Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

[dieselphile Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close dieselphile]

Has anyone had trouble wih the computerised injection pump on the 406. (Bosch?)
After nearly a year there is a huge fuel leak from underneath it .
It may not be bio related as its a highish mileage car at 110000?
It has been running so well up till now ...faultless, it is such a shame!
It became difficult to start and so I changed the fuel filter and used the black lemon to prime (which looks like a very old prune), then noticed the fuel peeing out from the drive end of the pump.( I will replace the black lemon) but the fuel leak....AAAAGH !
cheers

[Suzy Member Find all posts View Profile Close Suzy]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Sounds like your pump seal is stuffed. Older vehicles have natural rubber seals, which degrade slowly when you use biodiesel. When you get the seal replaced, see if they'll give you a biodiesel tolerant one, which will last much longer.

Cheers,

Suzy

[tillyfromparadise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tillyfromparadise]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Hello Suzie

I think you will find that no car built since WW I has used Natural rubber anywhere in their fuel system.
Petroleum products attack Natural rubber just like biodiesel.
Mud flaps on the other hand...

[Suzy Member Find all posts View Profile Close Suzy]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Meant to write nitrile...

Thanks for picking up the stuff-up

[Robert Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Robert]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

OK, I may not have too much useful to offer here in the way of advice, but I'll just give a quick translation, as some of us Australians in here may not know what you're on about.

Firstly, 110,000 miles = 177,000kms. The "black lemon" is the little fuel priming pump, which on a Peugeot is on the fuel line and is a simple black rubber pump that works by squeezing, much the same as a priming pump on an outboard motor. Simple but effective.

Though in this case not very effective, as by the "old prune" description, it sounds like it has perished or softened?

Now, I'm not sure what the normal expected life of this pump is without expecting any leaks from it, so don't be too quick to blame biodiesel. What is the age of the car? Where were you getting the biodiesel from?

[dieselphile Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close dieselphile]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Thank you all for these interesting comments.

It seems that we need to establish exactly what is going on with regard to types of rubber and their resistance to chemical attack.
My Peugeot 406 is a 1998 model and has been a joy to use on biodiesel.
The fuel is made from transesterfied waste oils that are heated / filtered and then methanol/caustic soda reacted.
I then use a high pressure pump to force the fuel through a large capacity 1 micron filter before storage in an air bubble tank.I then feed through a column of amberlite phenolic ion-exchange resin.
The fuel does not smell of alcohol and is perfectly clear.
The specific gravity is always around 0.900.
I have run on 100% biodiesel for about a year which is about 23,000 miles .
cheers.

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Certainly sounds like a seal issue to me, and it should not be the case in such a reasonbale young vehicle. Unfortunately you have no option but to get it looked at, but the thing to do is INSIST that you get viton seals in the pump, not oem, not after market or anything else.Check the fuel bulb is not perishing as well as looking at your fuel lines.Above all else, have funMatt

[Tony From West Oz Vice Chairperson of WARFA Find all posts View Profile Close Tony From West Oz]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

I support Matts advice, with only one change - Do Not Stress about it.

Tony

[dieselphile Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close dieselphile]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

After many phone calls I got the information back from the engineer that changed the pump (back in July 2007). He said the cam belt was over tensioned which had worn the bearing on the pump and thence the seal. About 6 months before all this trouble I had another garage change the cam belt as a precaution , I was not sure of the car's history .
The garage sorting out my troubles told me they would not guarantee the replacement pump on B100. The fitter said it would be fine , he knew of plenty of 406s running B100 for over a year. PHEW. Cost about £500
but B100 NOT THE PROBLEM ! (have been fine since pump change 6 months ago)

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Just to let you know my 307 HDi (2004 model) has seal issues and you would think they would not by now!

Your front seals are most likely like mine and are viton, pity is the rest of them are not. I have two seals which are rubber and are breaking down, so be warned.

Matt

[tillyfromparadise Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tillyfromparadise]

Re: Peugeot 406 on 100% Biodiesel

Hello dieselphile

It is usually not easy to overtension cam belts. There is usually a spring that sets the tension. The tension is usually not dependant on the skills of the mechanic to get it right.
But the Peugeot may be different.