Peugeot 205 XR

[PrinceRupert]

As per my readers ride thread i am working on my first project car. It is a 1.4 tu3 205 that was sitting for ten years before i bought it but was running with a 12m MOT when i got it. First things i did was changed belt/waterpump/tensioner, oil and filter change, coolant flush and renewal, discs and pads, air filter, replaced oil breather hose as it was damaged.

I got it running yesterday and i have a few concerns:

- lot of white smoke/steam from exhaust, though it has calmed down a bit
- smoke/steam from front of engine when hot, possibly from exhaust manifold
- bogging down / stalling when accelerating (stationary in neutral). I pull choke out a bit leave it to idle for a few minutes push choke in and then accelerate a bit and it bogs down and eventually stalls.

I have had it suggested to me to check/clean carb and points which i can do (albeit dont yet know how too...) but given i have not intentionally touched either not sure why theyd now be a problem. Any ideas?

Ill post a few videos shortly

[Piersman2]

Could be that the carbs will need a dismantle and clean out if it's been sat for 10 years.

The old fuel may have dried out and left deposits in various places within the carbs, or the carbs themselves may just have lots of crud in them, the floats could have some residual fuel leaked into them, old rubbers and gaskets could have perished, etc...

Edited by Piersman2 on Sunday 17th January 11:14

[catman]

If it sat for ten years, there's a good chance that it needs the fuel system including the carb cleaning, as above. Have you put new petrol in? Petrol degrades over time. It may need a service too, plugs, points etc.

Edited by catman on Sunday 17th January 11:55

[paintman]

Old stale petrol - years, not months - improperly stored will also give you lots of white smoke out of the exhaust.
Rough running too, assuming it will even start.
Been there, done that!

[rustednut]

Don't touch the fuel side until the ignition side is correct.

If it has points, rotor arm, distributor cap and has been sat for 10 years they will need replacing or at least some attention to their surfaces.

Quite likely the fuel system may need a clean through but if the ignition side isn't correct it will just confuse the issues if you are not careful.

[E-bmw]

Sounds like either weak spark or fuelling issues.

All you can do is everything one at a time until it is right.

Sparks are easiest (generally) to start with.

Plugs/leads/dizzy/points/timing (tick as appropriate)

Carbs/floats/fuel lines/fresh fuel.

Intake/filter/hoses etc.

[PrinceRupert]

Thanks.

I've replaced the spark plugs.

It had basically no fuel in it, ive put 5l of fresh in.

Sounds like i need to have a look at carb and dizzy/points. Not that i know how to do either but need to work it out.

I was a bit concerned with a small amount of mayo under oil cap this morning (fresh oil). Should i be thinking about head gasket or just condensation with cold car not run up to temp?

[paintman]

PrinceRupert said:

I was a bit concerned with a small amount of mayo under oil cap this morning (fresh oil). Should i be thinking about head gasket or just condensation with cold car not run up to temp?

Any loss of coolant?

[PrinceRupert]

paintman said:

Any loss of coolant?

Not that ive noticed, but not run it for long. Could mark a line on header tank and run it for a bit and see? I turn it off when i see steam from engine bay in case it is overheating...

[PrinceRupert]

[url]|https://thumbsnap.com/K1QagDw7[/url

Thats a brand new plug!

[Tony1963]

I’d say the poor thing needs to go for a proper drive, if safe and legal, to get everything properly hot. Reading spark plugs when all it’s doing is idling isn’t going to tell you much.
Does the coolant temp gauge on the dash work as you’d expect it to? Does the top hose get hot? Electric fan? If so, so it kick in?

[PrinceRupert]

Yes I think you might be right. I just insured and taxed it and took it for a spin round the block. It drove okay, did stall once and it was a bit hesitant about starting again, but did. Did squeal a lot so either my cam belt or alternator belt is too tight.

[E-bmw]

PrinceRupert said:

Did squeal a lot so either my cam belt or alternator belt is too tight.

