Auris SR180 in trouble?

[Turbutch]

Hi,

It seems a well known fact that a few of the 2.2d engines used in the T180 and SR180 models were prone to blowing the head gasket.  I bought an SR180 earlier in the year and engine oil consumption seemed stable.  However, recently I fitted a Lindop tuning chip which doesn't look like to have made any difference to fuel economy (30mpg regardless of how I drive and not much better on motorways either), also a few days later I did feel obliged to top oil up by about half a litre and noticed during pedal to the metal moments the clutch suggests it's slipping a little by about 200rpm in 3rd, 4th and 5th for about a second or two.

At this early stage I'm not blaming the tuning chip but has anyone with this engine and tuning chip noticed an increase in oil consumption?  Worse still, does the oil consumption suggest the head gasket is going to hit it?  I need to test the clutch some more and besides the car does have over 80k miles on the clock.

Am looking to buy carb cleaner to clean the EGR valve soon, I have no idea how clogged it is, although the previous owner did apparently clean it last year.  I'm pessimistic to how much difference cleaning the EGR valve makes but I know it's good practice for diesels.

 

[smudge-1991]

Tbh sounds like your being a little over cautious ... Take the box off ... See if the consumption continues ... But I doubt it's related. Also if it was the head and the oil had gone you would be either very smokey or the coolant would have gone a funny colour...

 

Daft question but have you reset the average MPG between fills and what fuel are you using ... 

As for clutch slip that could just be a worn clutch. 

80k is nothing in original clutch on over 80k but I'm laughing at the same time ... It's as tight as it was when we got it ... 

Cleaning the EGR is good practice and does make a difference

[alan333]

10 hours ago, Turbutch said:

It seems a well known fact that a few of the 2.2d engines used in the T180 and SR180 models were prone to blowing the head gasket

Not just the T180 and Sr180, the potential problem exists in every car the 2.2 diesel was fitted in, including Lexus. 

[smudge-1991]

And the 2.0 also just was less prone ... Most have been fixed so I wouldn't worry about that too much tbh 

[Turbutch]

On 5/11/2017 at 7:17 AM, smudge-1991 said:

Tbh sounds like your being a little over cautious ... Take the box off ... See if the consumption continues ... But I doubt it's related. Also if it was the head and the oil had gone you would be either very smokey or the coolant would have gone a funny colour...

 

Daft question but have you reset the average MPG between fills and what fuel are you using ... 

As for clutch slip that could just be a worn clutch. 

80k is nothing in original clutch on over 80k but I'm laughing at the same time ... It's as tight as it was when we got it ... 

Cleaning the EGR is good practice and does make a difference

Perhaps I was being a bit over cautious.  Oil consumption seems ok for now and coolant remains a nice pink colour and I don't see smoke in the mirrors when I boot the car.  However, fuel economy is rubbish for a four pot diesel, I can only think a good service will help (which is due) including replacing the fuel filter and gearbox oil and I'll clean the EGR valve myself.  Miller's fuel additive not making any noticeable difference on its own.

I'll leave the clutch for time being hopefully I'll get a year's life out of it and it did stall when I deliberately try to take off in fifth gear with a fair bit of gas.

I know the 2.2 diesel was used in other models including Lexus but didn't want to make too fine a point on it.

[Turbutch]

Just thought I'd post an update.  Serviced the car recently, had the fuel and oil filters changed and ensured C2 rated oil was used and fuel economy has jumped from 33mpg to 36mpg (figures are actual mpg not dashboard calculated) and I've yet to clean the EGR valve.  Perhaps engine oil used before was C3 rated or something else doubt the new fuel filter is largely responsible for the improvement in economy.  Mechanic confirmed coolant is fine and exhaust is not smokey but I'll clean the EGR valve anyway and see if this helps efficiency some more.  Clutch slip not that troublesome for now either.

Subjectively, having monitored acceleration, revs and instantaneous fuel consumption I suspect there's a flat spot between 2k and 2.4k revs and there really isn't much torque beyond 3k rpm.  I therefore highly doubt the 180PS / BHP manufacturer claim for this engine and consequently the top speed stated for this car too.  Do other owners of Auris/Avensis/RAV4/Lexus who have this engine feel the same way?

[Artiom]

I have the same model. My opinion is rather subjective, but this car pulls like train - smooth acceleration up to 4k+ RPM (~67mph in 3rd gear). It has good torque from ~1.2k RPM and increases to its maximum after 1.8k. The fuel consumption looks like mine ~33mpg, but I drive it for the fun and not for the fuel economy ;)

[FROSTYBALLS]

A nine year old engine is probably producing less than the claimed bhp when new, due to wear, carbon build up, etc.

[Turbutch]

6 minutes ago, Artiom said:

I have the same model. My opinion is rather subjective, but this car pulls like train - smooth acceleration up to 4k+ RPM (~67mph in 3rd gear). It has good torque from ~1.2k RPM and increases to its maximum after 1.8k. The fuel consumption looks like mine ~33mpg, but I drive it for the fun and not for the fuel economy ;)

Once the turbo has kicked in it's then smooth.  I find that the drop off in torque is particularly noticeable in 5th and 6th gears.  Acceleration is not punchy enough to suggest it will keep powering all the way to 130+mph not that I've tried and if I did I'd need a downhill, smooth, ideally straight piece of road that stretched into the horizon for like 10 miles!  But otherwise it rips through to 70-80mph quite swiftly.

 

10 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

A nine year old engine is probably producing less than the claimed bhp when new, due to wear, carbon build up, etc.

This is true but given that it's a diesel I would expect this to be the case after 120k miles perhaps.  Plus I'm trying hard to look after it.