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A message to say, hi! I'm new. After reading the amazing advise on "upgrading" your engine by plugging the EGR pipes, I thought, "I gotta get in on this!" and so I have registered.
Okay so I recently started my own business and for the last couple of weeks I've been shopping around for a van. I did my research, watched the vans getting added and sold on gumtree, etc. I read reviews, googled typical issues, oh and I found this forum.
Once I done my homework I decided upon either a transit (they are 10 a penny so spares is plentiful. But they is rust buckets...) or a Peugeot Expert. I have a Peugeot 207 so I'm happy with Peugeot. And someone once told my dad that Peugeot diesel engines are solid, so he's happy too.
After a couple of blips when dealing with gumtree sellers (on way to view a 55 plate Peugeot Expet having agreed a provisional price, and get called to say sorry its now gone, after arranging it all he claimed there was a miscommunication, etc. This happened more than once, the other was a Transit.) The same day, after I got home from non-viewing the red Expert, I finally spotted my bargin, and bagged a 2005 (55) white Mk 1 Peugeot Expert 1.9 for £700
Im not too bad with DIY vehicle stuff, although nothing major. And before buying, I googled/watched videos on rocker cover gasket changing, that's when I found this forum and the excellent posts about disabling the awful EGR!
The reason for looking up the gasket was because the seller was brutally honest in pointing out every issue the van has - the mechanic friend he bought it from said there was a slight oil leak from rocker cover, a little nick in the fuel pipe O ring, and a cracked ABS ring sometimes causes the brake pedal to go hard when starting cold, but blip the throttle and it returns to normal.
Now having read through all the MOT passes/fails/advisories, this supposed oil leak has been an advisory for the past THREE MOT!!! You know there is an oil leak as there is a tiny tiny patch of oil on the road if you leave it parked up for a few days. And I mean tiny. In 6 months of checking, he claimed the oil level on the dipsick has barely moved.
Inspecting the engine, you can see a dirty smear on the front of the block beginning from the bottom of the rocker cover. I'm confident this is nothing serious... I know that changing the rocker cover gasket is a lengthy task, but not an expensive one, since the gasket is dirt cheap - but do I even need to bother? If its been fine for over three years, why worry? Or is my confidence mis-placed?
I'm more irked about not being able to open one of the side doors from the outside (it opens from the inside, and the door card on same door is missing), and the interior light bulb needs replacing.
Someone broke into the back of the van a couple months back, and bent one of the doors and smashed the lock. He put on a new secure clasp with a deadbolt. But the door now rattles about when driving. Annoying me during the long drive back home since there is no radio to drown out the noise!
She is rough now ready and absolutely fine for what need her for - carrying my tools to clients properties for my gardening business. But I'm going to address these issues as and when I get funds to do so.
Anyway, thanks for having me on your wonderful website. I love this little (actually it's bigger than I expected) van.
Last edited by BlantyreBotanicals (2021-08-18 06:56:56)
Peugeot Expert 1.9D, 2005 (55)
Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport, 2010 (59)
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Hello and welcome BB.
You gardeners are up early I see.
I have a side door that won't open from the outside too. As it's not heavily used I haven't bothered to sort it out yet. When I fitted a replacement door I had to refit the locks. This resulted in so much swearing and blood that once fitted and locking I stuck the cards back on and made do since.
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All vans have issues, even new ones. Be glad you managed to avoid the Transit. My one failed MOT a couple of months back and they wanted 1800 to repair it. I flogged it and bought an Expert, that also has problem, just not as bad problems. On mine no real maintenance seems to have been done for a while, so the entire engine was caked in dust, the oil hadn't been changed in a while and it has an issue with the turbo. not to mention the power steering fluid leak and the smell of diesel on the underside.
At a guess, the smear on yours is where the oil came out of the rocker box after a previous owner probably overfilled it. I had similar on an old fiesta some years back. As you say a gasket is cheap. Taking the rocker box top off isn't hard either, just time consuming. A split o-ring is also cheap to fix. I'd fix the brakes issue because that is a critical component.
My other suggestion, is if you don't have a set of cheap ramps (and maybe axle stands and a decent trolley or bottlejack), invest and see how much rust you can find on the underside. Then wire brush it, paint it and seal it, paying special attention to the sills. What you do now will save you down the line. Welding is expensive.
