Xantia - aux belt shredded

[Jaf]

Aux belt shredded about 2kms from home. Simultaneously got odd noise and battery light came on. Stopped engine immediately. Recovered car home and changed belt. Haven’t quite finished, it’s 1 tooth out on the LHM pump, but thought starting the engine might straighten out the belt. Only ran engine for a few seconds, suspension did start to raise though.

Sounds like a bag of spanners. (Bit like when the rev counter very occasionally doesn’t work)

Am hoping no bits of belt got into the timing belt. All the shredded belt was round the LHM pump pulley, crank pulley was clear. I’m thinking if there’s bits of aux belt in there then the timing belt might have jumped a tooth. I do have a new timing belt. Oh how I hate getting the belt cover off!

Any of you bright lot have any ideas? Thanks.

[white exec]

Check the aux belt tensioner for wear/mistracking.
Check all the pulleys/jockeys are lined up (use a straight edge on each to check how they line up with the others).
Check tightness of alternator, A/C compressor (if fitted).
Check crankshaft pulley hasn't separated (if dual mass), if it drives the belt.

Not sure how old the belt was. They can just give up.

[Jaf]

Thanks Chris. Checked and auto aux belt tensioner is visibly wonky, I should have spotted that. Annoying as changed it last time I did the belts. I think it’s 3 years, 30,000km ago. I’ll order both tensioners and in the meantime get the timing belt off. Thinking now about getting the full kit for the timing belt, as though I changed them last time I’m a bit antsy now.

[Jaf]

Finally got aux belt tensioners and spring changed and belt back on. (Had decided not to touch the timing belt until I did that first).

Unfortunately engine still sounds like a bag of spanners!

Hoping to get to timing belt tomorrow and have a look. Wish me luck!

[Jaf]

It’s been a while!

Changed timing belt. I have changed the belt a couple of times before so thought I’d be ok. But engine will not run. Just about starts, very clattery, but doesn’t run.

Assuming first step is to check timing pins. After that could the fuel pump static timing need adjustment? I’ve read that they don’t usually need adjustment but the first time I did the timing belt, years ago now, I had to fine tune the pump.

[white exec]

If you haven't removed the injection pump, then using the pegs/pins in the flywheel and belt cogwheels should be sufficient.

[Jaf]

Hmmm. I was certain that I had it pinned correctly, checked it by manually turning the engine over and re-pinning it. Twice for good measure. I must be doing something wrong. Though thinking about it the pump and flywheel are definitely lined up, the camshaft is a bit more in-exactly lined up as the pin has more wobble on it. Suppose it could be 1 tooth out. Would that stop her starting/ running?

Can’t look at it until Friday unfortunately.

[white exec]

One tooth out is enough to cause a problem.
Use pegs/pins (or bolts through the toothed pulleys, as the holes are usually threaded) that are a good fit, not sloppy. IIRC, the hole in the flywheel is often 8mm, but you may have to use a 7 or 7.5mm to get it in.

Also make sure the belt is slop-free when putting it on to the pulleys, and that the (pegged/bolted) injection pump is held fully in its direction of rotation when the belt is slipped over it.

The mechanics booklets reccommend that after the belt has been fitted and tensioned, the pegs are removed, and the engine turned through two full revs by hand (socket on the crankshaft pulley bolt) and the pegging/bolting positions checked.

[Jaf]

Yeah I will find a better pin for the cam, the flywheel and pump pins are tight. I did the turning the engine over and re-pinning. Then did it again, even de-tensioned the belt first. Turning the engine over by hand and simultaneously getting the flywheel pin in is not easy...I used a camera scope.

Is it massively hot there? We were expecting possibly hottest ever at 47! But so far only (!) 40.

[white exec]

Up to 40C 15km inland, 31-34 on the coast. Likely to be hottest around 16-17h this afternoon.
Got the BX's A/C working just in time...