I truly am Robert De Niro

[Richard]

That's the immobiliser. If you have been starting the car without entering a code the immobiliser must have been bypassed, and quite right too.

[eddyramrod]

Well I got a Haynes, off of the 'bay; 99p. I might need it when I've finished doing my kitchen, as the car has developed an "issue." Randomly, it fails to start. The problem appears to be the starter solenoid, as it can be "fixed" by poking a hammer handle down between the tracts of the inlet manifold and bashing the correct solid object. It looks like it's going to be a right pig to get at for removal. Can the solenoid be replaced without the starter, or do you have to buy the whole thing?

I'm also finding a crop of niggles to live with... well it wouldn't be Shite without those, would it! The left front door doesn't always unlock from the remote (but will from the key or the inside handle); the right rear door graunches a little if you try to open it with the driver's door closed (like for loading shopping in); the remote handle for the filler door needs propping up while you open the actual door, then the prop (the hammer I keep for starting hitches) can be removed.

Even allowing for the starting issue though, I still actually like this car, which is pretty good considering I've had it what, 10 weeks now?

 

Meanwhile, Mrs R has been approved for a Blue Badge, so we can park where we like (almost)

[beko1987]

Is there a 20p jamming the handbrake cable?

If not then count yourself lucky. If one does fall down there, its an not fail, and too big a job to be worth it, so you will be forced to sell it for spares or repairs...

[KruJoe]

Nice buy, Eddy. I was just saying yesterday how pretty the 406s were, and wondering why it all went wrong for Peugeot.

I wouldn't have thought it possible to take off the solenoid without removing the starter. Easiest solution would be to find a complete one from a breaker, eg:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-406-2 ... 1019223023

 

By the way, before you splash out, take a peek inside the cam pulley cover to check the top of the engine is turning as someone tries it on the key. A broken cam belt has similar symptoms to a sticking solenoid. Ask me how I know.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yo Eddy, I bet you're glad you're well away from Cyprus now! I'm amazed at whats happening over there.

[eddyramrod]

starter. Easiest solution would be to find a complete one from a breaker,

A broken cam belt has similar symptoms to a sticking solenoid. Ask me how I know.

Cheers Joe, that's more or less what I thought; and yes, the cam belt is fine, I'm still driving the car!

 

Yo Eddy, I bet you're glad you're well away from Cyprus now! I'm amazed at whats happening over there.

Just a bit! Shows how corrupt the local government is, they have no respect for international law or anyone's private property. My Brit friends over there are going bananas. Rightly so!

[eddyramrod]

Well, I spent actual cash on the thing this week. A whole tenner on a scrappy starter off a 306, and 20 to have it fitted. Starting issues solved. Bunny now happy. I'm going back on Wednesday so Martin can have a look at the cambelt for me, because I have no idea when it was last done and I've got a Euro roadtrip coming up. Yes, in a 17-year-old scrapper. I can't possibly be a Shiter, with preparation skillz like this! I might even invest a couple of quid with Sergei's Shiny Suds down the road.....

[eddyramrod]

Well, I spent actual cash on the thing this week. A whole tenner on a scrappy starter off a 306, and 20 to have it fitted. Starting issues solved. Bunny now happy. I'm going back on Wednesday so Martin can have a look at the cambelt for me, because I have no idea when it was last done and I've got a Euro roadtrip coming up. Yes, in a 17-year-old scrapper. I can't possibly be a Shiter, with preparation skillz like this! I might even invest a couple of quid with Sergei's Shiny Suds down the road.....

[ruffgeezer]

Be wary, if it's the 1.8 as some of them don't have a keyed crank pulley, it is very easy to get it all f'ed up and smash the valves.

[ruffgeezer]

Be wary, if it's the 1.8 as some of them don't have a keyed crank pulley, it is very easy to get it all f'ed up and smash the valves.

[Burnside]

If you getting the cambelt done would be worth getting the cambelt tensioner and waterpump done too at the same time if your planning on doing a big trip such as yours. Had a similar Nordic Green 406 2.0 GLX Saloon myself a couple of years ago while my Cavalier was off the road being welded. Brought it from a breakers yard in Telford that also sell cars too for £350. Had it 8 months and was a fantastic motor, really good spec everthing worked including the aircon. 1st an only car I ever had with this feature so far. Has yours got the little blind's in the back shelf that clip up on the rear window? Liked the little touches such as that and mine being a 98 R reg model had the 15 Inch alloys fitted to it as standard even the spare was a alloy too. Prefrer them to the standard steelwheel trims.

 

I only sold it because I got my Cavalier back on the road and couldn't afford to keep both plus the Cavalier is better on fuel too. Got £500 for it to guy who was exporting it abroad forget where to start a new life as a taxi! But I had serviced it and put 2 new tyres and a new door barrel as both front doors packed up so had to get at least one replaced so I could lock the car during my ownership and put about 6,000 miles on it. I must admit I miss the 406 an still look at them on Autotrader and Ebay etc. When I get some more full time work again would seriously considered another one If I could an maybe Blue like the one De Niro drove in Ronin as I really like that that film and the chase seen myself.

