Peugeot 308 engine

[Ceenine]

My son has purchased said car with 1.2 Puretech motor. It is a 2014 model. The engine was replaced by seller as the timing belt snapped with inevitable consequences. He wants to know when the engine of the donor car was built. Can the engine number XT 180013859 provide date of construction.

[GiveMeABreak]

I can provide you with the car's build date but not the engine if you provide the VIN.

Another thing to watch on these:- Big issues with these Puretech 1.2 engines. With the 'Belt in Oil' system, the original early timing belts suffered from shavings from the outer belt coming off into the oil and this led to blocking and caused oil starvation, leading to overheating and engine failure in the worst cases.

This also prevalent in the later vehicles with the 1.2 Puretech engines. They therefore cut the timing intervals down to about 62k Miles (100 KM) so that the original belts could be replaced with an improved version with more oil resistant properties. After this has been done the next timing service is usually double. Quite shocking and an oversight really that they could let this happen.

[Ceenine]

As I stated, the engine was replaced in the car so that the vin of the car will not help. He was not provided by the vin of the car relating to the replacement engine.

My son wants the code to see when the engine was built so that he can ascertain what month of what year the belt relates to and therefor whether he needs to upgrade it.

[Ceenine]

To put it in very plain English, does the engine number have the build date coded in it?

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, I appreciate that, I meant the VIN of the car that you have the donor engine from. That would tell me the build date of the vehicle at the factory - which may help you. I can't decode the actual engine code.

[Ceenine]

Thanks for that Marc. So, as we have no vin for the donor car we are stymied. So if I assume that engine numbers are sequential I shall ask around on other forums fo see if I can encourage other owners of like engined cars to generously go to the trouble of noting their engine numbers and offer them. In the meantime I have suggested to my son that he keeps an eye on the car’s timing belt to spy obvious deterioration. Unfortunately a visual check is not always enough.

[Paul-R]

Does the V5 document have the engine number recorded on it? If it's been changed to the new engine then nothing to learn but if it's the old engine you will at least know whether it's younger or older than your car.

What that won't give you is how many miles the engine has covered but given the bad reputation the timing belts have on this engine then why not do a peace of mind change anyway? Just make sure that you get one of the revised belts to fit of course!

[Ceenine]

The engine has done 25,000 km apparently. The build date will indicate if this mileage as supplied by installer is anywhere near correct.

[Ceenine]

What is the V5 document. As my post shows, I am in Australia, and we don’t use the same registration processes and documents as the UK. Hard to believe I know. In fact they aren’t even uniform between our states.

[Ceenine]

Paul R, I understand the new belts came on the market in early 2017. You suggest we buy the revised belt only. I certainly agree with that! I can’t believe that any half respectable supplier, and there are many in the UK and even in this backwater of the planet, would have any of the older type, particularly Gates, Continental, Optibelt and Dayco. Given the turnover would be very high with this motor, if I wanted an older type of belt (mental derangement accepted), I would be going flat out to find one.

[Paul-R]

Whoops, completely missed where you were posting from. Apologies. As you surmised the V5 is the registration document.

You'd be surprised how easy it is to be given an old specification part if you're not aware of a supersession. And even if you are, you can still be fed old stock.