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Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - puttie

Long story short: car broke down after having timing belt replaced. Replacement was needed because of manufacturer's recall. Peugeot registered dealer did the work.

As I understand it so far, to repair they have stripped the engine entirely and replaced the cylinder head, plus a couple of other components to correct a misfire with the new cylinder head. I am not a mechanic and have only spoken to a customer service person so far, so information is sketchy until I speak to the technician tomorrow.

I understand that replacing the cylinder head is major work, and can cause problems later on if done badly. This is not the first problem I have had that has been caused by (or at least related to) work done by this garage.

I would probably be replacing the car in 12-18 months time anyway. Should I just get rid of it now? Am I setting myself up for more trouble if I keep it, or am I being paranoid?

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - badbusdriver

Is this a 1.2 Puretech?, and how old is the car?.

If the answer to the first question is yes, I`d get rid of it sooner rather than later. The Puretech does seem to be gathering a reputation for failure.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - puttie

2015, Petrol, PureTech (130hp). Roughly 50,000 miles.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Engineer Andy

Is this a 1.2 Puretech?, and how old is the car?.

If the answer to the first question is yes, I`d get rid of it sooner rather than later. The Puretech does seem to be gathering a reputation for failure.

I bet that HJ is now regretting touting them as the best thing since sliced bread.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - daveyK_UK
What is the age and mileage of the car?
Petrol or diesel?
Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - _

Get rid!

Just take it and if running ok after a week, trade it in for something else.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Lee Power

Plenty of annoyed Purecrap owners across various Peugeot / Citroen forums.

Replacement timing belt kits are currently on back order as well due to high demand across Europe.

Inlet valves coked up on mine at just 34k miles.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - John F

Why on earth did it need a new cylinder head after a simple belt replacement? Sounds as though they messed up the job. What is the actual damage? Did they set the timing wrong so the valves hit the pistons? If so, I would insist on a new engine as the longevity of the bottom end (big end and crankshaft bearings) might have been compromised. Might even have bent the con rods.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - puttie

UPDATE: I spoke to the after sales manager today who explained what he thinks went wrong (paraphrasing because I'm not a mechanic).

They think that, when they reassembled everything after replacing the timing belt and vacuum pump, a sensor that controls the amount of fuel delivered to the engine malfunctioned ("was left open"). This caused too much fuel to enter the cylinder, the fuel ignited prematurely and this caused the timing belt to skip.

It sounds like the work they did was more than a "simple" timing belt change.

They have replaced the affected sensor, valves, camshaft, coils and spark plugs, reattached the cylinder head and are going to continue road testing it for a few more days before they hand it back.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - John F

They think that, when they reassembled everything after replacing the timing belt and vacuum pump, a sensor that controls the amount of fuel delivered to the engine malfunctioned ("was left open"). This caused too much fuel to enter the cylinder, the fuel ignited prematurely and this caused the timing belt to skip.

I don't believe it. For one thing, I don't think the fuel injection system needs to be touched during a timing belt change. For another, if 'too much fuel entered a cylinder' it would merely incompletely combust and emit clouds of black smoke. And another thing, it would be impossible to make a timing belt to 'skip' a few teeth unless the tensioner had been reassembled incorrectly and wasn't tensioning, which I suspect was the cause, unless they got the timing completely wrong - also possible.

They clearly mucked up the job and are trying to think of the most inventive and superficially plausible excuse possible. I would complain directly to Peugeot and insist on a new engine, as if they have had to replace valves and camshaft, the engine has had a huge shock and might possibly be weakened elsewhere. Do keep us posted....

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - madf

They think that, when they reassembled everything after replacing the timing belt and vacuum pump, a sensor that controls the amount of fuel delivered to the engine malfunctioned ("was left open"). This caused too much fuel to enter the cylinder, the fuel ignited prematurely and this caused the timing belt to skip.

I don't believe it. For one thing, I don't think the fuel injection system needs to be touched during a timing belt change. For another, if 'too much fuel entered a cylinder' it would merely incompletely combust and emit clouds of black smoke. And another thing, it would be impossible to make a timing belt to 'skip' a few teeth unless the tensioner had been reassembled incorrectly and wasn't tensioning, which I suspect was the cause, unless they got the timing completely wrong - also possible.

They clearly mucked up the job and are trying to think of the most inventive and superficially plausible excuse possible. I would complain directly to Peugeot and insist on a new engine, as if they have had to replace valves and camshaft, the engine has had a huge shock and might possibly be weakened elsewhere. Do keep us posted....

Agreed.

I was an amateur mechanic. What they are describing is impossible

They screwed it up.

I have replaced a number of cam belts and the motto is check , turn the engine over and check again. Never had a problem. And as long as they did that , it would have been OK. Fuel Injection does not go wrong arbitrarily. They are lying.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - puttie

Update: Requested Peugeot to either replace the engine or buy back the car, Peugeot refused. Car was supposed to be handed back to me on Friday just gone, but developed another fault so is still with the garage. Waiting to hear more details of the fault and have told Peugeot I will respond to their refusal to replace the engine when I know more.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Pablo el Diablo

I have a citroen with this engine, the car is slowly losing coolant, took it to citroen today and they, without even opening the bonnet (as my dashcam shows), said the heater matrix needs replacing. I don't know whether to believe such a in\depth diagnosis, thank god I paid for another year warranty so should be free. I will never believe any mechanic after what I've been through with citroen.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Lee Power

The heater matrix is inside the dashboard so no need to open the bonnet if there's a visible leak inside the cabin / around the heater matrix.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Pablo el Diablo

I understand your point, problem is - there is no leak in the footwell or anywhere in the cabin, no colant smell when heating is on and heating is perfectly fine, I chjecked that last night. There are small spots of fluids from time to time coming through the hole in the middle of under engine cover. I showed them before leaving the car with them, they never checked though went straight for the heater matrix.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - daveyK_UK
2015 car is likely to be version 2 of the pure tech which do have issues with the belt ; the current 1.2 is version 3 with no known problems so far.

Version 1 & version 2 of this engines are best served with a belt change to the latest modification .

In terms of your vehicle, looks like they messed it up.
I’m not sure how as these engines are fairly easy to work on.
Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Oli rag
www.berlingoforum.com/thread-20264.html

Just read about version 3 of the troublesome belt on the Berlingo forum and someone reckons it was fitted from 68 plate engines. Was very surprised to read that there is a version 4 coming shortly which is going to be a timing chain!
Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Lee Power

The timing chain was such a success on the Prince engine.

PSA know they have a serious problem so have reduced the belt replacement intervals.

Won't be long before it will be cheaper to scrap a older broken Puretech equipped vehicle then repair it.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - daveyK_UK
No known issues so far with version 3 of the puretech , the fact Peugeot are working on a 4th variant with a chain suggests they don’t have much faith in there version 3 modification or they have had enough of belts.
Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - puttie

UPDATE

After more testing and not being satisfied with the results, Peugeot have given up and agreed to replace the engine (after initially refusing to do so). So hopefully I will be back in my own car in a week or so :)

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - Lee Power

Hope you have written / email confirmation from Peugeot UK on who is picking up the final bill.

Peugeot 308 - Keep car or ditch it after cylinder head replaced - barney100

Nice one, hopefully some of the puretech gremlins have been sorted by Peugeot.