As for the door issue, mine all open and close, but the central locking only work on the front doors, but that isn't a big thing for me. As long as two doors work its fine. But most of them don't freely open or close.
Peugeot Expert 2006 2.0 Hdi 110 RHZ / DW10BTED+ 5 Speed Manual
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I have ramps. I have axle stands. I have a good trolley jack from Halfords. I'm pretty much set for doing all the work myself ? I even have a good socket set and a breaker bar.
I was planning on doing a nice hammerite (but not actually hammerite - probably that black truckbed stuff) job on the sides from the black trim.down and underneath, and do the interior at the same time.
There was a YouTube video of this American couple using rustoleum stuff on their camper-conversion, and they did a great job on it. Not an expert, think it was a merc sprinter.
They removed the black trim from the sides, keyed the surfaces, taped it all up and laid down a couple of coats - about 9 tins, to a lovely smooth finish then a clear top coat.
It looks great with the trim put back on, a nice two-tone finish; white on top, then black from the trim.down and all around.
The break issue, the ring is buttons, but it only happens when you start from cold, and dont do this: press the break until it goes hard, then blip the throttle, it reactivates the system and the issue doesn't occur again for the rest of the day.
Forget to do it? The first time you break, you get one press before thr pedal goes stiff and you need to quickly blip the throttle (with the edge of your foot) - it reminds me of old-school breaking like you were taught for your test of an emergency stop, back when driving was a real skill ? no ABS back then. You had to lift before you locked and press down again. Locked up? Examiner.failed you.
Peugeot Expert 1.9D, 2005 (55)
Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport, 2010 (59)
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J
What you do now will save you down the line. Welding is expensive.
Whilst I don't disagree, here is a tip from the transit owner forum:
1. Buy a second hand mig for about £50.
2. Find a washing machine that is on the street for uplift, or been fly-tipped and either take the plate cover. Or throw it in your van, and dump it at the tip when you got the plate off.
3. Buy the gas and wire needed for your welding. Do some practise on the plate until you can at least manage some bird-sh*t welds.
4. Get old speakers and salvage the magnets for holding your plate to the van before you tack-weld it in place.
5. Weld your van in the required areas.
6. Sell the mig as.used for £50.
Cost? Price of the wire, gas, and fuel.
Last edited by BlantyreBotanicals (2021-08-19 00:01:50)
Peugeot Expert 1.9D, 2005 (55)
Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport, 2010 (59)
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Rust-Oleum combi colour is a cracking paint of you are painting your van. It will brush or roller on. 5lt is plenty for a jumbo size van.
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Hello ... Welcome .......
I also as well as Van have a 21 year old 306 also with same basic diesel [an early DW8] in it ...
I was once informed "Don''t drive it Ther's a masive oil leak" .........
That was a Couple or more years ago when it was about to hit 205,000 [now 212,000 and a bit] .............
And it on retirement duties .........
It turned out to be years of spills and weeping the way engines do.....
I also have a slight leak from my rocker cover in [2005] Van [DW8/B] ... These engines [Dw8's I assume DW10's also] have a plastic rocker cover and always seem to have a small leak of some sort ..........
I first really noticed mine when parked over a puddle and got that rainbow effect ..............
I've since had an advisory on a small oil leak..........
But have never done anything about it..........
I never need to put oil in it ...........
[That's a lie I did once just after I bought it ...About 6 years ago]...............
Never between oil changes .........
So must be really small like yours ...............
Although a little oil can look like a big mess......
[Not even sure if still active ... Never looked in a while]
I had changed a CV joint years ago in Van it feels like.............
Because of an ABS Ring Failure .......
Can't remember exactly if rings only are available .....
But for whatever reason at time I had a CV Joint fitted ............
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I just realised Blantyre {Need to pay more attention at first} My Grandfather was born [1898 IIRC] in Blantyre in the same street ... unlikely nextdoor [Station Rd, Blantyre] to where David Livinstone was from ..........
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I just realised Blantyre {Need to pay more attention at first} My Grandfather was born [1898 IIRC] in Blantyre in the same street ... unlikely nextdoor [Station Rd, Blantyre] to where David Livinstone was from ..........
