My Red Highway King: Mahindra XUV500 W8 Ownership Review

[mayankdixit]

I was bored and sick of all the chrome ,so did little dechromization(if there is such a word).
It was very difficult at first.The chrome was sticking all right for 7 years! Used a lot of WD40 and spirit and microfibre cloth to remove the glue.I feel better now.

Looked like this before.

 

[deville_56]

Piano black grille would look cool.

 

[mayankdixit]

Dechromification continued:
Target is Tailgate chrome garnish.


I cant believe Nexon is in the reflection

There was lots of mud and grime collected here.

must say that the original mahindra chrome accessory was of very good quality. Never faded or tarnished in 7 years.

again Nexon in the reflection

this is the muck I was talking about

final result

 

[mayankdixit]

Diwali Holiday for 2 full days. Time to kill. Time to change engine oil + oil filter of my XUV. I needed couple of hours at the most.
This time I had no worry about taking pictured as my son Dhruv was ready to help me out in that department. I was more than obliged,as I had ruined my phone many times in the past what with all the oil and grime.

 

[mayankdixit]

Oil change pictures continued:

The copper crush washer was damaged and destroyed,so changed it.

Bench Vise came in handy while taking out the crushed washer.This vise is too powerful for such a small job,so had to take care not to damage the bolt itself.

After the Nexon oil leak episode ,made a separate surplus collection of washers

oil filling about to be started.This fin like radiator thing is the intercooler.

this is the stuck copper washer.Nothing I did help to loosen it.Till I used the vise.

Fresh golden oil poured. New life new blood.Soft engine sound.

Bench vise in action

5 and a half litre came out.

6 litres went in.Some more pictures of the work .

the damaged washer

this white plastic can was difficult to clean after this DIY

 

[mayankdixit]

Oil change pictures continued:




Old and new oil filter

now the oil comes in double lock packing so that container cannot be tampered with.

magnetic drain plug

look at the red oil filter.Such tight packing!! How am I supposed to reach it with my hands,through all these obstructions!

closeup of the stuck washer

me underneath the hot engine about to drain the oil

the mucky used oil

always apply a thin layer of oil on the gasket prior to use

funnel used to pour oil

 

[mayankdixit]

Oil change pictures continued :


Before completing the DIY,and installing the engine cover ,tried to clean it first.

This was not coming out with even detergent so used a little bit of dish cleaner from the kitchen.This worked

after little bit of cleaning

before the cleaning

this is the final cleaning of plastic

In all honesty,Yes we really do!

This has been there for quite some time.Even folks at the ASS were surprised,and amused when they saw it.

this is the filter removal tool I procured from the local tool market,quite handy.

 

[Nanofreak]

Oil change pictures continued :


Before completing the DIY,and installing the engine cover ,tried to clean it first.

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This was not coming out with even detergent so used a little bit of dish cleaner from the kitchen.This worked
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after little bit of cleaning
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before the cleaning
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this is the final cleaning of plastic
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In all honesty,Yes we really do!
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This has been there for quite some time.Even folks at the ASS were surprised,and amused when they saw it.
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this is the filter removal tool I procured from the local tool market,quite handy.
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This personal inscription on an indian car is a first for me, who could have been so innovative? The ancillary unit who made this engine cover, or the assembly line at the MM plant? Interesting.
Tweet this to Anand Mahindra and see his reaction.
Very neat job Doc, I'm a fan, keep it up

 

[mayankdixit]

On driving now there is rattling noise from the engine area. I have been narrowing down the noise to the engine plastic cover. Whenever I hold down the cover with my hands the noise reduces, and on relieving the pressure it increases with increasing rpm.
I have a feeling that the bushes are worn out. Let's do the diagnosis further. These bushes may have become hard or maybe the rubber is loose.

 

[Nanofreak]

On driving now there is rattling noise from the engine area. I have been narrowing down the noise to the engine plastic cover. Whenever I hold down the cover with my hands the noise reduces, and on relieving the pressure it increases with increasing rpm.
I have a feeling that the bushes are worn out. Let's do the diagnosis further. These bushes may have become hard or maybe the rubber is loose.

It would most probably be a screw holding the plastic cover.
I had a rattling sound in my Nexon when it went over broken roads, the plastic screw holding a plastic shroud under the engine bay had given way. Fixed when the new screw was installed.

 

[mayankdixit]

Yes you might be correct. I will do the full and accurate diagnosis in proper sunlight,tomorrow. I really hope its a minor issue and nothing serious.
As is obvious, I have recently done the oil change all by myself and the last thing I want to see is that noise is because I have messed up something during the DIY, and then all blame will be falling on me!

 

[bhvm]

I have been narrowing down the noise to the engine plastic cover. Whenever I hold down the cover with my hands the noise reduces, and on relieving the pressure it increases with increasing rpm.

I had these rubber bushings for cover replaced at 1L service. Your initial diag seems to be correct.

 

[mayankdixit]

On driving now there is rattling noise from the engine area. I have been narrowing down the noise to the engine plastic cover. Whenever I hold down the cover with my hands the noise reduces, and on relieving the pressure it increases with increasing rpm.
I have a feeling that the bushes are worn out. Let's do the diagnosis further. These bushes may have become hard or maybe the rubber is loose.

Yes, the engine plastic cover was the culprit. These bushes were totally cracked and shredded. These bushes are not costly at all. But they are very difficult to procure. Nowhere in the local market nor at the retailer could I procure a complete set. ASS asked to bring the car and put it up in demand.
Meanwhile All night I was repeatedly checking the steps of oil change,in case I have done something wrongly in my DIY . Guilty mind you see.




On changing these bushes the sound simply disappeared. I am relieved,more so because the DIY had nothing to do with it!! And I can continue on with my routine work.

 

[mayankdixit]

It would most probably be a screw holding the plastic cover.
I had a rattling sound in my Nexon when it went over broken roads, the plastic screw holding a plastic shroud under the engine bay had given way. Fixed when the new screw was installed.

Thanks for chipping in. In Nexon there are plastic touch buttons to support the housing and linings. There is no such thing in XUV. It's having bolts allover. But your advice I followed,and looked over that area. Thankfully the problem area was limited to the bushes under the engine cover, as displayed in the previous post.

 

[Nanofreak]

Yes, the engine plastic cover was the culprit. These bushes were totally cracked and shredded. These bushes are not costly at all. But they are very difficult to procure. Nowhere in the local market nor at the retailer could I procure a complete set. ASS asked to bring the car and put it up in demand.
Meanwhile All night I was repeatedly checking the steps of oil change,in case I have done something wrongly in my DIY . Guilty mind you see.




On changing these bushes the sound simply disappeared. I am relieved,more so because the DIY had nothing to do with it!! And I can continue on with my routine work.

View attachment 265961

You even pack and lable the old and discarded parts, simply impressive.