Probably alternator belt loose, but as it has been stood I would replace both before getting too serious anyway.

Don't forget belt change frequency is normally something like 50,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes soonest.

[PrinceRupert]

E-bmw said:

Probably alternator belt loose, but as it has been stood I would replace both before getting too serious anyway.

Don't forget belt change frequency is normally something like 50,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes soonest.

Yes both are brand new and replaced by yours truly. Who is a very amateur mechanic hence why something won't be right.

I'm going to take the alternator belt off and take it for a spin round the block to make sure it is it rather than the cambelt.

One other thing I didnt mention is when I got back from my trip and turned off the key the engine kept going for a few seconds. I think the various symptoms suggest over fuelling?

[catman]

Running on could be incorrect ignition timing, or an air leak related to the carb.

[paintman]

PrinceRupert said:

E-bmw said:

Probably alternator belt loose, but as it has been stood I would replace both before getting too serious anyway.

Don't forget belt change frequency is normally something like 50,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes soonest.

Yes both are brand new and replaced by yours truly. Who is a very amateur mechanic hence why something won't be right.

I'm going to take the alternator belt off and take it for a spin round the block to make sure it is it rather than the cambelt.

One other thing I didnt mention is when I got back from my trip and turned off the key the engine kept going for a few seconds. I think the various symptoms suggest over fuelling?

Cam belts have teeth which engage with the appropriate gears on the crankshaft, camshaft & the water pump.
They don't slip & squeal.
If the squeal is cam belt related then on the TU engine it is likely to be either the water pump bearing or the belt tensioner. Normal to replace the tensioner when fitting a new belt.
You've done that & I presume you correctly tensioned it.

Most likely cause is the alternator drive belt incorrectly adjusted & slipping which can be made worse after starting or with a discharged battery as the load on the alternator increases its resistance to turning.

ETA We had 3 205 1.4GR hatchbacks in the noughties when my sons first started driving. They were excellent cars all round, easy to work on & as we found when my youngest rolled one into a field very strong too! Wrote the car off but he walked away with minor bumps & bruises.

Edited by paintman on Monday 18th January 10:55

[PrinceRupert]

paintman said:

Cam belts have teeth which engage with the appropriate gears on the crankshaft, camshaft & the water pump.
They don't slip & squeal.
If the squeal is cam belt related then on the TU engine it is likely to be either the water pump bearing or the belt tensioner. Normal to replace the tensioner when fitting a new belt.
You've done that & I presume you correctly tensioned it.

Most likely cause is the alternator drive belt incorrectly adjusted & slipping which can be made worse after starting or with a discharged battery as the load on the alternator increases its resistance to turning.

ETA We had 3 205 1.4GR hatchbacks in the noughties when my sons first started driving. They were excellent cars all round, easy to work on & as we found when my youngest rolled one into a field very strong too! Wrote the car off but he walked away with minor bumps & bruises.

Edited by paintman on Monday 18th January 10:55

Thank you. I did replace the water pump and the belt tensioner. I hope I correctly tensioned it, was never quite sure if it was at the right tension given it is my first cam belt. I tried to get it to the "90 degree turn" standard, which really was as tight as I could get it. So as you say, hopefully it is the aux belt, which is an easy fix.

Certainly easy to work on, lots of access, wouldn't even dare try half the tasks I've tried on this on my kv6 75, the engine bay is very tightly packed, lots of plumbing, and three cam belts!

[catman]

Cam belts can make a noise if they're too tight. My Son had this problem with his 106 GTI. We took it back and had it re tensioned and it was fine afterwards.

[rustednut]

Difficult to describe the difference between a squeal and/or a whine.

If it is a squeal, then it is likely auxiliary belt related. If it is a whine then it is probably a tensioning issue, most likeley on the cambelt area especially if it is set too tight.

[PrinceRupert]

On further inspection this morning, I found oil/coolant gunk on inside of oil breather hose and the coolant level in the header tank appears to have dropped quite significantly. Doesnt look good...