Citroen xsara 2003 1.4 8v alternator replacement

[CLEME1995]

Hi could anyone advice or a small guide to changing the alternator on a xsara hatchback? I haven't done a alternator before but do general maintenance on cars. I'm trying to learn more each time a fault or issue comes up but this one's a bit daunting with having to remove the power steering pump and slackning the alternator drive belt from the pully etc. Is it a job worth attempting or could it potentially be a troublesome job which turns out to be more costly than me just taking to a garage. Any honest advice would be greatly appreciated as finding a guide or a Haynes manual guide appears so difficult for this car as all videos etc are either xsara Picasso or diesel variety. Afraid of not getting things back together or air trapped in power steering pump etc.

[mickthemaverick]

Have a read through this post and it will help you decide, personally I think it is a relatively easy job with not too many potential disasters as long as you get the correct replacement with the same connections. viewtopic.php?t=56506

I would add to that description, before you start take pics of the belt routeing so you can be sure to refit it correctly!

[CLEME1995]

Hey thanks for this really helpful. Do you know if the whole pully has to come off? Is the pully bolted directly to the alternator? Also would adding 2 marks to line back up the belt on the pulley work? I'm a bit concerned about not getting the belt back on properly and also if air gets into the power steering pump getting this back out.

[mickthemaverick]

As it said in the write up you don't need to disconnect the power steering pump, just dismount it so there should be no danger of getting air in. However if you do it is simply a matter of starting the engine, then turning the steering lock to lock 3 or 4 times with the reservoir cap off and you should bleed all the air out.

There is no worry about marking the belt as its position relative to the pulleys is irrelevant, you only have to worry about that when dealing with toothed belts like cam belt etc. You do have to make sure you route it round the pulleys the correct way hence the photo before you begin. Identify which type of tensioner you have and then remember to pull that back while fitting the belt and then release it to do its job.

As for the pulley I need to see a picture of yours to comment but yes usually it has to be swapped over but is not difficult to do.

Good luck.

[CLEME1995]

Thanks very much for your information and knowledge it's much appreciated. I'm grateful to be able to have a go and try to keep learning alot off people. Would you replace the pulley and belt? I'm planning on taking it to a garage to have the timing belt done and water pump soon but obviously that won't be part of this service. Is it possible sometimes to be able to slide the belt off the pulley without taking it all off and also how do you know when you've tensioned it back enough is there a way of it being too tight? Hope you don't mind me picking your brains haha

[mickthemaverick]

If you have a spring loaded tensioner then simply releasing back onto the belt will tension it automatically. However if it is a manual bolt adjusted version then you will need to tighten it until you have the right amount of play in the longest span of the belt, so before you release the tension hold a ruler against the belt and push it from side to side to measure the amount you can move it. If you are fitting the same belt back then adjust it till you have that same amount of flex, if you are fitting a new belt adjust it to have slightly less flex as it will bed in and probably stretch a tad. Recheck that after 100 miles.

You will have to inspect the pulley and belt for wear yourself and judge whether it needs replacing, check for score marks and degradation. You may be able to leave the belt mainly in situ around the tensioner and guides but you will probably knock it off while removing the alternator so you may as well just get it out of the way from the start. I suspect you need to dismount the power steering pump to give you sufficient clearance to lift the alternator out but you can judge that while looking at it.

The main thing is to make sure you have the correct alternator before you start!!

[CLEME1995]

Thanks so much for your help i feel more confident to have a good now i will get the tools and hopefully find the right alternator is there a way of telling what specific amps you need as in relatable to the battery? You've been a great help from posting here!

[mickthemaverick]

Picking the correct alternator is best done by fitting the correct one for the car rather than the battery. Hopefully the battery is correct but since charging voltage is pretty much the same for the batteries I'd be happy with a correct one for your car. I think this link may be for the right one but do the reg check they offer to confirm:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/146087227006 ... 6c7d443a59

[MattBLancs]

Although this defines itself as "to 2000" and hence theoretically wouldn't cover your 2003 Xsara, a Haynes is cheap enough to have and I'd think would give you some guidance

HM Citroen Xsara 1997-9 2000 UK - OP used book by John S. Mead: 9781859607510 https://share.google/B0xcySpqma6V25n2g
£4.02

If you are getting the timing belt done, I'd think the garage would be hard pushed to justify charging you more to swap the auxiliary belt at the same time (as it'll need to come off anyway to change the cam belt) though note some garages won't entertain fitting parts you've supplied.

