Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
User avatar
falling-out-with-my-car
Posts: 1928
Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 15:26
Location: Northamptonshire
My Cars: Citroen C5 Aircross 8 speed Automatic, Flair Model with far to many toys and nice comfy armchair like leather seats. ha ha Ive just had a conversation with the car. setting everything up verbally
x 24

Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hi,
i was wondering if anyone else has had a rattling Auxillary Belt tensioner on their Xantia.
I have had this problem with more than one tensioner and have had three new ones fitted in the space of three years.
one was purchased on flea bay this rattled for about a week and settled down the last two have come from GSF
along with new tension springs, I tried showing GSF the problem but unfortunately as the engine warms up the rattle goes away the tensioner pulley also seems to stick in position uable to move freely to tension the aux belt. when you rev the engine you can hear a metalic click from the sticking tensioner.
I think this is something to do with the quality of the conmponants there is a metal bush in the bottom of the tensioner spring which doesnt seem to fit its sleeve properly. the GSF tensioner has a bvery large washer on the outside face of the tensioner under its bolt head, I am wondering if this washer is clamping the bearing against the engine block preventing it from moving properly.
any ideas please? the rattling is intolerable at idle but stops when the engine is warmed up.
I'd like to be able to mabe sort this this out when my car engine goes for major surgery soon.

regards

Nigel.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
red_dwarfers
(Donor 2020)
Posts: 2504
Joined: 29 May 2008, 15:59
Location: Zomerzet UK
My Cars:
x 54

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by red_dwarfers »

Coming from a different angle, could it be the eccentic tensioner not wound around enough or a wrong length belt?
Kev

'19 C4 Cactus 130 Flair
User avatar
Xaccers
Posts: 7654
Joined: 07 Feb 2007, 23:46
Location: Milling around Milton Keynes
My Cars:
x 184

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by Xaccers »

One possible way to check if it's the eccentric (which worked for me) is to spray silicon or 3 in 1 oil on it's face. Instant silence until it span off the oil in my case.

Image

As you can (not really) see from the picture, there's a washer between the lower spring eye and the hex bolt that holds it in place, there isn't one between the spring and the end of the square hole section of the roller.
If the spring wasn't replaced then the lower eye can enlarge allowing it to rattle about. It ends up damaging the bolt wearing it thin on one side.
PITA of a job to do. A 1.5inch length chopped off an allen key and a 6mm ratchet spanner really helps.
1.9TD+ SX Xantia Estate (Cassy) running on 100% veg
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)

DIY sphere tool
User avatar
falling-out-with-my-car
Posts: 1928
Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 15:26
Location: Northamptonshire
My Cars: Citroen C5 Aircross 8 speed Automatic, Flair Model with far to many toys and nice comfy armchair like leather seats. ha ha Ive just had a conversation with the car. setting everything up verbally
x 24

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hello Xac,

The car is sitting on the hired trailer right now waiting to be ferried over to Bourne in the mornnig.
Its hard to believe how big the estate looks on a trailer. its huuuuugggeee.
I managed to find the hole to thread the throttle cable through it wasnt to bad a job either just a bit fiddly really.
don't know why I was so frightened of doing a throttle cable myself. its still a two man job really.

ahh looks like the washer could be missing although I have always replaced the spring with a new one.
Ive just bought a new tensioner with a slightly different casting unlike the GSF one which will be going back when it comes off the car, there is something very wrong with the design of the GSF one. it shouldnt stick when you rev the throttle somethings not quite right there. I think this poor quality tensioner had something to do with my cambelt failure.
throwing the Auxillary belt into the path of the cambelt. will have to wait and see when the cover comes off.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
User avatar
Xaccers
Posts: 7654
Joined: 07 Feb 2007, 23:46
Location: Milling around Milton Keynes
My Cars:
x 184

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by Xaccers »

The pulley part rotates on needle bearings. It's inner race sticks out on the engine side and fits snugly into a hole in the side of the aux cradle.
Even with the bolt done up tight, the pulley part should rotate easily when the spring tensioner is not attached.
If the spring is attached it should be easy to rotate the pulley with a tool in the square hole too.
When moisture gets into the needle bearings, they rust and the pulley can no longer rotate, so you have a harder time changing the belt, and it can get so bad that the pulley is able to stick with the spring compressed!
I've had a pulley lose it's end covers before, I think it was an ECP one. Metal face, then a bit of foam, then the bearing. I was not impressed as it caused the bolt to sheer which made removing it rather awkward as the length of bolt still attached to the aux cradle prevented tilting the pulley.
When I first had Cassy, her pulley was so bad the inner race had separated which again made it difficult to remove the pulley, and then it was very difficult to remove the race too!

