Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - moonshine
My dad recently bought a 406 DT. It ran fine until the rad went, he was driving on the motorway and couldn't stop immediatly. The overheat had warped the head, a local mobile mech came round and did the work. The head was skimmed and put back, the car started fine but the mech said that the head must be cracked as the cooling system was being overpressurised. He said there wasn't much he could do, knocked the labour charge of the bill and that was the last we saw of him.

One week later my dad tried to start the car but it wouldn't turn over. He thought the battery was flat so I lent him a charger. After a day on charge the engine still wouldn't turn over so I went round to give a jump start. Still the engine would not turn, the starter clicked and the engine seemed to turn a fraction.

A lot of the water had dissapeared somewhere, is it possible that over the week it seeped into the engine causing a hydraulic lock?

Any ideas?
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - Ross_D
It's possible, but first try tapping the starter motor with a hammer, just in case the solenoid is jammed. If this doesn't work, remove the glowplugs and/or injectors and then try to turn the engine over. You will see if your problem is a waterlogged cylinder as the eninge will spin and make a nice fountain out of the affected cylinder(s).

Ross
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - Civic8
Sounds like it.Be carefull when trying to start as you may burn out the starter motor.
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - 659FBE
Remove the glowplugs and insulate the free end of the connecting lead before you do anything else. Unlike a petrol engine, a diesel will either bend a conrod or crack the block if there is a hydraulic lock. The last engine I saw this happen to (cracked block) was a 26litre V12 Rolls Royce diesel - there were a few long faces, especially as the actual fault was not connected with the engine at all. In this case, the cause was raw fuel in the inlet manifold, and the block cracked whilst the engine was being cranked on the hydraulic starter.

659
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - Civic8
The petrol engine will suffer the same problem if water gets into the bore`s.Much the same as excess fuel in manifold getting into bore`s still same result.The point is it had been running but with excessive pressure in the cooling system.I may be corrected on this but normally it tells you there is a problem with the head or block.I see what you are saying but don`t think it applies in this case.but my ears are alway`s open and like to hear from anyone especialy if I learn something from it
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - DL
659 - I bet that was an expensive repair! What was the engine driving?

Back to the post, this is a classic example of a cracked head allowing coolant into the combustion chamber.

I'm afraid it's probably 2nd hand engine time for you. Will probably work out cheaper and less hassle aslong as it comes from a 406 and not a 405/Xantia etc etc

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Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - 659FBE
The engine was on a test bed, driving a dynamometer. The road going version doesen't have wheels in the true sense - I'd better leave it at that.

659
Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - DL
Now you have me thinking!?

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Peugeot 406 DT strange prob - moonshine
Thanks to everyone for the replies. The car only cost £600 so I think it may be best and least hassle to scrap the car. Seems a shame as other than the engine it's in perfect condition.

Any suggestions on a cheap car for my Dad? It needs to be very cheap and reliable(OAP's don't have much cash, and I'm probably going to end up buying it for him). He's not bothered about electric windows, alloy wheels etc - just a basic car that does the job.

I'm thinking old toyota/nissan