Citroen XM Forum

You managed to shut the bonnet then Dean with the new lump inside! Regards, Matthew T.

Nope! the catches won't latch, I think there is something wrong with the release cable and it is not routed in its plastic box correctly.
Doing up the driveshaft bearing retainer bolts is proving awkward too but that's a job for tomorrow, along with bleeding the brakes, making a back box or straight through pipe so the exhaust is hanging not propped up, solder a couple of bits in the cabin, make a pipe up for the ICV and if there is time go for that shake down drive although I suspect I won't be able to do that until later in the week.

The cooling fans are working now though.

D

Looking very moody there, Dean...

it's the oily fingerprint on the camera lens giving that hazy dream look!

Got most jobs done today and just taking the axle stands out when i noticed a leak from the hydraulics or so i thought, gently nudging one of the transmission cooler coolant hoses to one side as i reached in to feel the hydraulic unions released a jet of steaming coolant all over the place, mostly onto my hand, looks like my good cooler I've been saving all these years has a cracked solder joint in it and a burnt hand to go with it.

And so it continues............

D

That's a good time for it to fail.

Oh you are right, better to happen now the car is all back together than later and on the road, would be nice just to use it a little at this point though.

D

An extra day or two snagging at this point will be a blessing.

Well, It's sorted, the oil cooler was fine even though it was spraying out of the base of the cooler union when flexed, I think the Jubilee clip must have pinched the hose because I pulled the cooler and it tested fine seems to be nice and dry there now too, that was very strange.
Made a rad top hose support bracket up from stainless plate too so we seem to be back on track for the test drive.

D

Can't wait for impressions!

In all seriousness, I couldn't care less so long as it's not noisier than the 2.0 engine on the fly (it is at idle). The 2.0 engine was called unrefined and underpowered back in the day by the motoring media but if I'm honest I really liked the 2.0 engine, it was well built, easy to work on, quiet and plenty powerful enough, I'm sure you know it's no speed machine and is spinning well at motorway speeds but it does the job admirably in my opinion. don't get me wrong I wouldn't be that impressed if it was fitted in a modern car but the same will probably be true of the V6.

This is purely for the fun of tinkering, and there has been substantial tinkering!

Anyway, if you want to know what I think I would say all being well, and so long as there are no more failings of mine or the engines and I don't keep remembering things I've not done yet, I should get a sneaky drive by Wednesday or Thursday night, Should have a video to post up for Russ (presumably so we can all laugh at it breaking down) of its first tender steps off the drive as well.

D