Peugeot 3008 1.5 BlueHDi Cam Chain Upgrade: Caught Before It Snapped

Quick Answer

Watch the job:

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Why the 1.5 BlueHDi Cam Chain Gets Upgraded

Our technician explains the reasoning in the video. In his words, the factory chain is 7mm and is not thick enough. He also says Stellantis originally recommended oil changes at around 20,000 miles, which he believes was not sufficient, and that the oil first specified was not thick enough for that interval. The fix is an upgraded 8mm chain. Those are his statements from the workshop floor, and the published picture points the same way.

Peugeot’s own owner information on the 1.5 BlueHDi describes premature wear of the camshaft chain on some of these engines. It says the wear is strongly influenced by oil quality, with soot building up in the oil over time and acting as an abrasive. Its remedy includes a higher-viscosity oil to a new specification and, where a chain fault is found, replacing the chain with an 8mm version.

Press coverage of the Stellantis recall, such as this Parkers report on the 1.5 BlueHDi recall, says it covers 1.5 BlueHDi diesels built between October 2017 and January 2023, in models that include the Peugeot 3008, and that the timing chain can wear out faster than expected. We have not shared this car’s age or registration, so we cannot say whether it fell inside the recall.

Caught Early: The Chain Had Started to Stretch

This is what makes the job worth writing up. These chains are known for snapping, as our technician puts it. This customer brought the car in before that happened. There was some slack where the chain had started to stretch, so further damage was avoided.

Peugeot says that in rare cases the chain can break during start-up or while driving, which causes a loss of power. It is the difference between an upgrade booked in a planned slot and a car that stops on the road with internal engine damage. We cover the second scenario in our 2021 Citroen Berlingo 1.5 HDI timing chain failure repair, where the chain had already gone.

The Peugeot 3008 Cam Chain Upgrade, Step by Step

The video shows the whole job. We are sticking to what our technician clearly says, because the audio is auto-transcribed and partly garbled. In order:

1. The wheel comes off and the parts in the way are stripped and cleaned.
2. The lifters are soaked in oil before they go back in.
3. The followers are fitted. This is fiddly, because they rest in place rather than clipping in.
4. The mating faces are cleaned.
5. A new cam box is lowered onto the locators, with new cams and the new chain.
6. The engine mounts, injectors, pipes and air box are refitted.
7. The oil and filter are changed and the cooling system is bled.
8. The engine is turned over without starting, with the injectors unplugged, before the first real start.
9. The sealant is left to set overnight, and the car goes back to its owner the next morning.

None of that is exotic, but the order and the cleanliness matter. A chain job is won or lost on the small stuff: faces that are properly clean and parts that go back in the right sequence.

Why We Fitted a New Belt and Water Pump Too

The customer had the timing belt and water pump done about twelve months before. We still fitted a new belt and water pump. Our technician’s reasoning is simple: once you have taken a used belt and pump off, putting the same ones back is not good practice.

It is a fair question for any owner to ask, and we would rather explain it than quietly add parts. With the engine already this far apart, fitting new ones now avoids having to take it apart again later.

Is Your Peugeot, Citroen or Vauxhall Affected?

The 3008 is one of many cars with this engine. The same 1.5 BlueHDi sits under the bonnet of Citroens, DS models, Vauxhalls and vans, and not always under the BlueHDi name. Our guide to Peugeot 1.5 BlueHDi timing chain problems lists the badges and engine codes, and our Berlingo 1.5 BlueHDi cam chain upgrade guide covers the same upgrade on the Citroen Berlingo.

• Check your VIN against the recall. Parkers says the VIN is on the V5C, on the dashboard near the windscreen and on the driver’s door frame, and that Stellantis is contacting owners in stages. Peugeot says the recall is being carried out in batches, so a VIN may not show a campaign yet.
• Listen for the signs. Peugeot says unusual noise or vibration from the engine bay means stopping and having the car checked by a professional. Our own post on this job says a rattle or engine warnings are reason enough to get the car looked at.
• Do not assume an oil change settles it. A chain that has already stretched does not shorten again. Peugeot’s own route is to assess the chain first, replace it with the 8mm version if there is a fault, and change the oil if there is not.
• Keep your service records. Peugeot says reimbursement for earlier chain repairs depends on maintenance history.

Our View: Upgrade Before It Fails

The timing of the decision is the whole story here. Compare this job with a chain that has already let go:

If you drive a 1.5 BlueHDi and you do not know whether the upgrade has been done, find out. Proper diagnostics is a paid service with us, because it means someone investigating your engine rather than glancing at it, and it is the step that tells you whether you have a chain problem or just a noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Worried About Your 1.5 BlueHDi?

If your Peugeot, Citroen or Vauxhall has the 1.5 BlueHDi and you have heard a rattle, seen a warning or simply do not know whether the upgrade has been done, talk to us before it becomes the expensive version of this story.