308 1.6vti

[Hammy66]

Hi.
I'll start by saying that what I know about cars could be written on the back of a stamp.
My petrol 308 broke down on the motorway in a cloud of smoke at the end of October and was towed to our local garage in North Cornwall by A.A.
Long story, but I needed to buy a low mileage bare engine which the garage fitted, including all ancillaries from the old engine.
The garage can't get the engine to fire and have suggested that it may be duff, but the supplier tested it prior to removing it from donor (it's done 11,000).
The garage says that no faults are showing up on the computer and are dragging their heels;- it's nearly a month now and we have lost patience, funnily enough.
Any ideas?
If trimmer is reading this, could he contact me as he lives very close by.
Thanks in advance.

Could someone ask trimmer to contact me;- I don't have enough posts to contact him directly.

Or jmkent;- or anyone else locally!

[jmkent]

OK, do you know which reader the garage is using to read for faults? or are they just meaning no faults on the display within the car?

Where is the car located?

[Hammy66]

I don't know the name of the computer system he's plugged the car in to, I'm afraid.
The car is in Wadebridge and has been there since 30th October.
The suppliers of the engine suggested that he cleans the inlet manifold, as muck may have been imported into the replacement engine.
He seems to have a go and then leave it for 2-3 days, saying he's too busy, so alarm bells are ringing.
He said that it turns over fine, but has lowish compression on 2 cylinders;- can he tell this by just turning it over?
He also says 'it sometimes takes some time for the hydraulic tappets to get up to pressure'??

[jmkent]

I am by no means an expert when it comes to the mechanics of an engine, but can assist with reading the ECUs with PP if it will help you along to getting the car back up and running. I presume that it was literally the bare bones of the engine that were exchanged, i.e. all sensors and ECUs off the original have been put on to the 'new'? What actually went wrong on the old engine to mean it needed a new one?

As the car is obviously still at the garage, will access be an issue?
Is he aware you are going down this route to read fault codes yourself?
I don't mind helping out and travelling across to Wadebridge to help out, just so long as there won't be any animosity with the garage.

[Hammy66]

I think I've waited long enough for him to sort it;- we haven't finished paying Peugeot Finance for it yet and it's been at his garage for a month!
I was going to talk to 'Consumer Direct' on Monday for some advice.
I'll then phone him and find out if he's made any progress, as we haven't fallen out yet, believe it or not!
I'll then ask him to give me a bill for the works to date, which I'll pay 'under protest' and get it brought home.
Hopefully we can get it sorted from there.
I don't know what sort of bill he'll present me with;- I'm fair, but he hasn't fixed it...

[Hammy66]

Sorry;- yes the engine was bare, apparently. If something electronic was left on the engine, could that cause this problem?

[jmkent]

That should make things a bit easier

If you're planning on having it taken home regardless, it'll be easier for me to come direct to you at home - probably save a whole lot of hassle with the garage if he gets the impression that his work is being questioned

I was asking if it was bare in case there was conflicts in the configs of the various ECUs/BSI, but if all sensors/ECUs etc were transferred, they should all have the right config.

I presume you are also Wadebridge based?
Out of curiosity, which garage is this that you've used?

[Hammy66]

'What happened was...'
Just gunning down the M5, when the stop light came on.
When we stopped, there was a loud thud, rather than a bang.
There was a big hole in the rocker cover, but the chain hadn't broken and the camshaft was ok.
The garage bought the parts to rebuild the top of the engine (under rocker cover), but when they put it back together it ran but was rattling down below.
Since he fitted the new engine it has never fired.

[Hammy66]

I'm 3 miles outside Wadebridge;- the Garage is (deleted now that you have seen it).
He's got quite a good name and has always sorted our cars out before..

[jmkent]

This isn't something as silly as the car has lost the codes on the keys, hence the immobiliser is preventing it from starting??

Betty... a possibility, or do you think its something more??