loss of umph!

[The Cupra Kid]

Need a bit of advice....

last few days i've noticed a lack of grunt/umph/power in the mid range RPM... bites ok then when you plant your foot the revs fly round, the turbo makes a VERY strange and loud whoosh..... and not much else, yeah it picks up but really seams to make more noise than motion! Feels like a bloody chav in a Corsa would have the run on me!

Its only done 3000mls from new but its not as fast or as fun as my last LCR (the one I sent back to Seat!)

Any ideas??? Its really buggin me!!!

 

[TimBarratt]

Sounds like a pipe has come loose. Have you checked the dump value to see if thats ok or if one of the pipes to it has come off.

 

[The Cupra Kid]

Had a look but tbh cant see a bloody thing! Not sure whats going on with it, the turbo is making some very harsh nosies of late! Might need to pop back to the dealer again! Although today it wasn't as bad!?!

 

[CupraSteve]

my car drives different day to day, or even week to week, one week it can feel slow others rapid, i think its all in the mind to some degree

if the turbo pipe had come off i would thought ud get a fault in vagcom

 

[D3DNA]

If you can, let the car idle for 5 mins (be sure to stay in your car for this btw) before setting off, gradually increase performance as you go along, say 10 mins of hitting 3k before changing (before turbo spooling fully). To me it sounds like the engine hasn't loosened up but if you have followed the run in procedures then it may be a case of the turbo has developed a problem.

 

[CupraSteve]

thats rubbish about running a car in, its been found that ragging a car from the start actually makes it perform better in the end

 

[kempos]

yep all engines are bench tested before fitting for around 1000 ish miles (in time obviously) so dont need the amount of running in stated from dealers engineers have found some vehicles powers have increased by 10% just by thrashing from new

 

[D3DNA]

It may be founded that some engines perform better ragged from new, and yes engines are tested before fitting to cars but they aren't lugging around an extra 1000kgs starting from cold, from hot etc. The run in is a procedure to help the engines internal expand and contract to the conditions its based in etc.
Talk to a TVR/Porche/Ferrari engineer for 10 mins and see what they say about engine wear! Most can tell whether an engine has been abused or not during run it.

 

[CupraSteve]

i agree its always best to wait for an engine to warm up before giving it any but the talk of keep it below 4k rpm for the first few k miles is rubbish tbh

 

[The Cupra Kid]

I had my Ibzia Cupra from new and followed the running guide to the letter... The car got better and better as time went on. Even when I said goodbye to her with 110,000miles on the clock she felt as good as new... My new LCR dont feel as tho its going to last as long as the Ibiza... and its only done 3,000miles so far!

Only put my foot down once she has warmed up... sometimes it seams hard work to get upto 80!

I was once told by my dealer some time ago NEVER pull up and turn the engine off straight away, alway let the turbo spin down as it could damage in the long run! Ture or False?

 

[Vicky M]

I was once told by my dealer some time ago NEVER pull up and turn the engine off straight away, alway let the turbo spin down as it could damage in the long run! Ture or False?

That'll be true.
always let the turbo cool down a bit before switching off.
otherwise, the temp of the turbo will fry the oil in the intercooler, and eventually seize or snap a bearing.

That's why a lot of modded Jap import cars have turbo-timers fitted, so you know when it's safe to switch off

 

[CupraSteve]

the audi TT can be programmed to work as a turbo timer automatically all built in, unfortunatly the seat leon cant

 

[The Cupra Kid]

oh... so its ture then. hummm, I never bothered with that advice while owning the Ibiza Cupra (which i miss very much!) and that never gave me any problems... Oh well, it wont do any harm not to let her cool down a bit before turning her off for the night!

Cheers for the advice guys

 

[cordobabrendy]

That'll be true.
always let the turbo cool down a bit before switching off.
otherwise, the temp of the turbo will fry the oil in the intercooler, and eventually seize or snap a bearing.

That's why a lot of modded Jap import cars have turbo-timers fitted, so you know when it's safe to switch off

oil in the intercooler, you sure about that one?
turbo timers are marmite items, you can do exactly the same function as they serve simply by driving the last 2 minutes home (most of us live in 30 zones anyway eh?) like a human being.
cupra kid, the turbo cant spin in a vacuum so it pretty much stops the second you take your foot off the accelerator.

 

[CupraUK]

Get yourself a RAC gold warranty, it covers turbo and clutch!!! We won't tell them that your turbo was screwed beforehand. I'm sure my turbo is still spinning most days as I pull up on the drive and switch off. 50,000 revo miles on it still works fine.