Unhappy STi engine on long haul drive...
04 March 2002, 11:50 PM
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Just got back from a trip to France - my first long haul mission in the Scoob. After two/ three hours of "swift" driving the car started to hiccup whilst revving below 4k 
It was absolutley pi55ing it down and not being in the UK, I had to settle for the French equivalent of Opitmax (which I always run the car on at home) - mainly Shell Superplus. I thought that the Superplus over there is 98 RON so therefore higher Octane than the drinking fluid we get over here...
A couple of hours further on and the Engine Check light comes on... I pull over immediatley and let the car sit for 10 minutes, then check the oil. Surprise surpirse, almost all gone
I drive less than 5 miles to a garage, cool down and then fill up with the black stuff (Elf TOTR). Onwards I go and we barely make it to Morzine whilst keeping the car as happy as possible i.e. no boost, not hiccuping wherever possible so therefore slowly up hills whilst keeping over 3.5k revs...
Coming home the car was behaving the same i.e. hiccuping at low revs, feeling like it was about to conk out then, bang, back on the power again... Plenty of back-firing as well.
So, what is wrong with my baby??? I reckon the first two/ three hour stint may have done a little cooking of the oil... Next time I will ensure I drive off boost for a period after each hour or so but I don't think I was hammering it "that" much... The engine temp. NEVER went over it's normal half way point and there are no leaks anywhere. No brown gunk on the inside of the oil cap either
Have I caused some serious damage? Scoob is booked in for a health check next Monday, if not sooner!
Any advice will be enlightening!!
It was absolutley pi55ing it down and not being in the UK, I had to settle for the French equivalent of Opitmax (which I always run the car on at home) - mainly Shell Superplus. I thought that the Superplus over there is 98 RON so therefore higher Octane than the drinking fluid we get over here...
A couple of hours further on and the Engine Check light comes on... I pull over immediatley and let the car sit for 10 minutes, then check the oil. Surprise surpirse, almost all gone
I drive less than 5 miles to a garage, cool down and then fill up with the black stuff (Elf TOTR). Onwards I go and we barely make it to Morzine whilst keeping the car as happy as possible i.e. no boost, not hiccuping wherever possible so therefore slowly up hills whilst keeping over 3.5k revs...
Coming home the car was behaving the same i.e. hiccuping at low revs, feeling like it was about to conk out then, bang, back on the power again... Plenty of back-firing as well.
So, what is wrong with my baby??? I reckon the first two/ three hour stint may have done a little cooking of the oil... Next time I will ensure I drive off boost for a period after each hour or so but I don't think I was hammering it "that" much... The engine temp. NEVER went over it's normal half way point and there are no leaks anywhere. No brown gunk on the inside of the oil cap either
Have I caused some serious damage? Scoob is booked in for a health check next Monday, if not sooner!
Any advice will be enlightening!!
05 March 2002, 04:49 PM
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Kingsize
I am no expert but I have been told if you do a lot of short journey work and dont get the oil up to the optimum temp you may find that the oil level will go up slightly because of unburnt fuel and moisture contaminating the oil.
Then when you do go for a long run and get the oil nice and hot all the moisture and fuel/impurities etc evaporates and is burnt off and there is a sudden drop on the dipstick.
I am not sure if it would drop a massive amount though, ie max to min level, anyone correct me if I am wrong.
Stuart
I am no expert but I have been told if you do a lot of short journey work and dont get the oil up to the optimum temp you may find that the oil level will go up slightly because of unburnt fuel and moisture contaminating the oil.
Then when you do go for a long run and get the oil nice and hot all the moisture and fuel/impurities etc evaporates and is burnt off and there is a sudden drop on the dipstick.
I am not sure if it would drop a massive amount though, ie max to min level, anyone correct me if I am wrong.
Stuart
06 March 2002, 09:16 AM
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http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...threadID=77063 as a clickable link.
I don't think that the build up of water / unburnt fuel will make that amount of difference - the car must of lost its oil somehow, be it a physical leak, blowby on the rings, or a holed piston. All of these are likely to provide tell tale signs.
Duncan
I don't think that the build up of water / unburnt fuel will make that amount of difference - the car must of lost its oil somehow, be it a physical leak, blowby on the rings, or a holed piston. All of these are likely to provide tell tale signs.
Duncan
06 March 2002, 09:31 AM
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BugEyed,
Thanks... It is sitting in the body shop for a couple of days and won't be driven until Monday when it is time to go down to the garage, so hopefully they'll be able to sort it out.
As long as it is repairable and can be claimed on warranty it won't be the end of the world. After the amount I have been spending maintaining it (um, and modding it
), the last thing I need is the need for a new Turbo/ Engine 
Thanks... It is sitting in the body shop for a couple of days and won't be driven until Monday when it is time to go down to the garage, so hopefully they'll be able to sort it out.
As long as it is repairable and can be claimed on warranty it won't be the end of the world. After the amount I have been spending maintaining it (um, and modding it
), the last thing I need is the need for a new Turbo/ Engine
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