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

[CitroJim]

Not only does it look jolly good Franklin, it can also cash the cheques it writes performance-wise too

If I didn't have an Activa it would be on my drive now...

[Citroenmad]

If I didn't have an Activa it would be on my drive now...

That goes for me too

[Deanxm]

Gee thanks guys
I do like the Activa very much but i try not to dwell on it too much, needs must and its only a car, C&C ad seems to be working a bit too well and ive had 3 enquiries already...............

Got the week off this week anyway so now the citrohutch is pretty much done i thought id have an afternoon on the xm, got the welding 90% done on the back end, ran out of welding rods though which is a little annoying but very happy to be making some proggress, a picture something something something.............

Patch cut and in place

CIMG3665 by Deanxm, on Flickr
Alll welded up, ground back smooth with 2nd coat of rust cure

CIMG3671 by Deanxm, on Flickr
Strengthener cleaned, treated and tacked in place wih another coat of Brown cure

CIMG3672 by Deanxm, on Flickr

Front wheel arch with all the original stone chip/seam sealer taken off around the weld and a quick go over with rust cure to keep it clean till i can continue on friday.

CIMG3673 by Deanxm, on Flickr

CIMG3674 by Deanxm, on Flickr
Things are getting moving with the XM again , even got the new glovebox catch in and gave the whole underside a good power wash off ready for degreaser.

D

[CitroJim]

Gosh Dean, that's looking a top quality welding job Excellent stuff!

[Deanxm]

Thanks Jim, im happy with the way it went, its been ages since ive welded 1mm and got a pack of 1.5mm rods for the job but they ran too hot so settled with 2.5mm which was fine but i only had 3 left, which is typical, the front will be good fun, the patch will have to be welded as it will have some interesting corners and shapes in it!!

D

[Deanxm]

Time for a little update, not much has happened at all over the last month or so as ive not been feeling well, turns out ive got a liver that isnt pulling its weight which is making me feel rough and tests are ongoing to find out why.

unfortunatly the Activa chose this moment to have a strop and burst its main hydraulic feed pipe from the pump, it seems to have failed inside one of the clamps that secures it to the front of the engine, thankfully Mr Smart came up trumps with a spare which arrived yesterday and ive ordered a new acc sphere and front hydractive sphere for her from GSF.

I will be breaking the pressure tester out tonight to check the regulator output is correct still and try and find the cause for this failure, it could be prevous work had damaged the pipe but the car is going to be doing some heavy miles over the next month and i dont want it to break its current run of impeccable behavour so a thorough investigation is needed.

My new company car will be arriving in Feb next year so i will have to start thinking about seriously selling the Activa rather than piddling about, you may have noticed my chancers ad on car and classic , if anyone is interested in the Activa CXM would be your chance to view, realisticaly im going to aim at getting £800 for her as money is an issue (isnt it always) and breaking it would see me with that money just for the body kit, exhaust, alloys with new branded tyres all round, strut tops, rams, intercooler, chrome dash, cashing the tax in and sending the rest over the weigh bridge, this isnt a threat to help sell it, thats not me at all its just a fact that i need to get as much back from her as i can to get the xm finnished and buy some stuff for littlun and there is no point selling it for £4-500 when it could return me so much more, hope you understand.

Nothing to report on the XM front, just not had the energy or inclination to get out and do it but hopefully that will change if the quacks can sort me out.

D

[CitroJim]

Good old Mr. Smart Check that all the 'P' clips re present and correct Dean. One or two missing can cause the failure you had there...

Nothing to report on the XM front, just not had the energy or inclination to get out and do it but hopefully that will change if the quacks can sort me out.

Oh gosh Dean, hope you don't have what I have

[Citroenmad]

I hope your health problems are easily sorted Dean

What will your next company car be?

I hope you do sell your Activa for what your wanting for it. Ive said before but if I didnt have mine then I would buy yours in a second. If anyone on here is even thinking about buying one, stop thinking and just buy this one!

[Deanxm]

Hi Jim

All the P clips are in place too, it may have been stressed in its earier life and extended use has now killed it but a little investigation wont go amis just to be sure, like i say, its broken inside a p clip and just under it too so two splits within 1/4" of each other!

Im hoping its nothing major Jim but its been over a month now, lost my appetite still and my get up and go seems to have got up and gone but the headaches have stopped along with the need to spend the afternoons asleep, really not in the mood for CXM to be honest, i cant drink as things stand and i dont fancy camping so i may see if i can get a b&b and i should be fine then. Never know, all could be well by then.

Chris, well i say NEW, i had to give the Mazda back as my promotion got put back due to changed retiremnt plans of someone further down the line (its like moving house this promotion) so i get the Mazda BT50 back in Feb which i will then replace with a new company car when its due up in June, will probably go with another BT50 as there is nothing else that can carry what it can in the same price range.

D

[bxzx16v]

A seriously nice Activa Dean , I hope it finds a good home and I look forward to seeing you both at the Cxm .

Mark

[red_dwarfers]

Good to hear they're narrowing down the problem, you haven't inadvertently been running hydraflush through your system hoping it would keep your veins and arteries in good nick have you?

[Deanxm]

I watched the blood being taken Kev, still bright green as always

Finaly got out and had a play, i cant for the life of me see the split in the pipe, it is just so small but a replacement has sorted the leak (Robert if your reading this let me know what i owe you!!!), i took the acc sphere off to get access to some of the 'P' clips only to find its ruptured, i probably got 300cc of oil out of it and there was still more to come so i fitted a new one, also i fitted a new front hydractive sphere as it was becoming a little firm but the one that was on there was a three nipple marzipan jobbie so ive tucked that away for testing later.

Testing of the pressure regulator has revealed its running at about 187bar which is a little high, my old guages were inaccurate and the new ones are spot on so i have adjusted that slightly and got the regulator back on the car but then heavy persistent rain stopped play.

New tyres on the front Tuesday and then im off to Farnborough for two days for my course, half of which i failed last time

D

[CitroJim]

Gosh, I just can't watch blood being taken Dean Last time I tried giving blood the next thing I knew was being bumped along in an Ambulance on the way to A and E

Ahh, flat accumulator! That may have been why the pipe split... That and the slightly high pressure perhaps,,,

Yep, it only takes the most microscopic of splits to spray LHM everywhere. Still, delighted it's fixed now and a big hand to our Activa spares man Robert

[Deanxm]

I just think of it like bleeding the brakes but with the added advantage we are self sealing .

The sphere must have popped at some point but ive not been looking at the Activa at all, just jumping in and driving so i wouldnt really of noticed it going flat, with the pressure dropped down by 10bar and a good acc sphere on im hoping that will be the end of it, there are signs the pipe has been off before and flexed about a bit so that may not have helped either.

D

[Deanxm]

All done and running like a treat again, very soft on the front now, you never seem to notice them going firmer and firmer but its a welcome change having new spheres. Now of course i have a perminant abs fault though

D