Citroen XM Forum

Not that tight, it very much has flex in it still. Just noticed the movement when lifting the pump up. Not driven it with it like that. Trouble is, everyone says a V belt is meant to be quite well tensioned or it will slip.

ERGH...Try again tomorrow maybe!

Might have solved my squealing belt issue. The small idler pulley wheel looks to be out of alignment slightly. I mean a tiny bit. So I think the belt is rubbing.

Can I assume this simply bolts on with the two bolts and won't disturb anything else in the cambelt area?

I have had a result of sorts. I took the v belt off today to check alignment of the pulleys and they actually seem okay. Not as bad as I initially thought. The idler pulley has no play in it and is silent when rotated. So I am not so sure it is that that is causing the squealing belt. What I have noticed is that it is only noisy when the car idles. Not when driving. And with the still slightly sluggish start and also noticing the cold idle is far too low... Idling at 800rpms... Something else was up.

And that up, was the wax stat control arm wot sit on the pump. It was essentially out of adjustment. The arm has been permanently on hot setting. The arm mechanism isn't stuck, it moves very freely, but there simply wasn't enough tension on the wire. So no wonder it was sluggish starting. That's now adjusted and I also adjusted... A tiny amount, ....the cold start idle screw on the pump. It now starts so much better and the belt is quieter too, not to mention the idle is much better. It still could do with a spot more adjustment, but overall that has improved things greatly.

Sounds like a result!

Sounds good, Russ. Some V-belts do seem to be a bit squeaky/sqealy/creaky, even when everything looks properly aligned and tensioned.
Liqui-Moly do a good V-belt conditioner spray (#4085*), which does actually work. Have used it on vehicles and on workshop machinery. It contains a solvent and surface-dresser, which deglazes the running surface of the belt. It's a polished belt running on polished pulleys that creates the noise. (*Not for use on flat belts.)

Interesting Chris, I might get some and try it out. Thanks.

I took it out this afternoon, and the idle is so much better....much smoother. It starts better too when cold. The belt is still a little chirpy, but not as loud and screechy as it has been.

I have concluded that this car is very spritely. really enjoying it though.

Russ, finally got around to doing the first SMD LED replacement in a switch. The first draft of the write-up is at http://citroen.tramontana.co.hu/electri ... -with-leds" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . Corrections and more pictures will follow soon.

I don't yet know if the LED I used is bright enough in its place, I'll check it out tomorrow.

Hey they look really good. Nice result. Look forward to seeing how bright they are. Might have to do this on my spare set of switches.

And mine.....they are all out again. Didn't last that long. One winter, I don't know about the last summer but last winter most of them all out again. And I used the same as yours, strange.

Are you saying that a replacement set of normal tungsten bulbs only lasted a few months, Cap'n? Or were they LEDs that gave up?