Buying a 306 GTi-6 - cambelt advice needed

Buying a 306 GTi-6 - cambelt advice needed

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GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
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I'm picking up my new toy on Friday, a Peugeot 306 GTi-6.

It's a high miler, 236k of them, but the engine was rebuilt 100k miles ago so that doesn't worry me too much.

What is concerning me is that the cambelt was changed 20k miles ago in 2009.

I'm going to be driving the car back to Newcastle from Hampshire - how likely is the cambelt to snap and destroy the car's engine on that drive? The car has been garaged for the last three years, only taken out once or twice a week for a run (the MOT check website backs that up), so it's not been exposed to the elements in that time.

I've asked the seller to check the condition of the cambelt for me, so will know more about it then, but would appreciate any advice you guys can offer. I'll be getting it changed myself by the New Year at the latest but will do it sooner if needs be.

Thanks!

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Monday 23rd November 2015
quotequote all
The worry I have is that 30-35k seems to be the recommended cambelt change interval on these... Peugeot said 70k atclaunch but that was rather revised down when they started going pop and destroying people's engines!

Can't really afford to get it done right away, it'll be an after Xmas job - or I might just do it myself.

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Thursday 26th November 2015
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LeeThr said:
It should be fine, but I would make it priority to get it changed ASAP before doing any serious running with it.
That's my inclination - I will check the cambelt tomorrow and I will take it easy on the drive home.

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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If I pay postage will you be willing to send it up...?

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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S10GTA said:
Yeah if you like. I read your initial post incorrectly and thought you were going the other way.
I definitely would like! You're a gent.

The car didn't miss a beat all the way home. Love it.

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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LeeThr said:
How did you find the clutch?

I know the one in mine is as good as a gym workout.
Bloody heavy. The gearlever feels very loose and slushy too. Read it might be some ball joints that have gone?

The lack of right hand lock sure makes parking fun...

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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S10GTA said:
Drop me a message with your address and I'll get it in the post
Email sent. Thanks, you're a gentleman and a scholar!

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Wednesday 2nd December 2015
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S10GTA said:
The good lady is posting it today. Should be with you by the end of the week.
Top, top man. Thank you so much, let me know what the postage costs and how to get it to you.

Chr1sh, ta for the advice - I'll get it looked over by a local specialist when I get the cambelt changed and see what they think the issue with the gearchange is.

I've noticed the STOP light has been flickering on intermittently - it does it for a fraction of a second then goes off again. Nowt to worry about, right?

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Monday 7th December 2015
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S10GTA said:
What he said. Coolant level will likely be the culprit imho
After leaving the lights on all day by mistake on Friday, and subsequently killing the battery flat (got a jump, all is now fine), the STOP light has decided to make itself a permanent fixture of my dashboard.

None of the other lights are on and the thing is driving fine... I'll give it a bit of coolant and see if that sorts it.

On the plus side, my cambelt and water pump arrived on Saturday - THANK YOU to S10GTA for your generosity, you're a gent.

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Tuesday 8th December 2015
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I've noticed that it feels more... urgent at idle when the STOP light is on. When the light goes off it calms down.

What do you reckon is causing the idling issue? Is it a cooling issue?

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Tuesday 8th December 2015
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The temperature gauge is borked (always way over the red line as soon as I turn the key) - should probably get that sorted as well, really. Other gauges work fine, oil temperature seems fine.

When the STOP light is on it does feel a little bit juddery, aye.

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Tuesday 29th March 2016
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You guys were so helpful last time I asked a GTi-6 question that I thought I'd ask another one...

I've had a bit of a mishap. Basically, I wasn't paying attention, I clipped a traffic island and shredded the nearside front tyre. Such a pathetic thing to do - I've been concentrating harder since.

The problem is that since that, at any speed above 30mph the thing is veering off to one side under hard acceleration while the wheel moves slightly to the other. Releasing the accelerator makes it veer back and makes the wheel move back to where it should be.

So the question is, what have I damaged and how expensive is it going to be to fix?

On the bright side, the temperature gauge has fixed itself since I last posted in this thread and is showing normal temperature levels. biggrin

GeordieInExile

Original Poster:

683 posts

121 months

Tuesday 29th March 2016
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That was what I feared. God damn it.

I like this car and I want to keep it for a while yet, so I'll cough up for new parts if needs be.