1.6 HDI engine reliability?

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howiedean
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1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by howiedean »

Hello,

I've been reading a fair amount recently on the issues regarding the 1.6 HDI engine. I'll be looking to get another low tax vehicle in around 18 months and I've been looking at what is available from Citroen. Does anyone have any thoughts on this motor and should I look elsewhere for a replacement?
Vehicles I'm considering:

Citroen C4 110BHP low tax model
C5 110BHP variants

Vauxhall Astra 1.3 diesel 90BHP - would need to be remapped and not sure about the turbo lag on this engine!
Vauxhall Astra 1.7 ecoflex 110BHP low tax model

Renault Scenic 1.5 dCi - Better engine than the 1.9 dCi!
Renault Megane Estate 1.5dCi

I really like Citroen but not sure I want turbo issues on my next car.......

Regards,

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Peter.N.
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C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: 1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by Peter.N. »

If you change the oil on the Citroen about twice as often as they reccomend that will considerably reduce the risk of turbo problems.

Peter
howiedean
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Re: 1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by howiedean »

Peter.N. wrote:If you change the oil on the Citroen about twice as often as they reccomend that will considerably reduce the risk of turbo problems.

Peter
Peter thanks for that, the only problem I have is that I'm likely going to buy one with 50,000 miles on the clock already and wont really know if the damage has already been done.

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Bob L'eponge
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Re: 1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by Bob L'eponge »

Most of the problems seem to be related to serious neglect in the form of missed oil changes, the failure to use fully synthetic oil and not changing the oil properly by draining. This results in the old oil carbonising. You should have a good chance of seeing if this is a problem simply by looking inside the top of the engine by removing the oil filler cap. As ever check the service record as well.

I have had a 2009 1.6 Hdi Tourer for over a year now. I bought it with almost 60,000 miles on the clock (bought cheap as an ex company car) and have added another 20,000 since. Engine and turbo still seem fine.

I did have to replace the clutch and DMF recently, at about 75,000 miles. Not a particularly difficult job at all if you take your time and no special tools are needed as the clutch is not a self-adjusting one, as it is on the 2 litre engine. Total cost using Sachs parts, as were fitted in the factory, was £450. For such a big car it is very good on fuel, giving around 56 Mpg on a UK motorway at 70 Mph, 50 Mpg plus on a French motorway (130 Km/hr) and over 60 Mpg on a run on rural roads. On short runs from cold, especially up hills, the consumption can drop to about 40 Mpg. The FAP system is brilliant as well and the difference in the emissions as compared to my wife's 1.5 Dci powered car is astonishing. Looking at the Diagbox readings, the latest models seem to be good for at least 100,000 miles before the additive needs refilling and the filter cleaning.

I really don't see why anyone should think that the 1.6 Hdi is underpowered for the X7 C5, but then again I always drive in a legal and socially responsible manner. In reality it pulls really well from very low down and it is a very quiet and smooth motor. Perhaps you might need to occasionally give it another 200 Rpm of right foot than if you were in a 2 litre, but I have never felt the need to go anywhere near the redline. Pity it doesn't come with a 6-speed box though.

There are millions of these motors in use and I think that perhaps people have become more worried about their reliability than they need be. As ever perception is everything, with people who have a car considered to be 'reliable' putting failures down to 'bad luck', whilst the same rate of failure in a car considered to be 'problematic' tends to be taken as being proof that 'they are all rubbish'.
Peter.N.
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Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: 1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by Peter.N. »

Bob says it all really, if its OK now and in the future you give it regular oil changes, starting immediatly, it will actually clean the engine up. As he says, they don't all fail but I think getting so much power from such a small engine can take its toll but if you don't thrash it and maintain it well you stand a good chance of not having anything nasty happen.

Peter
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
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Re: 1.6 HDI engine reliability?

Post by howiedean »

Peter.N. wrote:Bob says it all really, if its OK now and in the future you give it regular oil changes, starting immediatly, it will actually clean the engine up. As he says, they don't all fail but I think getting so much power from such a small engine can take its toll but if you don't thrash it and maintain it well you stand a good chance of not having anything nasty happen.

Peter

Bob/Peter
Your starting to talk me into getting one now! I was really after the 1.6HDI with a 6 speed gearbox which I think means looking at a C4 with the EGS transmission, another minefield there then!
Citroen always have high a specification as compared to the competition, I definitely want cruise control and ideally something with a nice high top gear for 2000rpm 70mph cruising. Hmmm not to sure about that EGS gearbox!

Regards,

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
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