My First 505: 1986 Turbo

[trymes]

Well, as anyone who has seen my other thread on my bad turbo wastegate actuator knows, I have recently joined the 505 community with the purchase of a 1986 Turbo sedan. Other than the (very unfortunate) actuator problem, it's quite a nice car, though showing some deferred maintenance issues and other old-car stuff. This was user M. Davis' car from new, and he had it up in the classifieds section in case you are wondering where you have seen these pictures before.

I've got it going and roadworthy again with a new master cylinder (installed in the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn!), and I'm building a punch list. Any input on the relative scarcity of the parts I need would be appreciated:

• Instrument lights (STOP, etc) are not lighting when I turn the key on. Bad grounds or bad bulbs?
• Leakage at RR of differential on CV joint boot.
• The aforementioned wastegate actuator that does not. - I sourced and Installed a Mamba universal actuator, but something is still off. I have sent my actuator off to GB Remanufacturing in Long Beach, CA to have it rebuilt. Hope to have it back soon and install.
• The hood safety catch is in the trunk. If you install it, it makes it impossible to open the hood without something to pry it out of the way.
• Electric Mirrors are inoperative.
• Rear windows are slow to lift. (Getting better with time, but the switch for the left rear is intermittent).
• Need to lubricate the sunroof.
• The Charge light (battery icon) glows dimly when the lights are on and I press the brakes (bad grounds?).
• The Battery hold-down is AWOL. - Found a part from Rob Courter @ Javel in Dallas. Part #5615.21. Need to install, still.
• Fuel Gauge Sender/Sensor was bad, the traces on the resistor board lifted and got tangled up in the float. I managed to source one from Brian Holm, but I am guessing that it might need to come out again to have the contacts cleaned.
• Noticed a loose wire under the transmission, looks like it might have been attached to what looks like a sensor in front of the pan that someone has stuffed some Silicone in. It drives fine for now, so hopefully it's not urgent. - Identified this as Part #1131.11 "Switch, N9T transmission temperature" that will light an orange light above the fuel gauge if the transmission fluid overheats. Ordered one up from Rob Courter in Dallas, installed 7/11/2018.
• The oil dipstick has lost its head. - Sourced 405 8v replacement - Marks are higher than on 505 dipstick, but it will do.
• Front Sway Bar bushings are completely gone (literally not there). - Replaced 8/27/2017
• Crushed and broken elbow connecting intake to turbo. - Installed modified Diesel Accordion hose, need to adjust valve cover breather and charcoal canister connections. Had to take it back out and apply some shoe goo after it split in one spot.
• Coolant needs a flush. - Completed 8/30/2107
• Needs front brake pads and rotors, plus rear pads and four flex lines. - Parts sourced from Brian Holm and installed.
• Needs a new rubber hose to connect the intercooler and intake. - Fixed. Sourced one from a fellow selling a station wagon in Portland, ME.
• Steering rack boots are only about 40% still there and the bushings in the "power arm" (?) are shot. - Sourced parts from Bian Holm. Fixed June 2018.

In general, the car is very attractive and in good condition. I'm hoping that there is a reasonably easy way to replace the wastegate actuator, though I'm guessing that there isn't .

Please let me know your thoughts on the relative ease/difficulty of sourcing the parts needed for the above list.

EDIT: See my other threads about the car not exceeding 3000 RPM for what is required to remove the actuator (spoiler alert: you need to remove the RH motor mount, but not the turbo or exhaust manifold).

[Goce]

Beautiful car, i like the color, it's easy to tell it's been garage keep most of its life.

[trymes]

Thank you. It isn't the original paint, but you can see in the interior that it has somehow managed to escape the Texas sun mostly unscathed.

[trymes]

I have been editing the original post, but I thought I would keep adding items as they arise. I noticed today while working on the car that the secondary piston on the steering rack (what is that called?) seems to be missing a bushing where it attaches. I'll reach out to Brian H. to see if he knows what I mean. I think I also need to source a different rack boot for the RH side from him, as the one on the car has to wide-mouth openings and the one he provided looks just like the LH side: One wide-mouth opening, one small.

I also cinched down the valve cover nuts a tiny bit (being careful not to distort the cover), as I had what seemed to be a pretty healthy oil leak down the front of the engine. My hunch is that I have a leak somewhere else, too, but time will tell if this leak diminishes.

I also noticed that the cooling system was not building pressure, and it looked like it could use a good flush, so I drained it out, cleaned the overflow tank up a bit and re-filled it. I then fit a replacement cap I had and it started building pressure. Further inspection revealed two caps with properly functioning relief valves, but the original had a bad gasket. Unfortunately, since the system is now pressurized, it seems to have caused a slow leak at the "Do Not Open - Ne Pas Ouvrir" cap on the LH top of the radiator. It looks to me that the gasket in that is also bad (soft, cracked in the middle, and deformed where it meets the plastic radiator tank). I suppose I can either cut a new rubber sheet to replace the existing one, or perhaps find a good used or NOS cap.

Lastly, I noticed that the charge light (battery icon) on the instrument panel does come on dimly when I have the lights on, but only when I have the brakes (and brake lights) on. I had initially thought that the light went off when I increased engine speed, but it is actually the brakes that cause the issue. The light will even glow dimly when the engine is revved up if I have the brakes on. I have started another thread on this topic.

