Synergie Aux Belt Tensioner

[Dippy]

Firstly , thank you to the members who have already covered this subject comprehensively , very useful .
I ain't trying to re - invent the wheel , but this may be a warning / helpful to others . I will be as concise as possible .

For a few months I have had a slowly decaying battery voltage when stood .
( Battery - Alternator - Earthing - Aux Belt all A -OK . )

Occasionally , when left in a tropical deluge , I got a few seconds of aux belt squeal - notthing serious though ? also experienced dim dash lighting ( odometer in particular ) even when bridging out the adjustable rheostat .

I change ( or have changed by a garage the once ) the aux belt yearly , the car has averaged 9K per year from new ( full history + Receipts)

The cam belt , W.Pump, Aux Belt - Tensioner - Spring were changed when I aqquired the vehicle from a family member ( He still regrets parting with it ) along with a full service . This was at 79K and the cam belt and water pump had been changed once previously at 40K. Please bear with me ....

When I ( with assistance) last changed the Aux tensioner , it was a rather unforgettable experience - and not to be repeated in a hurry .
It was the original factory part with metal roller , and as expected it had started to chew the bearings/shaft assy , but was not seized - luckily. the spring tensioner had stress fractures at either end and was also changed .

Couple of days ago , I heard the infamous " rattle " from the Aux Tensioner - still suffering the slight battery drain issue .

Checked it out today with a buddy , The aux tensioner was not seized , or canted as i was expecting , but there were abrasion marks in the plastic timing cover obviously made by the plastic Aux Tensioner Roller moving beyond it's factory prescribed arc .

Aux Belt off - easily able to move tensioner manually , but in a much wider arc than normal - with an accompanying " clunk "
Most of you will be ahead of me by now ?

Removed tensioner , removed spring !!!! the spring mounting eye - tensioner end - had EXPLODED ! how it was able to provide any tension at all was a miracle .

GSF to the rescue , new belt , tensioner , spring - all now hunky dory .

I always make sketches / notes when dis - assembling , and it wasn't until we fitted the new parts ( with much cursing) and CORRECTLY tensioned the new belt - that the penny dropped !

The last Aux belt change was entrusted to a none - citroen garage ( why did I assume they knew what they were doing ? christ knows - silly me )
Refering to my sketches of the second ( or first depeneding on your point of view ) tensioner roller on dismantling - it was 180 degress out ! it appears the monkey who changed the belt had failed to pin the Aux tensioner back ( as described in this forum ) and made a complete balls of the rest of the tightening sequence , end result - Aux tensioner TOO LOOSE ! ( tolouse - lol) and may account for the tensioner to shag - up and down like a tart's knickers at a wedding, over excite itself and blow it's end off !

The battery drain has now dissappeared , the dash lighting restored etc. ( I know , after many years in and around the motor trade I would not have beleived it either ) I can only assume the belt was constantly slipping even though it wasn't squawking .neither was it cracking up .

For the sratisticians amongst us :-

Factory Aux Tensioner lasted 79K but was well chewed up ! and ran silently - not canted.( changed as a matter of course)

The first ( GSF ) replacement lasted 32K and was just starting to chew up.( under serious duress from loose belt though due to garage numb - nuts )

Be " interesting" to see how this one fares ? rather better I hope since this belt is tensioned correctly.

The GSF number for the Aux Tensioner is ( 135PC0090) they appear have a habit of changing part numbers / suppliers .

Hope this helps someone .

[lexi]

Good write up. Any pics of Synergie?

[Dippy]

Navigator ( Oscar)




Hurry up driver !

[lexi]

ha ha. Dogs.......don't ya luv em.

[MPV]

Good post. Mine is rattling like mad when the engine idles. How long does it normally take before they fail?

[Dippy]

Good post. Mine is rattling like mad when the engine idles. How long does it normally take before they fail?

You may wish to ask CItroen themselves . I certainly don't know , sorry.

