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

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 06 Aug 2010, 09:26

CitroJim wrote:Well now, it's still an open question if the turbo will come off with the engine in-situ.. One or the other of us will find out soon

Interesting the turbo is seized. It just may be co-incidence but others I've known suffer this fate have been running open dump valves.

I wonder

Yes, being such a tiny turbo it will overspool rather easily the seller did say the dump valve was playing up but didint say how and ive not looked that closely at it other than to make sure its closed, which it is but that doesnt mean its not opening too early or all the time with boost, i think the main thing to do is check the oil feed line and its filter along with the coolant too just in case, i wouldnt want to ruin two turbo's.

D

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 06 Aug 2010, 09:34

KP wrote:Dean is it maybe worth seeing what price Gareths friend would uprate it for if its not much more than that?

IIRC he paid around £100 for his.

I too am interested in the turbo. coming off without the engine coming out.

I think like has been said before, dropping the exhaust off and then rocking the engine forward will be the way to go as i certainly am not taking the head off with the turbo and manifold still attached as my back just isn't upto it

Yes its a heavy old lump! i think there would be a lot of hand grazing but the trouble will be getting the turbo out once its all undone, it just depends if i can rock the engine enough like you say, may be worth doing a how to if its possible, i think im going to have to do some research and then hunt the scrap yards for turbo parts, finding a tomcat shouldnt be too hard.

ive actualy got two tct head gasket sets including a mls and two exhaust mani gaskets along with other bits ive been collecting so if the engine has tto come out i may just spend a week on it and know she's going to be good for a while then, the clutches are rather expensive though arent they

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 06 Aug 2010, 11:53

Deanxm wrote:the clutches are rather expensive though arent they

Ish, but the main thing is they are a bit different to the norm given the rather interesting hydraulic release arrangement. It's easy to upset the hydraulics which in turn will cause you even more upset.

Once you know the tricks, they're a pussycat.

You think yours will need doing soon then Dean?

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 06 Aug 2010, 13:28

i dont know Jim, the bite point is rather high up although takeup is very smooth indeed and being hydraulic the action is very smooth, if the engine does have to come out it would be false economy not to do the clutch i would have thought, the engine has to come out on these to do the clutch doesnt it?

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 06 Aug 2010, 13:47

Deanxm wrote:the bite point is rather high up although takeup is very smooth indeed

That's entirely normal Dean; my own Activa being the exception to prove the rule! 99% of all hydraulic clutched ML5 boxed cars have a very high bite point and one feels the clutch is on the way out. 250,000 miles later, you are still wonderif if it's on its way out...

Of course, only sense to swap it if the engine is out. It's a lot easier then and one problem with the ML5 clutch is catastrophic release bearing failure. If you replace it only to guard against that it is worth doing.

Deanxm wrote:the engine has to come out on these to do the clutch doesnt it?

Nope, it's just possible despite the ML5 being a moster of a box compared to the diddy little BE3...

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 06 Aug 2010, 14:41

oh thats good to know then, if i can do the turbo in situ i can rest easy knowing it wont have to come out if the clutch does die, and i was thinking the other night how big that box is, its bigger than the 4HP18 autobox by the look of it!!

D

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 18 Aug 2010, 22:03

Hi all

I spent an hour on the Activa at the weekend and although the turbo badge had been removed already i also took off the Xantia badge and in its place fitted a nice new Activa one, also the chrome number plate surrounds are gone along with the italic plates and the car looks a lot less fussy at the back now.

On a mechanical note i rmoved the outlet boost pipe tonight after confirming the turbo was siezed a while ago and the news is good, it is siezed but only because its eaten a cloth or fibrous material of some kind, ive spent the last half hour pulling it out from around the compressor wheel and now the turbo is spinning fine as far as i can feel, i may well chuck it back together this weekend and if the turbo is struting its stuff then i will tax it and use her for a while, the only trouble with that though is i will be at the cxm rally in a Xantia but i will have to see how much time i get spare to sort the xm out.

D

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 18 Aug 2010, 22:15

Bad news about the "Xantia" badge - it was in the correct position!

The Activa badge sits where the original fella had that script badge in the
bottom right of the tailgate!

- it's the badge positions on the Xantia on the left you're about...

Fingers crossed you have a result with the turbo - that was the primary reason
the car was given up on by the PO and why you got it at a keen price wasn't
it? What on earth would a bit of cloth be doing in any of the feed pipework
upwind of the turbo!?

Andrew

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 18 Aug 2010, 22:36

im not sure Andrew, although the turbo spins fine now i cant really see too well and am not sure if the compressor wheel has bent vains or not, but it does spin as it should so with a bit of luck i should be able to cheat a bit here.

I dont like any of the Xantia's badging

not the best place to admit it but it is awefull, i dont like the fact the badges are a matt grey colour and i dont like Italic lettering hence why i removed 'Xantia', Citroen will be coming off and being replaced with a nice metal chrome badge like the XM has on the back

.

Cross your fingers for me!!!

D

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:07

A cheeky drive around the block confirmed it, the boost is back

it took a bit of head scratching though as although the induction had been force fed some kind of loose weave nylon cloth the wastegate actuator had been off recently and as soon as i got under the car i noticed the wastegate arm had been fitted 180o out, the actuator had been off obviously and when they reconnected the arm they got it the wrong way round so the gate was always wide open strange hey, but very lucky!!! i think its time to chop the tax in on the xm and use the Activa for a while so i can find out about all its little faults and sort them out.
Oh and that rear ram bush sounds like a wheels hanging off, makes a lot of noise for a tiny little bush!!

D

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:22

An excellent result Dean

Deanxm wrote: Oh and that rear ram bush sounds like a wheels hanging off, makes a lot of noise for a tiny little bush!!

The racket it makes is well out of proportion

PM me your address Dean and I'll make you one and despatch it ASAP. I have another order for one so I can do a batch..

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:36

Yes Jim PM sent, im very happy so far, i take it the activa had an undertray? it looks like it did and if so its gone.
Next job is cambelt, i can hear the noise of a getting ready to die cam belt tensioner when hot and since the belt is so easy to do i may as well sort it now before i push my luck.

D

robert_e_smart · Unread post by **robert_e_smart** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:40

Good stuff Dean,

Now you'll still be able to do the turbo conversion on the XM.

Robert

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:43

PM received and replied to Dean

I'm not sure the Activa did have an undertray. Never seen one but that's not to say it didn't originally...

Yes, cambelt is the easiest of an Xantia to do but ideally you want a SEEM gauge to set the tension..

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 19 Aug 2010, 21:45

Mind, there's a far reduced amount of space in the Activa Xant engine bay
compared to the Xm's TCT one so don't get too complacent...

Any pictures of the car now it's been made more 'honest' so to speak?

Andrew