After a few weeks of post MOT delerium, I'm noticing a few odd foibles on this Xm.
It's a '95 N-YBL saloon in black with 130k miles. The main issue I have is the revs
hang during gear changes and remain high at idle 1300-1500; if I blip the throttle
at idle it takes ages to drop down and rarely ever see's below 1000. It just makes
me look like I have no foot control to bystanders! Now this may in fact be a ploy
by the previous keeper or his garage to address the aux belt shredding on the AC
and alt/HP pump as it flaps noticeably on idle at the random rare low revs it can
run at sometimes so I am trying to live with it although it doesn't feel right.

Another concern is a random slight 'miss' when it's spooling in the speed as these
are so able to deliver which can be a heart stopper as I worry about the jolt to the
thankfully new timing belt. It's a bit difficult to fully trust the engine will deliver
although most of the time it does. I've tried a dash of unleaded in a full tank and
intend fitting a new fuel filter although I'm told it's got a recent one already. The Xm
certainly goes well enough when all the planets are in alignment!!

Is this related to the hanging revs!? Any ideas.

The car's had 6 new spheres but is still choppy and ill at ease which suggests
more work too! What do I try first as I'm getting a mite fed up with it having
spent loads already and freshly MOT/taxed it? Electrovalve diode patch? New
accumulator sphere?

This could be a truly great car as opposed to an "OK but..." one. Should that all get
straightened out, does anyone have a s2 radio that works they'd like to sell?

Andrew

I thought I knew all about YBLs, not this one I dont, you can't have a 2.5 engine in a YBL - can you?

Peter

Hi Andrew,

It sounds like it's time to get out the code reader. I did OK on mine reading the codes with the LED setup. It's possible to increase/decrease the idle speed with a Lexia. I wonder if someones up it?

Steve.

Hi

I've got a Mk2 radio. Also got an N-YBL in black 2.5, 119,000 miles. Small world!

It doesn't do the high revs thing, it seems to come down slowly from about 1200rpm to 900rpm when coming to a sudden stop at traffic lights, but it always gets there. Not sure if that's normal, think I've got sticky throttle cable but haven't figured out how to replace it.

PM me re the radio if you want.

Cheers

Marc

I have a couple of Mk2 radios but the panel lights have gone in both, you can see the display by shining a torch on it

Peter

Hi Andy,if like the 2.1 epic,1300rpm is the fixed emergency mode range as a result of a serious error,the rpm will not be allowed to fall.The miss i suspect is a symptom of the same causal error.I've known one epic (not mine) that would stall at around 3200rpm, this was the accelerator pot wiring.
The belt shredding seems to be a known issue outside my experience on a 2.5,but,do check the belt and pulleys have the same multigroove configuration,I had a 5PK (4 groove 5 peak) crank pulley i fitted with a 6PK (5 groove 6 peak) belt, the belt ran hot and stretched before shredding after 100miles or so,i scratched my head for a few hours before discovering that and refitted the old one.
robertm

Seems it'd be worth getting a Lexia session with someone on the forums here plugged up to
make sense of any codes - I don't think the Gunson's kit I have will be enough for this job.
Interesting to think it is a glitch in the system somewhere; I have to say I too thought about
a sticking throttle cable.

Marc, I'd be interested in the radio you have available - pm me what kind of price you're after!
FWIW, piccy of the beastie to compare with yours:



I do have a WORKING LHS DISPLAY (unbelievably!) so a radio with no bulbs isn't necessarily
the end of the world though Peter.

This shredding belts issue is a concern that apparently afflicts 2.5's but I'm not sure if there's
a permanent fix. Hohum.

Re electrovalve diode patch, I don't think this can be used on a S1 car, but if yours is really a S1.5, you may be lucky. Contact Roy Mackay and he'll check for you if you give him your VIN number, I ezpect. Brian

Aux belt shreading is usually only part repaired so the process starts again with a vengence. The bit that is often missed is the alloy arm for the jockey wheel gets bent a little with all the snatching on the way to failure. The jocky wheel is then just missaligned enough for the edge to catch the outer belt rib occasionally. Cannot see it visually even with the belt running or get a straight edge in to check the alignment.
Spring and arm usually need replacing as a new set.
Use the throttle pot quadrant in the engine bay to play with the engine revs/tickover.
Unhook the accelerator cable and then see if it still idles rough and high. That will eliminate or finger the cable.
I made up a suspension ECU plug in test lead with the diodes in it.
Took a just a couple of minutes to check out what difference a permanent fix was going to give to any hydractive 2 car. It got borrowed so must make up another one.
Stick with it they can be good cars once got right.

John

Being an N reg should be obvious if its a S1.5 or 2..

The S1 or 1.5 did NOT get the 2,5 engine, and by N reg they were into S2 cars.

S1.5 cars dont often need the Diode repair kit and they do not have the same setup as S2 cars.

Do not forget Paul The last few series 1 cars were fully hydractive 2 as the series 2 cars.

John