What to do

yangreen · Post by **yangreen** » 11 Nov 2005, 11:12

Am looking at buying a Pug 309 Diesel for £300. Problem is, what do I do if I can find no sign of a cambelt change? I hate cambelts. Changed the one on the Audi (or rather Stinkwheel did) when it was probably fine.

Anything else specifically to look for on one of these? I guess head gasket is another obvious thing to watch for.

Cheers

Ian

bxbodger · Post by **bxbodger** » 11 Nov 2005, 12:39

You've answered your own question!!

Basically, for £300, if it starts o.k.,runs without excessive smoking or fuming, and drives and pulls up in a straight line, then its a good buy!!!

I'd change the belt as soon as you get it home- you can't tell by looking if its any good or not, and its a cheap thing to buy. Have a look at the tensioners as well while you are at it.

I note the mileage on the inner wing with an indelible marker for my own benefit, but were I buying my car I wouldn't believe it and would do the belt anyway.

Its not a particularly difficult job, its just a bit of a squeeze between the inner wing and the motor, but when is it ever not!!!

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » 11 Nov 2005, 13:14

As a cheap banger with good MPG its worth buying.
Mate of mine ran one for years and years until it rusted away.

I like the 1769 XUD engine a lot, very reliable if treated right.

I supose could be talked into doing the belt on that too if need be

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 11 Nov 2005, 15:24

A pug 309 Diesel will be a square-port 1905cc engine... and I have to say I quite like them too. That engine (in a Talbot Horizon) was the first diesel car I ever owned.

The installation of the XUD in the 309 must be the easiest transverse installation to work on that there is. The access for the cambelt is really rather good. I recon it's no more than about 2 hours work to do the belt on that.

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » 11 Nov 2005, 15:50

Didnt realise it was the 19 engine, thought they were 17 same as visa/205.

Either way, its worth having, i assume it will be your save the citroen from winter runaround ian?

yangreen · Post by **yangreen** » 12 Nov 2005, 09:08

Well me being me, I can't decide what to do. I'd really like a Mazda MX-3 (am I allowed to say that here?) although I was planning on waiting until the new year to get one. My Audi is on Ebay but then maybe I should just spend the £300 on getting that sorted instead. Needs idle valve (one of which I've finally managed to track down), CV joint (not that I've found one of those yet) and some fettling to get it running properly.

The plan was to sell the Audi for as much as I can get (with an honest description of the faults) on Ebay and then get something to shed around in through the Winter but now I've started finding cheap MX3s!

Gah! Why are cars always my downfall?!

It is a 1.9 Pug by the way.

Ian

James.UK · Post by **James.UK** » 12 Nov 2005, 13:26

Horses for courses.

For a bit of fun I take the 323f for a spin.. But if i had to cross Australia I would take the ZX ... You have to decide what you want the car for, only then can you decide which car you want..

yangreen · Post by **yangreen** » 12 Nov 2005, 18:13

Well, I drive 55 miles per day to the office and back and as I own a 2cv, I do enjoy having something with a bit of poke and cruisability on motorways. Pointless owning something small and noisy as I already do!

I'm not a fan of four cylinder engines though - they just sound all wrong to me. No interest at all.

Have considered ZXs. I used to own a Pug 306 DTurbo until I got fed up with the diesel engine. But that aside, it was a great car.

I'm terrible really. I want to own ALL the cars!

Ian

alexp-j · Post by **alexp-j** » 15 Nov 2005, 21:52

I got my g reg 1990 309 GRD (XUD9) in 2002 for £250 with 148k on the clock and sold it in May this year with 183k, when I got my Goodwood due to not being able to afford insure two cars.
To be honest I could have kept it on the road as the mpg would have nearly made it worth it.

I never did the cambelt on the GRD but I have on the Goodwood which wasn't too difficult. Good work space, no unmount the engine.

Now I'm looking for a 205, ZX, AX or 309 Diesel or similar for about that price so I can take the Goodwood off the road for the winter to do the head swap among other things. Needs long MOT though.

Mark Dunmore · Post by **Mark Dunmore** » 22 Nov 2005, 22:25

Ian, make sure the 309 has power steering; they're a bit of a handful at parking speeds without. Can't fault one as a choice of cheapie, though. Just as long as the head gasket is OK (speaking as someone about to go through a fourth one on a BX!).

Cripes, another forum to get used to! I've already spotted some familiar names! Just don't break this one, alright?

Stinkwheel · Post by **Stinkwheel** » 22 Nov 2005, 22:34

Blimey Mark,

4 Headgaskets !!!
Good job you can get them trade huh

Yes another new forum, and guess what, I've got more posts here than Greenie

yangreen · Post by **yangreen** » 23 Nov 2005, 08:57

Search may have to step up a gear as the Audi decided idling wasn't such a good thing to do on the way in! Three pedal driving in the fog. Ah, what fun!

If it plays up on the way home, I'm cancelling the CV joint replacement and I'll just get rid. It's my only car at the moment while my 2cv is having a winter fettling session so I need my one car to work!

Ian

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