Hid Info

[steelcityuk]

Hi George,

I have read the codes using the blink method, it showed 1 fault, steering angle sensor if I remember right.

The Hydractive works fine, you can tell when it goes into sports mode. I've also rigged up an LED fastened to the plastic scuttle trim so I can see when it's doing what and it does seem to go into hard mode when it should and stay soft for most of the time. I just think that the estates have a different setup which is biased towards load carrying which I guess is why they have different spheres for the estates. There's a bit more weight to the rear of an estate too I would have thought not to mention more overhang. Have you driven many other XMs, what's you impression of this?

Steve.

[jorgy9]

Hi Steve

No, I've driven only mine, and it's my first hydropeumatic car also. I've seen it go through different phases/combinations since I got it (2004 +25,000miles): wrong spheres, shot spheres, diodes burst, wrong height, hydraulics dirty, hydraulics after 1,500mls hydraflush (no difference), hydraulics after 2nd time 5,000mls flush, middle spheres not opening, finally pressure regulator tuned and middle spheres opening the next moment for first time in my ownership. Car became perfect for that one day in March 2006, till the next day when I bled the brakes and on the process something happened and it went back to "not-so-soft". It's getting back to normality now, as you are reading elsewhere. I'm glad I saw it for one day operating as it should, because one cannot understand, just cannot imagine how good it can be unless he has driven one -no matter what you've read about "magic carpets" etc-. Today, I find no logical explanation other than lots of dirt having moved in the system during these 2 hours I had it on "highest" with engine running (to bleed brakes), and having blocked the hydractive blocks (symptoms [sideways rocking as if I had a very stiff antirol bar] show it mainly blocked the cross flow between corners, if not the 3rd sphere opening) and also went to the suspension cylinders and made them stick, but now it is slowly all washing away. I have had evidence for both issues mentioned. Plus, there's nothing else that changed since March 2006, all else remains same: regulator cycling time, spheres (had re-measured for pressure in 2007), etc. It was only the dirt.

To the point: I've read around that estates are not so soft as hatches; this reminds me the other thing that goes around, that V6s are not so soft as 2lt "because they are heavier". People go and think of all kinds of fallacies to conclude that a heavier car will be less comfortable than a lighter one. The other story that also goes around is that "hydractives are not as comfortable as traditional hydropneumatic Citroens" -I've read this in both UK and French forums, mostly non-interested garages reproduce this story and then clients go and spread it around-. Jesus Christ, all the theory shows that hydractives should be *at least* as comfortable, if not more! You see the point Steve. Estates have larger volume middle spheres at the rear, this is only beneficial for comfort. From below: the estate's corners (+10bars) is the only differrence, these will give a softer springing on compression to an UNLADEN estate when car is in "hard" (weight difference: +6%, pressure diff: 33%). When in "soft", the extra 100cc in the middle would make for looots of softness (the estate would take greater height bumps with same softness a hatch would take smaller bumps).

.................corner .......... middle
hatch ... 400cm 30bar ... 400cm 50bar

estate ...400cm 40bar ... 500cm 40bar


Do estates have firmer damping? For corners, I don't know. For middle spheres, answer is No, there's only one code for the hydractive blocks, for all models, so they should all have the same damper tablets inside (about 1.2mm orifice).

Do they have thicker antiroll bars? Yes, the front is 25mm, when the V6+2CT+2.1 have a 24mm and the 2lt 23mm. Is my V6 feeling not good because of the 24mm instead of a 23mm on a 2lt? No, actually I don't see how it could feel better...It's heavier so this just compensates for the stiffer antirol. The rear: all 21mm, V6 24v 22mm, estate 22.5mm. Same comment.

Steve, I don't think you should see a stressed difference with a hatch, comfortwise. The only things I can think of that you've not done are:

1/check pressure regulator for correct pressure output
2/check e-valves for leacking (my front leaked)
3/extensive hydradflushing.

I wish I could post you the pressure gauge my indy has for you to test it. I think he'd hapilly borrow it to me -he's done in past-. Do you think we could organise it?

cheers
George

This post has been edited by jorgy9 on February 21, 2008 02:15 pm

[jorgy9]

Hmmm I can see Noz being very angry for me posting again to the wrong section! Sorry Noz, we'll continue where we should.
G

[steelcityuk]

Hi George,

I've continued the Hydractive discussion in the Hydraulic section.

