f s

This is driving me crazy. 405 has a new-ish battery, but if I don't drive it every few days, it'll be dead when I need it. No clicking, no instrument lights....nothing. A quick charge and there we go. Keep this up and I'll be buying another battery in no time. In recent months.... - new starter - checked wiring to starter, alternator, etc. - alternator working right. - inserted ammeter between battery negative post and negative wire. Meter shows drain of about 8 mA when everything is off. YouTube instructional videos say that's ok. - inserted ammeter between battery positive post and positive wire. Meter shows drain of about 8 mA when everything is off. - removed each master panel fuse in turn, meter shows no substantial difference. - Parked in a dark garage, so I should be able to tell if any lights are on, etc. Any ideas what I can try now? f s

If not for the fact that the starter is basically a necessity for automotive use, I'd just give up on this starter problem and forget about it, much as one might do without a radio or A/C. But I've spent the past week pulling all the pieces that lead up to the intake manifold, checking everything, finding nothing. Touching the hot lead to the battery + post, gets a pleasant spark but nothing's turning over. Refreshed the negative battery clamp, the G1 body post to which the starter body should have contact. Everything is consistent. Which is: any two pieces of steel show something less than one ohm resistance, all wires that should show continuity, do. Nothing looks out of place. Except maybe.....resistance between the spade post on the solenoid and body of same is one ohm. Does that sound right? I pulled out an old starter w. solenoid and it also shows one ohm trigger post to body. I presume that starter is in my collection because it's no good. Would this mean that the current (one yr. old) starter is no good for that reason? If so, it would be easy to get it fixed or get another one, again. It would also beg the question: why is my car blowing the starters on an annual basis? Am I making progress, or just spinning my (and not the car's) wheels? Thanks, fs

My Mi16 (summer car) has had a starter problem going back more than a year. I should mention that, long ago, I installed a relay and heavy wire to the solenoid. I believe it's wire number 47 that we interrupt to get more power to the starter. Now it no longer matters. A year ago, I had a few experiences where I had to call AAA or use my portable battery pack to get going. Even if I knew I had a fully charged battery, I might get in, turn the key and get an errrr, pause, errrr, pause, errrr. After a few such experiences, I installed a new starter (with solenoid attached) and things were good for a while. Fast forward thru the winter - I don't drive it in winter. I now have a new battery, of course, having killed my three-year old battery from all the recharging. In case you're asking.....there is no clicking when I turn the key. Headlight on and they don't dim. I should have enough power to move the starter for a few seconds. Now the starter sounds a bit different. Turn the key and get errRERRrr, pause, errRERRrr, pause, errRERRrr, pause, etc. Not getting anywhere. So last week, I pulled the intake manifold and checked the starter. Wiring still tight, two starter mounting bolts a bit loose. Tighten the bolts, tighten the wiring even more, test wire continuity. Put everything back together. Buy a new set of spark plugs, get the plug wires from my old set. 1, 2, 3 threads are black but otherwise okay. Number 4? When I pull the wire, the top half of the plug comes with it!. Even better, pulling the coil wires off the distributor cap, one thru four are okay, but pulling the coil wire off the distributor cap gives me the nipple right off the cap! Wha'??? Replace all four spark plugs, get a used dist. cap, put everything back together. Start it up - it runs great! I am happy. I guess I found the problemS. Now, not having anywhere to go, turn it off and go into the house. Next day, turn the key.........nothing. No reaction at all. Do all the usual checks. Nothing. When I turn the key, I get no sounds, just lights. The full bunch of lights on the instrument cluster. What the...?? Figuring I must've done something bad during last week's attempt, I pull everything off, down to the intake manifold. Can't find anything wrong, put it all back and try it again. Now, when I turn the key to the OFF position, the battery indicator is on. With key ON: check engine, battery indicator, brake, all gauges, engine fan ON. STOP, oil level and warning lights are OFF. Turning key to START extinguished the battery indicator, the rest still on. The starter "has left the room". Sorry to take so long, but no use leaving out any details. I'm totally lost. I have purchased two sets of TDK plugs and new wires and fuel injectors are on the way. I figure I haven't thrown enough money at it yet. Oh yeah, I've already swapped out the coil with a known-good coil from my previous Mi16. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks, fs

I still have two - the S wagon and the '92 Mi16. Wagon needs some muffler work (suddenly it's embarrassingly loud!), but running great. Mi16 looks great but driving me nuts. Two-yr. old battery, alternator, etc. have been checked out at Advanced Auto Parts and everything checks out good but keeps stranding me (my battery pack having a harder and harder time doing its job). I charge it up - the car - at home, it starts right up. Buy the groceries, come back to the car, engine sounds like it cranks once-around, then dead; not even clicking. A jump start from another car gets it going instantly! It was doing this last year. I put in a new starter from Brian H., which seemed to do the deal, but it's doing it again. Alternator checks out good. I put in a different (old) coil yesterday and will be checking it out today. Not optimistic. I'm thinking maybe distributor, but I'm not in the mood to go there. I AM open to suggestions. But thanks for asking. They're still worth having. fs

Life is Good When.... you notice a black on black Alfa Guilia coming up behind you, in your Mi16. You give him a thumb's-up as he passes you, and he's already giving you one! fs

I agree, except that I haven't been able to find another factory '89 seat belt to install into my wagon. A few years ago, when I had three 405s, my two Mi16s had 89 belts and my "poor ol'" wagon was, and still is, stuck with automatics. Maybe I just haven't been looking hard enough. Or, it might be that I have too many non-vehicular projects going. fs Keep on with your 405s; lookin' good.

Congratulations on swapping real seat belts for those $%^^&*& automatic belts. I've had real 3-point belts in my Mi16s forever, but haven't found a set of real belts for my S wagon. So...first question - where did you get your real belts for your wagon? I've looked at a few online belt sellers but their belts are too long for 405 front seats. (I'm not sure WHY they won't sell belts longer than a stated length for a prospective buyer's car). Second question - Peugeot factory manuals I have state a particular brand for 15-year lubricant for the track on the automatic belt. Not willing to search European dealers for that lubricant, I'm wondering what sort of lubricant it is (powdered graphite, 10W15, WD-40, sewing machine oil, bearing grease, etc.). The automatic belt in my wagon is pretty sluggish so I'd like to lube it up a bit but I don't know what sort of lube is suggested. fs