At A Crossroads With My Pug

[adie205 12]

Another one of those dear john posts…

 

Sad really as I have owned my 1990 mi16 for ten years, it’s
changed greatly over the years and the same of most of you on here it’s had
thousands spent and hate to think of all the hours but hey that’s the fun and I
have loved it. It’s a proper sorted pug but have been thinking of a change over
the last few months (can’t stop looking at corrado vr6’s)

 

Have only just put the engine back in over the winter after
giving it a freshen up, cambelt, baffled sump, oil pump, pipes etc etc. Ran it
for a couple of weeks as my van was playing up and it started smoking,
suspected breather issues so stripped and cleaned it all and although its
better it’s still smoking.

 

Have done a compression test and its down on cylinder 3! So suspected
ring gone gutted and surprised as it runs brilliantly and goes better than
ever, but unfortunately the final straw for me, lost interest and fed up of
spending cash. For what I can see I have 3 options:

 

1, Break it, a massive shame and will cry but loads of really
nice bits on it.

 

2, Sell as is, it will probably go for peanuts but nice to
know it should stay on the road and it will be gone.

 

3, fix it and sell it, more money and time which I won’t get
back and knowing me it will turn into a full rebuild.

 

Sorry to bore everyone and I understand this is not the
place ask the opinion on getting out of my pug but this is a massive decision for
me and your opinions will help. Also I’m sure I’m not the first or the last to
reach this crossroad.

Thanks for any response.

[Henry Yorke 269 3 Cars]

You have to ask yourself, would you look back and regret selling it. With it being a bit poorly it is worth very little and the breaking market is drying up somewhat compared to the old days. Money is in a standard 8v car now too, so that would be the best thing to do for the most resale if the rest of it is un modified.

 

Corrados are also more rotten than you would think. It is incredible how relatively un-rotten a 205 is compared to a lot of heavier German stuff.

[welshpug 1,657]

Fix it, keep it.

[adie205 12]

very true words, have seen it change in the years over ebay and silly priced 1.6/1.9's I valid point the rest of the car is standard/oem plus mint cloth, even got the working coin holder and clarion tape player!

 

putting a decent 1.6 lump back in might be a good option

 

I know what you mean about old vw's they love to rust and crazy that my pugs never been welded, just like the idea of the vr6 and as i'm getting older the idea of a retro coupe suits me better

 

thanks for the reponce

[kyepan 291]

mi16 you say, ten years good service you say, in need of a rebuild.... hmmm

 

pocket the pistons, get some lumpy cams, new rings and throttle bodies... Will sound as good if not better than a v6, will also go like stink.

 

This isn't the end its just the beginning of the next stage.

[Kezzer30 40 1 Cars]

You will regret it 6 months down the line , and please do not break it!

Its poorly but can be fixed be yet another wasted 205 life if u break it , sounds abit sad but there worth keeping and its annoying when fixeable or even ones that need alot get broken.

 

IMO , there is always someone out there who can save them , ( one day im going to do one myself )

 

Back to the topic KEEP her fix her or if u really really need to sell it as the full car

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

If you don't need it just hide it away for a year or two and forget about it, if its as sorted as you say it will only appreciate in moolah. I wouldn't break it either, I don't mind the, ooh look a 205 looks, but it does my head in when folks say bloody hell ain't seen one of them for years cos it just reminds me that when you need a part urgent that very day you can't call anyone cos no scrapyard for 10 counties have ever got one in and broken 205's always lose their most prized parts within days. I would definately got with the oem 1.6/9 return too if you dont want to do another rebuild, its the cheapest option. Just my opinion, it's what I would do. We'll that is if i didn't need to sell it to fund another car. The vr6 is regarded as the best engine vw have ever made or so I read. tsk

[pp205 17]

I've been in your position and feel for you. My mi was a DFW lump, I had raised the compression by skimming the block but it just wasn't running correctly. Just before Christmas a helicoil in the block gave up and I seriously considered packing it all in and getting something else.

 

But, I knew it was worth f*ck all in that state so I bit the bullet and got a new D6C engine from Anthony and a Xsara Vts box from Baz. I can honestly say it was the best thing I've done. Just got it back on the road and I now realise I had a duff engine, the car is running like a dream and it brings a massive smile to my face every time I drive it! I also know I would have regretted getting rid. So stick with it if you can!

[chris-gti 14]

you'll regret getting rid of a 205 for a corrado, trust me i have one.

 

Forever chasing rot in places you didn't know existed, handling is soft compared to a 205, the vr6 engine has mixed reviews, some like it, some feel it's an unreliable pile of. I love my corrado but would gladly burn it if i could only keep one or the other.

