Viewing: Bringing a used car back to new (nearly)

**Wanda** · 06-12-2011, 01:48 PM

As a car ages I take it, that the engine loses power.

What can I do interms of a service and replacing parts to bring the engine back to optimum performance?

***waynne*** · 06-12-2011, 02:22 PM

It depends on the mileage a 10,000 mile engine is generally much better than a new one with 0 miles. Even cars with 30-60,000 can pull better than new engines as they are run in and fully bedded in.

If you have an old engine that is down on power then new pistons, rings, valves and injectors are the big things IMO that need replacing. Crank would also be worth replacing if the engine is ripped out.

**Wanda** · 06-12-2011, 02:58 PM

Thanks for the quick reply.
My car has done 90k miles and the performance is more or less the same as always, its just the mpg seems little lower than before. I was thinking of replacing injectors in addition to the full service.

Do you think it will make a difference?

**bigbadjoe** · 06-12-2011, 03:44 PM

Has the MPG changed much? Because you can spend a lot of money trying to get your MPG from say 36 to 39. And is it really worth the costs?

***waynne*** · 06-12-2011, 05:30 PM

Inflate the tyres to the recommended maximum pressure for your usual load, get the tracking and alignment checked and make sure there are no worn wheel bearings, these can make a big difference in the MPG of a car.

**Wanda** · 06-12-2011, 05:30 PM

well... used to be able to get 65mpg easily on motorway where as now it tends to be around 59mpg but town driving seems to be almost the same.

***T9 man*** · 06-12-2011, 08:08 PM

Well Wanda, Waynne's suggestions is the cheapest way to possibly address the poor mpg problem, but as BBJ quite rightly stated you could throw ££££'s at this and still not achieve anything.

**Zwaf** · 06-12-2011, 11:17 PM

Only 90k?
That engine is just bed in and higher consumption could be result of better performance then new.

My fathers Golf 4 got only 225K miles (not kilometers!) and spends less fuel than my Ibiza.

Maybe it is clogged somewhat. Italian style* tuning could do her an favor.

*rev it up man!

***HDi fun*** · 07-12-2011, 10:17 AM

I don't buy the engines losing power gradually thing.

**bigbadjoe** · 07-12-2011, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I don't buy the engines losing power gradually thing.

There is two things I don't buy. Sex and Water. Both should be free!

**Wanda** · 07-12-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigbadjoe

There is two things I don't buy. Sex and Water. Both should be free!

... and as regular as 5 a day.

**LPMorgan** · 25-04-2012, 07:28 PM

as a engine gets older and more miles on the clock, you get carbon build up on the piston, valves, combustion chamber, bearings wear out and all this adds to power loss, clean ya pistons, new valve's and clean the combustion chamber. lol also check clutch for wear and tear! that's where you'll notice power drop

**Zwaf** · 25-04-2012, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPMorgan

as a engine gets older and more miles on the clock, you get carbon build up on the piston, valves, combustion chamber, bearings wear out and all this adds to power loss, clean ya pistons, new valve's and clean the combustion chamber. lol also check clutch for wear and tear! that's where you'll notice power drop

Since you mentioned it, can you (or anybody else, of course) tell your opinion about those cleaning chemicals for engine internals? For egsample valve cleaners, injector cleaners. Or those machines which suposed to clean all fuel paths including pistons?

**LPMorgan** · 25-04-2012, 08:26 PM

don't clean the valve's replace them, and the pistons should just take some good old fashioned elbow grease, as the coke is just dust it comes off without too much effort, just be careful and try scrape the main bulk of it off... do a full service, filters, valve's, valve springs, new cams too might get you back into good performance, new plugs, HT leads, bearings. just do a full service and you should see near original power, even check clutch and cable for wear and tension.

**LPMorgan** · 25-04-2012, 08:32 PM

and try not to use chemicals in your engine, although they mean well it's putting something in the engine that shouldn't be there, most engine cleaning is just good hard work, i know more about N/A petrol engines than turbo diesel. not sure on how much i've put will effect diesels but it's worth seeing if it will work.

**Zwaf** · 25-04-2012, 08:33 PM

Thank you, Morgan!
I was thinkon' of cleaning without dismantling the engine, but I see you don't think that is good choice.
I ask because common knowledge. For now got no problems. Since day one my car is getting a full service every 10k km (6,2k miles), every 60k km she got intake manifold and EGR dismantling and cleaning and once a year one tank with injector cleaner.
Every second oil change she is getting a engine flush within oil change. Hope (and believe) the engine is clean.

EDIT: You just post an comment even before I finished my post. Man, you are good!!!

**LPMorgan** · 25-04-2012, 08:53 PM

at college we had a small bike dyno and we had 2 honda cbr 600's with roughly same miles one we used engine cleaner the other we near enough did a engine rebuild will all oem parts, the rebuilt bike gained almost 20% of it's power back, the "engine cleaned" bike only gained 5% of power back. if you have the time, space and equipment it's worth doing

**Zwaf** · 25-04-2012, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPMorgan

at college we had a small bike dyno and we had 2 honda cbr 600's with roughly same miles one we used engine cleaner the other we near enough did a engine rebuild will all oem parts, the rebuilt bike gained almost 20% of it's power back, the "engine cleaned" bike only gained 5% of power back. if you have the time, space and equipment it's worth doing

This info should be highlighted for all who suffer from cloged engine! However, it could be indicated that chemical cleaning could be good enough (5% gain of highly cloged engine) for maintainance of clean engine so it can't gater clog so easy.

**Wanda** · 25-04-2012, 09:56 PM

A mechanic told me it could be the oxygen sensor being faulty.

The next service in about 1000 miles I am going to give her the works myself. Filter, oil filter, air filter, oil change, engine cleaner, injector cleaner and then I will report back if there is a difference.

**LPMorgan** · 25-04-2012, 10:01 PM

the engine cleaner is good if you need to clear blockage but not to gain power lol

**Yugguy** · 26-04-2012, 12:52 PM

Remap it epically, drive it til it blows, put a new engine in, repeat.

**jarrus** · 03-05-2012, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDi fun

I don't buy the engines losing power gradually thing.

I agree with you there mate, what it comes down to is proper maintainance really.... and good quality fuel.

My little 205 1.8TD is 17 year old and has done just under 75k miles from new and I'm the 2nd owner, I can tell you hand on heart that it is producing the power it should by way of me chancing a BMW X5 3.0D down the A5, he was a bit quicker than me but I he never got away and he had to ask me what was in my little tin can...
and I still haven't tuned it yet...

to the OP

All I can say is, warm it up properly, take it for a Turin tune and then let it cool down for a minute after,

Use a better quality fuel in it, I would also bet your EGR and inlet manifold is caked in crap on the inside so clean it out and I bet you'll be making the same power than it had from new and the fuel economy will improve. 90k miles is sod all on a diesel engine.

**LPMorgan** · 03-05-2012, 09:59 AM

dyno tests prove that power drop does happen. top gear proved it too, we also proved it at college

**turbonutter69** · 03-05-2012, 10:04 AM

That maybe so but an engine that is looked after properly shouldn't loose any power at all. Infact a properly looked after engine will gain a little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPMorgan

dyno tests prove that power drop does happen. top gear proved it too, we also proved it at college

***T9 man*** · 03-05-2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LPMorgan

dyno tests prove that power drop does happen. top gear proved it too, we also proved it at college

I remember this, was this the one where they had to buy 3 supercars for a 10K each budget and the car was deducted points for every horse power less than its factory original. All 3 were well down I believe.