I'm not that familiar with the TU engines but it's not normally necessary to remove the PAS pump. The Haynes would guide you.

More fundamentally, what's convinced you the alternator definitely needs to be replaced? Have you checked what voltage it is supplying to the battery etc?

[MattBLancs]

Other than not charging correctly there are other reasons why you might want to change the alternator. Here's my C5 alternator and the reason I swapped it:



Although initially I thought the problem was:

[CLEME1995]

Hi Matt, regarding the manual would it have the power steering and air con in this manual though with age? I bought a Haynes for my car only to find they are now all digital and didn't have any practical advice at all. I've had the battery light come on a couple of times and tested with my multimeter when everything is on lights blower etc the voltage goes from 13 down to about 12 and cant seem to get any higher obviously now its summer not really using much but come winter lights etc will be on and i have to travel to my parents which is an hour away so don't want the battery light to come on with say 40 miles to drive still etc so thought it would be best to get it changed. Ive had a look tonight it does look like can just move the pump out the way with enough on the pipes for the power steering looking at replacing the belt just hoping it would be possible to get the belt back on with ramps or a jack or from the top without taking all the wheel liner out etc as i know them little screws on a car this age always welded in etc and everythings more difficult than the manual suggests. I have plenty of tools etc breaker bars torx etc that I've accumulated over the time of starting doing my own repairs over 6 years ago bit still a bit daunted by the prospect being as i don't have mates who work on cars etc to turn to if get stuck wo everything is either live and learn or try and get as much information before starting but as i say hardly any videos come up for this car to use as reference. Hopefully the haynes you linked will have the info

[MattBLancs]

Hi Matt, regarding the manual would it have the power steering and air con in this manual though with age?

This thread:
Citroen Xsara (1997 - 2004) - 2000 1.4 air con probs | Technical matters | Back Room Forum | Honest John https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post ... tm?t=65647
Suggests the earlier models could be had with air con, to I'd think the manual should cover it.

I bought a Haynes for my car only to find they are now all digital and didn't have any practical advice at all.

Ah yes, is that "Auto fix" ? I've no direct experience but equally I've yet to come across someone who likes the new format Haynes stuff!

I've had the battery light come on a couple of times and tested with my multimeter when everything is on lights blower etc the voltage goes from 13 down to about 12 and cant seem to get any higher

Agree that's not sounding healthy. If you can do the same test at the alternator positive terminal (normally a 13 mm nut, usually with a rubber cap) that'd rule out a wiring fault (i.e. high resistance with a healthy alternator the other end of the dodgy wire

[CLEME1995]

Hope the book does mate its should come tomorrow so will see if it covers it. Yeah i think it was i bought it assuming a book would come nothing got delivered so i called haynes and apparently they are now just electronic which i wouldn't have minded but apparently they don't have fill guides on mechanical things it's more routine thing and weekly checks etc... found the alternators the cheapests 150 with most expensive being nearly £300... think the cheapest one was starline brand. I'm not too sure on checking for resistance etc tbh so I'm not sure where I'd put the probes and what the reading should be

[mickthemaverick]

What Matt is suggesting is that you measure the voltage across the battery with the engine running as you already have, lets say it reads 13V, and then you leave the negative probe on the battery and move the positive probe to the terminal with the heavy lead on the alternator. If that is reading 14.4V or more then the alternator is ok but that big lead to the battery has a high resistance causing you to lose 1.3V across the lead. That can be down to degradation of the copper in the lead and if that is the case replace the lead. There should not be more than 0.1V difference between the alternator reading and the battery reading. However if the reading at the alternator is only 13V then the alternator is past its time and needs refurbing or replacing. I hope that helps.

[MattBLancs]

What Matt is suggesting is that you measure the voltage across the battery with the engine running as you already have, lets say it reads 13V, and then you leave the negative probe on the battery and move the positive probe to the terminal with the heavy lead on the alternator. If that is reading 14.4V or more then the alternator is ok but that big lead to the battery has a high resistance causing you to lose 1.3V across the lead. That can be down to degradation of the copper in the lead and if that is the case replace the lead. There should not be more than 0.1V difference between the alternator reading and the battery reading. However if the reading at the alternator is only 13V then the alternator is past its time and needs refurbing or replacing. I hope that helps.

Spot on Mick that's just what I meant


Regarding alternators, the prices sound quite dear to me - I'd probably be tempted to try a second hand unit. The last one I bought (the replacement on the right in my video above) was £22 delivered!

If set on new, have you looked at Autodoc? Normally good prices if you can put up with the wait (delivery from Germany)