Old school diesel question

[aerodynamica]

My xantia has the 1.9 XUD engine and is at 132k miles. 3 years ago I replaced the head gasket, skimmed and pressure tested the head, new head bolts, all new gaskets for the inlet and exhaust and new thermostat and housing. The car has run fine all this time but when starting from cold I feel that it sounds much louder than I recall from before the work was done and had remained so for the 3 years. Could be my imagination though. It sounds quite knocky and 'diesely' and wonder if anyone knows why it might sound so bad when cold. It heats up and settles down to a much quieter running (well as quiet as a non hdi diesel can be...)

Perhaps it was always this noisy when cold and I notice it in comparison to my c5 hdi that's pretty quiet. Either way I'm always reluctant to rev the xantia too high when it's cold..

Any ideas?

[Gibbo2286]

Diesel knock due to poor timing setting maybe

[Oldpug]

You asked an old school question, so I will give an old school answer. You are worrying too much, those XUD`s are bullet proof, may be a bit rattily, so what, it will do another 132K miles no problem.

[jamescarruthers]

I was advised to add a little mineral based 2 stroke oil to my 2.1 XUD engined XM. Something to do with “cetane” and some other stuff I didn’t understand. I think it was a little quieter and was told that a lot of the noise was the injector and pump (on top of the massively wonderful but clattery engine!)

[aerodynamica]

Diesel knock due to poor timing setting maybe

I did wonder if the timing had been slightly out but it was timed with the timing pegs I.e the timing was never changed and the head gasket job was completed with new timing belt and all pulleys. I've never done a single thing to the diesel pump or injectors.

I've had 4x xantia with this engine and I don't recall the other 3 being as knocky from cold.

[admiral51]

Graeme you must be one of the lucky few that has hearing improve with age

20 odd years ago the XUD engine was not only bullet proof but quiet compared to what else was on the market.

Colin

[RichardW]

The timing is probably out, you need a dial indicator to set it properly. Bosch or Lucas pump?

[aerodynamica]

Graeme you must be one of the lucky few that has hearing improve with age

Colin

Only thing improved with age is the number of grey in my beard

[aerodynamica]

The timing is probably out, you need a dial indicator to set it properly. Bosch or Lucas pump?

Hi Richard it's a bosch pump.

[RichardW]

Chapter and verse from Jim here:

viewtopic.php?t=39080

[Stewart(oily)]

Some XUDs have a wire coming off one of the injectors, if you have it see if disconnecting it makes the engine sound rougher.

[aerodynamica]

Chapter and verse from Jim here:

viewtopic.php?t=39080

Brilliant! I'd forgotten Jim was the diesel pump god!

[aerodynamica]

Some XUDs have a wire coming off one of the injectors, if you have it see if disconnecting it makes the engine sound rougher.

Ah, mine is a very early one without electronics,

[moizeau]

When the head came off years ago was the pump orientation marked on it's mounting plate? It may be worth scribing a line where it is now then move the pump 1mm either way to see it it gets worse or better. You can do it with the engine running. Like setting a dizzy up by ear years ago.

[aerodynamica]

When the head came off years ago was the pump orientation marked on it's mounting plate? It may be worth scribing a line where it is now then move the pump 1mm either way to see it it gets worse or better. You can do it with the engine running. Like setting a dizzy up by ear years ago.

Hi, no I didn't mark it at the time. I'll mark it and move it a small amount although Jim had recommended slackening the 4 diesel injector pipes before moving it because they're tightly fixed.

I see one visible nut at the plate and a second further out towards the centre of the engine - is there a further one or two nuts to slacken?

Here's a snap taken a few years ago

Green arrow pointing to a nut

Does the cambelt cover have to come off to access? (I know - I should just go and look but the car is stored 26 miles away)

another two nuts found looking back through my photos

These two nuts also seen in old photo from 2018 - cylinder head removed for clarity

Do any other bits need to be removed to allow the slight rotation of the pump?