MOT Fail Emissions

[Tomsolomon]

This is my first post, so Hi to everybody on the forum....
I purchased an N reg 1.8 406 lx last year for £250, it's a realy nice car, the electric windows, electric leather seats and central locking all work, and the car runs like a dream, apart from the excessive use of fuel, which has caused it to fail it's MOT, the only other thing it failed on was a drive shaft gaitor, which I was well impressed about. I'm posting this away from my normal forum, they suggested I might be better off talking to Peugeot specialists....

So here's the read out....

Carbon Monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive....

Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specific limits....



Measurements



Engine oil temp min 60 deg C -- cooling fan



Fast Idle Test Failed



Engine speed 2500-3000 rpm Manual check Pass

CO <= 0.300% 0.789% Fail

HC <=200 ppm 132 ppm Pass

lambda 0.970-1.030 1.051 Fail



Fast Idle Test Failed



Engine speed 2500-3000 rpm Manual Check Pass

CO <= 0.300% 0.758% Fail

HC <= 200 ppm 174 ppm Pass

lambda 0.970-1.030 1.051 Fail



Natural Idle Test Passed



Engine speed 450-1500 rpm Manual Check Pass

CO <= 0.500% 0.396% Pass

The car is currently doing less than 15mpg, and there is a strong smell of unburnt fuel from the back of the exhaust.

They want £80+VAT at the Peugeot garage to put it on their computers, Not sure I can afford this, on top of other repairs, especially if it's something like lambda sensor or head gasket heaven forbid...
Any body help please?

[PureJoe]

As a first, cheap try, if you've not done this recently, change the air filter and see if fuel consumption improves.

Thereafter, it sounds like the Lambda sensor has gone. http://peugeot.mainspot.net/tips/ecu_failure.shtml and http://www.picoauto.com/applications/lambda-sensor.html

Normally they're around the £100 but then there's this one on fleabay: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAMBDA-SENSOR-...768ad6fff432b1 If it fits yours...

[Tomsolomon]

The air filter was the first thing I checked, it's as clean as the day it was installed...
Just a thought, if the lambda sensor has failed, which is sounding more and more likely, would it be worth giving one of the Bosch universals a try?

[chopper1192]

You can try a universal one, but they don't always do the job, leaving you to potentially spend out again on the proper one. Sometimes things just cost what they cost.

PS, sounds likely to be lambda to me too.

[chopper1192]

PPS - your cat could be dodo'd if its been like it for a while and driven in that state for a period of time.

[Tomsolomon]

I have a bigger problem now so the car is coming off the road....
The car is equiped with invariable steering and it just so happens that the gaiter I need to replace is the nearside, which involves removing the rack and pinion, anybody got a good guide to doing this?
Due to the lack of cooking destructions in the Haynes manual....

[PureJoe]

Any Help?

[Tomsolomon]

Thanks Joe, if I get time I will take a look tomorrow.
Took me five hours today just to realign the boot lid. Had to take the rear bumper off to get to the latch, had to take the tow bar off to get to the bumper, had to take the exhaust back box and heat shield off to get to the tow bar. Lookin good though, didn't refit the towbar so it's up for grabs. If anybody wants it I will advertise it in the sales forum......
Let's hope the steering rack is less of a problem..
I do now know what Peugeot stands for though....
"Sophisticated French engineering."

PS. also found out why the boot wasn't locking, the person who took it apart before, put the servo control rod on the wrong way round, and it was jamming against one of the fins on the locking mechanism.

Finally caved in today and decided to take it to the garage to get the steering gaiter sorted.....