Xsara Timing Belt

[doctle]

Hi Guys

Just got a 2001 Xsara with a slipping clutch. There's no history so I want to change the timing belt. Problem is The valve spring compression tool costs almost as much as the car. Can it be done without this tool? Also when I search online for a timing belt there's 104 teeth and 108 teeth from the same reg. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

Edited July 3, 2015 by doctle

[paul.h]

Which engine does your car have and what bhp ?

 

A Citroen dealer will sell the correct parts for your car against the VIN. You can also see the parts diagrams as a free service if you register as another professional and a member of the Citroen Owners Club on the service.citroen site http://service.citroen.com/do/changerParametres

Use your VIN (VIS) top left in the diagrams to get your car and the timing belts is under Mechanical/Timing gear/Camshaft belt.

 

What makes you think you need to compress the valve springs, there is nothing in Citroen's procedures to do this ?

[doctle]

Which engine does your car have and what bhp ?

 

A Citroen dealer will sell the correct parts for your car against the VIN. You can also see the parts diagrams as a free service if you register as another professional and a member of the Citroen Owners Club on the service.citroen site http://service.citroen.com/do/changerParametres

Use your VIN (VIS) top left in the diagrams to get your car and the timing belts is under Mechanical/Timing gear/Camshaft belt.

 

What makes you think you need to compress the valve springs, there is nothing in Citroen's procedures to do this ?

Hi and thanks for replying. The car has a 1.4 TU3 engine. I have a haynes manual and it says to use a tool to compress all the valves at once when setting the belt tension. Here's the tool on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LASER-TOOLS-3789-Valve-Spring-Compressor-PSA-Citroen-Berlingo-Peugeot-/151198416711?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item233420bf47

Is this esential?

Thanks again

[paul.h]

Checked Citroen's procedures for the Xsara with the 1.4 TU3JP engine and it does say to use a similar tool (Citroen part no. 4533TZ) for final checking of the belt tension - however, for it to be of any relevance you need a belt tension tool to check the readings which most people do not have. Without a tension indication tool usual recommendations are often for the belt to just be able to turn 90° at the mid point of its longest run between pulleys and to rotate the engine a number of times and check it again. You could also check the tension on the old belt before removing it. If you do not want to replace the tensioner (not really recommended though) you could slide the new belt on with the old in place before cutting it off.

 

I changed the timing belt on our 1.4 C3 with the TU3JP 75 bhp engine and the valves were not touched and that was using the Haynes manual, but the tensioner has a built in indication of the correct tension. Every year I would remove the belt top cover (only 2 bolts) and check the belt for condition so I was happy to leave it another year before I finally replaced it. For timing pins I used a bolt to lock the cam pulley in place and a 6 mm threaded bar bent to avoid a web on the engine block to lock the flywheel in place.

 

On the Xsara belts, the 104 toothed one is for engines since no. 3666766 and the 108 toothed belt is for engines up to no. 3666765. The engine no. will be on the V5C form and possibly in the maintenance and warranty book but if you look on the Citroen parts diagrams at the left side click              Characteristics which then lists details of your car when built and may include the engine no. However, if the engine has been replaced this could be wrong.

[doctle]

Thank you for the reply I will feel more comfortable doing the job now. I have used the 90 degree bend as a test before but I wasn't sure if I should try it on this car. I bet the electronic tensioner tool is expensive.

I'll give it a go anyway and thanks again

P

[Johndouglas]

I bet the electronic tensioner tool is expensive.

You can get mechanical tension gauges which are as good. Look on ebay and they start around 20 quid. They may not be scaled in Seem units but Autodata publish a conversion chart. I use an old American Boroughs meter. Here it is on my XUD5

 

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i53/Johndug/Belt007.jpg[/url]

[paul.h]

On line searches for seem unit conversions do not find anything and older links on forums to autodata just go to somewhere selling domain names, including one on the Caravan Talk forum. Some suggest though that 45 seem units is 240 Nm but the conversion is not linear.

[Johndouglas]

Here's a copy of the Autodata conversion chart:-

 

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i53/Johndug/Autodata%20timing%20data_zps6nvjqvtk.jpg[/url]

[paul.h]

Thanks John. It seems that the SEEM units depends on the tool used although the difference at the values needed for the Xsara are not much at 44 and 29 to 33. The tool mentioned in the Citroen procedure is 4122-T which appears to be the G2 105.5 from searches.

[Johndouglas]

The tool mentioned in the Citroen procedure is 4122-T which appears to be the G2 105.5 from searches.

In any of the Haynes photographs showing the Seem meter, it's the G2 105.5 that's shown. It's the units in the first column that I use.