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Pug505GR
07-01-2008, 02:29 PM
Hi All,

I am the new owner of a 1998 V6 Magna Exec Sedan and would appreciate some advice.

The car has done around 215,000 kms but I've been unable to get any real service history on the car. The previous owner who had the car for 6 years worked in the body shop of a major car yard. He says that he used to give the mechanics there a six pack occasionally to give the car a service, but I'm unsure what the frequency of this was or what exactly they did.

The thing that I do know is the timing belt hasn't been done, but he didn't know if it was done at 100,000 which was before he bought it. So obviously that is on the top of the list to get done. I was considering doing it myself, but will take it to the dealer to get done, along with a bit of tune up and a once over.

The things I intend doing in the next few weeks is an oil and filter change, as well as run some injector cleaner through and change spark plugs. Am pretty sure that the gearbox oil (5 speed) could be just about due too, so I might give that a change.

Is there anything else that I should be looking at, besides coolant, which I'm confident will be okay.

I intend on doing a lot of the work myself as it's not too difficult. I've got a bit of experience with working on cars - owning a 24 year old French car (rolling restoration :rant: ) does that to you - but some of these new fandangled technology thingies might trip me up for a while.

Am very happy with the car. It runs very well, except there is a bit of a 'flutter' under around 2,000 rpms on acceleration, but then it goes at higher revs. Am hoping that some injector cleaner might clear things out a bit and remedy this. Has anyone else experienced this?

The exhaust is a little noisy, but I intend getting under the car this weekend to see just how serious it is. Otherwise all is great.

One last question, how critical is the timing belt on these things. I know Peugeots are very touchy on this and it is a brave man who takes them past the required interval. I'm just wondering if it's something I should rush to get done ASAP.

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hanging around here. This will be my third Magna over the years, but I've never really gotten to know them, except that they are great cars.

Regards

Matt

Oh, one other thing. The car came with no paperwork whatsoever. Does anyone know where I can get an Owner's Manual, either original or PDF will do. Also what is the prefered workshop manual for these. Are the ones offered from Haynes - if they exist - any good or are they the normal Haynes standard? I managed to score electronic factory workshop manuals, but they are for the TH and TJ - much difference to the TF?

[TUFFTR]
07-01-2008, 02:33 PM
If that timing belt goes snap, 24 valves meet 6 pistons and your either up for a new engine or an expensive head job :P

So i would get the timing belt replaced ASAP!

btw welcome!

Pug505GR
07-01-2008, 02:42 PM
']If that timing belt goes snap, 24 valves meet 6 pistons and your either up for a new engine or an expensive head job :P

So i would get the timing belt replaced ASAP!

btw welcome!
Yeah know all about the risks, have heard and seen plenty of horror stories with the Pugs. 'Dunno what happened, I was just driving along and the car stopped. Now it won't even turn over' sort of posts :cry:

When I found out that the timing belt hadn't been done I went :noway:, but just not sure how touchy these cars are. I know some of the drivers of the new Hairdresser Pugs have reduced the mileage between belt changes as some don't even make it to 100,000kms. Not a problem with my old pushrod, carby fed car :badgrin:

Matt

PS, thanks for the welcome and quick reply

doddski
07-01-2008, 02:55 PM
welcome!
when do you plan on posting pics of your ride?

if you are unsure about the timing belt - get it changed ASAP!
as stated before... 24valves meeting 6 pistons will be an expensive excersise im sure, and it will prolly happen with very little warning.

car will also use more fuel and wont run as well as it should if timing belt is getting on in age.

get it done asap - pay someone else to do it, that why they have the headaches to get it all back together right and working not you :)

(i agree - 24 year old cars are much easier to work on, altho.. my 82LTD can be a prick of a thing sometimes when it wants to be...)

dave_au
07-01-2008, 03:00 PM
There is the MMAL service manual floating around here for TH-TL Magnas if you do a search, which is essentially the same as what your driving, irrespective of it being a slightly earlier model.

Manuals and service books can be bought from MMAL spare parts.

Pug505GR
07-01-2008, 03:29 PM
welcome!
when do you plan on posting pics of your ride?

Will put some up soon. It's nothing special, but still pretty tidy. Bought mainly as transport for my wife who got tired of driving a brick with no power steering. I dunno - women :confused:


if you are unsure about the timing belt - get it changed ASAP!
as stated before... 24valves meeting 6 pistons will be an expensive excersise im sure, and it will prolly happen with very little warning.

car will also use more fuel and wont run as well as it should if timing belt is getting on in age.

get it done asap - pay someone else to do it, that why they have the headaches to get it all back together right and working not you

Yep will do so in the next week or so when work settles down. Thought of doing it myself, and have made a few tools to assist in my engine rebuild for the Pug, but at the moment I don't have the time and energy. I've still got liners and head to refit on my current 'project':(. Better to pay someone else. This could explain the lack of performance down low though. Is it a good idea to get the water pump changed at the same time or are they pretty resilient?

Also had a look today at changing the plugs. Whose idea was it to put them under an inlet manifold :rant: Looks like another job I'll leave to the professionals - all for 3 plugs lol


There is the MMAL service manual floating around here for TH-TL Magnas if you do a search, which is essentially the same as what your driving, irrespective of it being a slightly earlier model.
By MMAL I assume you mean original factory manual. The one I've got - which is from MMAL (I just looked :redface:) covers the TH and TJ as well as the TJ RalliArt supplement. All in pdf and hyperlinked. Am willing to post it here if it doesn't break any rules - file size is around 95 Mb. I also have the 6G72 engine manual if needed. But no doubt a forum like this will already have these on hand. But they're there if required.

Matt

Balkanite
07-01-2008, 04:01 PM
Welcome to the forum friend, hehehe nice car you have there similar to mine, and i agree with the spark plug position, but yea heheh best of luck and hope to see you around the forum :)

BJ31OS
07-01-2008, 04:39 PM
welcome to the mad house

you should be bale to find a user manual from ebay

Pug505GR
07-01-2008, 04:41 PM
welcome to the mad house

you should be bale to find a user manual from ebay
eBay, you know I never thought of that :nuts: Thanks for the tip.

And mad houses are good - i like mad houses

Pug505GR
08-01-2008, 03:36 PM
welcome!
when do you plan on posting pics of your ride?

Okay here's a couple of quick ones. They're not the best and only taken on a phone camera, but it looked pretty good sitting there, even if it does need a wash.
http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/4458/photo0300vs9.th.jpg (http://img183.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0300vs9.jpg) http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/5789/photo0299ml8.th.jpg (http://img183.imageshack.us/my.php?image=photo0299ml8.jpg)

Matt