Citrojim's AX, Pixo, C3, Running and Cycling Tales

[addo]

Clearfloor hoist in front of the garage is one option, would help generate pocket money too. Option two would be a car trailer, which you could park on the street with a SORN'd car on top.

[CitroJim]

Don't sell the V6 Jim

Mark

That, after much thought and soul-searching, is my conclusion Mark

There's only one option: Combine the 2 and make a V6 Activa.

I nearly did once... It would be nice...

Clearfloor hoist in front of the garage is one option,

Umm, good thinking! Wonder what the neighbours would make of it

[addo]

They'll complain until they realise the benefits.

It might suffer some guerilla knitting!

Or cop a Banksy (at which point, it would unquestionably have to remain a fixture)... Docchevron's a Bristolian; maybe he can put in a request?

[Citroenmad]

Don't sell the V6 Jim

Mark

That, after much thought and soul-searching, is my conclusion Mark

So its a keeper again, good to hear

[CitroJim]

So its a keeper again, good to hear

Indeed to goodness yes

I've been doing some gentle XM spannering over the past couple of days and specifically it's ABS issues...

The fun carries on. I'd sort of determined the valve block was the cause and was awaiting help plus courage to swap it for the the good one Paul let me have at CXM. It's a bit of a major job

Anyway, I re-checked my findings over the past couple of days and I'm glad I did as the valve block electrovalves are actually OK So that means the valve block itself does not need to be swapped.

I know the ECU is OK too by a swap with one DavetheRave has lent me. Two giving exactly the same faults suggest they're both good.

My ELIT kept on banging on about a permanent fault on the safety relay. I investigated further and in resistance checking the electrovalves from the ECU connector I found that all of them were 20-something ohms to ground rather than the expected 3.5 ohms. However if you read between coils (they share a common earth/supply) every one read 7 ohms, which is to be expected. So why the high resistance to earth?

Between the common of all the electrovalve coils and earth lies the safety relay which earths their commons when the ABS is out of use or switches 12V to it when in service and all is good; this 12v also extinguishes the ABS light.

After much testing I determined it is the actual relay that's at fault and when switched to earth the coil commons it shows a resistance across its contacts of 20-odd ohms. I very carefully checked this was so by disconnecting everything from the relay board attached to the valve block and testing the relay directly and comparing with the good relay board I have.

So, now it's just the simple case of swapping relay boards over. I can do it (just) by removing the A/C receiver/drier (system is empty anyway), taking off the turbo hose and popping off the nosecone so the rads can tilt back! No problem at all then.

I also found an intermittent rear sensor. That was just the connector a bit. A wiggle of it seems to have restored it happily. Now, who put the rear ABS sensor connectors where they did and who in their right mind put the fuel filter where it is? They really were smoking something good when they designed the XM

I also looked to see if the wiring plugs for the oxygen sensor still remain ready for when we refit a cat and sensor. They look, on a brief look, like they've been cut and what's more I can only see two wires. I believe it should have a normal four wire sensor although I'm trying to confirm. Service.Citroen seems to think it should and then muddies the water again by suggesting the cat also has a temperature probe in it which would be a two-wire device so the wires I saw may be for that. Has anyone ever seen one of these on an early TCT?

It just leaves the question of where the original oxygen sensor has gone. XMs - dont you just love 'em

It grieves me that the cat has to be reinstated to satisfy the visual check as stipulated by the new MOT rules. According to lasy years MOT it flew through emissions and would have passed the cat petrol test without a cat!

More news when it happens...

[CitroJim]

The XM ABS is now fixed

Relay board on the valve block replaced. What a heck of a job Not made easy by the lack of access and two rusted-up screws on the lowest connector. I had to carefully drill them out in-situ Luckily I have a little air operated drill which is very slim and controllable. Without it I'd have been stuck.

Now I've just got to reassemble the car. It was a nose-cone off job.

Still, it was worth it to watch the ABS light flicker and then go off and for the ELIT to say 'No Faults'...

Hope it lasts

Proud I managed the job, albeit very slowly...

[andmcit]

The long haul wins at the end of the day Jim! Great stuff. Just to be clear, it's the PCB on the fluid block?

[CitroJim]

Thanks Andrew

Just to be clear, it's the PCB on the fluid block?

That's the one

[addo]

Good work. My 605 ABS fault was a dodgy offside brakelight earth, backfeeding from the right blinker and confusing the heck out of the bulb failure module.

[CitroJim]

Good work. My 605 ABS fault was a dodgy offside brakelight earth, backfeeding from the right blinker and confusing the heck out of the bulb failure module.

That's a good one Adam! Bet that took some finding

[Citroenmad]

Very good news with the ABS Jim, looked a pig of a job!

[citronut]

and two rusted-up screws on the lowest connector. I had to carefully drill them out in-situ Luckily I have a little air operated drill which is very slim and controllable. Without it I'd have been stuck.

naaa theres always the 4.1/2" grinder with a cutting disc attached
you also obviously used loads of PERCY WHAT SIT and

[CitroJim]

you also obviously used loads of PERCY WHAT SIT and

Yes, I used up a whole months-worth of PERCY WHATSIT Malcolm, and a good few cuppas too..

Sadly I also used up several days-worth of my own energy and in consequence I've only really just gained sufficient consciousness to post anything on here I need milk but I can hardly walk, let along drive The ABS problem had thrown me down a gauntlet and I was determined to crack it.

Still, it was worth the cost and just occasionally I have to do what I did both to prove to myself I can and to see if by some miracle I'm all better now.

I'm not But at least I'm happy I can still do a bit even if it costs dearly

[Northern_Mike]

I think your XM looks well, but a glance under the bonnet just makes me want to scream and run away.

If I were nearer, I'd deliver some milk for you. Sadly, I am not, however, a handy hint is that milk freezes very well in those plastic containers, and doesn't take at all long to defrost if you find yourself running low..

[CitroJim]

I think your XM looks well, but a glance under the bonnet just makes me want to scream and run away.

I know Mike, it has the opposite effect on me. I grow a pair of horns and get determined to tame the beast never been scared of a challenge...

Thanks for the milk tip So long as the cats don't demand too much of it I should be OK until tomorrow and then will be OK to get some in...