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

[Deanxm]

Thank you Paul for seeing this through at your end for me, Yog has now landed in Hove ready for her trip to the south island next week, frantic grouting, sealing and painting is currently taking place so i will be available for light tinkering at all available moments.
Citroen xm V6 Donor arrives by Deanxm, on Flickr

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[CitroJim]

Excellent

[Deanxm]

Today was almost a whole day of tinkering, i really need to clean the shed out now as i need a clean clear space because things are getting dangerously close to needing to go back together or painting!

heavy oxidation and oil buildup removed, cooling system scraped out and flushed and that really needed doing, the feed pipe into the rear bank was completely blocked with corrosion and mineral looking deposits
photo(80) by Deanxm, on Flickr
photo(82) by Deanxm, on Flickr

The sump baffle was removed and the crank case cleaned out, the baffle was held in with 1/2" bolts, obviously, with it being designed and made in europe, for european manufacturers and containing nothing but metric fasteners!?!?. Didnt take a photo of that though as i was busy.
photo(79) by Deanxm, on Flickr
Oil pickup back on with new seals
photo(81) by Deanxm, on Flickr
All clean and ready to go back together, the sump has been off at some point and re-sealed but there is no gasket and looking at the sump mating surface i thought there should be one but i have been told its gasket goo only
photo(83) by Deanxm, on Flickr

Coming along anyway.

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[CitroJim]

That's looking gorgeous Dean

[Deanxm]

1,2 skip a few, lap the valves, 100!
photo(96) by Deanxm, on Flickr
OK so there are a few bis to do, front rocker cover to be sealed and bolted on but im waiting for the bolts, needs hose clips on the hoses and i want to pressure test the cooling system to make sure there are no coolant leaks but its as near as damit done.
Gearboxes turn next.

One thing i do need is a crank pully as this one is cracked, not had any success through the usual XM channels so if anyone knows of one on the open market could you let me know please

Thanks
D

[Stickyfinger]

Looking really nice.

[Deanxm]

Thank you sir, Its been a hell of a lot of work so far and I have not even come to doing the conversion yet.
Damn good fun though as im sure you can imagine..........if (like me) your strange in the head too.

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[Stickyfinger]

Next = Supercharger

Interesting it has a baffled sump

[Deanxm]

Supercharging is in the pipeline for the spare engine in the future with aftermarket engine management depending on what condition its in and if i can source the parts required, this will involve much spending however and i will need to allow the good lady to forget about this little project before i take on another, maybe rack up some brownie points first.

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[Stickyfinger]

Tell her you will have a bigger bulge in your bonnet

[Deanxm]

I think she would find Leprosy more appealing than a bonnet bulge if im honest, her interest levels in the XM overall i would say are nothing more than nil.

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[Stickyfinger]

OK, just promise Shoe shopping

[CitroJim]

I think she would find Leprosy more appealing than a bonnet bulge if im honest, her interest levels in the XM overall i would say are nothing more than nil.

I'm sure it goes the other way too Dean, I'm sure she has interests and passions you don't...

Like shopping?

OK, just promise Shoe shopping

Works almost every time but if that fails, promise a new kitchen

[Deanxm]

..................im not sure if you two are helping me progress towards a supercharged PRV build or insolvency although i appeciate the two probably go hand in hand.
The wife and i do not shop together and have not done so for at least 10 years, i think it prevents conflict and helps keep a happy marriage lol

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[Hell Razor5543]

One of Terry Pratchetts' more useful side-line characters was Sergeant Fred Colon of the Ankh Morpork Nightwatch. He was married (although you never met her), and they worked opposing shifts, so only really saw each other in passing (as one was coming home the other was off to work). They did normally see each other for longer when they took their annual holidays.

Seems to have worked, as they have been married for quite a while (although I cannot recall any mention of timescale).