Are you going to photograph the HID install when you do it? Did you buy from the same Ebayer in the end?

Steve.

[jorgy9]

Hi,

Yes I ll make photos if that helps.

Yes I bought from the mentioned seller finally, Paypal still clearing funds, we'll see how it goes.

cheers
G

[jorgy9]

Hi all

just to note that 93AU $ came to £42 for this set of HID.

cheers
George

[robmc52]

Thought I'd take the plunge and buy a set of these for my XM, same as yours George. The dip beam on my car is truly appalling, fitting a pair of those 30% brighter bulbs made no difference to the light output. The conversion kit arrived on Tuesday, fitted on Wednesday, well, they're brilliant. As far as I can see no beam adjustment is needed, chalked some lines on a wall before removing the old lamps and apart from a slight "fuzzyness" around the beam cutoff point the position looks good. I've driven along unlit roads for a couple of hours since fitting them without any oncoming traffic flashing me so the verdict so far is good. The difference is really amazing, the dip beam on our Picasso is very good but the XM's are now even better, I'm extremely impressed. Need some LED sidelight bulbs now, they look like weedy orange candles next to all that white brightness

[jorgy9]

That's good news then, thanks Rob. Mine are supposed to have left Shangai a couple of days ago!

LED sidelights, I got them! Specifically, "Xenon effect" ones. And my God are they dear: £19 the pair with p+p. Probably the silliest purchase I ever made, I regretted it the next moment I pressed the "confirm" button. Anyway.... Going to fit the next days and put photos. Not sure at all they'll show nice in the XMs sidelights.

George

This post has been edited by jorgy9 on March 08, 2008 04:08 am

[kiwi]

Hi George,

How did you get on with your HID Kit and LED installation?

Regards,
Kiwi

[jorgy9]

Hi Kiwi

postage was fast and you can track the item online, even with the standard posting option.

I have fitted 1 side only to make comparative photos with the other side, still have to find an opportunity for taking the picture -next Wednesday I think-.

All Ok with installation -just a little wiring niggle that I'll show on photos. Just not to forget, HID bulb fitted straight to the XM's bulbholder -just say this because I know of other XM cases where things needed a bit of trimming to fit-.

Light amount is double perhaps -I could practically do without the halogen I left on, I wouldn't realise it if I removed it I think!-. And I suspect if I raised a bit the HID beam, it would light even further -for some reason the beam seems to have moved downwards compared to where the halogen fell-.

So I'll report soon back here.

cheers
George

This post has been edited by jorgy9 on March 23, 2008 09:58 pm

[aengus-xmv6]

just upgraded my S1 V6 with a set from HIDS Direct, and found same, beams a bit low after the HID installation. Jose in Spain reports same, so may be a common thing.

Fantastic difference in light output/visibility tho, well worth it!

regards
Dave

[xmexclusive]

Hi All

I had lower beam problems when I first tried a set of HID bulbs but it turned out to be caused by failing to get the bulbs properly seated in the holder. Once I started taking the headlamps out to fit the bulbs there have been no further beam alignment problems.

Regards

XMexc

[kiwi]

I bought a set off eBay last Monday, got a confirmation e-mail on the Tuesday morning and they arrived on Saturday morning. Impressive - we have had internal post take longer sometimes! Total cost was $79 USD which equates to about $100 NZD / 40 UKP.

I haven't been able to install them yet, but might try later today. I think I'll position the ballasts by the horns if possible. What was the wiring niggle?

Regards,
Kiwi

[aengus-xmv6]

had a look at that option too, but felt the cable lengths were just a little short, esp. as the -ve HT was a very tight push fit on my set, removal/replacement of the bulb with the headlight installed would have been awkward. so I bolted the ballasts on the battery box & ecu box.

Bulbs seem correctly located when I re-checked, seated and latched ok. passenger side was installed with the h/l out as I was replacing it, drivers done in-situ, both sides a little low.

When you come to fit it all up, worth checking the terminal points in the various plugs are located well, as one of the power feeds to ballast had one contact retract on connecting up so was intermittent.

rgds
Dave

[Jan-hendrik]

Did the conversion last year:
http://club-xm.com/forum/index.php?showto...%20lights&st=20