1992 309 Goodwood impulse buy
Discussion
Haven't done anything to the 309 over the last few months due to the arrival of my daughter, however this has given me the opportunity to scour the interweb for bargain 309 parts to help me with the restoration, which is quite handy! Just sorting part of my stash out today...
With a few hours still to spare I decided to start cracking on with the 'To do' list. Since the 309 decided it wasn't going to start today the first job was to swap the starter motor. To do this I decided to take the inlet manifold off to give me easy access from top, which also allows me to do some other odd jobs such as cleaning the throttle body / manifold. All was going well - all pipes and wires disconnected and the manifold was off and at that point I realised I'd lent my torx set to a friend last week, which meant I couldn't undo the starter bolts. Doh! So this is how we're looking:
Not the end of the world, I was just hoping to get it all back together today! Whilst it was all apart I swapped over the supplementary air device (SAD) for a spare. I'd originally suspected this was causing idling issues so got the old one out and tested it and the resistance was just about within tolerance, but decided to swap it anyway. However the pipe that connects this to the throttle body had split, so unmetered air was finding it's way into the engine which is more likely to be the cause of my problem. Just need to source a new pipe now! This is the SAD:
As you can see the connector is missing, and it also wasn't mounted properly - more bodgery. I did consider sourcing a new loom due to a few broke connectors, but I think my new plan for the car will negate the need for that...
...so, the current engine needs a bit of work, theres the rough idling on startup, but it also smokes a bit so I suspect the top end needs a refresh. And at 140k miles it's probably past it's best too, so instead of chucking loads of money in to getting it sorted i think the plan for next year will be to go for a GTi6 conversion. This will give me a modern (ish), reliable engine with plenty of power for the 309 that more or less bolts in to the current engine bay. I did also consider a V6, and although this would be awesome, it works out a lot more expensive due to the fabrication needed and I don't think the gain is worth it for me at the moment.
I probably won't take this on myself as lack of time these days means it would take far too long, and in reality it probably never get done, so in the new year I'll start looking for a local garage to do the conversion for me. Pretty exciting!
In the short term I hope to get the 8v engine running well enough to use it without fear of breaking down. Hopefully once I get it all back together it will almost be there!
With a few hours still to spare I decided to start cracking on with the 'To do' list. Since the 309 decided it wasn't going to start today the first job was to swap the starter motor. To do this I decided to take the inlet manifold off to give me easy access from top, which also allows me to do some other odd jobs such as cleaning the throttle body / manifold. All was going well - all pipes and wires disconnected and the manifold was off and at that point I realised I'd lent my torx set to a friend last week, which meant I couldn't undo the starter bolts. Doh! So this is how we're looking:
Not the end of the world, I was just hoping to get it all back together today! Whilst it was all apart I swapped over the supplementary air device (SAD) for a spare. I'd originally suspected this was causing idling issues so got the old one out and tested it and the resistance was just about within tolerance, but decided to swap it anyway. However the pipe that connects this to the throttle body had split, so unmetered air was finding it's way into the engine which is more likely to be the cause of my problem. Just need to source a new pipe now! This is the SAD:
As you can see the connector is missing, and it also wasn't mounted properly - more bodgery. I did consider sourcing a new loom due to a few broke connectors, but I think my new plan for the car will negate the need for that...
...so, the current engine needs a bit of work, theres the rough idling on startup, but it also smokes a bit so I suspect the top end needs a refresh. And at 140k miles it's probably past it's best too, so instead of chucking loads of money in to getting it sorted i think the plan for next year will be to go for a GTi6 conversion. This will give me a modern (ish), reliable engine with plenty of power for the 309 that more or less bolts in to the current engine bay. I did also consider a V6, and although this would be awesome, it works out a lot more expensive due to the fabrication needed and I don't think the gain is worth it for me at the moment.
I probably won't take this on myself as lack of time these days means it would take far too long, and in reality it probably never get done, so in the new year I'll start looking for a local garage to do the conversion for me. Pretty exciting!
In the short term I hope to get the 8v engine running well enough to use it without fear of breaking down. Hopefully once I get it all back together it will almost be there!