[kyepan 291]

forgot to mention, deck the block, aim for over 11:1..that way you will be able to get the cams working

[adie205 12]

thanks for the views people.....I knew this would happen with the dust settling and your views im realy coming round to the idea of sorting it out! Very true about compairing other cars they all have weaknesses but I must admit that when its working how it should an the pug is the most fun car I have every driven and even the crazy stuff seams mild. For this reason I dont think I could return back to an 8v having lived with an mi if I'm going to keep it as a toy.

 

Thinking about it all the problems I have ever had with it stem from the engine.

 

Cant belive I'm asking this but would people reconmending:

 

putting a new mi lump in?

 

me sorting the engine out, have never rebuilt an engine but id take it on, the idea of me getting it wrong is scarey

 

Whipping the engine out and getting an expert to sort?

 

As every I quess it all depends on cash

 

Thanks for all your views

[Alastairh 47]

Fix it.

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

me sorting the engine out, have never rebuilt an engine but id take it on, the idea of me getting it wrong is scarey

 

 

This one. There is an excellent Peugeot guide to rebuilding the Mi16 on here somewhere. And I bet a lot of forum members said the same thing before tackling a rebuild on there own. Go for it, if you get stuck there's always help off here. And you'll get a more satisfying feeling that you did the work. Trickiest bit is the liner protusions.

[Daviewonder 533 3 Cars]

This thread is responsible for me having Crossroads by bone thugs and harmony stuck in my head for the last 24 hours.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Daviewonder

[kyepan 291]

I was in a similar position, first time rebuilding, it's something I've always wanted to do, have a look at my rebuild thread, as I tried to put everything on it. This forum is great, any questions and people are so helpful. mi16 like yours, if the bottom end is good, you can do a quick check and rebuild. depending in where you are will determine who you send the block and head to. I was bricking it too. but a few specialist tools, some not so specialist tools, bit of care and attention to detail! All good

[adie205 12]

bone thugs and harmony brilliant that takes me back to booming it out of my ax gt many many years ago thinking I'm the boy! crazy album.

 

Right then going to take a month sorting bits and research whilst it hopefully gets warmer.

 

Que a million stupid posts from me then!

 

thanks again for your help

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Put gti6 in and forget about the engine!!! (prepares to be destroyed)

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Adie, if you get it out and stripped, and get all bits sorted then fetch it up and I'll build it with you if you want.

[john-melbourne 6]

This thread is responsible for me having Crossroads by bone thugs and harmony stuck in my head for the last 24 hours.

At least it was the good version and not the blazing squad one!!

 

Adie, if you get it out and stripped, and get all bits sorted then fetch it up and I'll build it with you if you want.

 

Thats what i love about this forum, always somebody on hand to give advice or their time up for the good of the 205!

[adie205 12]

wow!! amazing, I should say no to your kind offer mate because I dont want to take advantage of your kindness as you have aleady helped me out on numerous occations but I really can't! I like the idea of doing it all myself but if the truths out I'm not confident enough at the moment and im in a real hole with it, but with an expert in the corner i can take on the world!

 

What I'm trying to say is yes with bells and whistles on mate, what an offer!

 

will eat as many manuals as posible in the next month, whip it out and strip it in the next month or so, will get all the bits needed and machined. Hoping it shouldnt throw anything too scarey as the seals/water pump/cambelt have not even done 400 miles and the when the head gasket was done 10k ago the head was skimed with new stem sils etc. But lets see when I pull it apart.

 

Funny how a few days ago it was all doom and gloom, now I feel bad for even thinging about getting rid of it and am looking forward to getting it sorted propperly.

 

Tom it goes without saying this will include decent wedge and a kidney, will sort this out.

 

Power of the forum hey, chuffing brilliant

 

Can't say thankyou enough Tom

 

Thank you

[Kezzer30 40 1 Cars]

@ tom fenton , quality guy ( never met ) you can just tell

[john-melbourne 6]

@ tom fenton , quality guy ( never met ) you can just tell

 

Only spoke to him via PM but i can tell you from that he is a quality guy and so is Stufarri!

[kyepan 291]

since you're in kettering, it's not far paul gardias in witney, he did all the detailed block work, and he's done a lot for Anthony.

He'll deck it, probably reface the liner seats and make sure you've got the correct liner protrusion, he can hone liners and do all the other stuff needed.

He also did a lovely job on my cylinder head, triple cut valve seats, back cut valves.

He knows pug well, as i think he's built a few nice ones.

 

Cheers

J

[205turbo 32 2 Cars]

i can sort you out liner seals and crank gaskets etc if you want to rebuild it yourself i'm only in Desborough if you wanted them to lower the cost of the rebuild

[adie205 12]

Thanks for the tip off on these chaps will take them up, going to take the opportunity to do a proper job and have it better than ever! Have heard about decking sounds good, silly question will standard cams be ok? Trying to lower the exspence, would love to get a little more from the engine and make it rev better, have you got a rough idea of what this work would cost? Again thanks for all help and advice