20/4!

"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse) 04/20/2015 at 18:45 • Filed to: Peugeot 204, Diesel

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We’ve seen various examples of the Peugeot 204.

However it had a claim to fame. It was available with the smallest diesel fitted to a car up to that date, just 1255 cc. Like the better known VW units as fitted to the Golf in the 1970s it was derived from a petrol unit and achieved its 40bhp at around 5,000 rpm, unusually high for a diesel. This turned out to be its undoing as the high speeds caused premature failure and starting problems set in as early as 30 or 40,000 km. Just to add to the woes of 204d owners the vibrations tended to cause problems elsewhere in the car.

As per an unknown Frenchman:

Enfin les vibrations engendrées par le diesel sur nos x04 ont des effets dévastateurs sur pas mal d’organes, et aussi sur le faisceau électrique!

Quite. (The vibrations caused by the diesel on our 204s have devastating effects on many parts and also on the electrics).

Peugeot have gone on to make rather better diesels and units designed by them are used in the Fords Focus, Fiesta and Mondeo.

Anyway, here’s what it looked like. If you look carefully you can see that the fanbelt went around the corner so that a transverse engine could cool a front mounted radiator without resorting to a new fangled electric fan.

The Chevrolet Corvair had the same arrangement.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 18:51

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Sounds rather nice though. Not that harsh..

505Turbeaux > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 18:52

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just for fun

and yeah screw those diesels. Though a 5K revving diesel SOUNDs like fun

Cé hé sin > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/20/2015 at 18:59

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Yes, it does for a car of its age. It must be one of the very few survivors.

The car looks quite modern for its age. Heated rear window, inertia reel seatbelts, radio...Very good condition too.

Cé hé sin > 505Turbeaux 04/20/2015 at 19:00

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Ah, the good old days when they used to rally cars that at least resembled those you could buy!

For the time 40bhp from a 1.3 NA diesel was impressive. Peugeot went on to fit a better version in the 304 and 305 and then introduced the XUD which was the best diesel around at the time (early 80s) and turned up in most of their models, including what had been the Chrysler Horizon.

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 19:02

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I had a ‘69 Simca 1301 for a while.. I LOVE old french cars. A 204 would be awesome.

Cé hé sin > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/20/2015 at 19:10

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Plenty around, in France at least and not expensive.

Voila

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 19:13

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Oh my.. they are REALLY cheap in France..

Cé hé sin > Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh 04/20/2015 at 19:15

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Yes, and the ones for say €2,000 upwards should even be runners! Not the €200 or €300 ones though...

505Turbeaux > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 19:17

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did the Talbot version of the Omni/Horizon get it too? I have had no experience working on anything but the XD series. Actually I ran my 504D automatic estate (72 hp NA IIRC) up to 90 mph once through the city, it sounded fantastic but it was an emergency with an intruder in my house and my ex and kids home. Old Pug beat the cops there actually

Laird Andrew Neby Bradleigh > Cé hé sin 04/20/2015 at 19:18

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I don’t want a runner though :) Damn.. I could get a 204 for change.

Cé hé sin > 505Turbeaux 04/20/2015 at 19:29

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Yes, when PSA bought Chrysler Europe they called it Talbot and from then on diesels became available. I don’t think Chrysler ever used them. Later on came the Ford/PSA joint venture which resulted in PSA designed fours and Ford V6s and V8s which Ford themselves no longer use now that they’ve sold off LR and Jaguar.