[Burnside]

If you getting the cambelt done would be worth getting the cambelt tensioner and waterpump done too at the same time if your planning on doing a big trip such as yours. Had a similar Nordic Green 406 2.0 GLX Saloon myself a couple of years ago while my Cavalier was off the road being welded. Brought it from a breakers yard in Telford that also sell cars too for £350. Had it 8 months and was a fantastic motor, really good spec everthing worked including the aircon. 1st an only car I ever had with this feature so far. Has yours got the little blind's in the back shelf that clip up on the rear window? Liked the little touches such as that and mine being a 98 R reg model had the 15 Inch alloys fitted to it as standard even the spare was a alloy too. Prefrer them to the standard steelwheel trims.

 

I only sold it because I got my Cavalier back on the road and couldn't afford to keep both plus the Cavalier is better on fuel too. Got £500 for it to guy who was exporting it abroad forget where to start a new life as a taxi! But I had serviced it and put 2 new tyres and a new door barrel as both front doors packed up so had to get at least one replaced so I could lock the car during my ownership and put about 6,000 miles on it. I must admit I miss the 406 an still look at them on Autotrader and Ebay etc. When I get some more full time work again would seriously considered another one If I could an maybe Blue like the one De Niro drove in Ronin as I really like that that film and the chase seen myself.

[eddyramrod]

RG, fear not, it's the 2.0 16v.

Burnside, yes it does have the blinds. Haven't used them yet but it's one more bit of kit (to go wrong...) Mine has steels with full caps. They're a bit scuffed, but for what it has to do, good enough.

[eddyramrod]

RG, fear not, it's the 2.0 16v.

Burnside, yes it does have the blinds. Haven't used them yet but it's one more bit of kit (to go wrong...) Mine has steels with full caps. They're a bit scuffed, but for what it has to do, good enough.

[Burnside]

Yer I know what you mean with rear blinds by not tempting fait and using them. Bar the front door locks packing up mine was fine. Even managed to fit the new drivers barrel myself which is a big deal for me as I feel like a hero if I do an oil change myself! Though saying that the previous owner had used washing up liquid for the screen washer bottle and managed to block the whole thing up. Stripping down to get at the bottle to clean it out was a nightmare. Had to strip various pieces of plastic, arch liner, undertray and screws etc. Then unclip the ecu from it housing and remove the bumper almost completly off the car to reach it.

Was worth it to get it all working again but not a job I want to do again in a hurry.

 

An one thing about steel wheels is there a bit tougher than alloys given the state of are roads these days.

[Burnside]

Yer I know what you mean with rear blinds by not tempting fait and using them. Bar the front door locks packing up mine was fine. Even managed to fit the new drivers barrel myself which is a big deal for me as I feel like a hero if I do an oil change myself! Though saying that the previous owner had used washing up liquid for the screen washer bottle and managed to block the whole thing up. Stripping down to get at the bottle to clean it out was a nightmare. Had to strip various pieces of plastic, arch liner, undertray and screws etc. Then unclip the ecu from it housing and remove the bumper almost completly off the car to reach it.

Was worth it to get it all working again but not a job I want to do again in a hurry.

 

An one thing about steel wheels is there a bit tougher than alloys given the state of are roads these days.

[eddyramrod]

Anybody want to take this on?

I have two cars to collect tomorrow (Sunday 5th) and will only need the 406 to get to the first one, which is in St Helens; I'll be collecting that in the morning. It'll be available from that moment.

The tax hasn't run out yet (end of May) and the MoT goes on into September. If I hadn't sourced what I actually need, I'd have no second thoughts about renewing both. I had a walk around underneath a couple of weeks ago and was very pleasantly surprised at how little rot there is. I think this car has been looked-after by previous owners. It's creeping up on 130,000 miles now, which isn't a lot for 17 years old. Why I was underneath it: it was up on a hoist having new oil and filter. In the preceding fortnight it had a new back box (after the old one fell off at the Coniston meet) and cambelt (complete kit), and before Easter, a secondhand starter motor. The garage that's been doing the work can't see anything it would fail the next test on. I think it might get an advisory for tyre tread, but that's just my opinion.

Since having the work done it's taken me on a week's holiday in Holland, where it performed faultlessly.

It's a 2.0 16v manual, with towbar, and being a GLX has plenty of luxury kit to play with. Which works. I'll even throw in the Haynes I bought for it.

£350 good enough? That pays for the jobs I've had done really, so the car itself is virtually free. It should be a very nice daily for someone; certainly has been for me, for 4 months!

[eddyramrod]

This has been snapped up, as you will see in a new thread shortly. It's staying within the Faaaaaaaaaamly too.