Xantia 1.8i 16v cambelt change

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
hswift
Posts: 51
Joined: 17 Jul 2002, 17:31
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Xantia 1.8i 16v cambelt change

Post by hswift »

Now that my Xantia's got over 60k miles on the clock, I'm thinking of doing a pre-emptive cambelt replacement. I know my limitations, so it's a job for someone else to do. My local main dealer has quoted 215 quid, which I guess includes about three hours labour. Forgetting the punitive hourly rate, does three hours for the job sound about right? Is there anything unusual about the job that should stop me going to an independent Citroen specialist instead?
PeterC.
Posts: 9
Joined: 12 Jul 2002, 15:00
Location:
My Cars:

Post by PeterC. »

2.0 16v: I’m having mine done (main dealer) at 43,000 if that’s any consolation to you. I don’t trust the bugger. Mind you, my motor is 6 years old. I just don’t think it’s worth the risk. Looks like it’s hard to evaluate the belt’s condition without taking it off, by which time you may as well replace it. Don’t fancy DIY and getting it in any way wrong either - I’d have to shoot myself if it went phut.
Ben Hancy
Posts: 13
Joined: 12 Jul 2002, 04:52
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by Ben Hancy »

You light weights,
A New belt costs around £ 20.00, so that's nearly 200 notes labour, 3 Hours sounds fair for a DIY job, I woud expect a Cit Garage to do that within an Hour - 2 Tops.
I wish I had the money to chuck £ 200.00 at somebody to fit a £20.00 part.
Regards
Ben
alan s
RIP 2010
Posts: 2542
Joined: 26 Jan 2001, 15:53
Location: Australia
My Cars:
x 6

Post by alan s »

I wouldn't feel too over confident of the result based on the fact that a "professional" changed the cam belt.
I did one recently on my BX 16 valve and amongst the things I found was; the water pump had failed due to it not being changed at its previous belt change, the tension had been set incorrectly causing the back of the belt to overheat and actually had blisters on it, parts had been left out when the job had been done and so it went on....the job was done at around 27,000 klme earlier (prior to me buying the car) by a "professional" and at a whacking great price.
I did this amongst other jobs and those who know the car say it's never sounded or run better.
The moral of the story is; do it yourself, take your time and do it right.
A few tips on the BX which I would assume would be the same on the Xantia you can find on a previous message I posted on this subject.
http://www.andyspares.com/discussionfor ... PIC_ID=978
You make your own decision, but after doing the job and seeing the previous effort, there is no way I'd let some of these cowboys loose on my car. This way, you can afford to replace anything that may be suspect & still come out a mile in front on the overall cost.
Alan S
PeterC.
Posts: 9
Joined: 12 Jul 2002, 15:00
Location:
My Cars:

Post by PeterC. »

Had cambelt done at main dealer, cost £195. Belt was priced at £44 (I think). Had a look at that plastic clip on the clutch pedal last night - my god, it’s barely possible to see it let alone change it. Whoever designed this bit should be tied to a chair and beaten with a Xantia clutch cable. There seems to be a slight sticking resistance when the pedal is depressed - I hope this doesn’t signify any additional strain on the plastic bit. I squirted some oil on the exposed cable and pedel mechanism but it doesn’t feel any different.
I tried to work-out how the cable gets to the gearbox (once I’d found the gearbox - this is the first front wheel drive car I’ve ever had) it’s a miracle that it works at all. I can only guess that the gearbox is the opposite side to the clutch pedel because Citroens are originally designed to be left hand drive?
Also going to investigate rattly noises from front/back doors (not sure which yet). Also going to follow forum advice on de-rattling dash mounted climate control fan.
Didn’t have any of these quality problems on my BMW520 you know...
Trouble was, the cost of running it!
howardaskew
Donor 2023
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Jun 2007, 00:30
Location: Maidstone
My Cars: C5 Mk2 2.2 HDI 173 VTX+ 6 Speed Manual
X7 2010 2.0 HDI VTR+ 16v 163
X7 2012 1.6HDI VTR+ 110
C5 2.0 HDI Mk2 VTR+ Now scrapped
2nd Car SAAB 9-3 TID 2007 Now Scrapped
Ex C5 2.2 HDI Mk1 Exclusive Automatic Destroyed Sep 2018 in a RTA Sadly missed but all ok.
Ex Citroen C5 2.0 VTR HDI 186k Hit a tree at 50mph and lived to tell the tale. Although my ribs still click!
Ex Citroen C4 (caught fire in middle of town :( )
Ex C5 Mk 1 clocked up 276k on original clutch now scrapped
Ex Xantia (Passed to Wife and clocked up 169,000 now scrapped)
Audi 200 Turbo manual 1984 (It was a very very fast beast :) )
x 2
Contact:

Xantia 1.8 16V Cambelt change

Post by howardaskew »

I notice quite a lot of posts relating to cambelts. Of course the ost of failure may be very high.
I gave up working on cars when I had a company car but have started doing it again because of suspicions and disatisfaction with work paid for.
My Xantia 1.8 16V has as far as I know not had a new cambelt and has covered just under 150,000 miles of which 121,000 I have driven.
The Haynes manual describes the job but the bit that worries me is the specialist tool for tensioning the belt.
I presume that none of you out there that do this job DIY have used this electronic tension tool.
Am I right to tackle this job myself?

Howard
Online
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25360
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Post by myglaren »

[swerve]

Is there really a six year gap in this thread or a glitch in the database, or something...

