R reg 1.9TD Xantia drive belt pulley problem!!

[CitroJim]

Greg,

You can, just, like so many jobs on these cars. Here's how

Not easy I grant but far easier than taking out the alternator, HP Pump and whetever else.

Frankly, it's not pleasant working on cars in this weather so I don't blame you. As soon as it warms a bit and winter tirns to spring, it'll look so much better and easier to do!

[Gregg1100]

Hi Jim,
Thanks once again for your help and time. I will send off for the tensioner--got a belt in caravan-how it got there is anyones guess. . I can see 2 rollers from the top of engine. When engine idling, the bottom run of belt is jumping up and down as it goes round the circuit. I saw in the GSF site shop that a tensioner is listed for this car saying the words-SELL WITH---Is that 2 rollers or tensioners ?

I will have to talk nicely to sister--borrow her garage for a day--at least I will be out of the cold. Radiator started to leak too now. Bummer. . Not much is easy on them, eh.

One thing with FCF site----when I send a message to someone---vary rare I do---it seems to get into OUTBOX and not SENTBOX--so I don't know if recipient has had the message or not---always been on AOL-so not had this problem. What am I doing wrong ?
Thanks again,
Greg

[CitroJim]

Hi Greg,

The upper tensioner is the one that goes. The lower tensioner is just an eccentric roller and is best checked for good bearings but in my experience, rarely goes. It might get just a tad noisy when spun but if it's smooth and has no play, it'll live to fight another day.

You'll more likely find the top spring tensioner seized or feeling like it's full of threepenny bits. In extremis, the bolt snaps because of the lateral load the failed bearings puts on it. I find that on initial start, a worn tensioner jumps up and locks itself in the fully retracted position and thus the belt ruuns loose and flaps around.

That SELL WITH on the GSF site is a bit of a misnomer. What they appear to be referring to is the tensioner spring. Very unlikely to fail I would have thought

A sent PM initially goes in the Oubox and then into the Sentbox when the recepient has read it. The fact you're on AOL should not matter I would have thought. Send me a PM as a test Greg...

[leigh]

Just to concur, had exactly same problem on my Xsara 1.9D.Changed all the pulleys but the belt would occasionally jump a rib on the crank pulley.Tried original and gates type belts - fault still happened.
Belt snapped and went into cam belt tunnel, was very lucky as in no bent valves only bent the bolt for the cam belt idler pulley.
Fault fixed by putting slightly more tension on aux belt than normal. I found that when the engine is cold the belt run between the crankshaft and aircon pulleys was excessive despite being set at manufacturer's setting.Problem now fixed