Citroen XM Forum

Have brought up stylex.fr, but short of registering, and then trying to cope with the French language (on a pretty subtle and technical topic), I think I'd be struggling. Do we know whether they reached any conclusions/proposals on component shortages?
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At this precise moment, keeping an XM on the road is - as you say - quite achievable, and even endangered unique items like strut tops are still actually available (here and there, and via Latvia), and, yes, most things are repairable.

So the panic and urgency isn't there, yet. No-one is being obliged to take a car off the road, yet. The list of critical parts (eg no possibility of repair) is, at the moment, very very tiny. But the situation will ONLY GET WORSE.

This is the very best time for us (in concert with our other-Club colleagues, for sure) to start listing and tabulating problem components, and the solutions we find to go with them. If we leave it for a good while longer, the problem will become daunting. We, as a Club, only have limited resources, and it will be beyond us to tackle a clutch of major problems all at once in a year-or-three's time.

Critical parts will run out slowly. Let's keep abreast of this issue while we can. The less-than-critical parts can and will always be repaired; it's not these I'm worried about.

Hi Chris

From a personal view point I believe I have sourced much that I need to keep my chosen 2.5's running for as long as I wish.
There are a few remaining components that will need sourcing or making but no insurmountable design problems.
This includes the electronics which I do not see as a problem for 2.5's.
My expectation is that they will remain working cars not preserved ones.
My biggest risk is that Government coupled with green legislation will stop me using my XM's as I wish before they or I expire.
I try to put information on availability and options for spares when I am aware of them.
That will in effect be a listing about this Forum amongst others.
I see little point in putting the effort in being more formal.

Hi Russ

Forget the Bendix sensors you should be worried about the ABS block pcb.

John

Oh great. another ABS thing to worry about!! I think from what Jaap has found out and you will know too John, the ABS sensors are ridiculously simple, but the scarcity of them is tricky.

Sorry forgive the ignorance. The PCB...computer or valve block?



I am definitely in favour of Chris's idea though.

Hi Russ

Its a encapsulated pcb with safety relay(non removable) safety diode and sockets for wiring plugs.
Bolted to the top of the BENDIX ABS block living in all the road muck near the bottom of the engine bay.
I have supplied as many of them to replace defectives as I have ABS sensors.
Few people keep them to repair or recover them from scrap cars.

My game plan for the few Bendix cars I will keep is to retro fit with TEVES as part of the mid life rebuild.

John

This is new to me John. I understand you've worked a lot on citroens? Is there any way to protect this PCB? I am interested since I drive a lot and in wet circumstances and I do not have a protective shield underneath the engine, fitted. I love the idea of your game plan even though I don't follow (my lack of brains)
Anyway, intend to get at my ABS issues this weekend if nothing comes in between!

Thanks John for explaining that. Will have to try and find it and have a looksee. Pity it can't be rehoused either in a new casing or put elsewhere in the engine bay. Such is life!

Sorry to have to say this, but I thought our Forum was also about helping others, as well as ourselves, and to do this in the most logical and available way. Perhaps I have misunderstood.

We're sitting on a huge resource of shared expertise and knowledge, and it seems daft not to organise an important part of this into a simple sheet. The alternative is to carry on as we are, and oblige most folk to wade through thousands of posts via Search.

Also, although I really admire those who do, many of us are not able to have a 'standby fleet' to cannibalise.

Trying to be positive on this,
Chris

Perhaps a good place to start with the critical parts list is the Citroen list of parts, the one mechanics use to identify parts numbers. Does anyone have one of these?

Off the top of my head, the parts I worry about are ABS sensors, strut tops, ECUs and pinion valves on the steering rack.

Richard

"the Citroen list of parts, the one mechanics use to identify parts numbers"
It's here:
http://service.citroen.com/pages/index.jsp
You simply need to Register (eg as an independent repairer), and you'll have access to all the parts listings and diagrams. NLA (NFP) items are flagged as such.

Ciaran wrote: What else is there? In terms of 'different' I've toyed with the idea of importing a big American saloon like the Ford Crown Victoria and running it on LPG, but spares would be an even bigger nightmare than XMs by that stage, so hardly practical for daily motoring.

I popped down to North American motors in Farnborough today as they have fitted the new rear axle gears to my 1949 Allard (brand new gears made in the US for a Ford rear axle that stopped being made in 1952 ish) and mentioned this - Billy there said you would have zero difficulty in getting parts at all. He had a lovely Cadillac from the 90s with 5.7 litre V8 that had just past its MOT - for £2k. Edit - just like thishttp://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C331154, Corvette engine so goes like stink. My XM central locking played up there (which he fixed) but he wouldn't take it in part exchange!

Seriously, I have had a new engine, inlet manifolds, gears etc fitted to my Allard (a Ford V8 under the skin) and all have come new or new old stock from the US. Parts availability there is excellent given the immense component runs across numerous models, and Crown Victorias are ubiquitous (and very solidly built).