1.9XUD Timing Belt

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 19 Apr 2007, 12:23

I am about to embark on changing the timing belt on my overdue XUD. I want to do the idlers as well, but the haynes says you need to make up a tool to hold the plunger in.

Is this really necessary, or is there an alternative?

Cheers!

Lee

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 19 Apr 2007, 13:32

Doing mine at the moment due to one of the nuts on the tensioner coming off.

If you're replacing the whole kit (belt, tensioner and idler) then looking at mine there's no way to stop the plunger coming out, not that it's a biggy.
If memory serves, the haynes manual covers changing the belt, but not the tensioner or idler (or at least I couldn't find it mentioned).

Get someone to push the plunger back up inside as you take the tensioner off as it'll make it easier. The spring isn't that strong.
To get the idler off, citrojim and I had to slacken the engine mount from the side of the engine (not just the arch at the top of the belt) and there's a bolt in the middle of it, tucked away.
The top bolt of the idler is the same thing that the nut which holds the top front and bottom covers together screws onto. 13mm spanner and takes ages to come out.
Jack the engine from below to support it when the mount is undone.
Don't forget the bolt in the back of the top back cover.
I'm going to use some locktite to stop the tensioner nut coming off on its own again!

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 19 Apr 2007, 15:16

I haven't got my haynes to hand (as I'm at work) but I'm pretty sure it mentions changing the idler and pulley, as it mentions removing the engine mount to gain access.

It mentions making a 'L' shaped baracket with a couple of bolts to bolt on and hold the plunger in. But if it's possible to hold it in with a second pair of hands, that's cool.

Thanks

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 19 Apr 2007, 16:05

If you like, I'll take photos of mine when I get home as the tensioner is off and plunger/spring is out.

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 19 Apr 2007, 16:06

That'd be really helpful. Thanks!

This is my first attempt at a timing belt - and hopefully not the last!!!

oldnail · Post by **oldnail** » 19 Apr 2007, 17:00

Just done mine and agree with Xac,I've got a proper plunger tool but did'nt bother to use it as it was easy to compress by hand.Then just take up the final tension with the 10mm square hole in the tensioner with a 3/8th drive extension.Its really a two man job but not difficult at all.
Also mines a late ZX TD with the dreaded bolt on covers and I found you could'nt get one of the lower engine mounting bolts out due to it being an extension bolt to hold one of the covers on and when you try to remove it fouls the inner wing.
oldnail

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 19 Apr 2007, 17:11

You don't have to take the engine mount right off, just slacken it enough to slip the idler off.
A trolley jack is a must as it lets you move the engine up and down, giving you more access to various bits as and when you need it

oldnail · Post by **oldnail** » 19 Apr 2007, 20:26

Another couple of tips check the alternator belt and tensioner,my tensioner was completly shot.Also its a good time to do a coolant change.
You can either pull the bottom hose off at the back of the engine or replace the water pump(worth doing and cheap) and let the coolant flow out when you loosen the pump.A lot easier than getting the bottom hose off at the radiator end.
oldnail

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 19 Apr 2007, 20:49

oldnail wrote:Another couple of tips check the alternator belt and tensioner,my tensioner was completly shot.Also its a good time to do a coolant change.
You can either pull the bottom hose off at the back of the engine or replace the water pump(worth doing and cheap) and let the coolant flow out when you loosen the pump.A lot easier than getting the bottom hose off at the radiator end.
oldnail

I was going to change the alternator belt anyway as its been a bit noisy lately. Also, whats the best way to check the tensioner?

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 19 Apr 2007, 21:39

The tensioner is simply a roller bearing, with a center piece pressed in for mounting (and off setting the center).
Check it like you check any other roller bearing :
No rough feeling - at all - when turned. Must turn nice & smooth.
No slack - at all - to be felt when trying to twist the bearing sidewards.

As a rule of thumb the bearing will outlast at least 2 belts.
The 3.rd belt should go with idler, tensioner & waterpump.
Because you are then close to the life expectancy of the rolling items.
They MAY outlast the 3.rd belt too. But the chance of doing it all over again - because one of them fails shortly after the belt replacing - is too large to neglect.

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 19 Apr 2007, 21:44

AndersDK wrote:The tensioner is simply a roller bearing, with a center piece pressed in for mounting (and off setting the center).
Check it like you check any other roller bearing :
No rough feeling - at all - when turned. Must turn nice & smooth.
No slack - at all - to be felt when trying to twist the bearing sidewards.

As a rule of thumb the bearing will outlast at least 2 belts.
The 3.rd belt should go with idler, tensioner & waterpump.
Because you are then close to the life expectancy of the rolling items.
They MAY outlast the 3.rd belt too. But the chance of doing it all over again - because one of them fails shortly after the belt replacing - is too large to neglect.

That's a big help. Thanks Anders.

I haven't looked yet, but does anyone know if the non-turbo engines were fitted with a manual or auto tensioner? I hope manual, as the auto tensioners look rather expensive!

Post by **RichardW** » 20 Apr 2007, 07:39

Auto tensioners only fitted to cars with A/C - if you've got an N/A Xantia with A/C god help you when it comes to hills

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 20 Apr 2007, 09:42

Blooming difficult to take a good photo, but here's one I did last night.

You can see the hole that the spring and plunger go up into.
It's part of the engine mount by the looks of things.
The nut with thread sticking out of it is the one which holds the top front and bottom covers together, it also holds the idler in place which you can see at the top right of the image.
You can also just see the head of the hidden engine mount bolt just to the left of the hole.

The original tensioner has a big square pad which pushes against the plunger, but the replacement from GSF (cheaper to get the parts seperately than as a kit, or was a couple of weeks ago) has a thinner bit that pushes against it, which should mean it'd be easier to work around it to hold the plunger out the way.

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 20 Apr 2007, 19:38

RichardW wrote:Auto tensioners only fitted to cars with A/C - if you've got an N/A Xantia with A/C god help you when it comes to hills

Phew!! Thanks, thats just what I wanted to hear

LeeDJC · Post by **LeeDJC** » 20 Apr 2007, 19:40

Xac wrote:Blooming difficult to take a good photo, but here's one I did last night.

You can see the hole that the spring and plunger go up into.
It's part of the engine mount by the looks of things.
The nut with thread sticking out of it is the one which holds the top front and bottom covers together, it also holds the idler in place which you can see at the top right of the image.
You can also just see the head of the hidden engine mount bolt just to the left of the hole.

The original tensioner has a big square pad which pushes against the plunger, but the replacement from GSF (cheaper to get the parts seperately than as a kit, or was a couple of weeks ago) has a thinner bit that pushes against it, which should mean it'd be easier to work around it to hold the plunger out the way.

Cool. Thanks for that. Looks like it shouldn't be too bad of a job. Just as long as I can get that pulley bolt undone OK