Xantia Cambelt

[ashby1961]

Hope this is a simple one to resolve. My 1996 Xantia 1.9TD has just snapped the cambelt :D (done 98K) belt was replaced at 60K.

Whats the chances that i've driven a piston into a valve. Will i get away with just replacing the belt or have i possibly done more damage!

I know some cars are designed that the piston will not crash the valves (Was the Xantia 1.9TD one of them :o ??)

[DickieG]

On a diesel you will have what is basically terminal damage done to the engine due to the high compression ratio. :o

 

As you have nothing to lose you may as well try putting on a new belt to see what happens but I wouldn't hold out much hope for you.

 

The belt breaking may just be the symptom rather than the cause i.e. is the water pump/tensioner/aircon compressor OK? Also, was the belt tensioned correctly?

 

If the car is worth saving a secondhand engine will offer the cheapest solution, particularly if the engine comes out of one that has been crashed, as that would suggest that the engine was working reasonably well until that point. However, it must be said that removing an engine from a Xantia is not the easiest of tasks. I wish you good luck with it.

[Guest hedgehog]

If replacing with an engine from a crash damaged vehicle be advised to fit new cambelt before re-fitting. If the vehicle has been involved in an incident whereby it has came to a sudden stop from speed, then the belt may have suffered "decelleration damage" meaning the wheels have suddenly stopped turning with the car in gear stiill, causing the crankshaft to place unusual amount of strain on the belt and thus causing damage to the teeth.

[Johndouglas]

Whats the chances that i've driven a piston into a valve. Will i get away with just replacing the belt or have i possibly done more damage!

 

Most certainly pistons will have hit valves. Possibly the camshaft will be in pieces.