The Peugeot 206 is a popular choice of car on today’s roads and, as timing belt replacement is due at 140,000 or 160,000 miles (depending on date of manufacture) or every ten years (depending on vehicle age), the chances of seeing one in your workshop for a timing belt replacement are quite high.
Recommended labour time: 2.6 hours. INA timing belt fitting kit: 530023910
You should, however, make sure you always check with the manufacturers’ recommended timing belt replacement schedule first.
The 1.4 HDI (High Pressure Direct Injection) engine was exclusive to Peugeot and Citroën, and in 1998 a joint venture between PSA and the Ford Motor Company produced a range of new diesel engines. This joint venture makes identical engines which are fitted to a variety of vehicles from a range of manufactures, including Peugeot, Citroën, Ford, Toyota, Mazda and Suzuki.
Interference type
The timing belt system may look a little tricky to change, but with a little know-how, the appropriate tools and some guidance from the experts at INA – a brand of Schaeffler Automotive Aftermarket (UK) – it’ll prove to be an ideal repair for an independent garage.
This engine has been identified as an interference type, so in the event of the timing belt failing, the likelihood of engine damage is extremely high. It’s important to install a new timing belt system on an engine that is at ambient room temperature and you should always adhere to turning the engine in the normal direction of rotation, unless advised otherwise by the OEM installation instructions. Recommended torque values should always be used and we recommend that all the tensioners, idlers and fixings are replaced as advised by the manufacturer during the timing belt replacement.
A two-post ramp is ideal for carrying out timing belt replacements and it is also vital that the appropriate timing belt replacement tools are available and used. If the vehicle is equipped with alloy wheels it’s a good idea to locate the adaptor key before you start. Once the vehicle is on the ramp, for safety reasons (and best practice) you should disconnect the negative battery lead. Remove the O/S/F wheel and the O/S/F wheel arch liner, as this gives access to a plastic shield which can then be removed. The auxiliary drive belt is now fully visible and accessible.
Make a note of the routing (if required), rotate the auxiliary belt tensioner clockwise to the released position and lock with a pin before removing the auxiliary belt and checking for wear and deterioration – replacement of this component is advised at the same time as the timing belt replacement.
Correct operation
This vehicle was also fitted with a Over Running Alternator Pulley (OAP) which should be tested for correct operation and replaced, if necessary. At this point unclip the wiring harness from the lower timing belt cover that goes to the crank sensor and detach from the crank sensor. You should also remove the auxiliary belt tensioner.
Lower the vehicle close to ground level, unclip the wiring and fuel pipes from the top timing belt cover, support the engine (either by means of an engine brace or engine support beam), remove the ECU from the engine bay and then remove the engine mount cover, rubber bump stop and the engine mount. Undo the five bolts in the top timing belt cover and remove.
Raise the vehicle, insert the crank locking pin from the back of the engine through and into the back of the flywheel (this is a locking device not a timing location), located in a central position.
You can then undo the centre bolt on the crankshaft pulley and remove the pulley and locking pin, as well as the crankshaft position sensor and shield. Undo the five lower timing belt cover bolts and remove the cover. Refit the crankshaft pulley bolt and rotate the engine until the crank, cam and fuel pump locations align. Lock the crank, cam and fuel pump with pins, slacken the tensioner and remove before removing the timing belt.
Carry out a thorough inspection of the timing belt area (including pulleys and water pump), then replace the timing belt tensioner, making sure it is located correctly with the idler and fixings supplied.
We also replaced the tensioner bolt, the idler and the stud.
You should then fit the new timing belt in the following order:
- Crankshaft
- Idler
- Camshaft
- Water pump
- Fuel pump
- Tensioner
Tension the belt by aligning the marks on the tensioner and torque bolt. As per the instructions, rotate the engine ten revolutions and re-check the timing and tension (when we carried this out the fuel pump locking pin did not line up, however after two more rotations it all aligned and locked with the pins).
Refit all components and then reconnect the battery lead, remembering to reset the clock, radio code, electric windows and remote locking. Finally, run the engine to ensure all is correct.
