Help! timing Xantia cambelt.

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David W
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Joined: 30 Apr 2001, 17:49
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Post by David W »

Andy,
I read this thread with interest. Excellent result to get it going OK!
A noisy new belt is often too tight and needs resolving, a distinct whir or whine sounds too loud.
If you left the original cambelt tensioner pulleys on then a new tight belt can stess these bearings and make them noisy.
I assume your engine is the slightly complicated one where you have two timing belt tensioners (front and rear) and the camshaft sprockets are unbolted a little during timing so they can turn on the cams as the belt settles.
Where on the belt run did you do the twist test?
If I remember Haynes doesn't explain the full procedure for this engine. If Noz gets you the real Citroen info it will give a better picture.
David
andylee
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Joined: 29 Mar 2004, 03:53
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Post by andylee »

Hi David,
I did the twist test between the inlet camshaft pulley and the lower cambelt idler wheel, on the right hand run as viewed from the drivers side. As far as I can make out there's only one adjuster, the others just the idle wheel. And yeah your right about the manual, although I did get a 406 manual from the libary which is much better for my XU10J4R engine. This 45degree test is a bit vague, as you can set the belt grim tight and apply a bit of extra force when testing and still get it to twist on the longest run.
I think i'm gunna re-check it just to be sure, I don't want it snapping again, that would be a disaster.
Cheers Andy.
David W
Posts: 439
Joined: 30 Apr 2001, 17:49
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by David W »

Andy,
I really would have expected your car to be one with front and rear tensioners...a RFV or possibly RFY code engine. I don't know why it should be but it appears the later 406s may have had a fixed idler in place of the front tensioner.
The procedure with the two tensioners is, with the timing pins in, to tension the front one first, then the rear. Remove timing pins then turn engine over twice clockwise. Insert the crank pin (yes I know you can't!) and then check both cam pins slide in easily. If OK remove the timing pins and check the final tension.
If the timing pins wouldn't go into the cam sprockets then go through the front/rear tensioning procedure again.
If the cam pins are still a fraction off then the cam sprocket clamping bolts can be eased to allow the cams to find the correct position.
In any case you have been checking the tension in the right place on the long front run. Do beware that the front tensioner/guide really only touches the belt, the belt doesn't go much around its circumference. This means it is quite easy to twist the belt on the long run (compared with a shorter one tight round a tensioner) and lead you to think the belt needs to be tighter.
You should be able to get the 90deg twist well before your eyes pop out! If you really meant you only got it to 45deg then I would say it is too tight.
David
andylee
Posts: 13
Joined: 29 Mar 2004, 03:53
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:

Post by andylee »

Thanks David,
I checked the belt again and went though the whole procedure. I'm fairly sure it's now about right. The weeeering sound has gone and I have about 45-75 degrees twist (depending on what pressure you apply) on the front run.
I'm gunna let run like this for a week of two, then recheck to ensure everythings ok. I can't believe how well its running. The salvage head I fitted sounds a lot better than the original. There's nothing better than the feeling you get when you know you've saved a fortune and brought a total write-off back to life.
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