Help! Unhappy STi on the way through France...
04 March 2002, 11:49 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, 12:48 AM
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Ooooops 
sounds like you found some of that 91 ron fuel they do over there in france
All i can say is take some octane booster with you as the fuel ratings vary in different countries, and make sure you find out which types of fuel can go in your scoob before you go over.
Tony
sounds like you found some of that 91 ron fuel they do over there in france All i can say is take some octane booster with you as the fuel ratings vary in different countries, and make sure you find out which types of fuel can go in your scoob before you go over.
Tony
05 March 2002, 08:47 AM
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From my experiences backfiring and hesitation at that RPM equals coil problems (definately an electrical problem). That is easily fixed. Burning a tank of oil is much more of a problem.....Where is the oil going??? Check under and around the engine to look for a leak. Check the coolant is it mixing with it? Start the car from cold and blip the throttle if plumes of blue smoke come out then your turbo might need replacing (oil will be pissing out with exhaust gasses). Obviousy an internal engine problem such as fried rings due to det would burn alot of oil.
As suggested det due to poor fuel could be the cause. IMHO I would suggest an electrical misfire causing a backfire which in turn has damaged the turbo seals. Take it to a Pro ASAP..
As suggested det due to poor fuel could be the cause. IMHO I would suggest an electrical misfire causing a backfire which in turn has damaged the turbo seals. Take it to a Pro ASAP..
03 May 2002, 08:46 AM
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Are you talking about a new shape STi (MY01/2), or old shape?
With the older shape car, there is a suspicion in some circles that sustained high speed running may cause the air going into the intercooler scoop to stall and cause overheating which is what has led to the no.3 big end bearing failures.
If the engine has chucked all its oil out, and there are no leaks, it has possibly been ejected due to piston blowby - it is getting past the rings. More likely on a high mileage car, and particularly if a breather is blocked causing positive crankcase pressure. This is also possibly going to cause plug fouling which would lead to poor running.
[Edited by Dave T-S - 3/5/2002 8:53:53 AM]
With the older shape car, there is a suspicion in some circles that sustained high speed running may cause the air going into the intercooler scoop to stall and cause overheating which is what has led to the no.3 big end bearing failures.
If the engine has chucked all its oil out, and there are no leaks, it has possibly been ejected due to piston blowby - it is getting past the rings. More likely on a high mileage car, and particularly if a breather is blocked causing positive crankcase pressure. This is also possibly going to cause plug fouling which would lead to poor running.
[Edited by Dave T-S - 3/5/2002 8:53:53 AM]
03 May 2002, 12:42 PM
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Thanks for all of the replies... SAS will be checking him over on Monday.
To answer different replies...
The car has 38k, is a V5 STi (MY99) and has been serviced over regulary always at SAS - i.e. about every 5k since I have had it. There are no leaks anywhere that I can see and now the car is in for body work till Monday (big thanks to the lady who reversed into me on New Years Eve as the old stone chips will now dissappear as will the orange grilles to be replaced by black
), I won't be able to do any more visual checks on it.
I didn't check the oil before I went - criminal as I now know, but as the car was recently serviced and I look after it, I deemed it unnecesary Lesson learned! Petrol was ALWAYS SuperPlus 98 RON.
Any internal damage to the Turbo is way beyond my knowledge but should this happen to a very well maintained car with such regular sericing?? It is running just over 310 bhp due to s/s exhaust and Induction kit alone and the engine has always seemed V strong
Next question, will warranty cover this? I am probably going to call RAC today to let them know it is going in on Monday as it is fcuked and they can expect a bill for repair...
[Edited by me...]
[Edited by Kingsize K2 - 3/5/2002 12:44:02 PM]
To answer different replies...
The car has 38k, is a V5 STi (MY99) and has been serviced over regulary always at SAS - i.e. about every 5k since I have had it. There are no leaks anywhere that I can see and now the car is in for body work till Monday (big thanks to the lady who reversed into me on New Years Eve as the old stone chips will now dissappear as will the orange grilles to be replaced by black
), I won't be able to do any more visual checks on it.I didn't check the oil before I went - criminal as I now know, but as the car was recently serviced and I look after it, I deemed it unnecesary
Lesson learned! Petrol was ALWAYS SuperPlus 98 RON.Any internal damage to the Turbo is way beyond my knowledge but should this happen to a very well maintained car with such regular sericing?? It is running just over 310 bhp due to s/s exhaust and Induction kit alone and the engine has always seemed V strong
Next question, will warranty cover this? I am probably going to call RAC today to let them know it is going in on Monday as it is fcuked and they can expect a bill for repair...
[Edited by me...]
[Edited by Kingsize K2 - 3/5/2002 12:44:02 PM]
