Citroen XM Forum

I've got my fingers crossed it isn't a sticking regulator problem or blockage of some kind, I don't really fancy having to pull the hydraulics off again, they were a pain enough to do with the front of the car removed!

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Before fitting your new pump, could you identify a regulator problem, by connecting one of your old pumps, and spinning it up with a drill? Spun at idle speed, it ought to put the pressure light out, and lift the car without difficulty.

JOOI, Dean, when you reshimmed the regulator to increase the pressure, did you gauge-check it, or do it by calculation of the added shims? Do you have a 200 bar gauge, connectable?

When re shimmed I used a gauge yes, I could fit a 2.0 pump, it will bolt in and the high pressure pipe connect up, its the suction pipe outlet that is clocked differently so it could be done easily.

I used the car for work today and I have eaten half the new belt in the 8 mile trip to work, so not good.
It performs perfectly when cold but as soon as I go for a much longer drive it would appear to just munch the belt away, I think I have a fault somewhere and prime suspect is going to be pressure regulator as towards the end of the journey I could not hear the reg cutting in and out, if this was because the belt was slipping I don't know but I could lift the car up and down and I had no warning lights on. The steering did get a lump either side of straight again though, not sure if this is an overpressure sign or not.

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Scrub that, the regulator is cutting in and out its just very quiet and i can only hear it with the bonnet open.
That makes this problem a bit more confusing, i will try tensioning the belt again when it is cool and we shall see what the trip home is like tonight.

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Any chance of fitting your high pressure gauge to see what the regulator is throwing out?
Fit it in place of the pressure warning switch, if engine-bay access not good?

I would do but i popped it messing about with something a while back, i have just ordered another gauge, should be here in 3 days.
The problem is fine for the first few miles but then the belt starts to slip, the regulator cuts in and out at idle but when the revs rise the belt just slips, i left this morning with a new belt, i covered 15 miles in total before the belt was burnt through and i had to drive the last mile with no hydraulics, i wouldn't recommend this, it was interesting.

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The new belt after 16 miles, i think it's safe to say i have a problem other than just poor belt drive design.
IMG_3489 by Deanxm, on Flickr

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That is certainly a curious problem Dean and just out of interest have you tried toothed belts since mine seem to be mostly of this type? Regards, Matthew T.

I have just checked my cars Dean and all six have toothed belts, so I wonder if that is what you need? One of spare 12v engine with a damaged later style pump also has a toothed belt! Regards, Matthew T.