I'm a scouser living in a foreign land but yep, - that is next door to me. Well, near enough. The livingstone centre is just down the road from me, round the corner from station rd
Last edited by BlantyreBotanicals (2021-08-19 14:29:49)
Peugeot Expert 1.9D, 2005 (55)
Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport, 2010 (59)
We're on the Web! : Blantyre Botanicals [The Bot Factory Ltd] : View our Facebook page
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J
Pathfinder100 wrote:What you do now will save you down the line. Welding is expensive.
Whilst I don't disagree, here is a tip from the transit owner forum:
1. Buy a second hand mig for about £50.
2. Find a washing machine that is on the street for uplift, or been fly-tipped and either take the plate cover. Or throw it in your van, and dump it at the tip when you got the plate off.
3. Buy the gas and wire needed for your welding. Do some practise on the plate until you can at least manage some bird-sh*t welds.
4. Get old speakers and salvage the magnets for holding your plate to the van before you tack-weld it in place.
5. Weld your van in the required areas.
6. Sell the mig as.used for £50.
Cost? Price of the wire, gas, and fuel.
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Yeah i already have MIG, have had for years. It was more an assumption of if you didn't have one or know how to weld. But it seems many on here do. A friend said to me long ago, anyone can weld with a MIG, the welds will redefine the word shit, but most of the time they will hold and do the job. I tried to learn Arc a few years back and still intend to get that done at some point.
Peugeot Expert 2006 2.0 Hdi 110 RHZ / DW10BTED+ 5 Speed Manual
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vaz2121 wrote:I just realised Blantyre {Need to pay more attention at first} My Grandfather was born [1898 IIRC] in Blantyre in the same street ... unlikely nextdoor [Station Rd, Blantyre] to where David Livinstone was from ..........
I'm a scouser living in a foreign land
but yep, - that is next door to me. Well, near enough. The livingstone centre is just down the road from me, round the corner from station rd
Eyh Eyh I'll weld the f**king thing, arreyt barri! lol - I'm in Bathgate and have been through it all with mines and more lol, I got mines for £100/150 I think almost 2 year ago I think now as there was oil in the coolant and the guy just wanted rid of it, turns out it was just the oil cooler, I spend as little as possible on it while spending alot on it, but when they work they are great wee vans and to be honest, even with their faulty they just keep trooping on if the MOT man does not fail them for rust or front subframe.
Edit: If you need a hand with owt, tools etc give me a shout bud.
Last edited by Stu-D (2021-08-24 01:05:55)
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... when they work they are great wee vans and to be honest, even with their faulty they just keep trooping on if the MOT man does not fail them for rust or front subframe.
Edit: If you need a hand with owt, tools etc give me a shout bud.
I will do just that! My mates missus is from Bathgate (well, Boghall) so it's a trip we often make when she wants to visit her folks.
First job I'll be doing is the hammerite-type paint job on the sides and underneath. So hopefully that will keep the MOTman and his pokey screwdriver away from my sills and subframe!!
And if I can save pennies by going bio, I can get more jobs done soon!
Peugeot Expert 1.9D, 2005 (55)
Peugeot 207 1.4 Sport, 2010 (59)
We're on the Web! : Blantyre Botanicals [The Bot Factory Ltd] : View our Facebook page
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Stu-D wrote:... when they work they are great wee vans and to be honest, even with their faulty they just keep trooping on if the MOT man does not fail them for rust or front subframe.
Edit: If you need a hand with owt, tools etc give me a shout bud.
I will do just that! My mates missus is from Bathgate (well, Boghall) so it's a trip we often make when she wants to visit her folks.
First job I'll be doing is the hammerite-type paint job on the sides and underneath. So hopefully that will keep the MOTman and his pokey screwdriver away from my sills and subframe!!
And if I can save pennies by going bio, I can get more jobs done soon!
Aye nice but any time, sometimes I'm at a unit in Linlithgoow but all the same mush, funny you say the screwdriver haha....I've seen toolstation selling this, maybe it will stick in stead of falling off like waxoyl every year? - https://www.toolstation.com/silverhook- … eal/p89423
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