Xantia Alternator

wirefly · Unread post by **wirefly** » 07 Oct 2009, 14:08

Hi people!

Can someone give me a quick overview of replacing the alternator on my 1996 Xantia Activa it has the 2 litre engine.

I had a leak on the pump above it and after fixing that it seems the alternator didn't survive a lhm bath

Thanks! haven't worked on this car very much

Cheers

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 07 Oct 2009, 14:24

All fairly straight forward. The only thing of note is the multi vee belt that drives the alternator and other ancillary units such as air con and hydraulic pump. This is tensioned by an automatic spring loaded tensioner. You will need to remove the tension from the belt by putting a spanner , 17mm I think from memory , on the pulley spindle bolt head and then forcing the tensioner backwards and then pushing the belt off the pump pulley. The force involved will seem quite high if you've never done this before !! To determine if a new belt is needed look at the wear indicator pointers on the tensioner before removing the belt.
Removing the alternator is just a case removing the cable connections (after disconnecting the battery !) then finding the bolts that retain it to the engine bracket and removing them and the alternator.
If you do replace the multi vee belt the new one can be quite difficult to install and you really need another pair of hands to hold the tensioner back whilst the belt is pushed over the last pulley.

wirefly · Unread post by **wirefly** » 07 Oct 2009, 14:28

Hi, Thanks for that.

Does that mean that the pump sitting about can be left in position? I was having a little nightmare about removing that as well lol

Will have a look later this afternoon when I'm back at home with my car

Thanks again!

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 07 Oct 2009, 14:36

If the pump location is similar to my HDI , and I'm pretty sure it is , then yes , leave it be. All this is fiddly work , almost nothing on a modern engine is easy to remove and replace. You will need to jiggle things past other things and lose skin in the process !
The pump pulley is the one you will be pushing off first and on last. Make a note of the belt route before you remove it , trying to work it out afterwards if the belt drops off is a mensa test !!

wirefly · Unread post by **wirefly** » 07 Oct 2009, 14:39

I think from memory the pump has a few pipes that head down and pass infront of the body of the alternator on a curved metal bracket. so access from the front is practically zero. to the left is the box of computers and the right (back of the alternator) is a mass of pipes and other good stuff.

Will double check tho later on.

Thanks!

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 07 Oct 2009, 15:10

Hi..

Unforttunally you WILL need to remove the HP LHM Pump and the pipes, you'll have NO chance of getting it past there, as the oil filter is also in the way..

Alintantors dont like LHM at all, Ive had to change a couple before now, and its useually just a 60p O ring on the main suspension feed pipe, the one nearest the Pully...

Regards
Paul

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 07 Oct 2009, 15:18

Oh dear , thats a world of hurt then !!

My poor old alternator has so far survived at least 4 LHM disasters !!
Wonder if it's just the brushes and slip rings that need cleaning when they quit ?

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 07 Oct 2009, 15:19

citroenxm wrote:Unforttunally you WILL need to remove the HP LHM Pump and the pipes, you'll have NO chance of getting it past there, as the oil filter is also in the way..

Oh no you won't

The HP pump can stay put. What you will need to do is remove the ECU box complete, remove the RH engine mount and remove the ignition amplifier.

Then, by jacking the engine up a tad, you can just wriggle the alternator out above the chassis member and into the space previously occupied by the ECU box. Unless you also remove the ignition amplifier complete with heatsink plate, it gets in the way.

Note how the auxillary belt routes as it is totally different to any other Xantia and can be a headscratcher to work out. I have a picture of the routing if needed.

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 07 Oct 2009, 15:22

Dunno whats worse out of those , think I'd go for removing the pump !!

wirefly · Unread post by **wirefly** » 07 Oct 2009, 15:48

citroenxm wrote: Alintantors dont like LHM at all, Ive had to change a couple before now, and its useually just a 60p O ring on the main suspension feed pipe, the one nearest the Pully...

Yep! That was the o ring indeed!!!!

Xantidote · Unread post by **Xantidote** » 07 Oct 2009, 16:43

CitroenXM says alternators don't like LHM - fairly understandable. HDI says his alternator has survived 4 LHM disasters.

I was given an alternator which had suffered LHM drenching, followed by some sort of quick clean up with brake fluid. The alternator had been replaced, but then found to be working again, so on receipt, I removed the plastic end cover to check & clean it up, and found nothing to suggest it wouldn't continue working.

I suppose whether one replaces an alternator after LHM drenching depends to some extent on how easy/difficult it is to get at the item. Maybe in Wirefly's case, as it's not simple, replacement is preferred, whereas on my 1.9TD without aircon, I'd be prepared to put it back and give it another chance. To my mind, the important thing is no LHM anywhere near the brushes or sliprings.

Martin

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 07 Oct 2009, 16:54

My V6 alternator was absolutely saturated in LHM and had been for some time. I took it off and cleaned it in gentle solvent (similar to carb cleaner but designed for electronics) and it has been fine (touch-wood) since. It was so bad that the solvent ran out of it green for ages!

It was all down the drive end and had not contaminated the brushgear or electronics.

So I agree Martin, so long as the back end is dry, no worries.

Best it does not get too much LHM but hopefully not a certain killer of alternators...

HDI · Unread post by **HDI** » 07 Oct 2009, 17:01

In my case it's certainly kept corrosion at bay

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 07 Oct 2009, 19:29

Welcome to the forum Damian, it's nice to see a new face here and especially
another Activa owner! These great cars are rare and getting rarer.

I do hope you've seen the Activa area/resource at the bottom of this forum's
main index page:

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... m.php?f=17

Don't be afraid to ask any questions there with your Activa - this always starts
an interesting and at times entertaining and meandering discussion as well as
determining a remedy to problems and/or a greater understanding of these
great and arguably complex cars! And don't be shy to show us any piccies
of your car and any background story - there's a few reader's rides, register
(roll call) and general Activa banter threads there to muck in with!!

ttfn
Andrew

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 07 Oct 2009, 21:05

andmcit wrote:Welcome to the forum Damian, it's nice to see a new face here and especially
another Activa owner! These great cars are rare and getting rarer.

I'll second that

Much as I love my V6 as a daily driver, I still love my Activa more...