SevereAffected: 2006-201250,000–100,000 miles

Peugeot 207 1.6 HDi 90bhp — Injector Seal Leak (Chuffing / Black Death)

Copper injector seals fail, allowing exhaust gases and unburnt diesel to escape and coat the top of the engine in a hard black tar affectionately known as 'Black Death'.

Severity

Severe

DIY Difficulty

Hard

Est. Cost

£150–£600

OBD Codes

None

Component Diagram

Injectors

Typical layout and location for the Injectors assembly.

Reference Illustration

Symptoms

Audible 'chuffing' or rhythmic ticking sound from engine
Smell of exhaust fumes in the cabin
Hard, black, tar-like substance pooling around the injectors

Root Cause

The copper crush washers at the base of the injectors loosen and degrade. Exhaust gas escapes past them, baking the leaking diesel into a solid carbon mass.

How To Fix

Catch it early: if you hear 'chuffing', get the seals changed immediately (£150)
If 'Black Death' has formed, extraction becomes a nightmare. Injectors often seize.
Requires specialist tooling to cut new injector seats in the head.
Cost if severely carbonised: £300-600

Estimated Repair Costs

Repair Option	Est. Cost (GBP)
DIY (parts only)	£60–£240
Independent Garage	£150–£600
Main Dealership	£240–£960

Other Faults on This Variant

Timing Belt Failure (60,000 Mile Interval)

Critical

2006-20121–60,000 miles£300–£600

The PSA 1.6 HDi engine has a 60,000-mile or 4-year timing belt interval — much shorter than most competitors. Belt failure destroys the engine. Many 207 owners are unaware of this critical maintenance item.

Turbo Oil Starvation and Destruction

Critical

2006-201260,000–120,000 miles£700–£1200

The 1.6 HDi (DV6) engine is infamous for destroying turbos. The cause is almost always oil sludge blocking the tiny gauze filter in the turbo oil feed pipe.

Camshaft Chain Tensioner Wear (16v models)

Severe

2006-201080,000–140,000 miles£400–£600

On the 16-valve versions of the 1.6 HDi, there is a small timing chain connecting the two camshafts (driven by the main cambelt). The chain tensioner wears, causing a rattle and potential timing slip.

Disclaimer: Repair cost estimates are indicative and based on community data. Always get a quote from a qualified mechanic before proceeding with any repair.