Xantia Timing Belt Replacement

[kubark42]

I'm about to replace it on my 1998 1.8L 16v, factory-installed LPG Xantia. I've done extensive car work before (removing and rebuilding an engine), but I no longer have any tools. I'd like to do this myself, but I understand it can be a little hairy, and garages are quoting me 8 hours of labor.

 

Is this a hard job for a shade-tree mechanic, or should I be able to do it myself without too much difficulty? If so, are there any caveats to watch out for, and do I really need Citroen's special timing belt tensioning tool?

 

Cheers,

Kenn Sebesta

[DickieG]

What engine does the car have as some are easier than others.

[kubark42]

What engine does the car have as some are easier than others.

Of course, of course, sorry, my fault. Don't know where my mind was. I included the information above, but here it is again:

 

1998 16V 1.8L, factory-installed LPG system. Left-hand drive, made and bought in France.

[DickieG]

The 16V engines are a little more tricky than 8V due to the twin camshafts, which require you to undo the camshaft sprocket bolts to allow the sprocket to move within slots in order to align them with the new cambelt.

 

Until I actually changed the belt on a 16V I couldn't see why on earth there is a need to change the the sproket position but for some reason (which I still can't fathom out) it is necessary. I thought that removing a belt and replacing it with a new one (same make etc) would mean that it just slipped into place but it did not. However that part of the job isn't technically difficult.

 

As far as tensioning the new belt, I've always used the method of fitting the belt, then tensioning it until the belt can just be turned/twisted 90 degrees on its longest run between pulleys, which to date has served me well.

 

As you don't appear to have the camshaft/crankshaft locking tools you can use drills/dowels/bolts to lock the camshafts/crankshaft in place.

 

Having changed a number of cambelts on various cars including different Xantia engines the 16V is not particularly difficult, it just requires a little more thought, so get hold of a Haynes manual which decribes the job reasonably well.

[kubark42]

Great. Good to hear it, as the garage price quotes were scaring me to death.

 

I've actually got a Haynes manual, but the thing is it's in French and 1) my French technical vocabulary isn't that precise even after four years in France and 2) French is a language that says "Why use one word when five will do?" The instructions for changing the timing belt literally take up three whole pages.

 

I noticed what you were talking about with the cam sprockets. I'm surprised that if all the gears are blocked at TDC, the cams can be out of alignment, but you say that's really the case, so I suppose it must be true no matter how odd it sounds.

 

A couple more questions:

 

Do I really need to remove the right engine mount, or can that be dispensed with?

 

Aside from replacing the water pump at the same time, what other sort of preventative maintenance should I do? Any idea ofhow much it costs for the parts?

 

Lastly, what's a good tools company in Europe? On the other side of the pond, I always used Snap-On, Mac, and Craftsman. What qualifies as good for not very expensive over here?

 

Thanks a lot for the help.

[Johndouglas]

Do I really need to remove the right engine mount, or can that be dispensed with?

 

I've only ever worked on Xantia diesels, but if you didn't take the top mounting off you wouldn't be able to lift or lower the engine to get to the tensioner.