Peugeot 405 GTX. Au revoir.

[nisfan]

I'm probably being a little hard on it, I've had a look underneath and can't see anything untoward , I've took pictures as well.

I've been using it daily as it's the only usable car just now . I think the engine feels a little thrashy and that's what I'm feeling when driving it. Apart from a bit on the rear arch there is NO rust which for a carina is unheard of.

[Partridge]

Yes, but when I did I got immediately shouted down by the know it alls, so I don't mention it anymore.

Fact is it's the only one I ever owned that had that shit applied and it's the only one that's rotting like a Mercedes.

 

I am seriously shocked by the pics.

It never looked like this underneath while I had it. I never ever leave mud on the undercarriage.

What? I missed that. Pray tell - I was considering undersealing mine until I read that.

[Mally]

Underseal on new metal where water cannot get behind it is fine, providing its totally sealed with no cracks.

Underseal on old crappy metal/rust, does a fine job of making it look pretty.

But holds in moisture so the metal carries on rusting until a lump of underseal and rust falls off, disclosing a hole.

 

I use underseal though, covers the welds great.

[stillOrange]

It’s french so with time I was expecting some electrical issues. So here’s what happens and any suggestions are welcome.

 

It started of a week or two ago where, occasionally, the dashboard would light up under heavy/ish braking or in tight corners.

It would look exactly like when you turn the key, oil level gauge would come alive, all the pre-start light etc. The moment the car would stop or settle it would be back to normal. No cutting out of engine or anything other than lights on the dash.

 

Then last week I started having problems with headlights. I know all bulbs are fine. All light used to work as normal.

Started with dipped beam taking a few seconds to come up. Position lights (is that what they are called in English?) would come up straight away and headlight after 1-2 seconds. High beam always works on the touch.

This week they would only switch on after few minutes and switch off whenever they want. Position lights would always stay on and high beam is working as normal.

No issues whatsoever with rear lights.

 

So what can it be?

I was thinking first that it might be battery but now I’m thinking water ingress?

[Partridge]

I had a similar thing happen with my last Jag. The dashboard was lighting up under heavy acceleration and harsh breaking (as in every single light coming on).

 

This was traced to the battery. Why did it make the dashboard to an impression of Blackpool? I neither know, nor care. It started doing it after the car was parked up for a month, awaiting a new thermostat tower. Charging it overnight and taking the car for a long motorway run cured it, and it never came back.

 

But isn't your 405 in fairly regular use? How old is the battery?

[Junkman]

I guess the electrical box in the scuttle on the passenger side is full of water.

There is a drain hole in it which clogs up with leaves etc. in autumn.

The box also contains the cabin filter.

[stillOrange]

Yup, the box was full of water.

 

The problems are still there though, I presume it will take some drying off before I could see if that was the cause?

 

 

I do use it daily and have no idea how old the battery could be.

[Junkman]

It will take some time to dry out, a hairdryer would help, though.

So would liberal amounts of contact spray and contact grease.

As long as the car starts and runs there is nothing wrong with the bloody battery.

[vaughant]

It will take some time to dry out, a hairdryer would help, though.

So would liberal amounts of contact spray and contact grease.

As long as the car starts and runs there is nothing wrong with the bloody battery.

As JM had said above.

 

I had a similar problem in my Seat, I found a can of dry PTFE spray which when sprayed turned into some sort of a really white powder/wax type of effect that almost instantaneously removed the water from my hand, like a solvent does. I was using it in work for a totally different purpose but thought "sod it", sprayed it over all the elev connections after an FTP almost occurred on the Severn bridge and I've had no further issues since.

It also works well on sticky electric windows as it's effectively a dry lubricant. It just cleans up all the little individual connections, I've had zero issues with it since (fixing the water ingress helped as well)!!!

[stillOrange]

Took the relays, from the flooded box, out and they are drying near a heater. Will see if that speeds things up.

[stillOrange]

Christian I bow to you.

Everything seems to be back to normal.

Thank you.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Good stuff. 

[stillOrange]

Same issue with headlights back today. This time no water to be seen near relays.

Will try to clean the relay socket contact plates or maybe will just change the sockets.

 

Oh well

[Junkman]

Maybe the relay is fucked.

Was the case with mine after wet.

[stonedagain]

I had a 405 years ago, headlamps stopped working. Traced the fault back to a badly corroded crimped joint in the main harness which runs down the bulkhead. I cut about 6 inches of corroded cable out & spliced it back together by soldering in a length of 8mm copper central heating pipe, & wrapped it with tape.

[stillOrange]

When I spray the WD40 on socket contacts the lights work as they should. Wouldn’t that indicate that sockets need changing?

 

Equally I can just change them with relays.

[Junkman]

When I spray the WD40 on socket contacts the lights work as they should. Wouldn’t that indicate that sockets need changing?

 

 

It indicates that they need spraying with WD40.

[stillOrange]

Car is dead, engine gone...

 

Anyone wants it for spares?

 

Pay me whatever scrappy takes and it’s yours.

Kick in the balls that...

[Talbot]

engine gone...

Fell out while on the move?

[loserone]

Where is this?

 

I already have one 405 with a broken engine, but it could do with some bits of door at the least..

[stillOrange]

Almost. I’m surprised nothing flew out from under the hood.

 

Doing speed limit on a motorway at 1am on the way home from work. Big bang, grinding noises and engine stopped.

Completely fucked...

[stillOrange]

Where is this?

 

I already have one 405 with a broken engine, but it could do with some bits of door at the least..

Greater Manchester. Atherton.

[Slartibartfast]

Almost. I’m surprised nothing flew out from under the hood.

 

Doing speed limit on a motorway at 1am on the way home from work. Big bang, grinding noises and engine stopped.

Completely fucked...

 

I'm sorry mate. That's miserable.

[Split_Pin]

That's shit luck chap, bad news

[loserone]

Greater Manchester. Atherton.

Will get on Shiply tonight, but if anyone happens to have an empty trailer going north..

 

Otherwise; I would expect D Spares and Tyres might have an interest? He'd have a customer lined up for some bits immediately ...!

[Scruffy Bodger]

Another one bites the dust

[Talbot]

Completely fucked...

 

That is a complete arse. I would say it's very rare to have that sort of failure these days, but that doesn't exactly help you in any way.

 

Are you sorted for replacement wheels?

[stillOrange]

Not yet.

 

Mr Bollox 323 looks nice.

[Felly Magic]

Ouch, sounds like something failed spectacularly

[Talbot]

Not yet.

 

Mr Bollox 323 looks nice.

How about a Xantia that needs an interior fan, a thermostat and cannot (currently) be locked?