I've just bought a Citroen AX 1.5D, 5dr, registered 1996.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what the recommended cambelt change interval is on this model?
Also (and this is going to sound incredibly dense) has this got a reversing lamp on it? 'Cos if it has, I'm b*gg*red if I can find it.
(You'd also think this info was readily available on the Web somewhere, but once again, b*gg*red if I can find it.)
Cheers, Nick snipped-for-privacy@DELETETHISBITiee.org
I'm not certain, I think citroen now reccomends every 7yrs or 76K.. Personally I'd change every 36K to be safe...
errr its the nearside lower lamp, it's shaded red to blend in....
Ta. I'm in a bit of a quandary, because I want to MoT it pronto (to be sure I haven't bought a dud) but the garage say they won't test it unless they know the cambelt is kosher (metaphorically speaking). 68K miles on the clock, and I suspect it's done a bit more than that. You see my dilemma - they want 130 quid to replace the cambelt, and I'm reluctant to spend that when the MoT test could then be a disaster. Or, I could tell them I've confirmed that the existing cambelt is kosher, only for them to thrash the engine during the test and snap it, leaving me with an attractive piece of French-styled scrap metal.
Ah, that's why I couldn't find it and that lamp had odd stripes on it. Let's hope it's just a bulb gone, unless it's a consequence of the hilariously slack gear linkage...guy I bought it off said something about a nylon bush in the linkage worn down. NYLON? In a gear linkage? No bloody wonder...
My old man picked up a cheap Rover 115D (same engine) - Peugeot/Citroen/Rover prices varied around the £110-130 mark; next thing he finds a local independant rover garage, who'll do it for £70 including using a genuine belt...Shop around. Just because the car is a Citroen, doesn't mean it has to be done at a Citroen specialist (or dealer).
Our local Skoda dealer has VW's in all the time for services...
Seconded, my local MOT place quoted 4hrs labour plus parts (on a 405 1.9 n/a D). I eventually got my local "Cit/Pug" specialist to do it, £75 all in. Shop around...
Ta, I've shopped around a fair bit around garages I trust and I can't get it down any cheaper than £110. But ta for the tip about it being the same engine as for Peugeot/Rover (I had heard it was a Peugeot engine), that suggests a few more possibilities. Any recommendations for a good value job in the Northampton/Wellingborough area much appreciated!
Right. I got the garage to do a pre-MoT inspection on the AX to give me a steer on whether to spend on the cambelt and get it tested. They've picked up on rather a lot (this is a garage I use regularly for MoTs BTW and I trust them to be fair rather than 'inventive'). We have...
- OSF ball joint excess play (£91)
- both front brake flexi hoses perished (2 x £65)
- NSR brake flexi hose perished (£65)
- NS outer CV gaiter perished (£91)
- OS inner CV gaiter perished (£91)
- discs & pads low (but not an MoT failure)
- misc bulbs & wipers
Having looked at it, I agree with them about the gaiters & flexi hoses. The prices shown are their all-in estimates to fix. I'm sure I could get it done waaaaay cheaper elsewhere.
The discs, pads, bulbs, wipers I will happily do myself.
The flexi hoses I think I'm prepared to have a go at - I've got a pressurised bleed kit and I've got experience of making DIY compression joints for plumbing - never done flexi hoses before though, any advice gratefully appreciated.
The gaiters look a bit of an undertaking, drive shafts to be removed etc., bit away from what I'd normally be prepared to take on. IIRC there are two different approaches, a) disassemble the shaft, b) cut off the old gaiter and stretch the new one over the shaft to fit. Qs: am I right, is method b) possible on this model, will it be cheaper if I can find someone who'll do it?
I'm really not sure how much of an undertaking the ball joint is, again, grateful for any advice.
I'm really, really reluctant to even think about doing the cambelt myself. Wuss. Feel free to try do persuade me otherwise.
Cheers, Nick snipped-for-privacy@DELETETHISBITiee.org
I know I'll need a balljoint and don't call me a splitter. :-)
Sorry, that's what passes for humour in my septic and oozing mind. Many thanks for the advice. I'll have the PlusGas to hand ready for doing the hoses.
In the worst case you end up cycling to the nearest parts store to replace the bit of rigid pipe that the hose attachs too as well. Best to check the bike first :-)
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