[/swerve]
User avatar
CitroJim
A very naughty boy
Posts: 49518
Joined: 30 Apr 2005, 23:33
Location: Paggers
My Cars: Bluebell the AX, Polly the C3 Picasso, Pix the Nissan Pixo, Propel the duathlon bike, TCR Pro the road bike and Fuji the TT bike...
x 6156
Contact:

Post by CitroJim »

Hi Howard,

That is an incredibly long time for a cambelt to have been in service, although having said that, I swapped the cambelt on a 1.25 F*** Fester after a known 105,000 miles.

We are a bit paranoid on here about timing belts as the consequences of having one break do cause a bit of damage.

Don't worry about the tensioner adjustment, the only special tool you need is a finger and thumb :wink: Adjust the tension so that the belt can be turned through 90 degrees on it's longest run. Don't over-tension the belt as the engine expands a bit when hot and tightens the belt. Set the cold tension a bit on the loose side; an easy twist through 90 degrees.

Replace your water pump whilst you're there. Water pumps know when cambelts have been changed and if they're not changed at the same time, they show their displeasure by failing exactly a week later...
myglaren wrote: Is there really a six year gap in this thread or a glitch in the database, or something...
No, I don't think so Steve. Howard just added to it going by the dates. What is interesting is how Howard found it.. That thread was one made when this forum was on a Snitz board and known as the Andyspares forum. Often, during the conversion from Snitz to phpBB the search function cannot find old threads as they are not indexed.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
Online
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25360
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Post by myglaren »

PeterC. Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 4:09 pm


howardaskew Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:47 am
Is what lead me to think there was a six year gap.
Am I reading this wrong?

Must see when mine was last done, >120,000 miles on the clock now.
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10812
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 982

Post by RichardW »

HDi is 100k / 10 years, so it's not due for another 80k. Or it's 20k overdue :shock:

I suspect Howard turned this thread up on a google search....
Richard W
Online
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25360
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Post by myglaren »

RichardW wrote:HDi is 100k / 10 years, so it's not due for another 80k. Or it's 20k overdue :shock:

I suspect Howard turned this thread up on a google search....
Thanks. I did look in the service book but couldn't make head nor tail of it. The Honda one was crystal clear with each item clearly indicated. Never had one for the Xantia.
Never looked at it anyway. :P
wheeler
Posts: 6847
Joined: 21 Sep 2002, 19:07
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 717

Post by wheeler »

citrojim wrote:Don't worry about the tensioner adjustment, the only special tool you need is a finger and thumb :wink: Adjust the tension so that the belt can be turned through 90 degrees on it's longest run. .
I dont think you will get anywhere near 90 degrees on a 1.8 16v theres not really any long runs on the belt.
One thing to be aware of the mk1 1.8 16v's were recalled at one point for breaking belts, the manual tensioner was changed to a springy one with a pointer. i would double check to see what type yours is.
howardaskew
Donor 2023
Posts: 69
Joined: 21 Jun 2007, 00:30
Location: Maidstone
My Cars: C5 Mk2 2.2 HDI 173 VTX+ 6 Speed Manual
X7 2010 2.0 HDI VTR+ 16v 163
X7 2012 1.6HDI VTR+ 110
C5 2.0 HDI Mk2 VTR+ Now scrapped
2nd Car SAAB 9-3 TID 2007 Now Scrapped
Ex C5 2.2 HDI Mk1 Exclusive Automatic Destroyed Sep 2018 in a RTA Sadly missed but all ok.
Ex Citroen C5 2.0 VTR HDI 186k Hit a tree at 50mph and lived to tell the tale. Although my ribs still click!
Ex Citroen C4 (caught fire in middle of town :( )
Ex C5 Mk 1 clocked up 276k on original clutch now scrapped
Ex Xantia (Passed to Wife and clocked up 169,000 now scrapped)
Audi 200 Turbo manual 1984 (It was a very very fast beast :) )
x 2
Contact:

I found this thread on the search facility of this website

Post by howardaskew »

I must apologise for "digging up" an old thread! I never checked the dates.
It is possible the cam belt was changed but I doubt it.
I did change both front suspension yop units which had light corrosion on them but after seeing the bonnets with big dents punched on the inside I did not want to take a chance!
I think I will go ahead and change the belt myself now.
The wife has the car now.
I have invested in a C5, now I suspect I will have the worse car now but as fuel prices hit the roof I needed a diesel!
Online
User avatar
myglaren
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 25360
Joined: 02 Mar 2008, 13:30
Location: Washington
My Cars: Mazda 6
Ooops.
Previously:
2009 Honda Civic :(
C5, C5, Xantia, BX, GS, Visa.
R4, R11TXE, R14, R30TX
x 4888

Post by myglaren »

Don't apologise, you did the right thing there IMO.

I was just a bit startled that such an old thread had been resurrected and wondered if something had gone wrong with the database and the dates had been scrambled.

Best of luck with the job in hand.
User avatar
david mcfall
Posts: 9
Joined: 25 May 2008, 21:32
Location: belfast
My Cars:

Post by david mcfall »

ive got a 1999 1.8 16v 132000 miles on the clock(bought it with 127000)and have had to do 2 cam belts since getting it.first one i didnt get the water pump changed and it soon started to pack up, namely new belt tightening everything up.so that had to come off after 5000(the pump was that bad it nearly threw the belt off the tomimg pulleys it was wobbling that bad).I knew this because i took the timing cover off to inspect a rattling noise and nearly had a connery.make sure you get water pump changed whilst the belt is off it could save you a lot of heartache.i know this posting is late but ive just become a member of the forum and just going through postings relating to the same car as mine
p.s.the work i got the second timing belt,tensioners and water pump done at a local garage for £170 quid which i thought was good
how can i soar with the eagles when i'm flying with turkeys?
xantia convert
1999 xantia 1.8 16v 132k
1999 peugeot 406 hdi 90ps
Post Reply