All Things V6...

[CitroJim]

Jim, I was thinking of going for the Sunday.

Perfect Ties in nicely with my plans...

[DHallworth]

When I got my XM it had coach lines down it on both sides. A thin line at the top of the waistline and a thicker one along the doors just above the rub strip.

I've been told by a lot of people to remove them but I've always been a bit nervous about doing it as they have been on the car since it was 3 days old and I was worried about the paint having faded beneath them but tonight as I was walking past it I decided enough was enough...

I've taken them off on the front wing and given it a quick clean with Autoglym Super Resin polish which has removed most of the adhesive left behind but not quite all of it. I'm gonna try it gently with some white spirit or petrol tomorrow and then polish it once I've got them off I think.

Anyway, here's a before and after shot... Poor light and a iPhone camera don't help unfortunately...

Before: (Whilst wearing Malaysian number plates)


After:


Looks better I think, am sure most will agree.

David.

[Ben82]

Definitely better without.

Still no sign of the rad for the C5 yet David?

[DHallworth]

Ben,

The rad is in and fitted as is 1 of the pipes. Unfortunately the remaining pipe is the one that connects to the cooler mounted on top of the auto box and joins into the main hose.

There were 3 connections on the old rad, two at the bottom and one at the top. The new rad has 2 connections, both at the top hence the revised pipework.

Really annoying!

It's a bank holiday here today so here's hoping it might arrive at the dealer in the morning.

David.

[bxzx16v]

That looks better David , when's the other stripe coming off ?

Mark

[DHallworth]

Hopefully tomorrow!

There was a little glue residue left on the paintwork so wanted to figure out what best to get it all off before starting on the other one.

Apparently petrol or white spirit are good options. Chris has told me he has used white spirit without any ill effects so the others can come off now I know how I'm going to get rid of the marks.

David.

[CitroJim]

Yes, definitely better without David...

Hoping we can park together at Wetherby - two silver V6 XMs next to each other - twins!

[ragger]

Removing sticky residues is one of the features of WD40, I believe.

Rob

[Mandrake]

Hi David,

A follow up to an older post of mine speculating on using the Automatic version of the V6 engine ECU with a manual gearbox.

For the purpose of testing something else on my gearbox I removed the gearbox ECU fuse (thus severing communication between the two ECU's) and took it for a test drive with the gearbox in 3rd emergency (mechanical/hydraulic only) mode.

The engine ran perfectly, I monitored the torque reduction figure under the ignition timing section and even under full throttle acceleration it was sitting on zero (meaning no retard applied) so there is no loss of power due to the retard control line not being controlled. (Although I haven't checked, most likely its internally pulled high at the engine ECU end and pulled to ground from the gearbox end when reducing torque so open circuit on this control line means no torque reduction)

The engine ECU logged no faults either, as far as I could tell it was completely happy. So I think its highly likely that your manual V6 conversion will run just fine with its existing Auto ECU, if it were me I wouldn't go through all the hassle of trying to get hold of a manual ECU/CPH/keys or reprogramming ECU's etc unless its absolutely necessary. Just use the engine ECU/CPH and keys from the V6 donor!

[CitroJim]

Now there's some valuable research Simon. Excellent!

IMO not a good idea to spend too much time in 3rd emergency as it doesn't half stress things when moving between P R N and D. You surely noticed the mayhem as it banged into reverse and drive? Been known to break engine mounts that has...

[DHallworth]

Thanks Simon, I'll certainly give it a go and see how it runs with the auto ECU before spending any time/money on the unlocking.

The Activa performed faultlessly again tonight, not for a long run, but just enough to demonstrate to someone how well they go round corners. He now reckons it would out handle his mates Morgan

Still no hose from Citroen for the C5, apparently it should be there tomorrow, and unfortunately the XM is still wearing its stripes after being 4 hours late home from work tonight

David.

[hattershaun]

I've run my converted Activa V6 (with manual gearbox) with both types of engine ECU.
The car works perfectly well with both ECUs, although they do have slightly different programmes as you'd expect given they have different part numbers.
When the conversion was carried out I used the ECU from the V6 auto donor car. I experienced some jerkiness when going on and off the throttle at 1000 to 1500rpm, which coincided with driving in variable speed town traffic, say on the approach to a roundabout. The manual gearbox ECU completely stopped this occurring.
I bought my manual ECU from eBay, there's a chap always breaking Peugeot 406, for £50.

[Mandrake]

Interesting, do you know if your Auto ECU was updated to the latest firmware ?

How did you deal with the fact that a 2nd hand Engine ECU would be permanently paired with a CPH ? Does the 406 have a matching CPH which is compatible with the Xantia that you were able to fit ?

One other possible complication is I believe David's V6 donor is a Series 2 while the Activa is a Series 1 ? Can a series 1 Xantia even take a CPH, or does the Series 1 use something else ? Would a Series 1 Activa only take a Series 1 engine ECU ?

[DHallworth]

Both of my Xantia's are Series 2's.

You send the 406 ECU away for unlocking Simon, that way you do away with the immobiliser and the need for it to talk to the CPH at all.

I kinda wish my Activa were a Series 1 as it makes it so much easier!

David.

[Ben82]

Any sign of that elusive hose yet David?

It sounds like the issues my mum had with getting the electrovalve for me... took them 2-3weeks I think before all the parts were in.