hello, new 406 owner

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weejimmy
1.8 8v
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:03 pm

hello, new 406 owner

Post by weejimmy »

hey just to say hello to all, ive just took delivery of my 1st 406 today,
a 2.1 td executive.
im hoping to convert to bosh pump and run on veg oil. and sort out a few niggly electrical issues so no doubt ill be asking questions soon enough,
need to get a mot 1st thoe, think ill just chuck it in as is then see what i need to fix and go from there.

any info on what to look out for on these cars?

thanks
2.1 td exe
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mjb
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Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by mjb »

weejimmy wrote:any info on what to look out for on these cars?
Puddles! :shock:

The air intake is close to the ground on 406s and quite a few have been written off after ingesting water, so be careful around water that's 6" deep or more!
<steve_earwig> I think this forum is more about keeping our cars going with minimal outlay than giving our cars more reason to go bang
weejimmy
1.8 8v
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:03 pm

Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by weejimmy »

ok ill try avoid that then.
could i stick a aftermarket filter on it to stop that?
2.1 td exe
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highlander
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Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by highlander »

Basically, you'll want to check for rust and/or damaged paintwork, as these are signs the car has had an accident. Once the paintwork is damaged, the 406 will rust more or less just as quickly as other cars.

You'll also want to check for water ingress, particularly through the sunroof (if you have one), in the footwells, and in the wheel well in the boot.

Water in the footwells is a major issue as there's all kinds of important wiring (etc) under the carpets there.

If you have a full service history, check to see if the cam belt has been changed any time recently. If it has been around 90,000 miles since the belt was changed (or if it has the original belt), then it's an important one to consider, as a snapped cam belt will ruin your whole day (and possibly your whole engine).

Other than that, you can look out for your odometer showing more and more and more miles, admiring glances from pedestrians and Vauxhall drivers, and your grin in your own reflection.

These are great cars - generally very solid and dependable, stylish and comfortable, practical and enjoyable. And you've got all the toys, being an Exec-spec owner (I have the LX trim pack, second from bottom :()

Welcome to the club!
2002 (D9) Peugeot 406 Coupe SE, 2.2 litre Petrol. Scarlet Red/Rouge Ecarlate/Rosso Scarlatto. Black Leather interior. SOLD :(
2008 (E60 LCI) BMW 525i M-Sport, 3.0 litre Petrol. Carbonschwarz Metallic. Black Dakota Leather and Myrtlewood interior.
weejimmy
1.8 8v
Posts: 33
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:03 pm

Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by weejimmy »

great info there thanks,
im not sure on the belt so may have to do that, dosent look like a job id want to do in situ thoe.
if i can tie it in with my pump change i think ill be saving some effort there mayby,

also theres some rust on the sills. need to get them welded or replaced.
2.1 td exe
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HimBigChief
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Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by HimBigChief »

Went through a deep area of standing water today in my 2.1TD and just got out the other side and it died. Refused to start, so I took out the air filter (was soaking wet) and tried again. Eventually I managed to get it going again, but not after it had made some strange noises and was rocking rather violently. Eventually it calmed itself down and I was able to get home. It seems fine now, although we'll see what happens on the run to work tomorrow. The air filter is downstairs, and hopefully it'll be dry enough in the morning to refit, although will get a new one tomorrow lunchtime anyway. I think one of the more pressing jobs on my to-do list now is to address the air intake issue.

What happened above was caused by the water forcing down the splashguard on the left hand side at the bottom of the bumper which forced water up and through where I assume the air intake is. Cue water ingress and I was very fortunate in that I didn't kill the engine, although I thought I had for a few minutes. I'm not sure whether MJB's trick of drilling a hole in the top of the air pipe would have worked in this case as the water was more forced in and sucked in it would seem. That said, I will be drilling a hole in the pipe as soon as I get some time at home in the light. 8mm sound about right MJB? All this on top of having to change a rear wheel in the rain and pitch black at 7am this morning on the way to work...

Other than that, mine's been a good car for the last 12 months, but we'll see what happens next month when it's the dreaded MOT time.
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'98 2.1TD Executive Daily Drive........................................'94 309 Goodwood Project Car
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mjb
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Re: hello, new 406 owner

Post by mjb »

You can either remove the bottom half of the intake pipe (jack the nearside up and remove the wheel+wheelarch liner to get to it) which should let you use full throttle in up to about a foot of water, or you can drill holes in the engine bay side of the pipe under the air filter box. I drill enough to allow enough air in for the engine to open the idle control valve fully - the ICV on the V6 and tubby is about 15mm internal diameter, so that's the rough amount of holeage you should be looking at to allow the car to run with your foot off the accelerator. Even if the intake's submerged, with the hole(s) in the pipe, the engine (via the 15mm ICV) will suck air through the hole(s) because it's easier than drinking through a 3" straw!

I know not many models have an ICV, using a fly-by-wire throttle or solenoid acting on the throttle butterfly instead, but I can't imagine an engine at idle sucking more air than the V6
<steve_earwig> I think this forum is more about keeping our cars going with minimal outlay than giving our cars more reason to go bang
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