406 head gasket failure - Big Bad Dave
Head gasket failed this weekend, limped car 20 miles to a Peugeot dealership. (This is only my diagnosis. Symptoms: 50% loss of power, rough burbling engine sound, autodiagnostics light came on, flashed then stayed on)

Any guesses on how many hours labour this will be, I?m guessing the gasket itself will cost tuppence?

Being a V6, will the failure be in just one bank of cylinders and if so am I looking at an easier fix or a more complicated fix?

Is this a traumatic failure for an angine or a run of the mill thing?

Many thanks

Dave
406 head gasket failure - P 2501
That may not be a head gasket failure. I don't know this engine Dave, but it sounds like the engine has gone into limp home mode. I don't think HG failure normally causes this.

Did the radiator pressurise and shed any coolant? did it overheat at all? If neither of these happened i would be looking elsewhere. Sorry to hear about this, i know this car is new to you and it is never nice to have a new car break down.

I don't think this PSA v6 has a headgasket blowing tendency.

Good luck with it!
406 head gasket failure - Big Bad Dave
Temp was normal all the way, I was keeping a close eye on it cos we?re having a heat wave and it was 38 degrees outside. Drove about 200 miles and I felt it just wasn?t pulling like it should. Stopped for gas, filled it with 98 ron and it was on the slip road from the filling station that the autodiagnostic light came on. I did floor it cos it was a short slip road.

What could it be? Dirty petrol?

The autodiagnostic light symbol in the handbook says problem with injectors or emmissions, seek dealer help immediately.

It?s with a dealer, just prepping myself for the worst.

Cheers P 2501
406 head gasket failure - P 2501
Well, the evidence does suggest dirty fuel. I take it this was on the way to poland Dave? Perhaps more likely to get contaminated fuel on the continent.

I am pretty sure it is not the HG now and much more likely to be fouled injectors or fuel filter/line. That is no more than an educated guess really though.

Strange how you thought it wasn't pulling as it should for the 200 miles before the fill up. That suggests something was amiss beforehand.

I don't want to speak too soon, but i don't think it sounds too serious(thats jinxed it now).
406 head gasket failure - Big Bad Dave
Cheers P 2501

My Polish wife has spoken to the garage and the problem as she translated it is "something on the top of the fifth cylinder has popped and needs replacing" That?s as close to technical as she can translate, maybe you have a better idea what that might be. Not as serious has a head gasket anyway.

They asked her about the cambelt, I know that was changed 20k ago, then they asked about the tensioner which they would do at the same time wouldn?t they? Is it much of a job to have them fit a new belt considering how far they?ll have to strip it down anyway?

Thanks for your help

Dave

Incidently, there has been a string of hefty fines recently in Poland for garages actually watering down fuel and quite substantially too.
406 head gasket failure - P 2501
Hmmm. I think we may need someone with a tad more technical know-how than myself!

I am not sure what they are referring to with the fifth cylinder. Spark plug problem? some kind of sensor? Valve or camshaft (more serious and less likely)? i wonder if they were asking about the belt and tensioner because they want to lift the head or just to rule it out as a cause.

Sorry i can't be more helpful!
406 head gasket failure - Big Bad Dave
Final update.

It?s the coil to the fifth cylinder (after asking several complete strangers what a "cewka" is). A cewka is a coil. I never knew there was one per cylinder.

You were more than helpful P 2501, you put my mind at rest about head gasket failure. And a final silver lining is main dealer servicing rates: 19 pounds an hour, a quarter of what I last paid in London.

I?m not sure about the belt and tensioner either so at those rates I?m gonna ask them to change it.

Many thanks again

Dave
406 head gasket failure - P 2501
I'm glad it's all sorted then Dave. It did sound like something minor.

At £19/hr i would definately get the belt done over there - that is probably a £400+ job here.

Enjoy that V6!