aux belt tensioner on a 2.1 xantia

deian · Post by **deian** » 01 Feb 2007, 16:52

Hi,

Some of you may remember me moaning about my 'aux belt / auto tensioner'... It's now REALLY getting on my nerves... So today I went out and shined a torch into her belly and there it was... the belt not tensioned due to the tensioner pulley jumping about, it sounds horrid... i have looked at the Citroen-Pr.net site and it shows 3 parts for the tensioner (thanks to AndersDK before for getting me the drawing). Just to clarify, it's a 1998 Xantia 2.1td (lucas epic) with aircon.

Is it too vague a question to ask what part is the most likely culprit... 3 5 or 7? (on the drawing)?? I have checked the prices, and cheapest part is £66, and the other two are most expensive at £84, if i need all 3 parts then it adds up to £250, just for the tensioner setup!!! Then I need a belt, and if i can't be bothered to do it and labour too. I will probably do it myself, it looks straight forward but a little tight, but very do able.

It really is a horrid horrid noise, it's not there all the time, only at a very certain small range of idle speed, for instance, if u load the alternator, it slows the idle down and quietens the belt, but if u move the car, and then idle, say at junctions it will squeek and rattle. It's quite random and terribly annoying.

Any advice regarding the parts and the job will be most helpful.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 01 Feb 2007, 17:06

Not seeing the pictures doesn't help much, but the part that has failed is almost definitly one of the bearings. The only real way to tell is to take the cover off, grab hold of the tensioner/idler pulleys and see if you can feel any movement in them. I have run 2.1 td XMs for over ten years and have never had an idler/tensioner bearing go! Maybe i've just been lucky!

deian · Post by **deian** » 01 Feb 2007, 18:18

Well it's to be expected on a 202k mile care, not sure if i can grab hold of the pulley really, it's a pretty tight squeeze on the xantia.... not sure which part has the bearings, the is a picture of the pulley, the spring and the inner pulley coming off the arm attatched to the spring, i think i got it right.

Thanks

Post by **RichardW** » 01 Feb 2007, 20:13

Link to the pic

Belt tensioner

7 is the manual tensioner and 3+5 make up the auto tensioner. I think you will need to get the belt off and feel for play / roughness in the bearings of the two rollers, then try and assess how strong the spring is. Trouble I've got with mine (with the other set up) is that the spring is buggered in the auto tensioner, so I can't get the belt tight enough without it banging on the mounting bracket....

It's not as easy as it looks AFAIK, since the bolts holding the auto tensioner on are too long to come out in situ so you have to remove the whole bracket, and that means taking some of the ancillaries out (HP pump and / or alternator). There was a post about doing it a while back.

deian · Post by **deian** » 01 Feb 2007, 21:39

oh two rollers? a top one and a lower one? (as per the picture), i assume the other one just direct the belt? so what happens is the upper one squeeks and moves about creating the horrid noise, i will have a play over the weekend, i'll move the tensioner pulley with a big screwdriver to see how much tension the spring creates, when the tension is off i will check it for free movement, then i will decide what parts i need, does that sound logical to you guys?

thanks again, you're all quite helpful

Post by **RichardW** » 02 Feb 2007, 07:44

No, the lower roller (7) is the manual adjuster - I've not played with one, but you set it using the square hole in it, which is eccentric. If the top roller (3) is jumping about then chances are its bearing is shot - or as mentioned the spring is no longer putting enough tension on it. If you look in Haynes it gives the procedure for tensioning this belt set up.

deian · Post by **deian** » 02 Feb 2007, 15:45

my cousin had a look at it... and he reckons it's something else in that area thats causing it. so over the weekend i will take off the bottom cover and have a proper look

pazauk · Post by **pazauk** » 03 Feb 2007, 16:08

Got the same prob on mine its a 2.1td r reg think its the spring on the auto ten thats the prob but i'll let you know when i get time to do the damn thing

deian · Post by **deian** » 03 Feb 2007, 17:44

i'll be interested to know what your result will be pazauk, my belt is flapping madly at the the bottom, do u have this symptom too, i'm curious as to whether the belt has stretched at all and the auto tensioner is at the end of it's travel? The belt seems in good condition, the part numbers are still on it. I guess a new belt is still a good idea, i can compare the length of a new one against the old one and see if it really has stretched, and take it from there, but if u will put a new spring on your tensioner then let me know how it goes! thanks man

pazauk · Post by **pazauk** » 03 Feb 2007, 21:20

Changed the belt today going to to the spring next weekend, the new blets stopped the noise but under slight revs the belt along the bottom (between the engine crank and the air con pump) is flapping like mad!! the bottom tensioner (the one that moves off center) thats at its max (i know thats wrong its the only way i can get the slack off the blet), so i think its got to be the spring on the auto thats gone. Got a new spring and a new auto ten (parts 3&5 in the pic).Also on mine started the engine with the belt off and the engine crank seemed to wobble side to side dont know if it was an opitacal allusion or what but would be nice to know if your has the same effect it may just be the engine rocking just looked strange!

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 04 Feb 2007, 11:22

pazauk - check if you've got a dual mass crank pulley, if so you could be a few hours away from total disaster. Crank pulleys that wobble should be really concerning!

//NiSk

deian · Post by **deian** » 04 Feb 2007, 14:49

not looked today, too much damp mist about, my belt flaps at the bottom too, so i will check the crank with the belt off too, i will let you know for sure, if NiSK is right about the 2.1 having a dual mass flywheel when that isn't a good sign is it!

pazauk · Post by **pazauk** » 04 Feb 2007, 15:37

Dont think mine is a dual mass it looks like a one piece cast but i will check again could not see no rubber "sandwich".If it did go it would only meen the outer cast would slip? but its not a squeaking sound its more like a whip! lol as the belt bounces!. thanks for the heads up NiSK.

pazauk · Post by **pazauk** » 04 Feb 2007, 16:10

I'll have my humble pie cold please!!!! just found a pic of the crank pull and its the same as mine and yes its a dual mass going to have to change that was well, my xantia's only done 80k would not have even changed that would have only done the auto ten thanks again NiSk

deian · Post by **deian** » 04 Feb 2007, 16:15

oh oh, i will check mine then, more likely to bang on a 200k mile car! I'm scared now.