30mpg? That's pretty poor, even for a big old bus. Mind you, it might be worth resetting it and running it for a month and see what mpg you get.

FWIW, my 2 litre Ulysse, which was an Auto, averaged 35+

I would just get all the basic stuff sorted, servicing, tyres (alignment?) making sure no brakes are binding etc, and see how you get on. "Esoteric" cleaning would be wasted money if the rest is not in order first.

Good points, both.

I haven't delved too deeply into items such as the reputedly troublesome EGV and DPF, but there are hints that there might need to be a certain amount of fettling.
There was quite a strong smell of unburnt diesel when I was driving it home from the garage, but I just haven't yet done enough miles to be sure what is what.

Frustrating as I really don't want to drive it before the tyres are done, so I'm having to be patient (and fiddle with the electric windows!)

I swapped over the electric window motor and put it all back together - it works! Now to sell the un-needed switch on eBay!

I was gutted to get a call from MrsC on Wednesday (while I was away in Lyon), saying that the Peugeot wouldn't pull away and that clutch smoke was billowing through the gear-lever gaiter.

With some trepidation (and a sprained ankle, but that's another story) I got into it this morning and... it drove exactly as it had when I left. Big mystery. MrsC is a very competent driver and neither of us can think of a convincing reason why she should have had such difficulties. Anyway, I went out in it and discovered that there is definitely something amiss:

There is a very on/off feel to the throttle - like a switch - and sometimes it doesn't respond at all, leaving you at idle when you need to pull away - nasty on roundabouts. Once moving reasonably briskly, all seems fine. There is also an unmistakable clutch smell at times, but I don't know why this would be related. Anyway, it looks as though I'll have to spend more time and money finding out what the cause of this is

Dodgy throttle pedal potentiometer?

Clutch: I guess one should check that the mechanism is free and and fully responding to the clutch pedal and the hydraulics are OK.

Duel mass flywheel failing?

That was my first thought.

Can you convert these to a single?

I believe it's possible to convert, but haven't looked into it...

DMF fails 'safe' as a rule; it's the springs that buffer the masses that break so the two parts slam one end to the other but still provide drive - unless the broken bits get into the clutch, I guess?

I think I need to express this better! I'm not convinced that the clutch issue (if there is one) has anything to do with the loss of revs/power; the clutch still operates perfectly well, with no snatch or slip, but the throttle seems - occasionally - not to respond to the movements of the pedal.

There is a smell of hot clutch, but I think that may simply be the result of riding it when there's not enough engine power.

I'd look at the flywheel. When they start to fail it causes the car to bog down when taking off.

The flywheel may need looking at, but the point I'm making is that even in neutral, you press the accelerator and there is either no response or a delayed response. It feels as though it's a fly-by-wire system with a loose connection.

What conditions does it do it in? Only when engines cold? All the time? Only hot?

The smell and the lack of power sounds like it could be an ignition fault - possibly glow plugs, possible over fueling. Hard to tell without seeing / feeling it.

Any clouds of soot that arrive at the same time (like it's clearing it's throat)?

I think that's more likely, BM. The problem is that due to a variety of circumstances, I haven't been able to drive it enough to know what conditions cause it to play up. It's bloody frustrating! I had to wait for it to be checked over in case it was a basket case, which took a week, it has 3 illegal tyres that I couldn't replace until it had been checked and then I had to bugger off to France, so the tyres are still unfit for the road, etc...

Anyway, for what it's worth, I don't think it's glow-plugs, it could be over-fuelling, but my instinct is that it's some kind of breakdown between movement of the throttle pedal and the fuel supplied to the engine. There is a small amount of smoke occasionally, but not the big blue clouds you get when it's regenerating.

Won't be glow plugs, they are only on for a few seconds to start the engine from cold. Once it is going heat from compressing the air in the cylinders fires the fuel and keeps it running.

Dodgy throttle position sensor?

That's what my infinitely ignorant mind wants to believe.

Drove the 807 to IKEA in Bristol today (via the garage to get Stepson's Grande Punto - see other thread!).

It played up with the same hesitation/intermittent lack of power whilst at slow speed and until warmed up. After that, it's been fine all day.

Maybe it's just had some muck in the fuel line that has now been pulled through.

I'll see if it's up to its bad old ways tomorrow...

I've also ordered 4 Nokian Line tyres (the best I could get reinforced at the odd size it requires) for £70 a go from mytyres.com. They should be fitted this week, then I'll just need to get the suspension and brakes done and I'll feel mighty relieved!

It handled the monstrous IKEA load easily and was comfortable and quiet on the way home. Just what I'd hoped.

Fingers crossed again!

Good luck, Jim!

Thanks, Richard. If all goes well, I'll be over to blag that battery off you soon!

And if it doesn't, you can blag the Merc

That is a very reassuring thought! Thanks!

Took the car in to get the new tyres fitted. Left the locking nut remover socket on the driver's seat and told the garage bloke.
An hour later I get a call: "Are you sure you didn't take the socket with you?"
They've somehow lost it. I don't really think anyone is going to steal the knackered alloys off my knackered 807, so I don't care whether or not I have locking nuts; I told the guy just to replace them with normal wheel nuts.
Apparently, Peugeot have to order them specially.
Really? Wheel nuts?
If only there was a scrapper somewhere close by, because I really don't want to spend £15 on new bloody wheel nuts that won't be there until Monday!

So they've lost the locking wheel nut socket before after they've taken the wheel off or before???

Before. They've had to somehow get the locking nuts off without the socket (trashing them in the process).

Ironically, I can get a cheap set of locking wheelnuts (reputedly to fit the Pug) for less than 4 standard nuts.

With luck like yours, I take it you don't bother doing the lottery

The locking nuts would protect your new tyres though, at least until the next service ...

So are you stuck at the tyre place now?