Xantia 2.1 auxiliary belt adjustment

[Old-Guy]

Please can someone point me in the direction of a diagram/drawing showing the auxiliary belt arrangement, and an explanation how the tensioners work?

[RichardW]

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 22&t=25816" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If it's got the type with the long spring.

[Old-Guy]

Thanks Richard.

If it's got the type with the long spring.

I've no idea, but as Jim's Guide says "later type 1.9TD and 2.1 with air con" I guess that should be right. I'll have a look when I've finished messing doing the radius arm front bush.

As there's a bill dated 5/4/11 just 2,000 miles ago, that includes "replace .... auxiliary tensioner, belt...." I'm hoping that the tensioner is in good nick.

[Xaccers]

Guy, that thread of Jim's is the right one.
You have two tensioners, the eccentric which is the lower one with a 8mm hex bolt, and then there's the auto tensioner.

This is spring loaded, the spring being behind the hydraulic pump. It rotates the body of the auto tensioner around it's needle bearings thus pushing the pulley against the belt.
The problem is over time the needs bearings fail so it no longer rotates to take up slack, and the eye at the lower end of the spring enlarges causing wear on the hex bolt that holds it in place and prevents the tension from being constant. That hex bolt is a PITA to get to, best bet is chop 1.5" off the end of a 6mm allen key and use it with a 6mm ratchet spanner turning one click at a time.
If the tensioner is replaced then the spring normally needs replacing too.
Going by the 1.9TD, lift the ECU box out the way and you should then be able to see the 3/8ish square hole on the outside of the tensioner. Fit a breaker bar/ratchet etc into the hole and rotate it clockwise whilst looking at the belt end of the engine. I've got a swivel ended breaker bar that is ideal to fit in the hole.
Rotate the tensioner slightly and get your beautiful assistant to shine a torch on the lower end of the spring, and wiggle the spring about to check for any wear in the lower eye.
If it's got no play, then relax, if it clunks about then replace the spring.

[Old-Guy]

Thanks for the confirmation Xac.

A new tensioner was billed about 2,000miles and 2 years ago. I'm not impressed by the expertise of the 'mechanic' who did most of the work (a new radius arm fitted at the same time has torn it's front bush to pieces probably because the bolt was tightened with the arm on full droop). Perhaps the the tensioners were similarly not adjusted in the correct manner?

Ignoring the 90% of Jim's instructions (on how to remove and replace the tensioners), it seems that to correctly tension the belt, you 'simply' pin the spring tensioner right back against the tension, take the slack out with the eccentric and then carefully release the spring tensioner?

[Xaccers]

I don't bother pinning.
Slacken the eccentric to give that extra bit of slack.
I then remove the ECU box so I can see the square hole on the tensioner, fit my breaker bar and rotate it, then I just slide the belt off one of the pulleys and it'll come off the rest.

[Old-Guy]

Thanks for the tip Xac. In fact, I just need to properly tension a newish belt that's slipping (?because it wasn't correctly tensioned when fitted?).

[Xaccers]

Slacken the eccentric 6mm hex, then rotate it using the square end of a small socket set in order to tension the belt, hold it in place and tighten the 6mm