306 XSi Crankshaft pulley/balancer

[Premier 350]

The car: 1997 306 XSi. 2 litre 16V, automatic.  The crankshaft pulley/ balancer fell apart. No big deal, it's easy to access.

Got the old on off, new one arrived and  I went to fit it. Noticed there was no woodruff key in the crankshaft. None in the pulley though there is a witness mark in the pulley grove. 

I haven't disturbed the lower cam sprocket, but I've noticed that it's woodruff key is recessed. To me it looks like the key for the pulley/balancer goes partially into the lower cam sprocket. Am I right? 

Had a cam belt done a couple of years ago, and I wonder if the key was left out then. As far as I've been able to tell, the pulley/balancer key is only needed to locate it correctly for cam timing using the holes. 

Bottom line is I think it needs a key for the pulley/balancer. I'm getting conflicting answers there. The Haynes manual mentions a key or roll pin. 
Would any one have a lead on where I can get a key from? 
Plan B is to get the plasticine out, make an impression and get a key and file it to size. I think that will work. 

I should add that while I'm a mechanic, that was a long time ago. Most of my experience has been on my Holdens  and the Buick. 

Thanks an cheers from Australia ( where we're not quite into lockdown. Yet!)

Chris

[Mighty306]

Hi again Chris. Two things are needed to time up the bottom of the engine ...a crankshaft pulley that hasn't slipped and a woodruff key in place, so I would have though the key was in place before the balancer shat itself. (You were lucky it didn't take out the cam belt!). The reason I say that is even if the timing is out a tiny bit the engine check light will likely come on, at least intermittently. Ask me how I know !!

If you can't locate the key it's Peugeot number is 6979.06. I doubt you'll be able to locate a new one but maybe a scrappy will have one. I have a feeling the key will be the same on the HDi's and the GTi-6's but I haven't actually checked that. I'll try & find some time to check on servicebox later.

Attached are the parts diagrams for the pulley / crankshaft etc if that's any help.

Cheers,
James

   

   

   

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Thinking about it some more I don't think the woodruff key could fall out with the crank sprocket still in place. Only a very small piece of it engages with the crank pully (maybe a couple of mm). Are you sure the sprocket is fully seated?

[Premier 350]

Thanks you sooo much! This is exactly the information I'm looking for. And that's a great suggestion to make sure the crank sprocket is fully seated.

I hadn't considered the possibility that the spocket might have moved when I yanked the pulley off.
Just gave the sprocket a gentle tap. It won't move, feels and sound like it's in the correct position, and looks like it hasn't moved at all. So no joy there.
Wondering if the key has broken/ been broken. I'll talk to the mechanic who did it tomorrow.

I'm tempted to put the damn thing back together as it is. It was running fine before the balancer/pulley died. Plan B is to use some putty to for an impression of the key and get one locally and file to shape.

Thank you once more.
Thanks once again.

[Mighty306]

Sounds like the end has possibly broken off the key. Anyway, you're going to have to pull the timing belt off and the crank sprocket in order to put a new key in. I can give you some info on the cam belt replacement procedure if you need it.

If you look closely at the previous diagrams you'll see the dimensions for the key (item no 72) are given as 13x6-7. I'm assuming that's 13mm long, 6mm wide & 7mm deep, but you can correlate that against any remains of the key you are able to recover.

After you lock the cams & before you remove the belt & crank sprocket you can check the crank is in the correct (safe) position by following the info in this post. Scroll down to DeeTurbo's contribution. The part of the crank that holds the key should face towards the back of the engine (bearing in mind the engine is canted backwards quite a bit). https://www.306oc.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=35807

Btw, have just checked and the following models use the same size key as the XU10J4R:

1.8i XU7 Petrol
1.9 DW8 Diesel
1.9 XUD9 Diesel
1.9 TD
2.0 HDi
2.0 16v GTi-6
 
It may be worth you registering on Aussie Frogs & asking if anyone can help. They put the above engines (and the XU10J4R) in a whole raft of different Peugeot & Citroen vehicles. Alternatively, someone on here may be able to put their hands on one in time.

Feel free to ask if/when you need any more info!

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My apologies as the diagrams I previously posted were for the manual not the auto. Only a few differences between them (e.g. no spacer behind the crank sprocket on the auto). The keys & harmonic balancer are the same though. Here are the ones for the auto.

   

   

   

[Premier 350]

James, thank you once again. I'm not game to to do the cam belt (still scared from a Fiat twin cam 40 odd years ago!) I've measured the key slot and will source a key locally. If there are remnants of the old key, I'm going to file the new one to shape/size. The new key will straddle both sprocket and pulley/balancer, keeping them in alignment. The car is just not worth spending too much time & money on. ( A/C not working, rear main seal leak, dented hatch- it goes on and on.

Cheers and thanks once again. What did we car buffs ever do before the internet?
Chris