Lastly, I noticed a loose wire under the transmission. It looks like it might have been attached to what looks like a sensor in front of the pan that someone has stuffed some Silicone in. It drives fine for now, so hopefully it's not urgent.

[Bean]

I've just referred to it as the power steering ram - unlike other cars that hydraulically assist internally - Peugeot uses a manual rack that is assisted by the hydraulic ram.  One of THE best steering systems I've ever driven.

If you get a chance to post pics - identifying things like loose wires and siliconed sensors is easier to help if we can see exactly what you're referring too.

Parts Network has new valve cover gaskets - it's a common point to leak from the bottom lower corners when the cork gasket loses it's pliability.

Btw - I love your enthusiasm for your new car Tom!  

Rabin

[trymes]

Thanks, Rabin. I'm excited to play with it, though my wife and I are still trying to make up our minds if it will stay or be moved along to a new owner. It's a really well cared-for car that has some deferred maintenance issues, it seems. The leather is in good shape, it looks nice, and it drives well.

Photos are usually something I am better with, but it's so stinking oily up under there that I haven't really wanted to handle the phone with greasy gloves.

Next up I need to try to reset the TPS and adjust the idle speed, but I am used to SU carburetors and this non-modern injection system is a bit of an unknown to me.

[trymes]

Here's a photo of the transmission sensor and wire (and the utterly hammered steering rack boots!). The "sensor" with silicone in it (presumably to stop a leak) is right in the middle of the photo, right below the dangling steering rack gaiter and in front of the pan. You can see the wire coiled up tot he right of the dipstick tube, direclty below the plastic grate in the bell housing.

PS: I have noticed that one receives the unhelpful error "There was an error uploading this image" if you try to upload an image that is larger than, say, 1.75 MB. If you resize the photo to be smaller it will work. Is there an option in the forum software that could be enabled to automatically resize any photos larger than the maximum? If not, perhaps a more helpful message about the fact that the file is too large (as one receives when uploading a profile picture > 2MB).

[trymes]

So, after flushing the coolant and fixing the bad gasket on the pressure cap, I had noticed a tiny leak at the filler cap on the radiator. So, I contacted Brian Holm, who sent me a new gasket for the filler cap.

That solved the leak, but pressure will find a way out, I guess! I took the car on a reasonably long trip to Vermont, and as I started home, the coolant level light came on. I was shocked to find the car nearly out of coolant when I stopped to check. I nervously re-filled the radiator, and I eventually heard coolant spilling on the ground.

Closer investigation revealed a split heater hose right by the thermostat housing. It was Sunday and a remote-ish area, but I was able to cobble together a temporary fix with a garden hose, and it actually got me home!

Here's hoping I didn't do any serious damage to the car, and I suppose that this means I need to replace all of the 31 year-old heater hoses. The one that broke seems to go to the heater valve, and from there travels behind the engine to...? And where is the return line?

[Bean]

Not to alarm you - but blowing rad hoses and cooling system leaks *can* be a sign of the cracked head.  Combustion pressurizing cooling system will cause similar failures.

That said - another tell tale symptom is the coolant reservoir gets filled with coolant.  If that's staying at the right level then it's definitely just age related hose/component failure. 

On the bright side - I hope the car was as nice as I know them to be on the highway.  They really are great cars.

Rabin

[trymes]

Yeah, there may be a crack. Funny thing is I met a fellow yesterday who used to work on one of these cars and his first question was "how many heads have you cracked?"

On the other hand, this hose is really soft and weak. Time will tell. I have written this car off a few times now!

[Bean]

Hi Tom,

I only mention it so you're aware of the failure symptoms.  Cracked head is one thing, but the pressure will always take out the weakest link first.  If hoses are good it'll split the rad tanks.

The coolant expansion tank being right full is a key sign, and running the car with the cap off will have bubbles coming into the tank when idling or revved.

What does the damage is the lost coolant causing an overheated engine.  Overheat it bad and it's usually much worse.

Cracked head isn't even a big deal - Erikkson does rebuilt heads for $1100.  LOTS of cars have similar issues with head cracks and people just fix them.

I personally have an issue with the cooling system and think the coolant reservoir needs to be the highest point to ensure the head is kept full at all times.

Rabin

[trymes]

Makes sense. Shouldn't the expansion tank pressure cap relieve the pressure before a hose splits or the radiator tank cracks (assuming the hose is in good condition)?

[Bean]

Cap not working properly, and cap not designed to vent coolant quickly are two things that could cause a spike in pressure high enough to take out a hose or the rad.

I've run a car for months and months with a cracked head with the cap on loose, and with a careful eye on levels.  Pretty sure it ensures further cracking - but it's better than losing coolant due to a component failure and overheating the motor.

Rabin

[trymes]

Just adding some additional details. I found a Battery Hold Down Clamp via Facebook from Rob Courter at Javel, Inc. in Dallas. Part #5615.21.

Here's a photo:

[trymes]

Another item for the archives, if anyone is looking for it. The switch at the front of the transmission that threads into the banjo connector headed in from (or out to) the transmission cooler is an oil temperature switch, part #1131.11 - "Switch, N9T transmission temperature". It lights an orange light above the fuel gauge if the temperature of the ATF is too high (over 140, I think). I also found this thanks to Rob Courter @ Javel in Dallas. Pictures of the gauge, the old, broken, part and of the new replacement.