Does Power Reduces Depending Upon Age of the Car?

[bayern_tig]

I just saw this on Top Gear! The initial bhp of a car was 205 BHP and after some 5 years, it had reduced to 150 only!
Why does this happen? is there anyway to reclaim the original power after 5 years by servicing or replacing some parts in the engine?

Btw, mods please move the thread if you think this is not the right place, I'm pretty new to this forum.

 

[drifter]

It depends on how you treat the engine.

Poor oil quality will increase wear and power loss.

Driving the car from cold like in a race will wear out engine and therefore power loss.

Not regular servicing will lead to power losses.

Driving it like Mrs Daisy will coke up engine and will lead to pwer losses;

 

[autosafari]

Driving it like Mrs Daisy will coke up engine and will lead to pwer losses;

Drifter,

Could you please explain this one in detail.

 

[Prads]

Drifter,

Could you please explain this one in detail.

I guess what he means is if you do not take the car to high rev once in a while it will lead to congestion probably in the exhaust area & improper lubrication & shifting up too soon/downshifting when needed creating engine knocking.

 

[drifter]

Drifter,

Could you please explain this one in detail.

There is a number of reasons for it.

When the engine isn't driven hard at times the build up of carbon deposits, tars and gums is soaking up fuel that can't be burned properly. This is when governments think that unleaded fuels are so good for the environment.

Additionally it will encourage sticky piston rings Sticky piston rings will eventually hit all engines to a bigger or lesser degree. This will occur from 600kms on already when driven extreme short distances or the car poodling along.

There are a number of other effects resulting, but this would go too far.

To combat this every now and again, take the car for a good B-road blast and before servicing get a very high quality engine flush and drive with it for as much as a tank load of fuel would last (Don't do it with any flush as some will not be suitable for it!).

 

[MSN1]

Am not an expert but a layman in my term

Power or real performance of a car comes out once you are thru with the initial so called run in phase

and the power will remain intact based on the way you maintain the car

yeah don't forget to do the occasional speed bursts during every long rides.

there are many people who maintained the car in mint condition (outside) but real maintenance refers to the internal parts of the car

 

[drifter]

Just to add to this, my 1108 Fiat FIRE engined Seicento with a stock engine but exhaust air intake and re-map had a torque outpu measured at 2,43,000kms of 133NM (Stock is ususally around 98NM when newish)veryfied by 3 different chassis dynos. It was maintained properly and driven regular on a B-road blast. Unfortunately I have lost this car ecently in a serious car accident.

 

[Prads]

To combat this every now and again, take the car for a good B-road blast and before servicing get a very high quality engine flush and drive with it for as much as a tank load of fuel would last (Don't do it with any flush as some will not be suitable for it!).

Hey drifter i have heard this before they say some old engines are not suitable for engine flush but does it mean engines which have run alot of kms like around 1.5 lakhs or it means some engines from the 90s ??? They do engine flush around 30,000km here in India at the service center.

 

[nozzlering]

Over a period of time, wear and tear do occur. In case of engines, proper maintenance will delay the ageing process by a great extent. The loss of power could be because of various reasons (Most of them point towards neglect in maintenance schedule and inappropriate driving style or conditions). In case of 4-s engines (also called trunk piston engine), the cooling lubrication of running surfaces of piston, piston rings and liner is done by lubricating oil. If the quality of oil is bad, and is not changed, lubrication will be affected. This would lead to increase in wear of above mentioned parts. As a result, clearances will increase and lead to partial blow-by of gasses (READ: Loss of power). Also this could cause sticky piston rings or failure of piston rings. There are many reasons. This one is most common, if proper maintenance schedule is not followed.