CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

After a day of being absolutely unable to do anything at all on Friday I woke up feeling much perkier today and set-to on the XM with much assistance. I was keen to get the nose and bumper back on before the bad weather sets in...

The first task was to repair the bumper mount on the offside, the nearside being fine...

This was the extent of the damage:



We, as it's beyond me now to do, made a repair piece with some aluminium sheet and some pop rivets. That was used with a good coating of cavity wax to make a repair plate..



Not a good picture as it's been a lovely day and the sun got in the camera...

It's strong and does the job a treat...

After another small repair on one of the bumper lower mounts We reassembled and was delighted to see the new bracket is doing the job a treat...

After a test drive the car is far happier and waftier with much better brakes for having a new accumulator

I see I have a similar problem on one side of the rear bumper but it's the opposite problem; the plate on the bumper itself holding the captive nut has rusted badly. The underlying body being fine. Another job to add to the list...

That's it for today. Maybe already done too much and I'll suffer tomorrow perhaps...

The Activa goes on for her MOT first thing Monday Morning. I was going to take her Thursday but when i looked at the old MOT I saw I was too early

[CitroJim]

I'm pleased to report the Activa flew her MOT this morning and emerged with a clean sheet

I had a very interesting chat with the tester about and XM and the fact it's catless but running on LPG.

New rules state the car must have a cat fitted even if it runs on gas predominantly and the new MOT also includes new checks on the LPG installation. A special dye is used to detect leaks and if any are found, instant fail. Previously the gas system was not subject to any MOT checks at all.

This now leaves me in a serious quandary; my health is just not up to installing a cat and oxygen sensor at the moment even though I have one in stock. The MOT is due in November. That and the ongoing ABS issue (which requires a valve block swap) may mean the car will be laid-up SORN until my health improves to the extent I might be able to do the work. It could be some time...

[Deanxm]

Oh no Jim, surely there is another way, if i was closer i would come and do the job for you but given the distance and ferry implications it would be a bit tricky at the moment..............

D

[Chris570]

Oh no Jim, surely there is another way, if i was closer i would come and do the job for you but given the distance and ferry implications it would be a bit tricky at the moment..............

D

Fear not, Jim already has the chief engineer from the Citroen Service Centre of Great Barford booked

[addo]

Fear not, Jim already has the chief engineer from the Citroen Service Centre of Great Barford booked

That sounds like something which should be narrated by Ringo Starr...

[CitroJim]

Fear not, Jim already has the chief engineer from the Citroen Service Centre of Great Barford booked

That sounds like something which should be narrated by Ringo Starr...

I'm quite sure it'll turn out to be an epic tale quite worthy of the narration skills of the gentleman in question. It's an XM after all and every job is an adventure on those it seems

[lexi]

New rules state the car must have a cat fitted even if it runs on gas predominantly and the new MOT also includes new checks on the LPG installation. A special dye is used to detect leaks and if any are found, instant fail. Previously the gas system was not subject to any MOT checks at all.

This applies to cars that were fitted from factory with a cat? Not to my 61 Landrover I assume. I am thinking of LPG'ing it.

Sorry to hear of your illness Jim. Thinking of you and wishing you well mate.

[CitroJim]

Thanks for the good wishes Lexi I've had to wind my neck in a long way and concentrate solely on getting better by order of the medical profession. It been quite a lot of work to wind-down my various activities but that's nearly done now so I can properly coast; I now just need to work on how to stop getting bored and restless My boredom threshold has always been very low.

This applies to cars that were fitted from factory with a cat? Not to my 61 Landrover I assume. I am thinking of LPG'ing it.

No, I think in those days the only cats known to mankind were furry ones that go miaw so you have no worries about LPG'ing it at all. It does apply if the car was originally fitted with a cat.

If you do the LPG conversion yourself it'll need to be certified by a properly qualified gas installer.

Oh no Jim, surely there is another way, if i was closer i would come and do the job for you but given the distance and ferry implications it would be a bit tricky at the moment..............

D

Fear not, Jim already has the chief engineer from the Citroen Service Centre of Great Barford booked

Thanks Chris, that's much appreciated And thanks Dean for the very kind offer too Just shows what this forum is all about. Excellent!

[Citroenmad]

There really was not a lot left to that bumper mount! Your repair looks good and wont rot again. Perhaps the rot to the original occured due to that side having a holed wheel arch rubber cover? Well worth replacing now.

