V6 Running Problem., starts but......

[carlos774]

Hello , I have a problem with a '92 V6. Briefly it amounts to the fact that it will start reasonably easily, but will only run for a short time, maybe up to three or four minutes at the most . Then it stops and wont start untill it's been left for a while maybe up to an hour or more, when it will start again. I'm new to both the forum and Citroens so any advice would be welcome.
Cheers, Carl

[wirdy]

When did you last change your fuel filter Carl?

[carlos774]

Hi Wirdy,
I've no idea when the filter was last changed. The previous owner was using the car daily, then parked it in his garage for a couple of weeks . He started it up ok, then it stopped as he was moving it out of the garage and the problem as described became apparent. He suspects,as do I that the problem is fuel related. Not knowing anything specifically about XM's and with the car now living outside in a field with the suspension down some gentle guidance would be much appreciated.............. Just as a matter of interest the car is supposed to only have around 47000 kilometers on the clock. What would be the service interval for a filter change?. Er...where in fact would the filter live please?.
Cheers ,Carl.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Carlos

The handbook pack and service history record for an XM can often be found in a flap down lid on the underside of the passenger side of the dashboard.

Regards

XMexc

[carlos774]

Hello XMexc,
Thankyou for that. The car is in the previous owners field about four miles away from me at the moment . I'll check the glovebox out next time I pop up there.
Anyone able to tell me the location of the fuel filter and what I'd need to take with me to remove the old one?
Cheers, Carl

[xmexclusive]

Hi Carlos

Not the glove box. There is a fusebox on the underside of the dash almost directly below the glove box. It is the flap down lid of this fuse box that has space and clips to keep the owners pack of booklets in the car. Fuel filter is under the car in the fuel line by the fuel tank. The HAYNES XM manual has photos and description PLUS the safety precautions for working under Citroen cars with Hydraulic suspension.

Regards

XMexc

[carlos774]

Hello again XMexc,
Many thanks ,I realised my glovebox/fusebox error afterwards. It's past midnight here now and it's been a long day.....I dont have a manual at the moment but have found a useful website which does have one online. I'm hping to get to have a look at the job midweek (other work permitting) so will no doubt be back here again either well pleased or seeking more advice.
Thanks again ,Carl

[mouseflakes]

One thing - try running it without the fuel filler cap on. I've heard of other cars where a partial vacuum can form in the tank - there may be tiny hole in the filler cap to let air in as fuel is used. Sometimes this gets blocked. Not sure if it applies to the XM - someone else might put me straight, but worth a try perhaps?

This post has been edited by mouseflakes on June 24, 2007 11:55 pm

[wirdy]

If you put a new fuel filter on beprepared for an armful of petrol - it's unavoidable. Best done on a ramp though, rather than underneath in a field.

At about £6 it's worth trying first - it's probably well overdue anyway...most people don't bother changing them EVER! and wonder why the car is down on power.

Failing that, I'd let the fault appear and whip out a plug to see if there is a spark when cranking - this would prove whether it's fuel related of something electrical heating up and going open-circuit.

Always worth remembering this car may still have the notorious multi-terminal earth blocks behind the headlights that can cause all sorts of random problems.

Good luck and please use a very strong & stable jack or preferably axle stands if venturing under the car - when jacking, the whole hyd system can get confused and lower quite unexpectedly onto your head

Once you get more symptoms post them on here - there is so much experience on the forum to help sort your problems out.

This post has been edited by wirdy on June 25, 2007 12:15 am

[carlos774]

Hello again,
Mouseflakes,
Previous owner did try that, apparently with no effect. So, back to the drawing board there I'm afraid.
Wirdy,
Thanks for the pointers ,I've sometimes been accused of being hard headed but I would suspect it's not hard enough to support an XM......
Will try and get to it midweek and post any reports of success or more symptoms then. Once again thankyou. Carl

[Auckland Al]

good morning team
- the 3-4 minutes running and fading to an erratic stop with a 1/2 hour rest is definitely the same symptoms for my series 1 V6 I hope the fuel filter replacement is the answer

thanks

Alan

[noz]

Hi all,

I have a fancy there's something else going on. When it runs for 3-4 mins I take it it runs fairly well? When it dies, can you stick your head around by the exhaust. Is there a strong smell of petrol?

Lets face it you only have two choices - loss of petrol or loss of spark. The answer lies by first determining which it is.

Can you remove a spark plug very soon after it dies and see whether its dry or wet.

I'm leaning towards the fact that it's on choke (or the ecu equivalent) when it first starts. 3-4 minutes running gets the temperature in the head up enough for the ecu to switch off the choke. Then it dies. That means the main jet(s) is(are) not opening. Is it single or multi-point injection? The rest for half an hour cools it back down again so that the choke comes back on and the cycle repeats itself. So my prediction is no strong smell of petrol at the exhaust and no wet plugs. Am I right?

Alternatively, the choke isn't coming off because of a duff sensor and the mixture is being kept very rich. In which case its being flooded and there should be a very strong smell of petrol at the exhaust.

Do you know anyone close with an Elit (Citroen) computer. I'm sure the diagnostic will find a duff temperature sensor.

Let us know if you can carry out some of the above tests and what the results are.

cheers

noz

[Auckland Al]

good evening team -

and thanks for the advice - my vehicle now functions OK by default?? why and how I know not. I gave the engine a number of angry bursts to about 5000rpm for about 5mins and fingers Xed she now runs perfectly.

thanks

Alan

[carlos774]

Hi Alan,
Did you actually change the fuel filter or just give it a fistfull of revs as it were?
I haven't got back to mine yet to try anything.
Cheers, Carl

[Auckland Al]

Hello Carlos
just a fistful of revs - a bit of background, my son has kindly looked after the car for the last 18 months, and used daily until about 3 months ago, whilst wife and I have been in the UK. The not wanting to go bit started about a week after the daily run to work stopped and the car used as a weekend (ha!!) cruiser.


I suspect that having no garaging and little running the cause - 7.55am here in Auckland and I will try another 20km test run in about 1/2 an hour. Yesterday saw the startups etc., VG and back to normal running over a 3-4 hour period - fingers XXed I will post the results later

regards

Alan

P.S. arrived back in NZ from Ware Herts a week ago