I had one of these fail Instantly on a previous vehicle we owned with the 2.1 TD motor ( same Aux tensioner) no warning rattle - no noise from Aux belt - not canted over or belt running out of track . BANG ! it sheared clean off , got under the cambelt ( at motorway speeds ) engine was destroyed .
It shattered the rockers , camshaft, exhaust valves + guides , cracked the head and holed a piston .
( some of the remaining unused parts are in the for sale section, which were purchased in the forlorn hope I would get away with new rockers + cam , alas not )

A classic case of under - engineering ? part not fit for purpose ? I would hazard that if roller bearings were employed rather than weedy needle rollers , it might be vastly longer lasting.

Or it may be that the proper tensioning sequence is critical ? and I suspect is rarely followed by an average none Citroen garage ? I simply don't know.

What I do know , is that thanks to this Forum and it's members help I am now able to properly tension the Aux. Belt , and just as importantly recognise when the tensioning has been done incorrectly. ( when it's been done wrong it still Looks OK if you catch my drift)

Again , I can only quote from my own experience , there are far wiser and vastly more experienced members on her than moi' - old luv.

On a personal note I now rate these tensioners as a critical replacement part , along with cambelt and water pump. which I change at every 40 - 45K, wether the Aux tensioner will last 45K is still open to question.... and as such is possibly un- answerable.

Thank you.

[Dippy]

ha ha. Dogs.......don't ya luv em.

LO Lexi. - Yes Indeed we do , and for all the P.C + H&S snoops watching Oscar does not travel in the passenger seat , He needs both his paws on the wheel.

[lexi]

Collies are brill. My last one grew a beard

[Dippy]

LUV the Beardie - notwithstanding other members who may have an excess of fur

[MPV]

Hi Dippy, thanks for the info. Do you have a step by step explaination of how to set up the tensioner properly?

[Dippy]

Thanks to CitroJim We followed this , more or less .

Best description I can find .

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=25816

[MPV]

Cheers Dippy for that.

Can't believe how badly engineered some things are on this car.

[Dippy]

Cheers Dippy for that.

More than welcome , but the plaudits belong to other members for sorting this one, not me.

Can't believe how badly engineered some things are on this car.

" Automatic " tensioners are a scourge , regardless of manufacturer

But it doesn't matter how well something is Engineered if some numpty fits the belt incorrectly ?

From new @ 111K to date , apart from consumables and service items , ours has req'd :-

2 x Clutch Cables

2 x Aux Tensioners/Springs

1 x Pair Front Wishbones ( bushes worn - not ball joints )

1 x Pair Rear Trailing Arm Bushes

1 x Pair Rear Shockers ( originals were ok - but since bushes were being done )

1 x Radiator / Thermostat ( changed as precaution after previous bad experiences with BX's Silting up )

1 x Pair Bottom Rear Engine mount bushes

It has travelled extensively throughout UK + Europe - France , Germany , Italy on numerous occasions ( Previous Owner)
Uses half a teacup of Engine oil and an Eggcup full of coolant per 6K and has done so from new .
Has never failed to start - all weathers , Still on original clutch and it tows a caravan .
No Gearbox or C.V joint woes
Everything still works including Electric Sunroof + Climate
Old technology = Repairable .

Owner = Old Fart - Unrepairable

* I always thought best to have a proactive approach to maintainance , ask those in the know for reciprocal assistance , and try to sort it before it throws a wobbler , not afterwards .

But , using another American Euphinism which may well be applied to all things Motoring
" It's Gonna Throw you a Curve Ball Sometime Homer "

I would consider that pretty Bulletproof myself ?

[MPV]

My old rattlebox is up to 105K. Have done about 40 K in it over the last 4 years or so. For the last two though it has been a real money pit. Not had the suspension trouble you've had, it's all been engine related.

Ever since I've had it, it's never run smoothly. Every few months it would go in to the garage to be tuned, but it never cured it.

Then the rad silted up, the engine blew it's head gasket. Replaced the head at great expense to find that it was burning loads of oil. The piston rings had gone too. Had a Xantia engine put into it to get it back on the road. Still has same problems on acceleration and the aux belt tensioner is rattling around like mad. Is it possible to adjust the tensioner to get it to stop rattling, or is it a sign of it needing replacement?

I want to keep the old thing going as it runs on veg oil and is as you say Dippy, possible to repair it. New stuff, forget it. All electronic crap that not even the experts can fix properly.