Bit of progress made with the 309 today. Finally got the starter motor swapped over. I changed it for a cheap second hand one, however it's from a later model so it's smaller, lighter and supposedly more reliable. The difference is clear when it's put next to the original starter:
Needed a slight modification to the soleniod wiring, but other than that it's a direct replacement.
The other job was to give a inlet manifold a clean. At 20 years old plenty of nasty oily deposits had built up, and this is one of my pet hates, so I wanted to make sure the throttle plate and air galleries were all clean to eliminate this from causing the rough idle. This muck was all over the inside of the throttle body:
But a bit of time with some carb cleaner and its now spick and span!
Also managed to repair the SAD hose so hopefully no more air leaks. So put it all back together with a new inlet manifold gasket and voila....
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n419/CarlosV8/2...
Didn't let it warm up as I need to top up the coolant and bleed the system, but it's never idled that steadily - it's normally just stalls so you have to keep your foot on the throttle for the first couple of minutes. The SAD also appears to be doing it's job by raising the idle whilst cold which is good. And in the 4 or 5 times I restarted it the new starter is working perfectly. All in all a productive few hours!
Needed a slight modification to the soleniod wiring, but other than that it's a direct replacement.
The other job was to give a inlet manifold a clean. At 20 years old plenty of nasty oily deposits had built up, and this is one of my pet hates, so I wanted to make sure the throttle plate and air galleries were all clean to eliminate this from causing the rough idle. This muck was all over the inside of the throttle body:
But a bit of time with some carb cleaner and its now spick and span!
Also managed to repair the SAD hose so hopefully no more air leaks. So put it all back together with a new inlet manifold gasket and voila....
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n419/CarlosV8/2...
Didn't let it warm up as I need to top up the coolant and bleed the system, but it's never idled that steadily - it's normally just stalls so you have to keep your foot on the throttle for the first couple of minutes. The SAD also appears to be doing it's job by raising the idle whilst cold which is good. And in the 4 or 5 times I restarted it the new starter is working perfectly. All in all a productive few hours!
Not much going on with work on the car at the moment, but a few months back I wrote to the DVLA to ask for any history they had on the car. For the princely sum of £5 they sent me a wad of paperwork detailing all the previous owners, with copies of the log books and also the original registration document. Quite interesting, but didn't tell me a lot about the car itself, apart from where it's been based over the last 20 years.
However, a quick check of the phone book revealed that the original owner still lived at the same address, so I decided to write him a letter to ask if he had any information on the car. I never expected a reply, but to my surprise I got an email a few days later saying all the history and documentation had gone with the car, however he had an old photograph that he was going to put in the post for me. Yesterday this arrives:
So this is Paul, the original owner, on a Peugeot members trackday round Silverstone when the 309 was just 3 months old. A great little bit of history to go with the car, so thanks Paul if you're reading this!
Certainly helps to give me a bit of inspiration - might have to pin it up in the garage to remind me what I'm aiming for when I'm cursing some more rust or a sheared off bolt
However, a quick check of the phone book revealed that the original owner still lived at the same address, so I decided to write him a letter to ask if he had any information on the car. I never expected a reply, but to my surprise I got an email a few days later saying all the history and documentation had gone with the car, however he had an old photograph that he was going to put in the post for me. Yesterday this arrives:
So this is Paul, the original owner, on a Peugeot members trackday round Silverstone when the 309 was just 3 months old. A great little bit of history to go with the car, so thanks Paul if you're reading this!
Certainly helps to give me a bit of inspiration - might have to pin it up in the garage to remind me what I'm aiming for when I'm cursing some more rust or a sheared off bolt
Edited by CarlosV8 on Monday 21st January 20:29
Awesome getting the pic!
gti6 engine really makes them fly, I'm running a 205 gti6 and I love it.
Slimline starter a good mod though. Also make sure you check the brown multiplug of doom which carries the starter solenoid wire and can corrode leading to the classic 'starting click' especially when warm.
It's a good idea to simply solder that connection together while you're down there.
gti6 engine really makes them fly, I'm running a 205 gti6 and I love it.
