[ALXege]

Hello everybody,

I recently changed my 916 Spider with a 2.4 Brera. It's the early 200bhp version with KKK Turbo, and was already remapped with EGR & DPF delete when i bought it. The car used to pull very strong and the power delivery was pretty early, under 2000rpm, it was a pleasure to drive. However, after major service (timing belt change, the complete kit including all accesories, water pump, oil and filters change, intake gallery cleaned etc.), the car now feels different, and not in a good way..
First obvious sign was a turbolag, if rolling in third gear at 2000rpm and going full throttle, the car picks up very slowly and only around 2300-2400rpms "explodes". Before, the pick up was instant and more smooth.
Second sign is how she pulls in 1st and 2nd Gear. The car now hardly spins the wheels in 1st gear and there is no chance in 2nd gear, while before I couldn't go to hard on throttle because it was instantly spinning wheels.
No engine light, nothing obvious on the diagnose.. What more to check?

 

[Mattsky]

Hmmm. Just to get an obvious thought out of the way, but the garage haven't inadvertently reset the engine remap to a default setting have they?

 

[ALXege]

No, they didn't connect to the ECU. However, the ECU had been removed and put back on the car when cleaning the intake gallery, but I don't think that can have anything to do with this.

 

[giblets46]

Can you confirm that in normal pull off the performance is 'normal' is it only when you are rolling that there is this lag?
I'd still check the EGR for leaks (blank it for good measure).

 

[ALXege]

Sorry, didn't quite understand your first question.. however, the thing I feel the most is the turbolag, but I think there is some power loss as well.
The EGR had been cleaned, already has some sort of blanking plate (however, it still has 4 small holes in it), but is also "shut down" from the software.

 

[giblets46]

Question was do you feel the lag when setting off from a standstill, as well as travelling along at 2,000rpm and putting your foot down.

The EGR may be 'shut down' in the map, but it can be physically open (the wire to the EGR is only an actuator, and cannot detect the position), with the guff that gets in, it can still be letting gas through. You should back it up with a full blanking plate.
The plate with the four holes in reduces the air flow by maybe 50%.

I'd also check the pipes and boost valve on the slam panel.

 

[ALXege]

Ok, I understand now..
The lag seems to be present only while driving normally. I drive it like I used to and often get surprised about the fact that she is not reacting, very unpleasant feeling..
When picking up from standstill I don't seem to notice the lag because I change gears high enough so that it constantly stays above 2500rpm.
What I did noticed when picking up from standstill is the fact that she doesn't seem that powerful anymore. She used to make the wheels slip in 1st and 2nd gear, now this doesn't happen anymore.

I will try and blank out completely the EGR, but not sure this could be the cause of all these..
Checked the intake pipe, the one that connects to the intake gallery, it's true I couldn't check it to the other end though.. The other pipe wasn't touched in the process.
Checked the Pierburg Valve, did a temporary swap with another one that I knew it was working properly, didn't solve anything.

And this is really annoying

 

[Jerry 159]

Timing maybe one teeth wrong?

 

[ALXege]

That's what i'm also thinking.. Is it possible to generate such behaviour?

 

[Cuore_Sportivo_155]

yes it does.

2.4 in the 159/brera/spider needs a 199 tooth belt, the older ones a 198 teeth belt. Fit the wrong one and timing is out by 1 tooth

 

[ALXege]

I think the belt is right but I suspect wrong timing. Will check tomorrow..

 

[ALXege]

Problem fixed!
As you suggested, the EGR seemed to be stuck open, it has been completely blanked out now and the car runs now as smooth as before.
Thanks for all the sugestions!