Citroen XM Forum

I have been running my 1990 V6 12v auto for a month now after refitting the engine and gearbox and the car is generally performing well, apart from a few little niggling problems! If anyone can offer any ideas/advice I would be most grateful:
- The engine seems to run very hot and often close to 100 degrees if the gauge is to be believed although the fans are operating. Is there anything I can do about this?
- The heater is a bit feeble which makes demisting and defrosting a struggle and I have found that wherever you set the selector dial there is only one setting - 'luke warm' Is there some kind of temperature control device for the heating and if so where is it located?
- The rear offside footwell carpet is soaked which I have just noticed and that I presume is a blocked rear sunroof drain as I had the same thing on my BX. I am not sure where the drain holes/pipes are located and what is the best way to clear things through?
- A slight speed-variable rattle has developed in the engine bay that comes and goes a bit but seems to be coming from the offside and I think might possibly be the water pump bearing? I have thought about disconnecting the drive-belt at the air-con compressor to be sure.
With thanks and regards,
Matthew T.

The water pump could account for the hot engine but cool heater.
The sunroof drain goes down the C pillar into the rear wheel-arch. Maybe the pipe has come off the sunroof tray.

Hi Matthew,

Does your car have a factory sun roof or a cit UK sun roof? Has the roof cut out got a black trim around it? My G reg XM had a cit uk sun roof, and the c piller trims squeezed the drainage tubes closed causing the sun roof cassette to flood. These cars had drainage tubes run outside the c piller and not in them.

My first g plater had wet back carpets when I bought it.

Many thanks chaps and in response to Will what might be the problem with the pump I wonder to stop water circulation a blockage perhaps? That could also then be the source of the rattle and it may be a coincidence but I was getting a slight leak from the pump spindle bearing after refitting the engine. For the sunroof my car has the factory fitted version Robert and on my BX there was an obstruction in the outlet end behind the rear wheel. Is it easy to find the rear sunroof drain holes on the XM as the BX was quite tricky and can you get a piece of wire up them? With regards, Matthew T.

The impeller might have either broken or come off the pump.

Thanks again Will that does all make sense and fortunately I have a spare pump which I had investigated getting rebuilt when the leak first appeared! With regards, Matthew T.

You could also check the temperture of the Heater Pipes in the car when at running Temp Mathew

Remove the side trim on the drivers side to reveal the heater pipes.. see how hot they are. I was just wondering about the heater flap fully working..

Ive had and I think Will Dieselman, had heater box repairs etc where the Heater FLaps sieze up from lack of use!!!

But, saying that, if the radiator is also not that hot, it could be a combination of water pump or a bad thermostat, which Id assume you fitted a new one while the top mount was off..

Hi,
I have a possible problem with my 1990 XM 3L V6, car's been sold last month through an auction, but not yet collected by its owner, in the meantime I had started the car after a long cold winter and my problem last year was that, same sound that MTXM have mentioned above, only it used to come from the engine, due to my imbalance in hearing, I wasn't able to differentiate where it was coming from at first, but now confirmed (as the British call it 'off side' of the engine bay) also known as the right side of the front, or where the drive belts are turning all the accessories, hence truly speaking, front of the engine its true facing is the front right or offside.
Also noted, there was smoke coming out from the exhaust manifold, due to maybe some old oil fallen onto the manifold whilst in hibernation , the heat after a warm up was causing smoke from the Pot Puri, it wasn't sweet, also it had stopped after a cleanup in that area.

A)Only concerned about the area where the smoke was coming out from what could this be?

B) The wow and flutter sound from the offside of the engine, now that I think, it must have been the bearing of the water pump, now it seems more like a grinding, but only sounds like that after a warm up.

C) Looking at the oil dip stick, the oil is clean, my concerns: Oil cap underside looks creamy, although I have cleaned it a few times now and it gets lighter, is it something major?

*Oil gets changed once every year, same with the Autobox gets fresh oil every other oil change, car only gets driven approx.1K miles a year, though it have only got less than 64K miles on it, never use it in the winter, so condition wise the car's like new, absolutely no rust anywhere. Coolant flushed and replaced every other year too.

I need to purchase the water pump, any ideas what the cost as well as availability is? Where can I get it from etc. Anyone here will sell me one?
I need it urgently, please help me.
1990 XM V6 Auto, LHD, Diravi, without Air Con, RP4964

The emulsion in the filler cap is probably just condensation from lack of use and short journeys.

The car needs some serious use. XMs just do not benefit from being laid up! Do a hundred miles, then see what's what.