Re: +100.000 miles with the RCZ R (my story)
UPDATE ON THE ENGINE DECOKE:
So, time is flying by and I finally found a proper company to do the engine decoke. To disclose the details right at the beginning, no, it wasn’t in Germany. I had to go to Poland to make it happen. I was on a business trip to Warsaw so it came all together quite nicely. The garage shifted other appointments to have a free spot for me on a short term. And when I arrived at 7.30 in the morning at their gates, I learnt the very mechanic to take care of my RCZ got a child and his wife is in the hospital. But he stayed professional and sticked to the assignment. Later during the day I told him, man, just leave the car, go to your wife! He still was very dedicated to my RCZ and kept telling me, she is fine, I’m being kept up to date and she gave birth two days ago. So I know what is going on.
The chap was so gentlemanlike. Not the stereotypical image of a car mechanic, haha.
Alright, we got going with the RCZ. First, notebook hooked up to the ECU and checking for errors. Yes, we got one. Error P0299 pointing to a turbo pressure leak. Already by this point he got suspicious and said to me, listen, I know you are here because of decoking but due to my experience and the numbers I see here on the notebook, I don’t think it is down to a clogged engine. There must be something wrong with the exhaust side of the turbo.
By the time he dropped that bomb memories returned when months ago I insisted on checking the waste gate while talking to the service manager at Peugeot during annual service. But they never touched it and claimed the error is caused by something else. They very keen to replace parts which I prevented.
And then you hear something like that and it hits you hard. I was right!
The next info he gave me was, the values I see here while on idle and while accelerating do not point to a clogged engine. Absolutely not.
Still he started taking the intake side of the engine apart and later he was able to insert a cam into the intake. And voila, the pictures you see below show the level of residue.
My engine is not clogged! Speeding pays off, hahaha. He said, there is hardly any residue on the intake valves and the intake itself. He even showed me a sensor he took from the intake which was pretty clean. You could see a bright green plastic nose on the sensor which otherwise would be dark brownish, if clogged. If I remember correctly it was the pressure sensor.
Yes, there is some residue on the intake ports and a small bump on the intake valves (I point the arrow on it) but it wasn’t worth cleaning it and taking another 6 hours of this chap’s life while his wife and child are in the hospital. So we decided to skip the decoke.
But as polite and scrupulous he was he insisted on checking the turbo. The error he found on the ECU was suspicious. He took it apart and we have been able to diagnose a leak on the waste gate. Theory proven! We then contemplated if to take the turbo right away to a specialist and let it overhaul. But then it would mean I have to take a hotel or rental car for the next 2 days (yes, only 2 days wait for a service like this, that is pretty quick!) and it would screw my other appointments and plans. So we stepped back from it.
Still he managed to regulate the valve a bit more into the closing position and it helped to keep the boost for longer period. The car now holds boost more consistently and the P0299 error doesn’t pop up that often. Now you have to push the engine for a longer period flat out at +130 MPH to provoke this error. If you are more cautious with the accelerator, then the car still climbs up to 155 MPH and holds it there nicely.
To wrap it up, it was a good day, we achieved an improvement and I learnt the very reason why my RCZ doesn’t make it to over 155 MPH anymore. Now I have to make up my mind on the turbo overhauling. Do I go for it or is it something the next owner has to take care of (full disclousure when selling the car). We will see. I havent decided yet. All is dependant on the fact for how long will I keep the R with me. She is still around me although the plans have been to replace her by mid of 2018. But honestly, I’m having hard times to let her go. There is just nothing on the market available that touches my soul. OK, exepct for the new Alpine A110. But then again, the Alpine as a daily driver would be a bit over the top.
Cheers
