Dean's Activa/XM/V6 and now Talbot blog

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 19:33

ive been told it takes 3-4 days to turn up on askmid, ive heard of people turfed out of their cars when they were insured but not on askmid cos if the computer says no the police wont have any printed documents or excuses.

My main issue was i wasnt taxed or mot'd or insured although technicaly i was insured but i would of been given a producer which is a pita.

I think the stutter could be the ignition amp as it happens when hot and the boost is either a weak wastegate actuator being pushed open or a boost leak somewhere although i suspect the first one.

Have a good day tomorrow Chris, i loved driving mine at last and cant wait to get it taxed, im hoping it will be ready to tax tomorrow afternoon although i may have to wait till monday now.

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 01 Apr 2011, 20:16

Yes ive heard it can take up to 4 days too, what a pain! Hopefully all will run smoothly. Ill check again in the morning to see if it has appeared on the askmid site, just to put my mind at rest, though I doubt it will do. I should have arranged it yesterday, might have had more of a chance of getting it on. Still, its insured.

They shouldn't be too much of a problem to remedy and get it running right.

Thanks Dean, as you can imagine ill up date my blog tomorrow with how I get on during the day. Im taking the Xm for the trip, so im looking forward to driving that down too.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 20:26

I look forward to seeing the update Chris, should be a nice day out.

D

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 01 Apr 2011, 20:51

Can you not tax it at the post office with the documents you have in hand?

Over here we can't tax online, and I tax my cars at the post office still.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 21:10

I cant tax it with printed off documents Robert, ive tried before and the woman in the post office wasnt having it. not that im sure why it matters but there you go.

Forgot to say, i got a C1 for the day today too, they were running late and couldnt mot it till 12:30 so gave me a free hire car, not bad really for the money, of course it is slow, and bouncy but well put together and very cheap to run, cracking little car really, and it was free, Which is your favourite isnt it Robert?

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 01 Apr 2011, 21:24

Ah, you didn't trash it enough if it was too slow

Ours is getting better and better as the miles slowly count up.

Pleased you like the C1 Dean, they are great little cars.

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 21:36

Yeah i do like it, did get it up to 80, i mean 60mph.
The worst thing is i thought i would top it up with fuel as being given a free hire car with free fuel is very nice of them over a £41 mot i wouldnt pay repairs for so i went out of my way and sat in traffic for 10 minutes to put some fuel in on the way back, when i got to the pump could i find the fuel cap release? could i hell

i had to leave the forcourt defeated by a car with only 4 buttons

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 01 Apr 2011, 21:48

I hope you mean you got it up to 60 80 in 3rd?

Fuel cap release? You stick you finger in behind the flap and pull! Put the key in, turn it slightly and then back to straight, the cap relocks itself on refitting. Simples!

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 21:56

i pulled gingerly on the cap then thought it must have a release, the Xant one falls open as does the XM, all my others had release flaps, didnt want to be too brutal with someone elses car.
and yes it went damn well but i was in 4th, just.
Cruised nicely in 5th at 30 too although getting back in the activa was very nice, and smooth

the 3 pot of the C1 is a little weak on takeoff and pulling away in traffic without throttle was a no no in the C1, as with all its rivals of course but its nice to have a proper engine

.

D

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 01 Apr 2011, 22:05

Ah right, it has a little metal clip which pops over a stud keeping the door shut. Just needs a bit of a tug. Very simple as is everything on the C1, though well built.

Ideal, the C1s engine makes the car I think, its excellent for a tiny 3 pot. A rev counter is a must though, as it needs to be used! When driving sensibly they do great MPG too.

Ours is mainly a shopping trolley, but it copes very nicely with occasional out of town trips.

I bet its quite a different drive to an Activa

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 22:15

it had the rev guage, with the 6.5k redline

the exhaust note is nice too for a 3 pot, very roughty.

My brother bought a new C1 VTR and he loves his, and the tx band, and the 50mpg

D

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 01 Apr 2011, 22:36

Anyway, since the Activa is almost done with its time for the XM's 19year major service to be done over the summer, time to break out the Dinitrol, and arb bushes, engine mounts, pas ram bush, rear arm bearings or subframe bushes, although the subfames will be dropped for cleaning and rustproofing anyway.
This afternoon see's me here

CIMG3244 by Deanxm, on Flickr

CIMG3245 by Deanxm, on Flickr

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 02 Apr 2011, 13:35

Great news on the MOT result Dean

I guess like me, you get very frustrated with how bloody difficult and bureaucratic it can be to tax a car and how 'jobsworth' most PO counter staff are. I reckon they're selected on that basis...

I try to avoid our PO whenever I can. Most unfriendly place in town staffed by Rottweilers

Good to see the XM getting TLC. I look forward to progress reports...

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 02 Apr 2011, 14:54

Well, its taxed and ive been out in it and yes Jim, why does something so simple have to be such a pita!!!!

She drives like a treat however, i have a misfire from cold or warm under low revs and load which im about to check when she cools down a bit, should be simple and ignition based.
Secondly it will only produce boost of up to 6 or 7psi and only at over half throttle and 2 1/2krpm no matter what i do with the boost controller.
Im hoping its some sort of problem with the wastegate actuator as i cant hear any boost leaks.............
Need to get it on the ramps and have a carefull look over things back there.

Other than that, exellent, she is pretty spritly even though its not boosting properly.

D

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 08 Apr 2011, 23:45

I stopped driving the Activa just long enough to remove another hidden boost controller at the weekend, thats the 2nd one ive removed now and there is one left on there, 3 boost controllers on one car

.
Boost is still peaking at 7psi but ive not looked at the wastegate yet, i just cant be bothered tbh, it goes fine as it is for now anyway.

On the Xm front i removed the Valve block from her this evening and stripped it down to see if a could find a weak or broken D accumulator spring and a sequence valve sticking, not really found much after stripping the valve block but my D accumulator spring does seem slightly shorter compared to another one i have, may have to see about getting a new one and a new sequencer valve and springs to cure the judder under hard deceleration.
Still, i figured how to get the valveblock apart and how to not loose all the little balls and tiny (very tiny) one way dampers.
I will write this up properly on my gearbox thread but since the CXM forum is down here are a few piccies.

CIMG3252 by Deanxm, on Flickr
here you can see the tiny dampers

CIMG3247 by Deanxm, on Flickr

These are the real parts responsible for shifting and any issues with the box are likely to be one of these valves, or more acuratly their springs, they can be got at with the valve block in the box and in the car too.

CIMG3260 by Deanxm, on Flickr
The more i look into it the simpler these boxes seem to be, far, far easier to work on than a manual.

D