Xantia VSX 1.9TD

[Charles]

Saviours ?
My first Xantia turbo diesel (VSX Estate). Only 50k on the clock. I have a hell of a noise / rattle coming from around the timing chain area. It seems to reduce as the engine warms up. Where do I start ? What is the most likely source. Idler ? Alternator , A/C , pump ?
Hope someone can help as the car is in many ways great / utopia.

- If I ignore the fact that both front door keys fail to engage and just rotate free. Is this the tumblers or something else ? OK for as long as the remote continues to work !

Charles

[Mandrake]

Free spinning is the common failure mode for Xantia door locks, but more often than not they can be repaired by freeing them up and lubricating them.

I've attached a document that describes how to do so, its written for the XM so the process of actually removing the lock from the car is slightly different, but the tumbler mechanism is identical. I've successfully repaired a couple of Xantia door locks that were previously free spinning.

[Xaccers]

First important thing, do you know when the cam belt was last changed?

What does the crank pulley look like? Specifically the rubber ring that cracks with age separating the outer metal ring. Get some chalk or marker pen and draw a line from the outer metal ring to the inner across the rubber. Run the engine and see if the line gets split as the outer ring moves. If this happens replace the crank pulley asap.

Depending on the age of the car it can have different style tensioners for the aux belt and chances are it's one of those causing the issue.

'97 onwards (possibly slightly earlier too) had an auto tensioner and an eccentric tensioner.
When my eccentric went, spraying it with silicone made it silent for a while which enabled me to tell which needed replacing.
The tensioner is held in place with an 8mm Allen bolt.

The auto tensioner is spring loaded, with the spring behind the hydraulic pump.
If that tensioner needs replacing, then the spring will need replacing too as it's lower eye breaks down. It is a PITA to do as the spring is held to the tensioner via a 6mm Allen bolt, access to which is via a small hole in the side of the vain behind the hydraulic pump, with various pipes and wires in the way. Your best option is to get a cheap 6mm Allen key, and chop 1.5" off the end to use with a 6mm ratchet spanner. An extendable magnet is also useful, as is a notepad to write down all the new swear words you'll invent.
The tensioner itself pivots around a bolt (17 or 19mm I can't remember exactly) with needle bearings which collapse with age preventing it from pivoting.
Of course in true design style, the tensioner is directly in line with the inner wheel arch, so you have to undo the bolt, then slid the tensioner out and down.
Worst case, the inner race of the bearing gets stuck which stops you being able to pivot the tensioner down. Plenty of plus gas/lube and trying to hit it at an angle with a cold chisel to tap the inner race out will eventually do the trick.
Remove the ECU box to give yourself plenty of access, especially to the square hole on the auto tensioner used to pivot it away from the belt so the belt can be removed.

If you have a Haynes manual, it describes the early manual tensioner for the 1.9TD, and the auto one for the 2.1TD, so if you have an auto tensioner use the 2.1TD section as a guide, especially for how to feed the aux belt when you put it back on.

[citronut]

the other thing that can cause one hell of a clatter is if the aux drive belt has been over adjusted, this cause's the swinging arm auto tensioner to clatter against the cam belt cover

[red_dwarfers]

the other thing that can cause one hell of a clatter is if the aux drive belt has been over adjusted, this cause's the swinging arm auto tensioner to clatter against the cam belt cover

Or even underadjusted as I found on mine when the eccentic tensioner wasn't done up tight enough. Though a slightly different sound I imagine. I wouldn't describe that as one hell of a rattle.

[Charles]

Gentlemen
You are all magic
Prompt replies
To the point
Helpful
What more could a man ask
Except perhaps to have you all as neighbours !!
Anyway I reside in Derby or Malvern

I think I am trying to say THANK YOU.
You did well. Tell the wife Charles said you could have the weekend off to play on the car and have a pint with some Citronuts. No washing up, No peeling potatoes etc.

Now it is up to me
I do so want it to be successful
I was spoilt with my sister's 1998 VSX 2.0i 16V petrol. which never went wrong but because I have found the Estate I am about to abandon it.
In principle I am on my 57th car( I still have the first 3 !!) and this VSX Diesel Estate is what I want and need now as my ideal motor
Thanks to your help I might yet enjoy the experience
For your info the belt was changed at 35k before my ownership, Badly ?
We are now at

[Charles]

I have blown the cam belt of my very much loved 1998 Xantia VSX 1.9D Turbo Estate with only 90,000 miles on the clock. I think the cam shaft is broken. It was changed at 40,000 miles but that was more than 10 years ago. So one really does have to read the small print !. It is in beautiful condition. Do I have to abandon it ? What would you do ? What are the odds, if any, of having only damaged the head ?

Charles

[KennyW]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57005

Have a look at the above link if you think it's the camshaft.

Kenny

[CitroJim]

Charles, so sorry to hear this... Definitely no reason to abandon...

It just underlines how critical regular cambelt changes are on the 1.9TD. Both mileage and time...

keep us all informed on how the job goes... I wish you a very satisfactory result.

[ekjdm14]

Very likely the bottom end (pistons/rods/crank etc) will still be fine, especially on such a low mileage car provided you kept up the oil/filter changes.

If the camshaft has broken it's likely to have damaged the head beyond repair but from recent posts regarding this, you should be able to find a replacement head easy enough & definitely worth the time & effort if the car's otherwise a gooden (and, more importantly, you like it and it suits your needs).

Best of luck with it, got my fingers crossed for your camshaft/head