Xantia- Heavy steering and front end whine

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 09 Mar 2010, 21:27

Hi,
2000 Xantia HDi
Suffering with a front end whine, coming from timing belt area. (recently replaced)
Increases frequency with engine speed.
Power steering is near non-existent,
any offers

addo · Post by **addo** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:21

Mark - offers of purchase or remedy?

First port of call is to check the hydraulic fluid level; at the same time look for evidence of leakage.

Regards, Adam.

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:30

Remedy offers would be lovely, from any more experienced folk

Post by **Peter.N.** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:44

The whine may be caused by an overtight cam belt, for the steering, check the tension on the pump drive belt.

Peter

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 10 Mar 2010, 11:48

Having been out to it today, the high pressure pump is covered in LHM, would this be causing the problems, is there any way i can check it??

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 10 Mar 2010, 12:17

clean it up and check for leaks.
normally around the large nut with a pipe screwed into it. seals are pennies from main dealer.
also check rubber feed pipe is secure and tight both ends. steering is more lhm intensive than suspension so lack of supply or sucking in air can give heavy steering.
check lhm level on high.
check metal lhm pipes for leaks.
could be they damaged or dislodged something when belt was done.

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 10 Mar 2010, 12:51

lhm level is showing over red marks, orange float doesnt move at all high or low

Post by **Peter.N.** » 10 Mar 2010, 13:57

If you have LHM on the pump pully, its almost certainly slipping.

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 10 Mar 2010, 14:03

Figured out what the whine was, going through the wheel arch there are two pulleys.
One air con, one something else, and a tensioner/pulley.
Its the tensioner that is making the noise, if i spray WD40 onto the middle of the tensioner/pulley the sound goes for about 10 secs.
Can this be changed??
Has allen key hole and square hole.
My 8mm sump nut remover wont fit in the square hole anyway

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 10 Mar 2010, 14:10

yes you can unscrew the eccentric tensioner with an allen key and replace it.
might be worth changing the spring loaded one too if it isn't easy to rotate away from the belt.

mark230678 · Post by **mark230678** » 10 Mar 2010, 14:21

Do you know the size of the allen key by any chance?

Dommo · Post by **Dommo** » 10 Mar 2010, 14:27

The one on my 1.9TD 306 is 8mm if I remember rightly.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 10 Mar 2010, 15:12

Depnding on year and type of tensioner fitted, if its a Metal roller on the end of the spring loaded arm its a TORX screw, the plastic one is Allen head..

The Torx is about T30 in size, the allen head is about a 5mm.. but could be 6mm..

The LHM on the pump is a bit of a concern, its defenatly likely to be the cause of lack of steering..

The level float WILL NOT go down on high setting if theres more then enough fluid in the Tank! You can check the operation of the flot by unplugging the wires to it, give it a twist (cant remember which way, but it does not need a lot of force) then lift the float level out of the tank, the orange dick will drop then!

Its amazing how low inside the tank the LHM can be for it to be full enough!

Theres then the aqusation of the float sticking were as infact too much LHM is in the tank!

The likly cause of your pump leak, which can and will eventually Kill your altinator after a while is the seal under the union mating part..

If you remove the pipe NEAREST The pully, then with a 17mm spanner undo the larger union WATCH FOR THE SPRING UNDER IT! theres an O ring.. this lets the fluid escape.

As said the seal is VERY cheap, and was covered recently in another thread by a fellow memeber, Lexi I think.. with some photos in the post too

Paul

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 10 Mar 2010, 16:33

mark230678 wrote:Do you know the size of the allen key by any chance?

as dommo said, the eccentric is 8mm
it may be tight so be prepared with a hammer

check one of the other recent belt/alternator threads for how to remove the belt and check the spring loaded autotensioner to see if it too should be replaced (basically if it's hard to move away from the belt it should be changed)

Post by **Peter.N.** » 10 Mar 2010, 16:37

...or slide a length of tube over it