ZX TD Cambelt, Brakes and Clutch

All comments are based on 93 & 95 facelift 405 TD, but you should have a similar engine & box. I think the cambelt interval is around 70K. I change it around that. Certainly over 80K is way too much as my dad discovered whilst in the fast lane of the M62. Cost him an engine and me a few days of my life. As for the oil, change it often and you can happily use an average oil. I use Valvoline turbo diesel 15W40 and change it every 4k. I'm upto 300K so it must be working. I've never used any special methods for bleeding the brakes. I just work my way round the car whilst someone pumps the pedal. The clutch cable may be threaded at the end, or it may have the adjustment under the car near the crossmember. I've never seen the latter kind sold at a motor factor, but my dads had one until it broke. I replaced it with the "normal" kind, which is the same as the earlier models.

Cambelt at 30,000 according to Haynes (60,000 in the book). If the clutch is like the same engine in the Xantia of that vintage, it's straightforward locknut and adjuster nut The book provides lots of inf on measurements from steering wheel to clutch pedal, but just set it to give about 1cm free play at the pedal. Havn't done the brakes, (Xantias have a bulk tank for all systems) but if you just want to replace the fluid, open a bleed screw at the rear nearside and pump it out whilst filling at the reservoir. Used Mobil 1 on my old Xantia for years and my mate now has the car but sends it to ATS (basic oil) when he remembers.

155,000 miles up and never misses a beat. I'd still be using Mobil 1 though. DaveK.

has anyone changed the Cambelt themselves on one of these. I've read the haynes and it seems simple enough but never changed a cambelt on a diesel before so I've got a bit of apprehension.

Done a bx (same XUD engine as yours, one turbo, one not) twice now. Haynes is evil of course - they pull the engine out before doing the belt, so avoid all the tedium of having the wheel arch almost exactly one belt width away from the side of the engine, making getting at the bits jolly fun. But overall it isn't too hard. (although I still haven't worked out how to lock the flywheel properly on my new one - but handbrake on the front wheels and being _VERY_ careful not to touch the clutch, gears, etc means I got away with it again. But you can't do that :-) )

The only potential difference between a diesel and a petrol is you've got to lock the pump in place too, but that's easy.

cheers, clive

My peugeot 306 with the same engine is £70:000miles - but personally I wouldn't go pass 50:000miles

Bill

I've got the twin of yours by the sound of it.

Belt at 78k, and no need for a synthetic. Indeed most synthetics are a lower viscosity grade than recommended, indeed when i contacted Millers they didn't recommend their fully synthetic oil.

Personally i keep to the oil that's recommended and give it a 3k oil change between services.

Cheers,

Jon.

I've done the cam belt on the non-turbo BX about half a dozen times.

When I looked at doing the belt on the same XUD engine in the ZX I gave up, there isn't a lot of clearance so you really can't see what you're doing.

Have managed to dig a maintennace shedule out that states cambelt change every

48K (its on 94k now so due one) I think I may pass on the cambelt change. Dont like the limited workspace, I am hoping to have the brakes and clutch sorted by the end of this week coming.

Friend with a ZX TD did his fine. I really wouldn't skip it...

cheers, clive