1.6 HDi with unknown oil change intervals.

[MixerFistit]

To cut to the chase, my question is, should I bother dropping the sump and checking the oil strainer of a 1.6 HDi with unknown history? - I need to change a leaking oil feed pickup so have to get my hands dirty anyway.

Some blurb you can ignore unless you're bored:
I've acquired a 207 CC that hadn't been looked after (at least hasn't been looked after recently). I've owned a few 1.6 HDi's and been on the forums long enough to be well aware of what neglecting oil changes can do.

After cleaning a stuck EGR I've got it idling lovely but it had a dribbling oil feed on the turbo, which after I disturbed it, has now turned into a serious leak where the banjo meets the pipe and so needs replacing.

This was an extremely cheap vehicle that is turning out to be not as bad as it could've been but there is no history. It was sold to the previous owner as it was, who needed an emergency runaround who then gave up on it with the bad idle, low power and it needed brakes and they clearly didn't know the first thing about maintenance (brakes on metal - and by metal, I mean PISTON ON DISC!, tyres nearly down to the cords).
It's on 90k, injectors seem fine. Was on a personal plate until 2021 with only 2 owners, before it started getting passed around so I'm guessing it was probably looked after up to that point.

[GiveMeABreak]

Check you have the newer banjo bolts with uprated strainer as some of these had updated parts to help counter blockages.

(5) Turbo Lubrication Union Bolt, part: 037660
(7) Copper Seal, part: 015708

This is the old assembly:

This is the new assembly, which concerns replacement of the lower banjo bolt on the turbocharger lubricating pipe with a banjo bolt that has a removable, larger-capacity, strainer filter.

[MixerFistit]

Thanks as always Marc. I've bought new ones and can see it will be arriving with a white strainer.

Going over the old posts, did we ever get a general consensus on whether to remove the strainer completely? or to leave in place and rely on regular oil changes and healthy injectors?

[GiveMeABreak]

Personally I've never had this engine, so can't comment directly, but with the removable strainer at (6) it's at least easier to remove and check / clean with your oil changes.

I'd probably opt for keeping it in place at this stage as you don't really want any debris getting in at this stage. Hard to know what sort of carbon deposits or other crud is in the system, so I would be inclined to fit with the new filter and see how it looks and just change the oil every 6-7k miles or at least annually.

[MixerFistit]

Maybe I should drop the sump to inspect the main strainer then.

It's a shame the turbo strainer is on the block side. I haven't removed the old one yet but from what I'm seeing it's heatshield and exhaust/cat off to access the bolt.

[MixerFistit]

Quick update. Ugh what a job that was. Not much space to work on a 207 so bumpers and headlights off, Doser off, intercooler out and radiator frame pulled forward. Heat shields and dpf off just to get to the lower bolt.
My replacement bolts didn't arrive so used the originals. Only 1 small bit of debris on the gauze so cleaned and refitted with no leaks. Oil was changed shortly after, had a 5l bottle so I twice flushed the dregs with 2x 500ml of oil. Still black so may do another change in a month or so. I know they go black quick anyway but want to give it a chance.

Can't wait to do the timing belt and water pump in this tight space