Citroen XM Forum

Ooo, quite a few responses!

I shall explain. When the car is cold, engine off and level checked, it sits at max on the 80 reading.
But I know this is not accurate as the engine needs to be running.

Yesterday I was out with it in the morning, so it was very warmed up when I got home. Before switching off I checked the fluid level and it was on minimum level on the 40. Now unless I am reading the dipstick wrong, or I shouldn't have checked the fluid level like that, I am a bit confused. I did dip twice. so i can only assume alot of the oil was about the box.
I will do another check with the engine running having gone through all the gears first. See what happens.

It just threw me a bit seeing it so low!

You cannot check ATF with the engine not running. Yours sounds low.

Dieselman wrote:You cannot check ATF with the engine not running. Yours sounds low.

agreed, and if practical, check it when hot.

Agreed. I think it is too low. I have just checked it from cold. It has been sitting outside the garage all day. I started it up, went through all the gears and dipped twice taking a reading of the second dip. It was way below the min 40 level.

Yesterday when hot, and it would have been scalding!!...it was on min 40 level. So it must be far too low. Which is so strange as it feels great. Hence why I have had no cause to worry until now. Thank god I checked it yesterday.

So engine running from cold, it needs to be on the max 40 level? Yes?

Thanks for your advice once again guys.

A very productive day today. I took advantage of this amazing weather and did some more body work.
I had started to sand down the shoulder line of the passenger rear door. A patch of laquer had started to flake away and looked really awful. So with the correct paint in my possession, I sorted it out.

Some pics.......



Sanded down and masked off.



Whole surface masked off ready for some primer.



All finished. Needs flatting back with somme 1500 wet and dry, and some rubbing compound will turn the clear coat all nice and glossy.
You can also see that the masking tape took some black paint off the door pillars. I also tackled these today with a proper sand down and a coat of etch primer then satin black. Halfway through that lot.

Also whilst waiting for the paints to dry, I sanded down and polished up the boot lip. And that has been a great success.



Gave the light panel and inner two red clusters a polish too!

So tomorrow, I need to finish the door pillars. Top up with more ATF, and maybe just maybe ....have a look at the rear bumper.

Then it needs a damn good wash and polish. It is filthy!

Great job, I don't have the guts to do that with a spray can:) Things all looking bright and shiny!

russ92xmsed wrote: So engine running from cold, it needs to be on the max 40 level? Yes?

Yes, but in my book best to check it when it's really hot and go for the max 80 mark...

The HP20 (as in late V6s) is always checked hot as it plays the same trick of different levels at different temperatures...

In fact on the later ones with no dipstick the level must be checked at exactly 60 degrees...

For those that are now about to ask how you check a level with no dipstick the answer is it has a level check plug!

Russ that's some excellent work you've done today... An Activa with lacquer-peel awaits your attention

Thanks Jaap. Not quite shiny yet..but getting there.

Thanks Jim. The door shoulder went very well indeed. The door pillars another story! I rushed the passenger front door slim window pillar, and it currently has three very large paint runs!! serves me right.
I look forward to seeing the Activa. I'll take a look if you want. But large surface areas are really a no no with aerosols. Well you can do it, but it isn't ideal. Really need a compressor and redo the whole roof whilst your at it.

Thanks for the fluid levels tips too. I really don't know how that got sooooo low. Shameful!
I'll sort it out tomorrow.

I noticed on the XM that I am dismantling, that the autobox is heavily sweating at the side of the box, visible if you take away the wheel arch liners. However it did not, leak any fluids on the floor of the garage so..Also these boxes, they start loosing oil at some stage when the drive shaft seals are getting worn or old. Not massive but still. Do you have any stains on your parking place, if so it's time to just have a look and not worry. Those seals are not NFP unless I am wrong here again but I do not think so!

Mmmmmm, I did think about leaks Jaap, but there are no stains where ever it is parked.
Apparently the car has some sort of oil leak, and is moist around the sump area, but not dripping and not loosing and significant amounts of oil. So unless that is actually gearbox oil, I don't really know.