2.0 8v RHY HDi engine questions

[Galahad]

I've got a 306 but the engine is 99.99% the same. Its the 2.0 8v HDi RHY engine.

I've been hearing some interesting things about this engine, not least its love of bottom pulleys dying, shoving the auxiliary belts in the way of the cambelt and then the obvious happens.

But i've also been told that in most cases, no valve/piston damage occurs as the followers/rockers are designed to break first in the event of valve/piston contact.

I've been told if I simply remove any broken rockers/followers, replace with new, renew waterpump, new bottom pulley, new cambelt kit, that the engine will more than likely be absolutely fine.

Does this sound reasonable to anyone?

[jamjar1383]

i'd like to know this to

[steve_earwig]

Er yes, although I wouldn't like to say this happens 100% of the time, there's always the chance there'll be a bent valve or two but I guess this would depend on the speed of the engine when it goes.

[Galahad]

Er yes, although I wouldn't like to say this happens 100% of the time, there's always the chance there'll be a bent valve or two but I guess this would depend on the speed of the engine when it goes.

But in your experience of these engines, has it been quite frequent that its been the case?

I have a 306 worth saving and I have a HDI RHY engine I removed from a Xsara before I binned it, I could just swap the engines over, but i'd like to fix the one in the 306 if its doable cheaply.

[steve_earwig]

My experience? My actual hands-on experience of this is zero, but I have read of quite a few on this and other forums and quite a few owners have been pleasantly surprised. I've yet to hear of one where the engine was more seriously damaged, although I have been reading about the 2.2 HDis fitted to the 806, C8 and Fiat Useless loosing their timing belts early, destroying the engine and the subsequent fight people are having with the manufacturer because of it, however a 2.2 HDi over on the coupe club recently lost its timing belt and that got away with replacing 16 rockers and 4 valves.

Are you saying the engine in the 306 has actually lost its timing belt? If so I think I'd have the cam cover off, clear up the debris & give it a compression test to be sure (you might have to borrow a tester though, they ain't cheap )

[jamjar1383]

the only diesel engine ive ever worken oon that snapped its belt and not bent any valves was the 1.9 dti in a lauguna, it snapped thw woodruff key on the cam pully, chucked another belt on and cam pully and its done 40k since with no prob.

[Galahad]

the only diesel engine ive ever worken oon that snapped its belt and not bent any valves was the 1.9 dti in a lauguna, it snapped thw woodruff key on the cam pully, chucked another belt on and cam pully and its done 40k since with no prob.

Supposedly the 2.0 8v HDi is designed the same way, it snaps the key on the cam pulley, if the valves hit the pistons, the followers/rockers break to save the engine.

I did have the car listed on Ebay and some guy said he would have paid my asking price if I was closer, but offered me the advice freely, reckoned he had done 5+ of these 2.0 8v HDi engines and all he had to do was replace followers/rockers, complete cambelt kit, water pump and obviously new Cam pulley.

I just don't want to bin the engine in the 306 if it can be fixed relatively cheaply.

[jamjar1383]

i wuld think its wrth a try mate, if u have a sapre engine all u have to buy is a timing belt kit, as u can just rob the rockers and pully of the other engine

[FarmerPug]

ive seen a cars engine taken to pieces after a timing belt snapped, not pretty.

[Welly]

You need to bear in mind that the risk of major damage is reduced on the HDi as the cam-caps (bearing caps) do indeed break and allow the valve stems to push the camshaft up out of the way but there's always a risk that more damage could be done if it happened at high engine revs.

I think it's fair to say that most people 'get away with it' without too much trouble.

[FarmerPug]

the moral of the story is its better to be proactive than reactive. A timing belt change costs less than the repairs for not changing it.