the underside of the car, remove wheel arch liners and bumpers, and then do any cavities like the sills, and where the rear subframe mounts on.

I have seen too many rusty Xms, and heard of others now to take some preventative maintenance.

Robert

No not a costal car.
That is a myth along with Mk2 back ends being dipped in the sea to launch boats.
I am now convinced that the presence of a failed surface treatment is the key.
The flap of failed material on top the bare steel then sucks air and moisture by capilliary action.
Requires very small volumes of moisture in the air to be the optimum amount and mix for corrosion.
Mix most likely stays damp and active for days when the car body has dried in an hour or so.
Through the winter months it will have added salt.
I have seen steel rails encased in a level crossing where the base had rusted away completely in a few years.
Vibration will ensure any bond to the rails from the casing fails quickly starting the capilliary action.
We are talking of typically 30mm thick steel sections here. In the open air rusting of rails is not a problem even with rails older than me.
Consider the strut head base. The underside of the XM one is bare metal exposed to quantities of wet salt water.
Dries off quickly so no significant rusting even after 20 years. On the Xantia strut head Citroen encased the base in a thin rubber covering.
The bond starts to fail quite quickly, forms a flap which sucks in and retains that rapid rusting mix of air and water with added salt in winter.

John

Was the car originally from the North or Scotland, as they do suffer more due to harsher winters and more salt usage?