406oc.co.uk

Hello there everyone, new arrival .... been looking at this very useful forum for a few weeks now because ...

I've just bought a 1998 (P) 406 2.1td with 95k on the clock today - £1300. It looks, sounds and drives great. The only snag is that there isn't a service history with it. So far - 50 miles - I'm very happy, but I'm concerned about the timing belt, probably need to get it looked at asap. Is it a big job to check the belt? And is it possible to work out its age with a visual inspection? I'm not particularly mechanical-minded, but I did have a look to see if I could get at the belt but unlike my previous 305D van and 405D estate (i'm now a refugee from a Citroen Xantia mistake, returning to the Peugeots I've thought very highly of in the past) it isn't so easy to get at. IN the other cars there was a clip to remove the cover, on this car it looks quite tricky to remove it ...

Anyhow, really I just wanted to say hello and see if there were any opinions regarding this car ... I don't expect anyone to be able to say it's a 'good un' cos you can't see it, but in general - anything specific I might want to check?

Thanks in advance for any replies, they're much appreciated.

Paul

I had a 2.1 for four years before p/x'ing it for the coupe. It was a fantastic engine. Real rock solid. I sold mine with 172k on the clock and it still felt mint, and was really reliable.

As for the timing belt, the interval on that engine is 72k, so either yours was done a while ago, or desperately needs doing. Either way, I don't think that a visual inspection will give a good guide as it'll look fairly used anyway.

Thye answer you don't want, but I'm going to say anyway is you should get it done just in case, and get it an oil change as well. My timing belt on my 2.1td cost £120, so you'd probably be looking at £150ish now. If your going to do the servicing yourself, treat it to a fuel and air filter aswell. That engine will go on forever if it's looked after.

Welcome to the forum (should've said that first)

thanks very much neil, yeah that's pretty much what I expected to hear, you're right that I didn't want to, I knew I would though ... a full service and a timing belt required. I guess I'll be getting that done pretty soon then - my local garage quoted me £120 for a belt.

I did want to hear that you thought the engine was rock solid ... excellent news ... i was slightly worried that maybe they wouldn't be as good as the 1.9 XUDs that I seem to have been driving for years now. As far as I'm concerned those engines were brilliant. I only ever had one go wrong on me once and that wasn't really strictly speaking the engine's fault.

Some say the 2.1TD engine is the least reliable PSA diesel engine. But no probs with mine and had it for the past 43k miles

Get it chipped as well, will go like a rocket ;)

hehehe .. yeah, don't think mine is chipped but in comparison to the previous xantia 1.9td mine seems to go like a rocket too. I was catapulted onto the M6, I floored it to see what it was like and was up to 85 before I left the slip road. It felt like it was good for more than the 118mph but I don't seriously think I'll ever be finding that out.

Ahem... well it DOES go over 118mph but only by 2mph (and that's with 3 people and a boot full of luggage)

pavlf wrote:i was slightly worried that maybe they wouldn't be as good as the 1.9 XUDs

To be honest Paul, they're probably not as good as the 1.9XUD, that was the engine that was made of platinum!!! But the 2.1 is still a cracking block. Chipping is a matter of opinion, myself I'm under the impression that it's reduce the life of the engine and wouldn't do it. As you've noticed, the engine's nippy enough anyway after coming from a 1.9.

its impossible to tell if a timing belt is any good, unless it looks brand new, i.e. the letters on it are perfectley readable, and if the belt is starting to shred at the edges then get it changed QUICK
either way i would get it done asap, get it done by a diesel specialist or indepedant pug specialist

thanks for all the advice. I'll definitely be getting the belt done as soon as possible - i.e. as soon as I get some more cash!

I like the 2.1. It's balsy, and with the semi electronic control over some of the fuelling paramaters, it can be tuned with little fuss.

The 1.9 XUD, as used in the 406, also has a similar semi leccy lash up, so there's nothing more inherently to go wrong. Indeed, the system on the 1.9 is a pain to get optimised, though it can be done. Add to this the had cracking problems on the 1.9 fitted with EGR, and the 2.1 is likely to be at least as safe a bet.

Sounds like a sweet motor you have there. There's no reliable way of checking the cam belt for wear, so if in doubt get it changed. It's cheaper than having it break...

Thanks again for all the replies. Looks like my luck is in! I just got a letter from the previous owner telling me he sold the car cos it cost too much to insure it for his son. Also told me that the belt was changed at 89,000, had a full service at 93,000 and had new glow plugs fitted at christmas. So, seeing as it is now at only 95,000 I'd say the car is good for a while yet. Great news really.

I've done just over 300 miles in it so far and I've no complaints at all. It seems to be getting about 50 to the gallon which for a car of its size is quite amazing really and it does feel rock solid (and fast). I'm very pleased.

I remember the 2.1 engine in my 605 STDT it was a 12 valve unit and the turbo came in with a lot more urgency, and over a wider rev band than the newer HDi's.

Although the 2.1 and the 2.0HDi are both 110 BHP, the old 2.1 definately feels faster on the road.

Sounds like you've done well there chap, see if you can get some pics of the car/engine we all love to look at 406's here

the engine ... hope these links work!



some other part of the engine!

Nice one, the engine looks all clean and dry.

You should do well there chap, now to get banging those miles on it - I assume that's why you bought it?

Welly.

one of the car itself ...