Pug 405 Dizzler. Fix or Frag?

[Pete-M]

I once owned a K plate 405 GED. Not for long, but as it was free with a bit of tax'n'test even I couldn't say no.

 

It pissed diesel all over the alternator on the way home, but still made it from Tottenham to Liverpool on something ludicrous like £15 worth of the foul smelly stuff - this was back in 2001. It was comfy enough, and after a thorough valet and the leak fixing it fetched £700 through the local auctions. Which is enough profit to earn it a happy place in my memory.

 

I despise diesels, but the turbodiseasel 1.9 in the 405 and Xantia is an exception. It's an honest diesel. It doesn't try to blag you it's a petrol by needing all kinds of hyper expensive and unreliable shit in a foolhardy attempt to house train it. It's obviously diesel, a bit loud, a bit rattly, unwilling to do anything other than lug its nuts off and appeal to those people to whom economy is more important than anything else.

 

The only correct use of a diesel engine is as a stationary power plant. In a non-turbo 405 it very nearly fits the job description even when flat out. Therefore I don't mind 405 diesels.

[dollywobbler]

See I think the turbo actually ruins it. It's a big cop out, saying "I want to be like a petrol engine!" I'm quite happy with miserable power right through the rev range. Actually, if I had the bhp it should be putting out, I would be happy...

 

I drove a turbo diesel BX recently and it becomes a real battle to keep it above 2000rpm but below 4000, by which point it's running out of puff and your ears are bleeding. The NA diesels plod along very merrily between 1500rpm and 3000. Very relaxing. You can maintain a surprisingly good pace, all without having to head the noisy side of 3000rpm. The torque just keeps coming, gently.

[Pete-M]

For me, the turbo is necessary. I had a Xantia TD for a while and found it easy enough to keep it 'on the boil' most of the time.

 

I think the thing with the TD is that the difference between being on and off boost is that large it makes the off boost 'performance' seem very weak indeed - which it is. Whereas with the NA job it's equally weak everywhere.

[bigstraight6]

I once owned a K plate 405 GED. Not for long, but as it was free with a bit of tax'n'test even I couldn't say no.

 

It pissed diesel all over the alternator on the way home, but still made it from Tottenham to Liverpool on something ludicrous like £15 worth of the foul smelly stuff - this was back in 2001. It was comfy enough, and after a thorough valet and the leak fixing it fetched £700 through the local auctions. Which is enough profit to earn it a happy place in my memory.

 

I despise diesels, but the turbodiseasel 1.9 in the 405 and Xantia is an exception. It's an honest diesel. It doesn't try to blag you it's a petrol by needing all kinds of hyper expensive and unreliable shit in a foolhardy attempt to house train it. It's obviously diesel, a bit loud, a bit rattly, unwilling to do anything other than lug its nuts off and appeal to those people to whom economy is more important than anything else.

 

The only correct use of a diesel engine is as a stationary power plant. In a non-turbo 405 it very nearly fits the job description even when flat out. Therefore I don't mind 405 diesels.

 

I do like pete-M's anti oil belcher point of view I am also quite partial to derv powered motors having owned a good few including XUD Peugeots which I've always had very good service from, that 405 has got to be worth fixing! (Power to the diesels!)

[eddyramrod]

I'm with Pete, diesel is not for cars. However: as warren already has the damn thing, and has money invested in it, I say fix. Weigh it in when the tax/MoT run out if you like, but in the meantime it should be a useful enough tool to justify the effort.