Boxer - water in gearbox issue

Hi everyone,
After much searching we have finally bought a 2003 symbol for our first camper 
However, I have read about the water ingress into gearboxes, but cannot find out what years are affected before peugeot made the modification to prevent this.  Most things that I have read refer to 1999 / 2000 models and I wanted to know if I was safe ?
Thanks for any info.

Our 2001 Symbol had water in the gearbox when we bought it. Although yours is newer, I am not sure Peugeot had sorted the problem out by then. I found out simply by undoing the gearbox drain plug very slowly with a container underneath. Because water is heavier than oil, any water comes out first, followed by an oil/water emulsion, followed by oil. If you get oil straight away you won't have a problem unless the previous owner has already drained and refilled in which case you will need to wait a while to check.

The other tell-tale sign is water lying in any of the small hollows on top of the gearbox. On ours, water was collecting just behind where the clutch operating lever sindle comes out of the gearbox. We had to have the gearbox reconditioned last year due to loss of synchro on fourth gear. Whether the water in the box was the cause we will never know, but I will be checking for water annually from now on.

Rgds

Mikebro

Carver wrote:Hi everyone,
After much searching we have finally bought a 2003 symbol for our first camper 
However, I have read about the water ingress into gearboxes, but cannot find out what years are affected before peugeot made the modification to prevent this.  Most things that I have read refer to 1999 / 2000 models and I wanted to know if I was safe ?
Thanks for any info.

I don't believe Peugeot admitted or modified the draining system.Its a poor design.Water goes all over the place.
Not only the gearbox but the battery ,leads ,plugs,air filter and main earth point under air filter.!!!
Its worth fitting the Left Hand drive drain pipe,and these are available.

Regards

Micky

Thanks to both of you for your replies.
I must check the gearbox oil and also look to getting the left hand drive drain pipe.
Micky - I assume these are available from peugeot ??
Regards
Carver

Yes. I forget the number.A search may find it.

Micky

I used to have a 2003 Citroen Relay and I had been put off earlier vans because of the grearbox problems. If your van is the facelifted version then it wont have the problem. There was a modification to the windscreen scuttle

I realise this is an old post but for anyone still reading it, my brother in law has the 2004 Symbol/face lift model and has water in his gearbox at 15000 miles.  quoted 1500 to repair.
I suggest checking any model!

Thanks Grahamjane , good advice. I will check my 2004 2.2 HDI Boxer gearbox  .

Regards

Hi,
a short while after I posted the original message in this thread, I had to have a new clutch fitted.  To do this, the garage has to remove the gearbox and drain it in the process.  Good news for me was that there was no sign of water but probably a good idea to check periodically based upon Grahamjane's info above.