That is unfortunate news about the MOT and LPG for the Prestige I hope you can manage to get a cat and have it fitted without too much hassle. I know the car can stand a long time and not lose any LPG, so hopefully it is without any leaks. This Prestige might well be turning into more than you have bargained for, im sorry You can always bring it back

[CitroJim]

Perhaps the rot to the original occured due to that side having a holed wheel arch rubber cover?

I reckon you're right there Chris... new bungs will be going on as soon as I can get some. I believe they're the same as found in the boots of 106s to cover the subframe mounting bolts...

This Prestige might well be turning into more than you have bargained for, im sorry You can always bring it back

Ahh well, these things happen Chris. All part of the fun of XM ownership. Nope. I'm not bringing it back! Not likely. I like the car far too much for that

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

1st car I drove after passing my test was a Xantia TD with less than 1,000 miles on the clock but already like a council tip inside because the Boss (it was his car) never bothered using an ahstray when there was a perfectly good floor available. Also why vacuum? Costs money!

However, I decided then that I had to have one. A BX14E Leader was bought for a song and I've had Citroens ever since. I love 'em!

Even if every one I've had did have a mind of their own.....

[Citroenmad]

I think the mount on the rear bumper has not been helped by the impact it had at the time of the wing dent.

This Prestige might well be turning into more than you have bargained for, im sorry You can always bring it back

Ahh well, these things happen Chris. All part of the fun of XM ownership. Nope. I'm not bringing it back! Not likely. I like the car far too much for that

Excellent, you seem to have developed quite a bond with the old Prestige. I can't help but feel a bit guilty as I do seem to have got the better car, however, my offer stands for helping you out with some jobs on it.

[CitroJim]

Excellent, you seem to have developed quite a bond with the old Prestige.

Yes I have Chris but the relationship hit breaking point today when I tried to replace the speedo cable I found exactly my limit of ability and it's not a lot sadly. Finding it in such a way reduced me to tears of frustration and upset and I was all set to see the XM off. Free to anyone who wanted it. I even posted to that effect.

The day started wonderfully. I woke up perky and with an intention of popping on the new speedo cable and changing the transmission fluid. Weather was perfect for it...

This is the first time my inability to do something I could formerly do with ease has really hit home hard and it did with quite devastating consequences. The post I made has been removed by the admins but a copy can still be seem on Club-XM.

I'm happy to say that after a few cups of tea and kindly words of wisdom from some very good friends has saved the day

In retrospect I've learned a valuable lesson today. I can't do what I once could and I really must accept that. I keep on pushing the limits of what I can and can't do and I tend to crash and burn as a result. A bit of a wake-up call really.

Still, the good news is that the XM will be fixed but not by me... In other good news (of a sort) the doctors have pronounced me very fit from a purely medical point of view and I await a consultation from a neurosurgeon for the final and formal diagnosis and to see why my right side muscles are considerably weaker than my left...

So, to anyone who thought they were about to be offered a free XM, sorry but very good and kind folks around here are seeing to it that it remains mine to enjoy It doesn't stop me feeling very guilty about accepting offers of help. That really is something so new to me it's taking a bit of time for it to make any sense. Traditionally it has always been the other way about...

[Citroenmad]

Jim, I didn't see your earlier post but Im very sad to hear this. Im sorry the Prestige is not a better and more sorted car for you, it certainly has the makings and your well on the way but I hope you knew what it needed by my descriptions and are not too dissapointed. I can't help but feel it might have been the wrong car for you

My offer to come down and help you with it is not a hollow one, im still very eager to do this. You will have a PM

Never think it is too much for you, I will always help you with anything I can or if you want out of XM ownership I would happily swap or buy it back. It is just a shame Im so far away to help more but Im very happy to come down for a few days

I'm glad you finshed today on a brighter note, and you know, it has taken many years for the XM to develop its niggles and faults. Im pretty sure that once its done it will be a very reliable car.

I guess your fustration is perhaps mainly for your health. Things can always wait and take time to do, the main thing is not to over-do things.

[Northern_Mike]

Jim, I didn't see your earlier post but Im very sad to hear this. Im sorry the Prestige is not a better and more sorted car for you, it certainly has the makings and your well on the way but I hope you knew what it needed by my descriptions and are not too dissapointed. I can't help but feel it might have been the wrong car for you

My offer to come down and help you with it is not a hollow one

Yes, I'm around quite a lot . I'm more than willing to help. You'll have to sit in your chair, shout instructions, and get fed up at my incompetence, but I'm still willing to help!