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Peugeot 405 GRDT
Diesel Turbo Hard to Start



Here is an account of a mechanical problem we experienced with our Peugeot 405 GRDT - Turbo Diesel.

Nature of the Problem. Hard to start from cold and hunting (revs were a little unstable)

Condition of the Car. 1992 Peugeot 405 GRDT having done 112,000 kilometers. The diesel motor should have been good for 400,000 kilometers if serviced properly. Condition of the car is excellent.

Cost of Repair. NZ $3000+  dollars

Current Market Value of car: Around $6,000

Final Resolution. To resolve the problem an electric priming pump was fitted to prime the system prior to starting. (This has now been updated below)

It was taken to a local garage who were formerly Peugeot service agents. They had the car five or six days and it was also outsourced to a local diesel service centre.

  • checked the idle speed and starting system
  • checked fuel filter and renew
  • checked fuel supply and injection pump
  • locate air leak from fuel filter lift pump unit
  • remove and renew unit
  • remove, clean, check, adjust injectors then fit back in engine
  • check and adjust anti stall unit
  • remove timing covers and check timing of pump
  • REASSEMBLE AND TEST
  • Vehicle still hunting

Cost at this point $700.

  • Interim Diagnosis
  • All indications are that there are problems in the injection pump
  • Approximate price for service $800 - $1200

I decided to bring the vehicle home. It was worse now than when it went in. We found two blown GLO plugs. We took it back and they were a little surprised as these should have been checked first. These were replaced and the car went better.

We decided to take the car out of town to the nearest authorized Peugeot service centre in Hastings.

They also provided a regular service and fixed an oil leak that the first garage missed.

  • check hard starting
  • carry out service check
  • change oil and filter
  • check fluid levels and tire pressure
  • check tune and performance
  • check air filter
  • remove all wheels check front and rear brakes 

Note: Problem still not resolved

  • check all lights and interior fitments
  • remove and check air cleaner
  • remove and test glo plugs
  • replace two old plugs
  • check and adjust pump cold idle speed, check operation
  • check for possible air leaks in fuel supply system and replace two broken hose clamps on fuel supply and return system
  • check for fuel drainage and send to DSL (Diesel Service Limited) for confirmation

 

  • DSL checked injection pump, fit auto fuel priming pump to remedy fuel drain back.
  • Tighten rocker cover bolts to remedy oil leak.

So the problem was diagnosed as being FUEL DRAINAGE from the priming system and this was remedied by fitting an after market FUEL PRIMING PUMP.

The car goes very well now however the Peugeot used to work without an aftermarket electric priming pump. One wonders what might have caused the system to start experiencing FUEL DRAINAGE.

The car is extremely economical and drives very well but lookout if anything goes wrong ;)


May 03, 2003

The garage fitted the electric priming pump on the cross-member between the two front wheels. About two weeks ago the power steering unit failed. I took the car to another workshop in Gisborne. They replaced the power steering unit and this cost $750.

This however may have been my fault as I jacked the car up too see where leaking oil (actually diesel) was coming from.


May 03, 2003

The car is going really well but there are two leeks. Two dark spots that look a bit like sump oil and a considerable amount of light oil. The oil was pooling on the ground 1 foot in from the left wheel looking into the engine bay. One of the original problems was leaking oil or perhaps diesel.

Apparently the light oil is actually diesel fuel. Its leaking from a fuel pre-heater on the back of the engine block. Essentially this is a mechanical heat exchanger. It has some sort of swaged fittings and there is a tiny hole thereabouts.

It appears this may actually be the cause of the fault.

About three thousand dollars later after the car has been to an authorized Peugeot service centre it looks as though we may have tracked down the fault. I'm waiting for a price on the part.


The first garage who were the people servicing the Peugeot since new actually sold my parents a new Toyota as my parents became disillusioned with the failure of the Peugeot. I took the Peugeot because I thought it would be better than my Subaru Impreza.

The Peugeot and the Subaru were a similar age but the Subaru never failed. Not one oil leak. Not one mechanical failure and I really thrashed it. I hardly ever serviced the Subaru but did regular oil and oil filter changes myself.

My mother spent a fortune servicing the Peugeot regularly.


It was actually the Subaru service centre in Gisborne that finally diagnosed the problem. The cost to replace the fitting and all hoses exceeds $1000 but it is currently running well. They actually managed to bypass the leaking fitting which apparently is only required in cold locations i.e the diesel fuel pre-heater.

I am very glad the authorized Peugeot service centre in Hastings got the car going but they fixed the symptoms and not the fault.

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