Slimline starter a good mod though. Also make sure you check the brown multiplug of doom which carries the starter solenoid wire and can corrode leading to the classic 'starting click' especially when warm.
It's a good idea to simply solder that connection together while you're down there.
I forgot to check that multiplug actually, must do that next time I'm in the garage.
The form I used was a V888, which can be found here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicl...
The form I used was a V888, which can be found here: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicl...
Cheers, yeah Ive seen that form before now you mention it.
What reason did you give for needing the info, as I was under the impression that if you said it was just for your own interest they didnt see that as being a decent enough reason to give it out?
Anyway, regarding the car, I love them and always have done!
A few of my mates had 309 GTI's back around 92-93 and I was always very jealous.
Another had a Goodwood, and I know he would love another one given the chance
What reason did you give for needing the info, as I was under the impression that if you said it was just for your own interest they didnt see that as being a decent enough reason to give it out?
Anyway, regarding the car, I love them and always have done!
A few of my mates had 309 GTI's back around 92-93 and I was always very jealous.
Another had a Goodwood, and I know he would love another one given the chance
djdestiny said:
Cheers, yeah Ive seen that form before now you mention it.
What reason did you give for needing the info, as I was under the impression that if you said it was just for your own interest they didnt see that as being a decent enough reason to give it out?
Can't remember exactly how I worded it, but basically said I was doing a restoration on the car and the information they provided would provide a valuable insight into the 309's history. Or some such waffle!What reason did you give for needing the info, as I was under the impression that if you said it was just for your own interest they didnt see that as being a decent enough reason to give it out?
shalmaneser said:
Slimline starter a good mod though. Also make sure you check the brown multiplug of doom which carries the starter solenoid wire and can corrode leading to the classic 'starting click' especially when warm.
It's a good idea to simply solder that connection together while you're down there.
I tried to check out this multiplug recently, but couldn't find any sign of it. Perhaps the later GTis have a different loom? Mine has a connector on the side of the inlet manifold, which I don't think earlier cars have.It's a good idea to simply solder that connection together while you're down there.
Anyways, the starting issue reappeared, but luckily this was just due to a dead battery that wouldn't hold any charge. So a new, beefier battery has now been fitted which should hopefully survive just moving the car in and out of the garage a bit longer than the old one!
In other news.... nothing really is going on in terms of working on the car. However, I've recently swapped my daily driver from a Vauxhall Monaro (5.7 litre petrol
) to a Seat Leon (1.9 litre diesel 
) which freed up a bit of cash 
so I've treated myself to a new pair of wishbones for the Goodwood, along with a set of these bad boys:
Hopefully the shiney wheels will divert people's eyes from the less-than-perfect paintwork
Also working on a deal for the original wooden Momo steering wheel and gearknob, which will complete the proper Goodwood look.With a bit of luck on the weather front I'm hoping to get some of these new bits fitted, along with putting the interior back together in the next few weeks. And maybe I'll wash it too and finally take some decent pics, but we'll see!
Edited by CarlosV8 on Saturday 30th March 21:49
Finally a bit of progress. Decided to get the interior sorted out today - not the most important job, but it was depressing seeing it in such a state whenever I went in to the garage. Plus it is something that needed to be done for the MOT anyway. So this is how we start:
So, on top of putting everything back together (after my failed carpet swap attempt) I also need to repair the rear quarter windows. These remotely open using a nifty lever/cable system, but unfortunately this was not in the best health meaning the off side window didn't close properly. Although I've got a few spares knocking around I've decided to ditch the remote opening windows for now and just use a simple latch. This is the clever remote latch:
You can see the cable looping round into the rear quarter panel, it's then routed down the side of the rear seats, along the floorpan and into the lever mechanism in the centre console. Firstly the mounting points need drilling out as some sort of weird rivet was used, then the replacement latch could be fitted:
As you can see it's a lot simpler! Fortunately the mounting holes all line up so it was just a case of bolting the replacement latch on and replacing the attachment on the window. I think this replacement came off a 205 and is a bit stiff. I managed to source one brand new latch and that went on the near side:
This one is much nicer to use! You can see the original cable hanging out in the pic - I've just tucked this away for now. One day I'll revisit this issue and will try to get the remote opening windows working again - they're quite useful when you have no one in the back to do it for you!
