It had to happen at some point. New engine required....

[DKZ5745]

If you wait until you get a low oil warning on RCZ’s it’s too late. If you wipe the dipstick, insert & remove it & hold it horizontal in front of you, you can see where the oil “sags” which gives an indication of the level.
The spiral dipstick on non R models is not ideal, but you have to make the most of what is there.

 

[Woodso]

It might be on the R, it isn't on my 156, might as well not be there, the use it is. May as well lick your finger and hold it in the air.

 

[Kerr]

I've not seen another RCZ dipstick. The Mini with the same 1.6 engine is poor. It's dark orange/brown plastic.

 

[DKZ5745]

In the 2013 GT200 it’s a gold metal dipstick similar in construction to the drain clearing “spring” type of device. It’s very difficult to read, especially if the oil hasn’t gone black.

 

[RCZ-R]

The R has the full metal spiral dip stick.
Yes, sometimes it was hard to read the oil level but never an issue on a stone cold engine. When you pull the stick on a cold engine you can clearly see the oil level.

 

[Pedro]

Take it out clean it then dip it again then hold it downwards out of the light & look for the oil slick which shows up darker & should be at the top of the little round ball shape on the scale if its lower then top it up I use a yogurt container to top up but never overfill the oil level as the Engine pressure is designed to operate with the exact amount of oil that is why you can get excessive component wear when the level is not maintained properly & take no notice of "Oil level correct" this will still display the same message with just a litre in the sump!

 

[Ian J.]

I'm not particularly technical but they said I would need a new top half and the cost of that was not far off the price of getting an exchange unit over from Peugeot in France. To dissasemble the engine, replace the top half etc would be labour intensive but to simply crane out the whole thing would cost more in the parts but far less in the labour. The old one has a trade in value. The replacement comes with a 12 month warranty.

The cost is mixed up with a routine service cost (it was due for service in 2000 miles so I said do that now) new brake pads and a few other bits. For example a new clutch as they will do that without a labour charge given that the engine will be out anyway! Bottom line is around £6k and I know people on here will say I could have saved £££s by doing other things or not using the main dealer but I am comfortable with it.

The car had just got past its seventh birthday so if I can get anywhere near seven years from the exchange engine I will be more than happy. If I had bought a new car it would depreciate by £6k in a year anyhow so I justify it to myself on costs grounds. Also better for the environment to reuse rather than buy from new. I have convinced me, but may not convince all you lot!!!

The game changer has to be that there is no better looking car than the R and to buy a replacement would have cost me more. Besides, there's still 6mm of tread on the tyres.

Really good point about the depreciation
People come onto this forum and whinge about mechanical failures but lets be honest only idiots buy peugeots for their reliability, they are french after all.
Depreciation on these cars is very low so running costs are slightly irrelevant.
I've bought cars new that have depreciated at nearly £1000 per month so to spend a few £ maintaining them shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Flanners]

yep.....or personal pcp/;ease deals that cost literally thousands with nothing to show at their conclusion.

 

[misterx]

Well folks, the car is still not back as they had some issues with the exchange engine from France. About three weeks so far....

 

[misterx]

Update - should be ready at the end of the week.
The people in France regarded it as a warranty claim even though the car has never left the service department!

 

[Flanners]

So you are not paying?!

 

[Pedro]

Whilst saying keep the oil at max, the dipstick is bloody impossible to trust. You cannot tell if it is at max or min, the dash warning is the only accurate indication. I have found that out by experience, thought I had oil in until the light came on, dipstick is unreliable.

I wouldn't trust that Oil indicator with a barge pole I think it still operates with like 1.5 litres minimum level in the sump if you check it every 3-4 weeks you should be ok depending on mileage but driving these Engines on lower levels will destroy the VVTI valvetrain & cams plus Timing Chain/Tensioner & the Crankshaft its like starving a patient of oxygen

 

[neilgsxr69]

Whilst saying keep the oil at max, the dipstick is bloody impossible to trust. You cannot tell if it is at max or min, the dash warning is the only accurate indication. I have found that out by experience, thought I had oil in until the light came on, dipstick is unreliable.

I don’t think that’s the best course of action, I had my wife’s Mini Cooper S timing kit replaced at a mini specialist and they have been dealing with these engines before us RCZ guys and they said if the oil level warning came on you’d probably already done damage to your timing chain!
They said the same keep level at max with regular oil changes.
Why do you think the dipstick is unreliable? I know the metal dipstick isn’t the easiest to read but if you dab it on a piece of kitchen towel you can easily see the level.

 

[misterx]

I was told it should be ready at the end of the week but that was tempting fate. They have run it up and found an oil leak so I get to stay in the courtesy car for another weekend. I won't have to pay for all the additional work that is being done, but it is getting a bit tedious!

 

[GuzziGrowler]

If you wait until you get a low oil warning on RCZ’s it’s too late. If you wipe the dipstick, insert & remove it & hold it horizontal in front of you, you can see where the oil “sags” which gives an indication of the level.
The spiral dipstick on non R models is not ideal, but you have to make the most of what is there.

That’s a great simple trick thanks DKZ. Having just purchased a 50k mile 156 with timing chain fresh in along with a new oil I was frustrated as hell trying to read that stupid spiral thing. But what you say and given the thin oil the spiral now makes sense to ‚hold‘ the oil. All in the technique eh.

 

[misterx]

It seems like Christmas. Last night I finally got the car back. Come to think of it, it was anly a few weeks after Christmas when it went in for the engine job. One thing led to another and several £k later as least I am back on the road in my own car.