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Help - missus' car broken down
smart51 - 4/6/21 at 10:47 AM

My Missus' Peugeot 208 1.2 petrol has broken down. It showed low oil, so I went over and topped it up. It now has plenty of oil but still shows "STOP" on the dashboard. The engine sounds really rattley, possibly from the top end. There's no puddle of oil on the road. What's the most likely problem do you think?

[Edited on 4-6-2021 by smart51]


adithorp - 4/6/21 at 12:17 PM

When you say "broken down" did it actually pack up or just say STOP on the dash? How much oil did you put in?

I'll give you 2 possible but there's any number of others in between.
1. Oil was low and sensor said stop and now it's just taking its own sweet time to register the level (not unknown)
2. It ran out of oil and she ran it without oil pressure and now it's FUBAH


Mr Whippy - 4/6/21 at 12:35 PM

Disconnect the battery and hold the cable terminals together for 10 seconds to clear the cars computer of error data. Then restart the car and go for a short drive to reconfigure the engine management. I find this works great for sorting annoying errors or service reminders. Last time I did this was only a couple of months ago on the Fiesta which had went into limp mode after the battery ran down and it ran like a bag of nails. Cleared the computer and it's been running great since.


smart51 - 4/6/21 at 12:43 PM

It usually needs an oil top up before it gets to the service, so she knows the drill. As soon as the light comes on, stop and fill it up. (Or ring me to do it as happened today).

The dip stick was clean when I got there. 1 litre took the tide mark up to 60% on the dipstick. Fine, I thought. Started it. It ran for a few seconds before the STOP light came on again. The misus said it sounded funny but it seemed alright. Checked the oil and it seemed it pumped a bit into places that were dry. Back to the shop. More oil. Put another litre in. Started, ran for a few seconds, stop light. Left it at the start of the road and drove the missus to where she needed to be.

I'll go back to the car in a few minutes to see where we're at. Disconnecting the battery sounds like a plan.

The noise was clattery, like valves or followers or something else that is constantly running. It wasn't a big end type sound.


smart51 - 4/6/21 at 01:59 PM

Nope, shagged. Battery off for 15 mins. Re start and sou ds like a tractor. The big screen reports an oil pressure fault. Mow to phone the RAC


ian locostzx9rc2 - 4/6/21 at 05:02 PM

The new 1.2 engines have a rubber timing belt which runs in oil the belt deteriorates bits of rubber block the oil strainer which gives you low oil pressure game over its a know fault that’s my educated guess

[Edited on 4/6/21 by ian locostzx9rc2]


smart51 - 4/6/21 at 05:38 PM

The RAC man said it sounded like a top end problem. His guess was little end bearings, or if i'm lucky, cam phaser stuck due to low oil pressure. He thinks the first thing they'll do is drop the sump and look at the strainer.

There's no metallic particles in the oil so it may be recoverable.
Otherwise...


ian locostzx9rc2 - 4/6/21 at 06:54 PM

Rubber particles from the belt melt and get sucked up and stick on the strainer there’s lots of info online regarding this issue


snapper - 4/6/21 at 07:07 PM

quote:

It usually needs an oil top up before it gets to the service, so she knows the drill. As soon as the light comes on, stop and fill it up. (Or ring me to do it as happened today).



When the low pressure light comes on it’s usually to late… check oil weekly.
I had an oil light flash on my Fiesta ST result was 3 big end bearings and 1 main bearing


BenB - 5/6/21 at 06:35 AM

Is it really a low oil level warning? I've always assumed it was just rebadged oil pressure and when it comes in too late!!


PorkChop - 5/6/21 at 12:08 PM

It could well be the belt failing has contributed, people have had lots of problems with them.

I will point out though that if the 1.2 has a similar oil capacity to the 1 litre turbo, then there can't be much more than a litre of oil in the engine to begin with.

For oil lights, IME if it doesn't specifically say it's measuring the level then assume it's a warning for pressure.


coyoteboy - 6/6/21 at 10:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by smart51
The RAC man said it sounded like a top end problem. His guess was little end bearings


Little end bearings would be bottom end, no?


Mr Whippy - 7/6/21 at 07:33 AM

Absolutely staggering that anyone could be so stupid as to design an engine where the rubber timing belt ran inside the engine covered in hot oil...

Definitely a case of being different just for the sake of being different.


David Jenkins - 7/6/21 at 07:56 AM

quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
quote:
Originally posted by smart51
The RAC man said it sounded like a top end problem. His guess was little end bearings


Little end bearings would be bottom end, no?


I always think of 'bottom end' being the crank and its bearings.


smart51 - 7/6/21 at 08:11 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Absolutely staggering that anyone could be so stupid as to design an engine where the rubber timing belt ran inside the engine covered in hot oil...

Definitely a case of being different just for the sake of being different.
I wonder if it was originally designed to have a chain, and then the accountants got to it.


smart51 - 7/6/21 at 10:42 AM

Bad news from the garage. There are metal shavings in the sump. £2500 for a recon engine and £950 to fit it. eBay has used engines from £700, so an £1800 repair on a £3000 car.

[Edited on 7-6-2021 by smart51]


rusty nuts - 7/6/21 at 09:03 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Absolutely staggering that anyone could be so stupid as to design an engine where the rubber timing belt ran inside the engine covered in hot oil...

Definitely a case of being different just for the sake of being different.



A lot of Ford 1.8 Diesel engines have “Wet” belts


Mr Whippy - 7/6/21 at 09:25 PM

The less said about the reliability of diesel engines in general the better... Considering how long they've been making internal combustion engines it really does make you wonder how they can still manage to make a right arse of it??


David Jenkins - 8/6/21 at 10:02 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
The less said about the reliability of diesel engines in general the better... Considering how long they've been making internal combustion engines it really does make you wonder how they can still manage to make a right arse of it??


This is one reason why electric cars make so much sense - simple mechanicals (as you now know!). My car is about to go in for its first service - £85, and even that is a bit of a cheek. Check the diagnostics, see if there are any firmware updates to install, change the aircon air filter, check brakes & suspension. That's it.