2.1 Turbo D engines

KP · Post by KP » 11 Jan 2007, 12:33

The headjoint?

You mean the headgasket??

The coolant has been flushed a few times in its life and last time was when the turbo was replaced

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 11 Jan 2007, 12:55

The 'head joint' or interface is the collective term for head, gasket and cylinder block.

Corrosion at this juncture is caused by 2 (or more) disimilar metals immersed in electrolyte which become a battery of sorts - in this case iron, aluminium, (and any others in the heating system including the heater matrix), bathed in a hot water solution. The aluminium becomes a sacrificial anode if the solution is not inhibited in some way... as soon as the inhibitors get used up, we are back to the battery situation.

A pal of mine runs his cars on neat inhibited glycol - undiluted antifreeze - (as were the Merlin aero engines). Never has a head gasket problem. After stripping, the water poassages are like new.

All down to economics in the end (like most things in life).

The headjoint?

You mean the headgasket??

KP · Post by KP » 11 Jan 2007, 13:38

We tend to run about 50% or more really, stick in about 3-4litres of the stuff and then top up with distilled water.

I think its more about keeping the stuff fresh than anything else as it breaks down over time if you stick to a 3yr interval it should be fine.

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 11 Jan 2007, 13:52

Good practice. The fluid's inhibitors get get used up, rather than breaking down.

think its more about keeping the stuff fresh than anything else as it breaks down over time if you stick to a 3yr interval it should be fine.

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 12 Jan 2007, 11:15

KP wrote:And in the mean time see about getting the IP sorted to take veggie oil

You will be wanting it converted to a mechanical Bosch pump from a early 2.1TD XM then. I would not even try SVO with the EPIC pump. I cant decide if using Bio has killed my pump, twice. I used the same stuff in my 1.9TD and it ran better than petro diesel.

I am now trying to decide if I am going to fit another EPIC or go the whole hog and convert to a mechanical pump. The messy bits will be adding on the cold start device from the XM and making the rev counter work afterward when the original ECU is in the bin. I have not looked into how the XM rev counter works yet.

KP · Post by KP » 12 Jan 2007, 11:44

Theres a guy on the Veg forum called HCII i think who offered to convert a pump for me but i think it was circa £300 for it but decided if i ever get teh cash and can do it then the pump will no doubt last longer than normal anyway and be worth while should i ever need to replace the pump if it starts playing up which touch wood it hasnt done yet as it would be worth doing in say a years time when the next cambelt is due

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 12 Jan 2007, 13:05

KP wrote:it would be worth doing in say a years time when the next cambelt is due

It took me about 2 1/2 hours to change it. That would be quicker if you were doing the belt as you would have a lot of in the way bits stripped down already. I did not do the belt as I wanted to know the replacement pump fixed the fault before I spent more money on the car. It did fix it for about 2 or 3 months.

KP · Post by KP » 12 Jan 2007, 13:33

Rare car you have mind

I got ours done with a friend who works for pug now and we did it in a few hours. the tensioner isnt that much fun but all belts done and got from GSF as well and were perfect matches for the OE ones

The hardest part is locking it all in palce and making sure you follow the cambelt path properly

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 12 Jan 2007, 15:17

KP wrote:Rare car you have mind

Why, because of the extra 2 seats?

I bought a donor Xantia 1.9td estate with a snapped cam belt. Removed the seats and binned the rest. Cost £150 from ebay.

KP · Post by KP » 12 Jan 2007, 15:40

Yeah the 7seat conversion isnt cheap

I would have just got the cambelt and head fixed and flogged it on as they often seem to go for decent money the estates

Post by **Peter.N.** » 12 Jan 2007, 17:09

Just a few late comments for what they are worth, missed the original post as I have been away. I have been running 2.1s for ten years or more but in XMs so they have all been mechanical injection, I have also run 1.9s in BXs and a ZX and have found the 2.1, even in the XM which is heavier, to be more economical. I dont drive hard or very fast but I usually average 50 mpg on our Scottish trips with a best ever of 55. My wifes ZX estate doesn't do that!

They also have a very long life, if the oil is changed regularly, I change mine every 5k. My last XM had done 292k whn I sold it and was still going well. The do suffer from head gasket failure but no more so than the 1.9 but they are more difficult to change, I know, I did mine last year! They are also much less likely to suffer head or gasket failure due to overheating, as they have a completely redesigned cooling system with the thermostat in the radiator return, which means they dont get air trapped in the head.

BonceChops · Post by **BonceChops** » 12 Jan 2007, 19:27

KP wrote:Yeah the 7seat conversion isnt cheap

The mod was done to the original car in 1998, the invoice for the conversion was £528. I was happy at the mod costing me £150 so the rest of the car was just in my way.

Are their any sites with XM worshop manuals for the 2.1TD on the net so I can check out fitting a mechanical pump to mine?