That was lucky

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Jaf
Posts: 514
Joined: 09 Dec 2010, 19:17
Location: Oria, Spain
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That was lucky

Post by Jaf »

Fred’s aux belt snapped just as I was parking in town. Could easily have been on a mountain road! Only had a minute before the steering got super heavy, not sure if that’s normal.

Fred says it’s my fault because I promised her a nice oil change, sphere change and general service as she passed her Spanish MOT a week ago. But I haven’t done it yet!

Got recovered back to the house, get a new belt tomorrow.
Fred, a silver 1998 1.9TD SX Xantia.
Gwin, a white 1994 1.1 AX.
ekjdm14
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Re: That was lucky

Post by ekjdm14 »

Steering is the first thing to go & I'd expect it to go pretty much as soon as the belt went. It's not so much the mountain road that's the issue, it's the potential for the dead belt to get wound into the crank sprocket and take out the timing belt, camshaft and probably a valve or two so yes, very lucky!

Make sure the tensioner is spinning smoothly as well since Black (our '95 1.9D auto) had hers seize solid about 2 weeks after fitting a new belt, I thought the starter had jammed or the wiring caught fire from all the smoke it made!
'95 Xantia LX 1.9D-auto, Black, 109k
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Jaf
Posts: 514
Joined: 09 Dec 2010, 19:17
Location: Oria, Spain
My Cars:
x 29

Re: That was lucky

Post by Jaf »

Ah ok thanks. Had an old rover that if the engine died so did the brakes. Not good.

Got the new belt on. The old one was not very old, just a couple of years. But I had changed the tensioner a year ago as it was wonky and I think I didn’t change the belt. Stupid.

Changed the oil and filter. Walked backwards into the container of old oil. Soaked through to my sock! Eurgh.
Fred, a silver 1998 1.9TD SX Xantia.
Gwin, a white 1994 1.1 AX.
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CitroJim
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Re: That was lucky

Post by CitroJim »

Gosh, that was lucky Jaf!

Yes, isn't it amazing at how heavy Xantia steering is without assistance... Almost impossible to steer I find and I have a lot of upper-body strength...

Dan makes a very important and critical point about the tensioner... Check it very carefully and ensure that it's perfect and running exactly true.

If in any doubt at all then replace it.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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