Peugeot 1.6 THP Timing Chain Problems: The Prince Engine Explained

Quick Answer

Contents

• What the Prince engine is
• Every affected model, by make
• Same badge, different engine
• Why the chain and tensioner fail
• Symptoms, in the order they appear
• Fault codes
• What happens if you ignore it
• What the repair involves
• Frequently asked questions

What Is the Prince Engine, and Why Does It Wear Four Badges?

“Prince” is the development codename for a family of 1.4 and 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engines designed jointly by BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroën. The partnership was announced in 2002 and the first engines went into production in 2006, with the Peugeot 207 and the second-generation MINI among the first cars to get it. Components were produced by PSA in France, with MINI and BMW engines assembled at Hams Hall in Warwickshire.

Each manufacturer gave the engine its own name, which is why so few owners realise they share a problem:

• Peugeot, Citroën and DS call it the EP6 (1.6) or EP3 (1.4). The turbocharged 1.6 is sold as the 1.6 THP (THP 150, 155, 156, 163, 165, 175, 200 and above); the non-turbo 1.6 is the 1.6 VTi 120.
• MINI calls it the N12, N14, N16 and N18.
• BMW calls the turbocharged version fitted to the 1 Series and 3 Series the N13.

The timing chain and its tensioner were designed by BMW, and a service bulletin was issued in 2013 for failing timing chains and tensioners across the family (recorded in the Prince engine reference). Parts suppliers reflect the same thing: BGA lists one timing chain kit, TC1030VFK, against the Peugeot/Citroën EP3 and EP6, the BMW N13 and the MINI N12 and N18 alike in its Prince engine technical note.

Which Cars Have the Prince Engine? Every Model, by Make

Find your make below. If your car has a 1.6 THP, 1.6 VTi, 1.4 VTi, or one of the MINI and BMW engines listed, it has a Prince engine.

Peugeot

Citroën and DS

MINI (second generation, 2006–2016)

That covers the hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Coupé, Roadster, Countryman (R60) and Paceman (R61). If you drive a MINI, we have a separate MINI N18 timing chain case study showing the fault diagnosed on a Paceman Cooper S before it failed.

BMW (N13, 2011–2016)

Same Badge, Different Engine: Which 1.6 Peugeots and Citroëns Are Not Prince

A “1.6” badge does not tell you which engine you have. Before you book a Prince timing chain job, check it is actually a Prince engine. These are not:

• The older 1.6 16v petrol (TU5, engine code TU5JP4). Fitted to the Peugeot 206 and 307, early 207s, the first Citroën C4, the C2, C3, Berlingo and Partner. This engine has a timing belt, not a chain, and it is replaced on a mileage and age schedule. It does not have the Prince chain fault.
• The 1.6 HDi and 1.6 BlueHDi diesels. These are a separate PSA-Ford diesel family with a belt-driven camshaft. Different engine, different job.
• The 1.2 PureTech three-cylinder petrol. A newer PSA engine which, in most versions, has a belt running in oil and its own known problems. Not a Prince engine.
• The 1.5 BlueHDi diesel. It has a timing chain, but a different design with a different fault. See our Peugeot 1.5 BlueHDi timing chain guide.

Why the Timing Chain and Tensioner Fail

The tensioner loses pressure when the engine stands

The chain is kept tight by a hydraulic tensioner fed by engine oil. When the car sits overnight the tensioner bleeds down. For the first few seconds after a cold start, before oil pressure builds, the chain runs slack and slaps against its guides. That is the rattle, and each time it happens the chain and guides wear a little more.

The chain stretches

As the chain wears, it lengthens. The tensioner compensates until it reaches the end of its travel. After that the chain cannot be held tight and cam timing starts to drift. BGA’s analysis of the family describes the chain as stretching over time and the tensioner as unable to keep its oil pressure.

Oil condition and oil level

These engines run on low-viscosity oil and are known for burning oil as they age, so a car can be run low between services without the owner knowing. Low or tired oil means a slower, weaker tensioner. Long service intervals and short journeys, where the oil never gets fully warm, make it worse. Of everything on this list, oil is what you can control.

Guides and the rest of the timing system

The plastic chain guides harden and wear with heat and mileage. On high-mileage engines the variable valve timing (VANOS) unit on the camshaft can wear as well, which is why a proper repair looks at the whole system, not only the chain.

Symptoms, in the Order They Usually Appear

1. A rattle for a few seconds on a cold start

The first and most reliable sign. A metallic rattle or chain slap straight after starting from cold, typically after the car has stood overnight, fading as oil pressure builds. MINI owners call it the “death rattle”, and a 1.6 THP makes exactly the same sound.

2. The rattle lasts longer, or comes back when warm

As the chain stretches, the noise lasts longer after start-up. Eventually it can be heard at idle when warm, or when the engine is labouring at low revs.

3. Engine management light

The engine control unit compares crankshaft and camshaft positions. When chain stretch moves the cam timing outside tolerance, it logs a fault and lights the dash.

4. Rough idle, hesitation and poor cold running

Drifting cam timing upsets how the engine runs. Expect sluggish acceleration from cold, occasional misfires and an uneven idle. Owners often blame spark plugs or coils first.

5. Loss of power or limp mode

At the later stages the engine can go into a reduced-power mode. By then the chain is well past the point where it should have been replaced.

Fault Codes Linked to Prince Timing Chain Wear

• P0016 — crankshaft / camshaft position correlation, bank 1 sensor A (intake). The classic chain stretch code on these engines.
• P0017 — the same correlation fault against the exhaust camshaft.
• P0014 / P0015 — exhaust camshaft timing over-advanced or over-retarded.
• P0011 / P0012 — intake camshaft timing over-advanced or over-retarded.

What Happens If You Ignore It

A stretched chain that is left long enough can jump a tooth on the sprocket. The Prince is an interference engine, so once timing is lost the valves can hit the pistons. That turns a planned chain, guide and tensioner job into bent valves, a damaged cylinder head or a replacement engine. On an older 308 or 3008, that bill can be more than the car is worth.

A rattle on cold start is the engine telling you, early, that the chain is wearing. It is the cheapest point at which to act.

What the Repair Involves

Whether the badge on the front says Peugeot, Citroën, DS, MINI or BMW, the job is the same. At Star Garage Mansfield our approach is:

• Diagnose first. We read the fault codes, check live camshaft and crankshaft correlation data and confirm the noise is the chain rather than a VANOS unit, a high-pressure fuel pump or an ancillary.
• Replace the whole kit, not just the tensioner. Chain, guides, tensioner and the relevant sprockets go together, using the updated components. A new tensioner on a stretched chain only postpones the failure.
• Set the timing with the correct locking tools. The Prince engine has no timing marks to eyeball. It is timed using dedicated crank and camshaft locking tools.
• Check what else the strip-down shows. The condition of the VANOS unit, oil level history and any guide debris all tell us whether anything else needs attention.
• Fresh oil, then a road test from cold and under load before the car goes back.

The cost depends on the variant and on what the strip-down finds, so it is priced on inspection. See our timing chain and belt service for how we work, or our general guide to timing chain problems and symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions