Can lost power be regained

[Dicky]

The cars done 67k now and I assume it's lost a few brake horse over the years (no way of telling I suppose as I've no starting point) but I understand power is lost as milage goes up.

My question is can some of it be recovered by fitting new sensors/other or is it gone for good (without having to re map)

[Tricky-Ricky]

Basically power is lost through wear and loss of combustion efficacy, so as the rings and bore wear and the cylinder doesn't hold as much compression as its use to when new, this will reduce power output, as will badly sealing valve seats, there are further smaller loses through bearing and gearbox wear, but the main is the combustion process.

 

Replacing sensors that are actually not performing there function correctly, or have simply failed will of course help, but in general its not a concern if they still function OK.

 

Its not always down to mileage, and some higher mileage engines can maintain their efficacy if well looked after, I have owned both VQ and other engine cars with over 50K mls on them that have kept there std power output on the dyno.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Tricky-Ricky

[AliveBoy]

Basically, you'd need an engine re-build. Whilst you're there you might as well get the heads ported and polished as you'd probably give the heads a skim anyway and then you'd have some extra ponies

[Grundy]

Basically, you'd need an engine re-build. Whilst you're there you might as well get the heads ported and polished as you'd probably give the heads a skim anyway and then you'd have some extra ponies

This, Porting and Polishing/Skimming is probably more effective than a remap. (IMO)

[AliveBoy]

Basically, you'd need an engine re-build. Whilst you're there you might as well get the heads ported and polished as you'd probably give the heads a skim anyway and then you'd have some extra ponies

This, Porting and Polishing/Skimming is probably more effective than a remap. (IMO)

Fo sho! Bang for buck and all that, especially if you're doing other block work. You'd be mental not to spend a few hundred on having it done at the same time.

[Dicky]

Had hoped to get some benifit without major surgery, more in the way of out patients work, but it would seem not. The cars running very well at the moment following cleaning of the throttle body.

Thanks for all your input guys.

[StevoD]

my 350 import on 120k miles is was pulling 247 bhp measure at the wheels a few months back

[docwra]

My 306 GTI6 did 167.6hp last time it was on the rollers, exactly standard power - its 18 years old and has just gone past 190K miles. And its French, I wouldnt worry too much

[Irn Bru]

Get it a Terra clean treatment. Alot of hp lose can be attributed to carbon build up in the engine, cats and exhaust. This process cleans the whole combustion and exhaust system, you should get it done for about £100 + vat for a Zed. It takes around 45-60 minutes to do. Mines is booked in to the local approved garage for January.

[Tricky-Ricky]

Carbon build up is not really much of a problem on modern engines with todays clean fuels and oils, I have dismantled engines with 80K and up, and found very little carbon, on an older engine that had a bit of carbon build up you often find the ring and valve seal suffers if its decoked, not at all sure about this Terra clean and exactly what it can do that can actually restore any lost performance, I wonder if its more a placebo effect, after all if you pay £100+ you would expect to notice something.

Edited December 9, 2014 by Tricky-Ricky

[Ewen@Clark Motorsport]

I've seen it done on older engines and done a back to back emissions test and it made a big improvement in some cases. Best was a V8 Merc that had a patchy service history, I had the emissions print outs saved somewhere on the PC will try and dig them out.

[-Bradders-]

sure, just bang a bottle of redex in a full tank

[Toon Chris]

sure, just bang a bottle of redex in a full tank

Even better, squirt a bottle of it down the intake. That's a great way to smoke out the entire street

I used to love 'cleaning' my old Mk2 escort that way

[Tricky-Ricky]

I've seen it done on older engines and done a back to back emissions test and it made a big improvement in some cases. Best was a V8 Merc that had a patchy service history, I had the emissions print outs saved somewhere on the PC will try and dig them out.

 

While I don't doubt that it can help with immersions by clearing out all the gunk that accumulates in throttle plates, inlet tracts,and can clean injectors and sensors etc, I am a little incredulous that it can restore any appreciable lost performance, I have yet to see any conclusive proof that this can happen via dyno plots etc.

[Dicky]

sure, just bang a bottle of redex in a full tank

 

I'm trying out Redex just now. First measure went in last week. Not noticed anything yet though.

Maybe if I send a letter up the chimney, Santa will leave me one or two horse powers in my stocking this Xmas.