The DV6 engine

 According to our trade contacts, the DV6 diesel engine range is the most frequent consumer of turbochargers, hence our keenness to feature it. Jointly developed by PSA (Peugeot/ Citroën) and the Ford Motor Company, it was available in mainly 1.4 and 1.6-litre capacities, with 8- and 16-valve options. Apart from numerous Fords, Citroëns and Peugeots, the engine has also powered various Mazdas, MINIS and Volvos. Different manufacturers may vary their marketing names for the engine (such as D, TDCI, HDI, MZ CD and more) but, for the sake of simplicity, we shall refer to them all as DV6.

When running correctly, the DV6 is surprisingly powerful but it is not especially tolerant of neglect. Not helped by a reasonably small oil capacity (a design necessity to run its oil at high temperatures) and a tendency for high deposit levels to build within the oil, the lubrication system starts to become ineffectual. Neglectful owners who allow the oil level to run low, or ignore a running fault that results in excessive oil contamination, may be unaware that turbocharger failure is the price to pay for this mistreatment.

While turbocharger design and materials have improved since the 1970s, modern units have to work at comparatively higher temperatures and far longer service intervals. Even so, they are expected to last for the life of the engine, therefore consider why a turbocharger may have failed prematurely; this advice is not just relevant for the DV6 engine.

Before starting work, you may wish to check the service history – prior to taking oil pressure measurements manually, for example. Consult the replacement turbocharger literature for any extra work needed too. For the DV6 engine, most turbocharger companies we spoke with would not honour any warranty, unless the claimant could prove that extra parts had been replaced.