Xantia 2.1 TD, Should I scrap it???

timbo101 · Post by **timbo101** » 19 Mar 2008, 16:57

Hi all,
I bought a Xantia 2.1 TD SX estate a couple of weeks ago for just under £800.
I new that the cam belt was due to be changed but that didnt put me off as I thought I could get it done for about £150 but how wrong was I !!!
I have got a price for the whole timing belt kit which consists of the belt, tensioners and pully etc for £80 which is fine by me but I have been told that I need to pay another £40 for the water pump and its going to take about 4 hours labour which will cost me £160 - £180.
All of a sudden I am looking at £300 for a cambelt change and to top it off I think my spheres are knacked too as its quite bouncy so another couple of hundred quid to get them done and it seems to go on and on. I am no mechanic in any shape or form so have to get these things done at a garage.
Does anyone know of a cheaper solution to sort the cambelt out please?

Many thanks...Tim

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 19 Mar 2008, 17:07

Tim,

I am pretty sure that some of the Citroneers will come up with a few ideas. I would guess that you will find a good independant garagiste who could do the work somewhat more reasoanbly. Thing to remember is that at this total cost for a reliable comfortable vehicle, it is still pretty cheap... do the worst spheres first

All of a sudden I am looking at £300 for a cambelt change and to top it off I think my spheres are knacked too as its quite bouncy so another couple of hundred quid to get them done and it seems to go on and on. I am no mechanic in any shape or form so have to get these things done at a garage.
Does anyone know of a cheaper solution to sort the cambelt out please?

Many thanks...Tim

Post by **CitroJim** » 19 Mar 2008, 17:18

Hi Tim,

The cambelt job is no more complex than a 1.9TD and well within the scope of a practiced DIY'er. I suppose for a garage, 4 hours is about right all-up to include the water pump, which is highly recommended in any case. It would be very false economy to do the cambelt and then not do the waterpump whilst you are there. They always fail just after if you don't!

It seems there is a myth going around that the 21.TD is somehow difficult and complex. It's not correct. The 2.1TD is just your good old XUD with a fancy head and pump, nothing more. Nearly everything that applies to the 1.9TD servicing-wise applies to the 2.1TD. The only slightly nasty job is replacing a thermostat which lives down behind the back of the engine by the water distribution block.

Do the cam belt and water pump but only replace the tensioners if they require replacement. If they run nice and smoothly, they will serve a further term.

Spheres are not expensive nor difficult. Plenty of guidance on here on how to swap them.

If you paid £800 for the car then that is the kind of price to be paid for one in good nick so I'm making an assumption it is in top-flight condition bar these consumables that need replacing. It has to be worth spending out just a bit more to finish it off. The cambelt/water pump and spheres will not then need doing for another good 30 odd thousand after that.

I paid nearly what you paid for my 2.1TD and then spent another £400 at least sorting it out. Expensive in the short-term but now I have a car that will go on for a good bit with near zero expense. That has proved true with all my Xantias to date. It hurts at first but in the long-term it makes sense.

DON'T scrap a 2.1

They're too good for that and not exactly common either...

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » 19 Mar 2008, 18:20

Let me know if you do

timbo101 · Post by **timbo101** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:13

Hi all,
Thanks for the replies, I guess that it is worth spending the money to get it sorted then as it is rather a nice car. Yes it is in pretty good nick apart from one drivers seat is torn apart from that its a nice car.
I have just sold my pug 405 D estate so I suppose if I use the money from that to put my xantia right I will have a reliable (hopefuly) car which wone need much spent on it for a while.
I will hunt around for a cheaper quote on fitting the cam belt but will probably try and do the spheres myself.
I think it is the front spheres that need doing most as its a bit bouncy at the front.
Does anyone know the best place to get cheap spheres from please, I will probably get one of those removal tools from ebay to remove them as it seems to make sense.
Thanks again..Tim

Post by **Peter.N.** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:17

Looking for an engine Ken?

Post by **Peter.N.** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:21

Hi Tim

I get my spheres from GSF, £18.00 + vat. If yours is hydractive, the centre speres are the ones that make the most difference to the ride. I would think the sphere removal tools are OK, probably easier than a chain wrench which I use. The 2.1 is a very good engine, would be a shame to scrap it.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:21

No not really, but I reckon these 2.1 Xantia's would be the only one's worth having.

Stands back and awaits the firing squad

Post by **CitroJim** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:32

ken newbold wrote:No not really, but I reckon these 2.1 Xantia's would be the only one's worth having.

The 2.1 is certainly the pick of the bunch Ken

The 2.1TD is a cracker of an engine.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 19 Mar 2008, 19:42

He knows, he has already got one in his XM

Johnno · Post by **Johnno** » 20 Mar 2008, 10:31

I'd go along with the comments on the 2.1, but I'm considering scrapping mine if it doesn't sell. I don't have the time or space to dismantle it and I have enough pride (stupidity??) to not want to just give it away to some vulture (like the one who recently won the ebay auction and isn't going to pay - grrr..).

With regard to the cambelt, the job isn't necessarily more complex, it's just that access is that much more difficult. Getting the covers off and the belt over/around the obstacles is a real treat. If you don't have patience and a helpful store of experience, leave it to the garage. Let someone else lose their knuckles!

Get it sorted - it will be worth it.

lolingram · Post by **lolingram** » 20 Mar 2008, 11:23

What exactly are you selling?

I'd go along with the comments on the 2.1, but I'm considering scrapping mine if it doesn't sell. I don't have the time or space to dismantle it and I have enough pride (stupidity??) to not want to just give it away to some vulture (like the one who recently won the ebay auction and isn't going to pay - grrr..).

Johnno · Post by **Johnno** » 20 Mar 2008, 12:18

Here's the link to the relist on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1997-CITROEN-XANT ... dZViewItem

I'll put this in the "for sale" area as well. Drop me line if you have any questions.

timbo101 · Post by **timbo101** » 20 Mar 2008, 16:18

Right , I found out that there is a GSF just down the road from me and they are really quite cheap so I went there this afternoon and bought the complete cambelt kit with tensioners, A couple of litres of LHM fluid, a sphere removal tool thingie and all 3 front spheres as its the front thats bouncy and it all only came to £119 which I thought was a bragain. I have also just bought a water pump for £50 which will be here tomorrow and the car is booked in for the work next week so all is good.
Just a quick one, i want to do the front spheres myself, now i know there is probably guide after guide on here but I dont know what i am looking for. Also do I need to replace all the lhm fluid after I do the front spheres and will it all leak out when i take them off.
Thanks once again....tim

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 20 Mar 2008, 17:54

I recently bought a water pump from GSF (Poole) for my 1.9TD and it only cost £25, I can't see a 2.1TD being double the cost but you never know - maybe you want to double check that price- or did you order from Citroen in which case it's cheap!!?

Whereabouts are you, I'm in Christchurch if that's any help?