DMF on the way out...??

[406gtx]

Hi all - 1st post on the forum but I've been browsing for several weeks now.

I drive a 406GTX 2.2HDi (2001 year). Over the last 3k miles or so I've noticed a pinking/chirping noise on startup and stopping the engine. Also happens a bit when I change gear. A quick forum search seems to lead to the old DMF problem.

This morning I heard a slightly louder clicking/ticking noise between idle and 2000rpm. Checked under the hood and found a soft metal band (Attached photo #2) attached to the top flywheel where it was still wedged under the belt. It's 12mm wide and 30cm long. The 2 ends don't match so I assume that there is still some of left somewhere.

The other attached photo (#1) shows me pointing to the exact location before I lifted it out.

Any ideas as to what it is/was for and, more importantly, is the clock now ticking on my DMF?

I live in France and have a Peugeot dealer nearby who replaced my FAP system last year.

Any comments welcome.

[Doggy]

Hello & wecome to the forum

The piece of metal looks like what you get with a disintegrating crankshaft pulley - did you find it near the left-hand end of the engine, (when viewed from the front)? That would tend to confirm it, (also you seem to be pointing at the aux drive belt).

Good news is it's not so bad to sort out as a dmf flywheel, the pulley's something like £80-£90 in the UK. You can change it in an hour or two. Better to change aux drive belt & idlers at the same time.

Don't leave it, get the diagnosis confirmed & get it done. If it lets go, the aux belt will come off & you'll lose power steering & charging - it's happened to me.

Bits of the aux drive belt have been known to enter the timing belt cover and cause major engine damage on similar Peugeot diesels.

Just being nosey, whereabouts in France are you?

[lofty]

Definatly not part of your DMF.

Like Welly has said my money would be on the Bottom Pulley on its way out. Thats not to say your DMF isnt squeaky either - i know quite a lot of us on here have squeaky DMF's and just live with it.

Hope you get it sorted easily enough though.

[406gtx]

Hello & wecome to the forum

Just being nosey, whereabouts in France are you?

We're up in the vineyards about about 10km south of Cognac, Poitou Charente.

1.5 hours to Bordeaux
8 hours to Calais

If God was an alcoholic, this is where he'd live...

[406gtx]

Forgot to add - got it sorted at the local Pug dealer yesterday - bottom pulley and drive belt replaced - €360 all in (about £300)

Bit steep but the car sounds a million times better and goes like a rocket now.

Just another quick question - what are all your thoughts on retread tyres. I've found 4 re-cut Michelin's over here for €140 delivered to a local garage who can fit them for another €40 including balancing - total cost €180 (about £150). I've read some reviews here and they seem pretty good.

Tyres are generally about 30% more here - the only other option I;ve got is to wait until September and get some in the UK via BlackCircles.

[Doggy]

We're up in the vineyards about about 10km south of Cognac, Poitou Charente.

1.5 hours to Bordeaux
8 hours to Calais

If God was an alcoholic, this is where he'd live...

Nice! passed near there year before last en route to Biarritz, (hoping to do Med coast / Spanish border area next year).

Glad to hear you got the pulley sorted.

Personally, I wouldn't touch anything but new tyres, (though there will be plenty of people who disagree). I usually try to get something of reasonable quality without going for the big names, stuff like Bridgestone or Uniroyal. Shopping around is the answer, (at least in the UK). I usually play all the tyre places off against each other, get the best price regionally, then twist some local supplier's arm to match it.

If you don't mind my asking, how much did the FAP system job cost you and did they do the whole 9 yards, (FAP replacement, eolys refill, reset everything etc.)? Did they offer you a reconditioned FAP as an option?

I've heard French labour charges are more reasonable, is that so?

[406gtx]

Hi Dogslife - good surfing in Biarritz if you're into that sort of thing...

The same Pug dealer charged me €770 (about €650) for the whole 9 yards - entirely new system. They even included a new back box for the exhaust as the old one had started to rot where it coupled to the particle filter.

Just looked at their invoice for the bottom pulley and their labour rate is €59 per hour for the job. There are a couple of other independent garages here that chrge about €45 per hour but my neighbours have warned me that they are both a bit shoddy.

Bear in mind that employers over here pay the equivalent of 48% in social charges (National Insurance) to employ someone over here i.e. you get paid €20,000 a year, your employer pays another €9600 in taxes for the privilege of employing you.

I have to say that the Pug dealers service levels and communication were excellent in both cases, even with my dodgy French...

I used to run my own business in the UK - transport company at Heathrow airport. I would never consider employing anyone here as it's a bloody minefield of regulation and red-tape. I'm quite happy getting paid €20 per hour gross for gardening and general house maintenance. I used to work 70+ hours a week - now I'm down to about 25 hours a week...

[Welly]

£650's good for a replacement FAPPY system, especially at the dealers.

Nice little story there too, I bet you're soooo glad to be out of this country.

We work far too hard over here, and for what?

[406gtx]

£650's good for a replacement FAPPY system, especially at the dealers. Bloody hell - something that's cheaper in France than in the UK...

Nice little story there too, I bet you're soooo glad to be out of this country. Oh god, yes...

We work far too hard over here, and for what?

The froggies have it sorted - 35 hours a week and 2 hours for lunch...

[Doggy]

Hi Dogslife - good surfing in Biarritz if you're into that sort of thing...

I can't swim but the dogs loved it - they're bi-lingual too

£650's good for a replacement FAPPY system, especially at the dealers.

Too true - sounds like you had the complete exhaust, apart from down pipe & cat, (£1200)
The back box, (£151), joins onto intermediate pipe, (£118), which connects to FAP, (£421). With the clamps that's £703 in the UK for the bits, (not counting the Eolys).

If my master plan to de-Fap the dogmobile fails, I may be limping to France in the not too far distant

[406gtx]

[quote="dogslife]
If my master plan to de-Fap the dogmobile fails, I may be limping to France in the not too far distant [/quote]

Check out the Pug dealuers in Calais, Boulogne and Dunkirk - I think they all have english-speaking staff and are quite used to Brits popping over for a service.

Bon courage!