xantia: differences in tensioning auxilary/timing belts

deian · Post by **deian** » 04 Mar 2006, 23:10

according to the haynes manual there are two types of tensioner pulleys on the xantia, the later models had an self adjusting tensioner (spring loaded maybe?), but the older types (pre99 models, or pre facelift) needed to be done manually, there are pics in the haynes manual.
Who here thinks you could use the self adjusting one on the older types?

I was also interested to find the auxiliry belt (hydraulic pump, alernator, psteering, a/c) have differences too. If the car has AC then this belt also automatically adjusts, but if you have no AC, then u gotta do it urself (using a special tool cos of the importance of the hydraulics).

Just what i read. Please discuss, i'll be watching.

Thanks,
Deian

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 04 Mar 2006, 23:57

Hi,

I don't think its the age that determines the type of tensioner (unless the post 1998 facelift models are different, but I doubt it) its the engine type that determines it.

For example the 1.9TD has a manual screw adjustment tensioner, while the 2 litre 8 valve petrol has an automatic tensioner.

It's highly unlikely you could swap an automatic tensioner to an engine designed with a manual tensioner as none of the mounting holes would line up, and they are physically a very different shape...

As for the auxillary belt, its hardly a surprise that there are a lot of versions of it, because apart from the obvious of air-con or no air-con, once again the different engine types have different layouts - for example the hydraulic pump is near the top above the alternator on the 2 litre 8 valve petrol, and its down below the alternator on the 1.9TD...

Can make obtaining the correct belt "fun", when some versions of the belt are only different in length by a few 10's of millimetres...

By the way, the Haynes book auxillary belt layouts are pretty useless - they don't cover either the 1.9TD or 2 litre petrol 8 valve, the "1.9TD" in the book doesn't bear any resemblance to the layout of the belt on my mum's 1.9TD...

Anything you read in the Haynes book, take it with two large pinches of salt and even then doubt it

Have you spotted the section yet which tries to tell you about topping up the "brake fluid" in a Xantia ?

Regards,
Simon

deian · Post by **deian** » 05 Mar 2006, 11:29

not seen the brake fluid part yet... i will go investiage it now, i'm laughing here because obviously by the way you say Haynes have made a 'poop'.

I can imagine different aux belts, especially with the different options and engines available for the xantia. Obviously when I get one myself I will find out some aspects the hard way, which is part of the fun of owning a car.

As for what the haynes manual covers (according to them)... all excpet the V6 and the petrol turbo activa models).

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 05 Mar 2006, 12:13

deian wrote:not seen the brake fluid part yet... i will go investiage it now, i'm laughing here because obviously by the way you say Haynes have made a 'poop'.

I can't remember what section its in (and I dont have the book here with me) but it definately talks about topping up the brake fluid in one section...they seem to have a "generic" section in a lot of the haynes manuals with advice like this, and obviously didn't edit it to the specifics of the Xantia...

I can imagine different aux belts, especially with the different options and engines available for the xantia. Obviously when I get one myself I will find out some aspects the hard way, which is part of the fun of owning a car.

As for what the haynes manual covers (according to them)... all excpet the V6 and the petrol turbo activa models).

Yeah, so they claim, but their information on many of the engines is incomplete... like there is no auxillary belt layout for the 2 litre 8 valve petrol at all, and its probably the most common Xantia engine

Regards,
Simon

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Mar 2006, 12:19

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=18224