My 406 is the most unreliable car I have ever had..

[GingerMagic]

What can I say, my car broke down again tonight. This is the second time since I have had it, which is only 18 months. The first time was luckily outside my Step-Mums which was handy as I got a lift home. Tonight it was only a 5 minute walk home but parked in a 30 minute bay. I guess conking out twice in 18 months for a French car is probably the norm, even quite good but I have never ever broken down in any of my previous cars, and 2 of those were Morris Marinas..

It bump started fine, so I am now on the lookout for starter motor number 3.

To be fair - its previous life as a taxi would have been lots of stop / start journeys which would definitely shorten a starter motors life, but the second one from donor car was a low mileage example and was very clean when I first put it in but it is now covered in oil at the connector end which I think is from my leaking air-dosers or somewhere like that..??

I will take it out in the next few days, give it a scrub and see if it is the connections or if it has seized like the last one ( is there a way the car can wear out a starter..?? )

A replacement part is around £30 from a scrappy down the road, depending on the brand, and I fortunately still have the 306XUD which I haven't got round to selling yet so again that trusty steed comes to the rescue - it fired up first time after being stood up for a month......

Oh well, off to scour fleabay for starters as a back-up....

Kelv.

[Rolebama]

Did the starter cause it to breakdown, or just wouldn't start it to make the journey? So often it is the bonnet badge that is blamed for unreliability when it is a component over which the manufacturer may have no control, or have lost it. An oil leak onto the starter is not the sign of an unreliable car, but an unreliable owner.

[jasper5]

Oil leaking onto (into) a starter is a kiss of death for any starter motor on any car.

[GingerMagic]

Ha Ha, yes I am an unreliable owner..

I know it isn't the badges fault and the starter is made by a 3rd party, not Peugeot, but it is this particular car which has failed to start when required, making the car unreliable regardless of which component has failed.

Hopefully the Nico pipes will cure the oil blowing over the starter, and as Mark W suggested on the ' other' side - it could be ' worn ring gear ' which sounds like a dodgy porno movie but possible on a high miler.

Lets just take a butchers when the starter is out, is it worth cleaning and refitting or should I just go and get a replacement?

[jonsowman]

Starter went on our 2.2HDi estate at 205k, though it failed gradually, getting more and more reluctant to start until eventually it gave up entirely.

Fitted a new Bosch replacement and it's been fine since

[Doggy]

My alternator died last winter as a direct result of a fuel leak from the filter bowl, (which the replacement from Kelv's donor car sorted out).
As jasper says, an oil leak onto the starter isn't good, but they're far less 'ventilated' so you would think less vulnerable. If it was mine and getting it going wasn't too urgent, I would at least have a look to see if it could be salvaged.
What did it do?
Not crank at all?
Did you hear the solenoid operate?

BTW my first Vauxhall had 6 engine rebuilds in 18 months, which I rate as the second most unreliable car I've owned. The title goes to it's successor, a Ford Capri, which despite a complete engine overhaul, new carbs + fuel system + battery, starter and complete ignition system, could not be started even by towing in the morning. It would start first time in the evening.

[GingerMagic]

Hi Doggy, yes the solanoid clicks and starter tries to turn but just seems to jam. Floodys will sell me his one from his scrapper, so that will get me going until I can take the old one out and have a look at it

My car isn't unreliable really, its only this starter issue which lets it down - should be good as gold when sorted.

Happy New Year everybody.

Kelv.

[Rolebama]

I have successfully 'resurrected' oiled-up starters and alternators by carefully cleaning them with meths. Just don't get it in the bearings. Use a cocktail stick to clean out between the segments of the commutator.

[GingerMagic]

I was thinking about using some de-greaser all over the back of the starter to clean it when it is out and disconnected, it was working fine until the oil so I hope this will do it.

I have some terps in the shed I can use instead if necessary.

What is a commutator? Is that the pinion?

[jonsowman]

The commutator is the split copper ring against which the brushes sit, it'll be at the end of the motor with the power terminals