Tensioner sprung or manual ?

[Conor]

Hello

A friend of mine has a March 1999 1.8 petrol 406, engine type XU7JP4. We are going to change the timing belt, but I have a few questions. Apologies if you have been over this stuff many times before.

1. We will replace the belt, tensioner, and idler pulley, but is there anything else that’s essential? I want to keep the total cost down, but don’t want to miss anything important. The car has done about 140,000 miles.

2. The Haynes manual (number 3394) is not very clear about how to tension the belt. It gives 2 methods.
a) The recommended method is using a special Peugeot gauge to check the tension, obviously I don't have that.
b) The other method involves setting the tensioner by hand and feeling the tension required to twist the belt the through 45 degrees. This doesn't seem very robust at all.
However when I went to my local car parts shop they offered 2 kits, one with a manual tensioner and one with an “automatic” tensioner. I guess the automatic one is the sprung type, with an indicator so it is clear that you have the right tension. I have used these on a Ford (same as Peugeot HDI) before. Does anybody know if the automatic tensioner will fit if a manual one is currently fitted.

Any advice will be gratefully received

Conor

[jasper5]

The tensioner on the 16V engine (XU7JP4) is similar to a 16V Vauxhall tensioner, it is partly sprung, partly manual.

It is a complicated type of tensioner which has to be tensioned along with the fitting of the belt....you have to slacken the bolts on the camshaft sprockets to allow you to fit the belt properly, then leave them slack to do the initial tensioning, using a pointer on the tensioner base.

It is a complicated method of tensioning, try to borrow or get someone to let you see a timing belt book.

If you can't work it out, ask, and I will post detailed instructions from my timing belt book.

[swiss]

Just been spying my neighbour's book. Bloody brilliant invention. Shame it doesn't do auxies too

[teamster1975]

Just been spying my neighbour's book. Bloody brilliant invention. Shame it doesn't do auxies too

Funny you should say that swiss, the tubby has an automatic aux belt tensioner!

[Conor]

Jasper

Thanks for the information, I don't have a timing belt book, so would be greatful for any extracts from yours.
email it to me at [email protected]

thanks again

Conor

[jasper5]

I will email the details as soon as I can.

There are 2 types listed, one from 1995 to 1997 in my Autodata timing belt book, and my Autodata CD states there is a different setup from 1995 to 2004....I guess that's what your factor was saying about 2 types of tensioner.

I'll send you all the info I have about doing the complete job.