S16 "It is not a project" project

[Joep83]

Hi all,

As I have not posted much on this forum I thought why not start with my most recent purchase:



This is not a GTi6 but as it was imported from Germany many many years ago, it is a S16.

Not in the best shape on the outside, but for me what is under the bonnet was more important: a RFS engine with service history of 11 years!

I was only allowed to buy it if it would not be another project as I already have a few projects ongoing: '96 XSi with a RFS engine fitted, and '98 phase 2 GTi6 which in restoration. Besides these projects I also own a 306 convertible and my girlfriend has a 206 Griffe SW. And last but not least, together with a friend I am building a 405 "Pikes Peak".

The S16 I wanted because of a few reasons:
1 - I miss my GTi while it is at the paint shop;
2 - It was a bargain;
3 - It does not need any technical adjustments and repairs to be driven (hence "no project").

Things on my list to be changed / repaired (in random order):
1 - Wheels;
2 - Intermittent wipers are not working properly;
3 - Rear lights (now Lexus style. I do not like that);
4 - Steering wheel (a bit sticky of bad leather);
5 - Strange vibration when taking left corner on highway (highway exit) on front. Any suggestions what this might be caused by?
6 - "New" bonnet with less dents;
7 - New exhaust or a better fitting of current one.
8 - New brake discs and pad front and back.

More pictures will follow!

[Joep83]

Picture of the ones on the driveway:



And a big improvement:



As the convertible will not be used in winter, I swapped the wheels. The 16" Dezent rims are perfect to put the car on during winter.

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Other improvement in my opinion:

[Danny Wideboy]

A proper 306 enthusiast. Well done on throwing away those rear lights!
Looks a decent car. Did you ever get the GTI6 released over there?

I was travelling around your country earlier this year in my campervan, we came to see the MotoGP at AssenTT track, it was awesome.

[Joep83]

Yeah, the GTI6 was released in the Netherlands as well. My diablo red GTI6 is a genuine Dutch GTI6. The Rallye was never released in the Netherlands, unfortunately.

[doogle-d turbo]

With that steering issue I had similar a while ago. They come with 16 or 18mm hubs. Turned out a garage fitted a 16mm ball joint into my 18mm hub and over tightened it.

Turning right I had bad vibrations and at speed it was uncontrollable.

I was not impressed, as it was quite dangerous. They didn’t know what it was. Never went back that garage again!


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[Joep83]

Thanks for the input. Over the next weeks I will check the whole suspension of the car. Friends of mine also suggested to check the driveshafts, lower wishbone, wheel bearings...

Hope it is something simple. Otherwise it will turn into a project after all :p

I already ordered new brakes as the ones on the back are almost gone.

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Link to the diablo red project: https://www.306oc.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=37064

[Joep83]

Okay. Today, I checked the suspension, wheel bearing, and driveshaft. And while I was at it I changed the brake discs and pads.

The suspension, wheel bearing, and drive shaft are not the cause of the vibrations. So I thought it would be some inbalance of the wheel. I was about to fit the winter wheels, but then I decided to do some more changes while I had the brakes off (more space):





But then I needed to fit the new brakes and all went well until I needed to push the pads in: No movement of the slider pin! So this will be the cause of the vibrations. Most likely, the pad was vribrating againts the disc in corners. My girlfriend had some vibrations with her 206 as well when she took some corners. The brakes on the 206 were also almost gone. But I never checked this before changing the brakes on her car. So I did not know the feeling...

Unfortunately, the revision kit was not locally available so I have to wait until this Monday.

[Joep83]

Turns out it will be some sort of a project after all (who had ever thought? :p)

1 - Wheels - DONE
2 - Intermittent wipers are not working properly;
3 - Rear lights (now Lexus style. I do not like that) - DONE
4 - Steering wheel (a bit sticky of bad leather);
5 - Strange vibration when taking left corner on highway (highway exit) on front. Any suggestions what this might be caused by? --> Faulty brakes - ONGOING
6 - "New" bonnet with less dents;
7 - New exhaust or a better fitting of current one.
8 - New brake discs and pad front and back - ONGOING
9 - Fitting Rallye blanks - DONE
10 - Fitting Valeo Black Masks - DONE
11 - Fitting radio currently in convertible (OEM will be fitted in convertible).