With that sorted I started getting the rest of the interior back together. Not quite there yet, but it now looks like this:
Although, with a recently acquired Goodwood-specific item, I now have the choice of the interior looking slightly different....
If I'm honest I've never been convinced about the optional wooden steering wheel and gearknob, but it's what the car had originally so it's nice to finally get my hands on them! Just waiting for the wheels to arrive now!
So, on top of putting everything back together (after my failed carpet swap attempt) I also need to repair the rear quarter windows. These remotely open using a nifty lever/cable system, but unfortunately this was not in the best health meaning the off side window didn't close properly. Although I've got a few spares knocking around I've decided to ditch the remote opening windows for now and just use a simple latch. This is the clever remote latch:
You can see the cable looping round into the rear quarter panel, it's then routed down the side of the rear seats, along the floorpan and into the lever mechanism in the centre console. Firstly the mounting points need drilling out as some sort of weird rivet was used, then the replacement latch could be fitted:
As you can see it's a lot simpler! Fortunately the mounting holes all line up so it was just a case of bolting the replacement latch on and replacing the attachment on the window. I think this replacement came off a 205 and is a bit stiff. I managed to source one brand new latch and that went on the near side:
This one is much nicer to use! You can see the original cable hanging out in the pic - I've just tucked this away for now. One day I'll revisit this issue and will try to get the remote opening windows working again - they're quite useful when you have no one in the back to do it for you!
With that sorted I started getting the rest of the interior back together. Not quite there yet, but it now looks like this:
Although, with a recently acquired Goodwood-specific item, I now have the choice of the interior looking slightly different....
If I'm honest I've never been convinced about the optional wooden steering wheel and gearknob, but it's what the car had originally so it's nice to finally get my hands on them! Just waiting for the wheels to arrive now!
PaulGT3 said:
Don't suppose you want to sell the old gearknob? Looks same as my 205 one which is knackered and they are no longer avaliable from Peugeot!
Sorry Paul, keeping it as a spare. Plenty of 205s / 309s getting broken though - as long as you don't want one with red lettering you should be able to pick one up reasonably cheap.Bit more work done today, which should make a big difference to how the car drives. On the drive home from Kent all those months ago when I bought it there was an interesting handling trait where the car tried change lanes by itself at motorway speeds whenever you accelerated. I recognised this instantly from my old 205 Dturbo as worn wishbone bushes, which allows the wishbone to move as force is transmitted through the suspension on acceleration, this causes a slight movement in the wheel geometry which pulls the car to one side. I could have just changed the bushes, but as at least one of the wishbones was looking a bit tired I decided to buy a new pair.
First job was to get the old wishbone out, which essentially involves removing the wheel then undoing 4 nuts/bolts. Needed a bit of leverage to separate the wishbone from the hub carrier though:
Notice the red springs - I assume these are lowering springs as I didn't appreciate how low the car was until I tried to get a jack underneath! Eagle-eyed readers will also spot that the metal coolant pipe ideally also needs replacing, along with the track rod end - more jobs for the To Do list. Once out it was clear what was causing the wayward handling:
And new vs old:
Both sides are now done, so I'm hoping the old girl will be much nicer to drive now. We'll find out one the way to the MOT at some point in the near future!
The final part of the Goodwood jigsaw arrived this week, I now have the correct set of wheels. Even gave the car a quick wash to help show them off:
Also took the opportunity to have a nose at some potential rust issues underneath. Worst bit is at the rear of of the off side sill:
It'll probably mean removing the fuel tank to sort it, but shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hopefully it's not an MOT fail, so I can the car roadworthy then take it to a welder to get this done properly along with the 2 headlamp panels and any other little repairs that are needed.
Also took the opportunity to have a nose at some potential rust issues underneath. Worst bit is at the rear of of the off side sill:
It'll probably mean removing the fuel tank to sort it, but shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hopefully it's not an MOT fail, so I can the car roadworthy then take it to a welder to get this done properly along with the 2 headlamp panels and any other little repairs that are needed.
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