erratic idle low power poor starting after replace

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 03 Jul 2004, 21:54

Please help,
I have just changed the head gasket on my 2.0 8v petrol xantia.
Original fault was a blow between the two middle cylinders.
Put every thing back together, car starts but idles erratically. When revved up the engine goes ok but hunts. When the engine goes back to idle it almost dies then the revs pick up a bit.Took on test drive and there is a severe lack of power (in between stalling).
All the cylinders act the same if I remove either the spark or fuel when running so I don't believe it is an individual cylinder issue.
No oil in water, No water in oil.
My gut instict is that is is timing related, so I checked and double checked the timing belt. peg put in holes in camshaft sprocket and flywheel pulley. Even looked into possibility of moving a tooth either way, but this would not allow the pegs to go in.Could the crankshaft pulley rubber sliiped ????
Checked all electrical connectors, reseated ecu connector.
Although I noticed that sometimes an orange light on the dashboard comes on indicating a fault in the ignition/injection system, but this always goes out after running for a bit.
checked hv electrics and renewed plugs.
Please can someone give me some more direction on this one, I have had enough!!!!!!!!!!
thanks in advance

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 04 Jul 2004, 00:07

Quote : "Could the crankshaft pulley rubber sliiped ????"
No it *could* not - it certainly DOES slip !
Have a look on Shane's experiences with his Xantia :
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/shane/xantia ... ambelt.htm

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 04 Jul 2004, 02:39

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by AndersDK

Quote : "Could the crankshaft pulley rubber sliiped ????"
No it *could* not - it certainly DOES slip !
Have a look on Shane's experiences with his Xantia :
http://www.aussiefrogs.com/shane/xantia ... ambelt.htm
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
................and before you get ulcers about having to tear the cambelt cover off, go to the end & see what he found that was causing his car to run rough; might save you a few hours of anxiety as it's obviously an easy one to forget and just as easy to rectify.
Alan S

edd001 · Post by **edd001** » 04 Jul 2004, 14:52

before you start ripping your hair out it could be a simple thing like a breather pipe or air leak.
make sure you have not forgotan to put i pipe back on.

ItDontGo · Post by **ItDontGo** » 04 Jul 2004, 15:55

It could be my old favourite; the ignition coil capacitor is not connected. This very much confuses the ECU but usually you will only notice irregular but constant misfiring and the ECU light flashing on and off.

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 04 Jul 2004, 16:06

thanks chaps,
checked the tube as indicated, looked ok. Started engine after taking pipe off and cleaning--- no difference. Removed pipie whilst running and the moter ticked over worse. So deduced it was working ok.
I noticed I could twist the cam belt through about 120 degrees, would a slightly loose belt have the effect of very poor running?????? I don't think so.
So what next ?????

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 05 Jul 2004, 00:28

Ever since the ignition breaker points disappeared from car's ignition systems - replaced by inductive electronics - there has been no capacitor for the coil.
Capicitors found at the coil - or nearby - are there for one single purpose : to decouple noise induced in the +12V lines - from the ignition coil.
Disconnecting - even removing - such a capacitor does not influence the ignition system at all. But your stereo may now start telling you every single ignition firing in the engine.
Reason why I mess around with the ignition now - is that mixed up HT cables to the plugs may give the symptoms you have now [:I]

monkeyman · Post by **monkeyman** » 05 Jul 2004, 02:08

I would double check the timing, as the car has been running a bit see if the camshaft and crankshaft all line up. Its not that much hassle to pull the covers off. Sounds like a basic fault. Possibly cam belt too loose and jumped? How did you tension the belt?

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 05 Jul 2004, 15:01

Hmmm I agree the the capacitor cannot be the issue.
To change the belt I just slipped/rolled the new belt on. Did not want to retension the idler because I had changed the belt previously with no problem (marked up belt transfered to new bel and fitted). Also consideration to the tensioner bearings and access to the tensioner were taken into account.
What are the chances of the pulley rubber slipping ????????? where can I get one and how much, do not want to spend a whole weekend climbing 3 cars high in a scrapyard!!!!!!( unless this will definatelty fix the issue.)
After running for 5 minutes I checked the belt which is still inline with the locating pins.
My gut instinct is to move a tooth either way (not sure which) but then I enter the world of unknown !!!!!!!!!!!!
Would a loose belt give this kind of error ???
Also any tips on how to tension the belt (bearing in mid the access, haynes mention a special tool). no belt covers on at the moment so messing around with the belt should not be a problem.

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 05 Jul 2004, 15:48

just an update,
Reading other similar issues, it appears that all the pistons should be at mid centre when the crankshaft locking pin is in place. This was not the case when I removed the head !!!!! more suspicion falls over the crankshaft pulley perhaps

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 05 Jul 2004, 15:58

Mate,
Read carefully and in detail the website of Shane's that Anders has pointed you at; <s>he had exactly the same problem as you have.</s>There's your answer.
Alan S

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 05 Jul 2004, 21:05

went down to citroen service centre and spoke to a very helpful technician.
Described fault and he suggested moving the cam belt 1 tooth. Told me it is very common for the pulley to slip. Indeed when he worked at a peugeot garage they did not rely on the original crankshaft pulley, instead they used a purpose made pulley jig instead, then put the original pulley back on.

pikey · Post by **pikey** » 06 Jul 2004, 14:36

whey hey its running like a dream !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Moved the cam belt 2 notches .
Timing Holes are now nowhere near but it runs puuuurfect.
Thanks very much for all your help, the banger lives to fight another day.