[Joep83]

Brakes are now okay again. Hopefully, the vibrations are now gone.

Also replaced rear brakes while I was at it.

[Joep83]

Small update:

In the Netherlands there are many bad stories about the RFS engine running on NGK sparkplugs. So I deceided to check what was fitted to the S16:



Changed them to the BOSCH Super4 FR 78 X. Kept the NGK as one of my friends told me: "who knows how long your car has been running on the NGK?"

Afterwards I took it to a wahsbox:



The dents in the bonnet are a bit more visible now :p

[Joep83]

Remus back box and straight pipe as mid section fitted:

[Mighty306]

Wasn't this car supposed to be getting minimal attention?!   Seems like you can't help yourself!  Seriously, it's always great to see a fellow enthusiast giving these the full attention they deserve.  Thanks for all the updates.

[Joep83]

Yes... As the only way my girlfriend would agree on me buying my 5th 306 was that it would not be a project. So, on paper it is not a project

Still want to figure some things out:
- windscreen wipers are not working properly (need to keep the stalk down to have them wiping the screen);
- rattle when accelerating (heatshield loose? catalytic converter not fitted properly by previous owner?);
- new seats (full leather already reserved for me);
- still not sure to go for black mask headlights or morettes (I have these already in black);
- new bonnet (already reserved for me).

The 306 was always my dream car ever since I saw the phase 1 XSi in Sigma Blue in a brochure.

Oh. And I really need to come to the UK once! The 306 community is much more active and you guys have the coolest upgrades. Some of my friends and co-306-enthousiasts are also buying parts from the UK (super chargers, exhausts, upgrades to suspension, and so on).

[Mighty306]

Oh. And I really need to come to the UK once!

Firstly, it's good to know we've still got friends in mainland Europe!  Secondly, everyone says Pugfest is the event to attend if you want to connect with the Peugeot / 306 community.  It's usually at the end of June / start of July.  I have yet to go but it sounds great - if I can finally get one of my 306's looking half decent then 2019 might be the year!

[Joep83]

Today I attended a dyno run meeting.

Was surprised by the results: 170bhp and 200nm torque!

[Mighty306]

Seems like you really did get a good one. Assume it hadn't had a rebuild or been tweaked? I get the impression that if looked after the XU10 engines don't wear much.

[Joep83]

As far as I know, the engine was not tweaked / tuned.

We had multiple RFS engines on the dyno, mine was best but also the others were still in very good shape. All of them had more than 200k km on the clock.

[Magenta Sunset]

wiper issue cold be the motor tracks inside.
does it fail to self-park, or run on low or high speeds?

[Joep83]

This video shows whats happening:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtQYRyJvRQI

I have a spare wipermotor that I can try.

[Magenta Sunset]

a vid. hope it helps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ww5-pmiokc

bear in mind, the "switch" is actually a track and sprung-loaded wipe contact inside the motor.

[Joep83]

Thanks! First I am going to replace the stalk. Guess that is the easiest to check. After that I replace the wiper motor for the spare one I have and I can have a close look at the faulty one.

[Joep83]

New updates picked up last night:

Dark bronze like Challengers with good Pirelli tyres (or is it tires?) and full leather interior. With some new carpets as extra

As for the wiper issue: I am going to replace the wiper motor after consultation with the Dutch RFS whisperer. He has seen so many GTi6's that he right-a-way new what the issue was.

The old wiper motor I will try to repair.

[Joep83]

Changed the wiper motor today and all is working well now.

Also fitted the headlight adjustment motors again. First time they were not "grabbing" the armature and were pushing the lights down.

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Leather interior and arm rest have been fitted last week.