406 HDI gear changing problems.

[smic717394]

Hi, I have a 406 2L HDI and its great, but for the past few weeks I noticed that when change the gears and release the clutch when it connects or biting point or whatever is the term, the car start shaking a bit, it has like a small vibration. It’s like when you try to start from the 2nd gear. If I rev it more to 1500 or 2000 it doesn’t do it, or as well I noticed that in the morning then is cold it runs fine. Also the clutch pedal is very hard when the engine is off ,Ii never noticed the pedal so hard and I had the car for 5 years, not just hard, but i cant even push it all the way it feels like something is pushing back against, but when the engine is running the pedal its fine. I noticed before the pedal much harder when the car was off but never like this. Can anybody please help...I don’t know if it matters but the service is due now.

[mjb]

Dunno about the clutch (is it cable or hydraulic?), but the vibration sounds like a shot engine mount

[smic717394]

Is a 2001 model so I guess is hydraulic. What is that you said the vibration is related too? Is something serious?

[Welly]

Sounds like the clutch has failed and/or the 'forks' which dissengage it. The only thing helping when the engine's running is that the flywheel/clutch are rotating not sure why it helps though. The hydraulic system is 'stand alone' and does not use a vacuum or anything so if the pedal is hard then something is getting in the way of the usual movement.

[smic717394]

Doesnt sound too good. I just book with the local Peugeot garage,

[Welly]

I just book with the local Peugeot garage,

That doesn't sound too good either

Watch their prices!

[Doggy]

Had something similar with my previous Citreon. Pedal was stiff some of the time, became more regular with time. I checked & found some sign of leakage from clutch master cylinder, (a drop or two of fluid around top of pedal). Sometimes when you pressed it, it became almost 'solid' at mid-travel, or could be persuaded further with a lot of force. Never actually fixed it as I was put off my stories of having to change the entire hydraulic system & possibly clutch as well. This may not be necessary - I think the guy Iwas talking to just didn't want the job. Besides, it wasn't actually broken.
Anyway, if you have the same problem, ('stiff' clutch pedal, sometimes not fully disengaging) and can confirm that, someone on here almost certainly knows the definitive answer...

[mjb]

Aye as welly says, Peugeot dealers are VERY expensive (£100+vat per hour) and you don't necessarily get the skills you think you're paying for. Best bet is to find a good independent garage, most will charge less than half the dealer's price.

http://www.goodgaragescheme.co.uk/ is a good place to start

[smic717394]

Thank you for the link, but this part of year I'm in Spain, in here is a about €80/hr, at least they can diagnostic and tell me what it is, is strange, today was a nice day about 17 degrees C and the pedal even with the engine off was nice and soft, when its cold the pedal is hard, it drives me nuts, I have to do the service Tuesday and I’ll ask them to check, I hope is not the clutch kit. Maybe is just needs a service, last service was done 28/07/2006 (service C) the dash still shows 1200 till next service but its been over 2 years, and i checked the oil manualy and its very low, but on the dash it show full....

[steve_earwig]

That's only a rough guide, not to be taken too seriously.

Interesting about the warm, that is weird.

[mjb]

If it goes hard with cold, I'd suggest a change of hydraulic fluid. If that fixes it, you've got a problem where the fluid's coming into contact with air

[steve_earwig]

If it goes hard with cold, I'd suggest a change of hydraulic fluid. If that fixes it, you've got a problem where the fluid's coming into contact with air

Maybe someone's topped it up with Russian heating oil...

[smic717394]

Where is the hydraulic fluid compartment? Is the same where the power steering fluid is? I top up a bit the brake fluid few moth back but I’m sure it wasn’t Russian heating oil ... or was it? I’ll have to investigate that.

[steve_earwig]

Depends what year it is, the early ones had a sealed system like the D8 2.1, later ones shared the brake fluid reservior.

[smic717394]

Is a 2001 model 2.0 HDI. But I took the car to Peugeot 2 days ago for servicing and I asked them to check the engine vibrations when changing gears as well that the pedal is hard when the car is off.
Anyway they said the vibration is because I have a loose or broken rubber engine support. But I don’t know what they did because the pedal is not hard anymore but now when I press the pedal half way, the pedal itself vibrates allot, I asked them what they did and they said NOTHING.

Anyway I had to book again for them to change the support and I will ask them to check the vibration too.
But why would the I feel vibration on the pedal when I press it half way down?