How to change the engine oil and filter in a Peugeot 205 Diesel part one

The Peugeot 205 is a great little car. The original ‘hot-hatch’: They were immensely popular from the moment they were introduced in 1983, due to their styling, performance and agile handling. The reliability of the diesel versions is legendary, and there are plenty of well-maintained examples still on the road today.

The cost of running a car has increased tremendously over the last decade, and even owners of a budget car like the 205 diesel need to cut unnecessary expenses wherever possible. An easy way to accomplish this is to do your own oil changes.

The 205 diesel engine has a reputation for being virtually unbreakable, but only if the engine oil and filter are replaced every 6,000 miles. This is an easy job to do and will only take about half an hour. Oils and filters can be purchased cheaply at any engine factory or auto parts store. I recommend you use semi-synthetic oil as it is longer lasting than regular mineral oil and only slightly more expensive.

Before you start, make sure you assemble all the things you’ll need. These are:

1) 5 liters of semi-synthetic oil for diesel engines

2) New Oil Filter (FRAM Part No. PH5566A)

3) New 16mm copper washer for the sump plug

4) Old Dishwasher

5) latex gloves

6) Newspaper

7) Kitchen paper

8) Sump plug tool (17mm wrench or 8mm square for turbo engine)

9) Oil filter removal belt

I also like to flatten a cardboard box to kneel on.

First, the car should be parked on a flat, level surface, ideally in a garage, but if not, choose a day when the wind is not blowing. Start the engine and allow it to reach near normal operating temperature, then turn it off. This is because the old oil will drain faster when it is warm. Next, put on your gloves, open the hood, and loosen the oil filler cap on top of the engine. It’s orange in color, has two spring clips holding it in place, and the dipstick goes down the middle. The filler cap is located at the very top of the engine. Now spread the newspaper under the car to catch any drippings and place the wash basin under the sump plug. It is located in the lower part of the engine. If you’re lucky enough to have the turbo version, use the 8mm square tool found in a socket to turn the sump plug counter-clockwise; otherwise you will need a ring key or 17mm socket. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. The oil can be hot enough to burn you and will spurt out very quickly when you remove the plug. The oil will stop dripping in a few minutes.

In the meantime, carefully move the bowl for washing a little towards you, so that it is now also under the oil filter. On the non-turbo engine, there is good access to the filter, and you can easily wrap the belt around it and unscrew it, turning it counterclockwise again. Be aware that hot oil will spill out of the filter when you remove it, and it should be kept upright until you can drain it into the wash basin. However, this is not the case with the turbo engine. Access to the oil filter is very limited and I find that I cannot remove it by normal means. The way I remove the filter sounds drastic, but it works. What I do, leaning into the engine bay, is gently tap two long thin screwdrivers through the top of the filter and down, positioned diametrically opposite each other, and as close to the sides of the filter can as possible. . as possible. I then place a short metal bar on top of the filter and turn it counterclockwise until it makes contact with the two blades of the screwdriver. By holding the screwdriver handles upright with one hand, I have enough support to twist the filter with the other to loosen it. Once loosened, twist the rest of the way using my fingers. If you examine the filter after it is turned off, you will see that this method cannot cause any damage to the engine.

Now you are halfway…

Now it’s time to put everything back together. Start by cleaning the sump plug, and then put the new copper washer on it. Now wipe around the plug hole with kitchen paper, before screwing the plug back on (clockwise) until hand tight. Use the tool to tighten it an additional 3/4 turn and you’re done. Do not tighten more than this, as it can distort the metal and cause an oil leak. Next, clean the used oil around the filter housing, being careful not to get dirt into the gap. Take the new filter out of its box and look at the bottom. You will see a thick black rubber sealing ring. It should be lubricated with a little fresh engine oil before riding. The easy way to do this is to dip a gloved fingertip into the new oil and then ‘paint’ around the rubber ring until it looks obviously oily. Now turn the new filter (clockwise) being careful not to cross it at first. Continue turning the filter slightly by hand until you feel resistance, then turn it another 1/2 turn. There is no need to overtighten, and doing so alone would make it very difficult to remove at the next service interval.

At this point, you are ready to put the new oil in the engine. The engine requires 4.5 liters of oil in total, so you will find it useful to put 4 liters right away. It can be difficult to pour a full bottle of oil without spilling any, so go slowly, giving the oil time to drain out of the filler opening, otherwise it can bubble up and splatter over the side. If you are using a funnel, you need to be very careful with this, as you could easily lose an entire funnel due to this effect. After you have the first 4 liters, it is time to start the engine and distribute the new oil inside it. There will be a slight delay in oil pressure build up until the new filter has been filled, so the oil warning light may stay on for a few seconds at first. Run the engine for one minute, then turn it off and leave it for at least 5 minutes. This allows time for the oil to settle in the sump again, and you can then get a proper reading on the dipstick. Pull the dipstick out of the oil filler cap and clean it carefully with kitchen paper. Now push the rod all the way into its slot and pull it out again. This time, you will be able to see how far the new oil has risen between the two notches. The dipstick looks a bit like a thin, flat strip of steel; be sure to look both ways to get the actual reading. A reading anywhere between the upper and lower level marks means the engine has enough oil to run without damage, but you should always try to keep your engine oil at or just below the upper mark. This is due to two reasons: the greater the amount of oil, the more fresh oil in the engine, but also, the oil serves to cool the parts of the engine that water cannot reach. So oil actually plays two vital roles in the engine: lubrication and cooling.

Getting the oil to the correct level on the dipstick can be a bit tricky, and you have to be careful not to fill too much oil; At best, the engine will expel excess oil through its breather tubes and into the air. filter; at worst, it can cause oil seals to blow and subsequently leak. Just keep adding a little more oil and then let it sit for a minute before cleaning the stick and checking again. It helps to know that the clear window on the side of the oil bottle is marked in 1/4-liter sections, so you know how much has already gone into the engine. However, do not pour 4.5 liters directly there, because some of the old oil always remains in the engine.

Now is the time to order. Wipe any oil that has spilled on the engine with kitchen paper and place it in a plastic bag with the old filter. Then I pour the used oil into old plastic milk bottles ready to take to the recycling center. The same with the newspaper and the cardboard that I have used. Under no circumstances should oil or anything contaminated with oil be disposed of as household waste, or poured into any drain. It must be disposed of properly.

That’s all now. She wipes down her tools, washes her hands, and goes for a walk. Notice how the engine sounds smoother and pulls a little more zest – you might almost think you’re saying thank you! And you just saved yourself a ton of money and put in the best oil! Enjoy…