Early MK1s had the manual tensioner.
1.9TD+ SX Xantia Estate (Cassy) running on 100% veg
1.9TD SX Xantia Hatchback (Jenny) running on 100% veg for sale
Laguna II 2.0dCi Privilege (Monty)

DIY sphere tool
taffy
Posts: 1018
Joined: 08 Oct 2012, 00:35
Location: swindon
My Cars:
x 1

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by taffy »

its quite an anoying noise!
what i done instead of changing it was pack inside the spring with foam that goes around water pipes at home...i just cut and stuffed it in there and it went away :)
99 silver 2.1td exclusive xantia
99 red 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia..
00 black 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia
99 blue 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia
06 silver 1.6 hdi vtr c5
57 blue C4 GP 1.6hdi exclusive
08 black C4 GP 2.0hdi vtr
citronut
Posts: 10937
Joined: 29 Apr 2005, 00:46
Location: United Kingdom east sussex
My Cars:
x 92

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by citronut »

i have seen/heard rattly aux tensioner before were the belt is over tight, and the auto tensioner clatters against the cam belt cover
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
citronut
Posts: 10937
Joined: 29 Apr 2005, 00:46
Location: United Kingdom east sussex
My Cars:
x 92

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by citronut »

ps.
you are aware of the large diameter shim washer that sits between thepivot pount of the tensioner arm and its mounting point on the engine,

in have seen in the past the old shim washer being stuck in place after the tensioner assembly has been removed,
so its possible not the realise this and re/fit the new tensioner, with its new shim attached over the top of the old shim washer
Regards, malcolm.

current ride a BX 1.7 TZD estate
1986 MK1 BX 1.9na D Auto(in Mothman Andy's stable )
layed up roppy 1.9TD XANT estate, now gone to meet her maker
purple and lilac metalic 2CV(VIOLET)registered to her in doors
1972 DS special been layed up aprox 31 years
User avatar
falling-out-with-my-car
Posts: 1928
Joined: 06 Apr 2008, 15:26
Location: Northamptonshire
My Cars: Citroen C5 Aircross 8 speed Automatic, Flair Model with far to many toys and nice comfy armchair like leather seats. ha ha Ive just had a conversation with the car. setting everything up verbally
x 24

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by falling-out-with-my-car »

Hello all,

have been chatting to Barry at Bourne Citroen Today whilst delivering the engine.
Barry says that the bearings are often to dry in the hew pulleys and he takes them appart and greases the bearings beofe fitting the pulley so I guess thats a good start to begin with.
He also said that the bottom tensioner can be done up far to tight causing the tensioner spring to rattle with the engine at idle, so a bit of a different view from everyone although I am finding it hard to get my head around the packing foam solution.
cheers Nigel.
Citroen Xantia S2 1.9 TD estate 189K soon to be broken for parts Jan 2017 headlamps & radiator fan assembly already spoken for & A 1987 Citroen 2CV6 special just for fun.
New addition Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive Hatch purchased 09/12/2016 with 83K on the clock.
taffy
Posts: 1018
Joined: 08 Oct 2012, 00:35
Location: swindon
My Cars:
x 1

Re: Rattling Aux belt tensioner on 1.9TD xantia.

Post by taffy »

well when i lase the engine bay in maintainance spray i always do the belt and spray the bearings and anything else...ive always done this with engine running and i have always had excellant service back from the motor :)
99 silver 2.1td exclusive xantia
99 red 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia..
00 black 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia
99 blue 2.0 hdi exclusive xantia
06 silver 1.6 hdi vtr c5
57 blue C4 GP 1.6hdi exclusive
08 black C4 GP 2.0hdi vtr
Post Reply