no brakes!

espzetec · Post by **espzetec** » 18 Nov 2004, 13:45

With all this tlk of drive belts, mine finally gave up the ghost on the motorway this morning. the battery not charging light came on first then a minute later an almighty bang as the belt gave in!
managed to make it to work with the "STOP" lighst illuminated and the suspension was really low! this made going over speed bumps very intersting and a few scapes occured! Anyway, the car is now in work standed in the car park cos it has a speed bump at the exit.
If i could get it over the bumps, how long would i be able to drive it before i have no breaks what so ever? i used 1st gear to slow the car down on the way here so i didnt waste any of the brakes i had left. i could easily drive it home on the hard shoulder without worrying about brakes. its just when i come off the motorway and hit the traffic i need to worry!

pete_wood_uk · Post by **pete_wood_uk** » 18 Nov 2004, 13:52

I presume this is a Xantia or BX? I must admit that at this point I'd call AA Relay

. However, your handbrake works on the front wheels...

Personally I wouldn't dare drive it home. Could you ask a colleague to run you to the nearest Cit dealer, pick up a new belt and fit it in the car park (if that's possible without major dismantly, I guess it depends which model you have...).
Pete

espzetec · Post by **espzetec** » 18 Nov 2004, 14:09

i will have to leave it here till the weekend then. only problem is jacking it up to get it on axel stands. its now sunk to a couple of inches off the ground?!?
its also very hard to jack the car up when its sunk

G4EIY · Post by **G4EIY** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:08

Hi,
You will require a low level scissor jack or a long plole and a house brick to lift enough to get the another jack under the jacking point.
I always carry a scissor jack with me...Just in Case...
Best of luck

Kowalski · Post by **Kowalski** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:10

If you can't get your jack under the car, you could try driving it onto blocks of wood or something similar to increase its ride height enough to get the jack under. You'll have to be more carefull jacking a car that is on blocks is more dangerous than jacking a car off the tarmac.

Post by **RichardW** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:36

I think you've got a bigger problem than you think:
"the battery not charging light came on first then a minute later an almighty bang as the belt gave in!"
I wonder if you're going to find the alternator has seized up. Did it squeal a lot while the light was on? Happened to my BX - except as my wife was driving it around town it just stalled the engine, and wouldn't restart till the belt had been taken off.

espzetec · Post by **espzetec** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:48

not sure about squeeling! I had the radio blasting!
it has done this before though. the battery light came on and then went off again. maybe the alternator is bolloxed!
I will just have to replace the belt for the time being as I'm skint till pay day!

Panjandrum · Post by **Panjandrum** » 18 Nov 2004, 17:21

If Richard's right then the belt gave in because it wore through on the seized alternator. A replacement belt will very quickly do the same.
PJ

arry_b · Post by **arry_b** » 18 Nov 2004, 17:34

Try spinning the alternator to see if it's free. If not, Panjandrum's right - save your money.

espzetec · Post by **espzetec** » 18 Nov 2004, 17:50

i just went to take a look. the belt is still in tact! the alternator is spinning fine too.
the problem is the hydraulic pulley has sheared off?!?
how can i fix this?

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 18 Nov 2004, 17:52

Scrappie seems a good idea. Try http://www.247spares.com/ you will probably have to buy a complete pump. You apply online and then you get phone calls with quotes.

espzetec · Post by **espzetec** » 18 Nov 2004, 18:56

Right, i've tracked one down for £30, but is it easy to fit / unfit?
I need to take it off one car and put it on mine.
I presume its going to leave me with gushing LHM everywhere?
Do i need any other parts to complete the job of changing the pump?

beezer · Post by **beezer** » 18 Nov 2004, 19:11

Shouldn't be too much bother to fit. If you can clamp up hoses it will minimise fluid loss. You will learn a lot from removing the one from the scrap. You will have to ask the Xantia experts as to what the problems are likely to be and if and how the system should be bled.