clutch and cambelt change

candy · Post by **candy** » 09 Mar 2010, 19:40

ok im going to tackle my clutch replacement this weekend and thought whilst im doing that might as well do my cambelt as well ....... so was wondering whats the best way to go about it take just the gearbox off and do cambelt whilst engine is in the car or take the lot out and do everything then ... any advice
thanks
teresa

Martin Beevers · Post by **Martin Beevers** » 09 Mar 2010, 20:03

IMHO I would leave the engine in situ.

Do 1 job at a time, IE.

1- Gearbox off, fit new clutch. When gearbox is off fit new bushes on the release fork shaft. (These tend to go oval.)

2- fit new cam belt, At this point it might be advisable to fit a cam belt kit which includes idler pulleys ETC. Also think about fitting a new water pump too.

Search the forum for threads on each job, there is loads of help here.

Good luck

candy · Post by **candy** » 09 Mar 2010, 20:33

thanks martin i did suggest doing it that way to my b/f but him being him said oh take it all out .... its ok for him to say... he will be busy making tea whilst i do the hard work

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 09 Mar 2010, 21:11

Hmmm well.. lets look at this logically..

Is you B/f mechanically minded? The XUD clutch job is quite dooable in situ, but the space is tight, and the pull clutch is or can be a sod to do..

If your taking the box off, thats drive shafts out, so in that case to remove the whole lot, its only then the exhaust down pipe off, and drain the cooling system, release pipes around the engine and wiring harness too, to get the whole lot out..

The XUD is all metal in the idle pullys on the cam belt, id not really bother changing them, Ive NEVER heard of them fail on these engines!! But DO put in a water pump, for the sake of 20 quid for one, its well worth dooing!! You be stupid not to!

Ive done a damm good few XUD clutches now, and can do them in 7.5 hrs in situ.. but I dont need to look at alinment, Ive got a Proper input shaft off an Xud Gearbox for alignment. Theres a few pipes to watchout for, however saying that, yours being an LX wont have the ABS pipes in the way.. makes a little more space.

So some more thoughts for you there!

Regards
Paul

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 09 Mar 2010, 21:14

Ahhh

Your the Lady Citroen Mechanic, arent you! So you are mechanically minded...

Ok, well, both jobs are VERY in situ doo able, I actually rest the gearbox on a jack and corner of the subframe, makes mating back together a little easyer..

Well, my thoughts remain, but I must appologise for assuming for B/f would be dooing it...

Go on girl! Go for it!

Paul

Martin Beevers · Post by **Martin Beevers** » 09 Mar 2010, 21:31

Shame on you Paul

I replaced the pulleys on mine as I had not done them before and thought with 140K under her belt, prevention would be better than cure

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 09 Mar 2010, 21:37

Shame on me on which part Martin? Assuming a male mechanic or pullys?

The metal pullys used on the XUD's are proper metal ones! None of this plastic soft rubbish! Because so many new engines use plastic pully's people panic and assume they need dooing on XUD lumps, which they dont really..

Ok, so prevention is a good precaution...

Paul

Martin Beevers · Post by **Martin Beevers** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:15

The male mechanic bit

Yes your right, there was nothing wrong with the ones i took off mine. They actually span quite freely.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:20

I can only assume that the Belt Pullys on my car are on 225k!!

Ive not changed them since 180k and can only assume they never been changed, when I changed the belt at 196k, they were still rather tight on the bearings!

Paul

HDI · Post by **HDI** » 09 Mar 2010, 22:25

citroenxm wrote:Shame on me on which part Martin? Assuming a male mechanic or pullys?

The metal pullys used on the XUD's are proper metal ones! None of this plastic soft rubbish! Because so many new engines use plastic pully's people panic and assume they need dooing on XUD lumps, which they dont really..

Ok, so prevention is a good precaution...

Paul

Not so much the material of the pulleys, but the bearings themselves.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 10 Mar 2010, 07:41

Yes maybee so, but they arestill incredibly strong and VERY long lasting! Remember the XUD was designed in the 70's when things were made a little stronger...

My point, though, is they have all prooved strong in the pully department (Except auto tensioners) and Ive never seen a failed one yet!

Paul

Post by **RichardW** » 10 Mar 2010, 08:02

There's got to be some advantge in doing both at the 'same' time. With the shafts out and the box off, it's should be possible to drop the bottom engine mount off (top RH mount has to come off for the belt anyway), and then with an engine crane shove the engine across to the NS of the car a few inches to make the bit of extra room for access to the cambelt end of the engine - just make sure you get the pulley bolt out BEFORE the whole lot is swinging about in mid air! This assumes of course you are working with an engine crane....

Might as well do the water pump inlet housing on the back of the block too - the system will be drained, and the shaft out of the way. It will only start leaking next week if you don't

Check also the state of the RH front strut feed pipe where it is bolted to the wing - they leak here, and chaning it with the box in situ is a pig, but, I understand, much easier with it out.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 10 Mar 2010, 10:04

Ive never experianced the Water outlet housing problems!

I know its plastic, and Ive had about 3 in the whole 17 years go wrong, other then that, never had a problem..

you can go on replacing things reccomed were in the end, you might as well get a whole new engine..

Paul

candy · Post by **candy** » 10 Mar 2010, 16:36

arrgghhhhhh lol......you lot can come do it for me if you want as you all make it sound soooooooo easy .... well looks like im doing it friday... boss not in till late so he said i can have the ramp and start on it then .. should have box out by time hes back at lunch (well he reakons i will) yeah right.... begining to think its easier to work on a DS ... ive decided not to do cambelt at same time as knowing my luck it will take me more than 1 day to do it all so will leave that for another time . ive got my clutchkit and seals and seems driveshafts are coming off going to replace discs and pads as well wish me luck

flying clutchman · Post by **flying clutchman** » 11 Mar 2010, 21:21

The clutch is a pretty straightforward job, getting the pin out of the clutch arm on the pull type clutch can be a pain, but as long as you line the fork up when going back it's about a 4 hour job.