How Many Mi16 Engines Have You Killed?

[MI16 Gaz 0]

Hi, first post, other than a quick introduction about myself, the car I am looking to buy in the next few weeks and some of my previous cars, as posted here, http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=165457

 

Been doing lots of reading up on the oil surge/starvation problem that seems to plague the MI16, and was wondering just how many members have destroyed/damaged theirs, and what the circumstances were and what kind of millage they had done before giving up.

 

Maybe you have been running the same engine for years without a problem, then let me know what kind of action it sees, spec, millage etc.

 

Just trying to gauge how bad the problem actually is and what I might be letting myself in for. Wanted to add a poll but couldn't see an option.

 

 

The one I may buy won't be doing any track days and I have gone off the idea of fitting AD08R's to limit the chances of oil surge. As a compromise I may fit some Michelin Pilot Sport 3, unless anyone can recommend a better road tyre. Not bought such small tyres in a long time, my current car has the Michelin Pilot Super Sports which unfortunately don't come in anything this small.

 

 

 

One other thing I was thinking about today whilst at work was the fitting of the uprated oil pump spring. With the oil drains back down to the sump being so poor I was wondering if upping the pressure would be a good idea, as more pressure = faster draining of the sump = more chance of the pick up running dry and therefore killing the engine. Or is it more a case of the oil being aerated by the engine which causes the problem rather than it running dry, meaning the uprated spring is actually beneficial.

 

 

[Tom Fenton 1,526]

There's no hard and fast rule as far as I can tell. Some are just ok and others are not. I have one in my track 205 that has done 8 years of trackdays in a caged car often on slicks. It's a bit down on power now simply due to worn rings/compression but it's never done itself any crank damage. Conversely I have heard of folk who have destroyed engine after engine rattling cranks and throwing rods.

If you are worried enough to limit your choice of not doing trackdays and not buying this tyre or that tyre why not consider a GTI6 engine instead?

[MI16 Gaz 0]

The car I plan on buying has pretty much had a full nut and bolt rebuild by my mate who is very fastidious when it comes to cars, so I particularly want that car. If you click on the link in my first post you can see a pic of the underside of the car, it looks like new.

 

With it sounding like it may or may not happen, not dependant on use, I think I will probably stick some AD08Rs on then and hope for the best. When I said I won't be doing track days in it, it wasn't because I was worried about killing it, I just don't do track days.

[jackherer 543]

I've not killed any and I've used them on trackdays as well as on the road. There is a lot written about Mi16s and oil pressure but as long as you don't do anything extreme it'll be fine.

 

Your new user post was great BTW, apart from the fire damage, nobody wants to see that!

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Gti6 engines - lots and lots

[welshpug 1,627]

2.0 in a zx, died on a tight lh sliproad from oil starvation, it was on 123k and quite worn though still went well.

 

only span a big end on number 4 rod which is right above the oil pump, std baffled sump made no difference being a lh corner!

[calvinhorse 870]

My 2.0 405 mi16 was my daily car from the age of 21, I thrashed it from cold every day, it did a few track days and the hill at Prescott, I took it from 100k to 120k and the last thing I did before I parked it up was have it rolling roaded where it made 152bhp! Incredible engine!

[petert 555]

I've lost count and totally given up on XU9J4's for motorsport unless dry sumped. I've had an XU9J4 destroy itself on a LH sweeping on ramp, not even driven in anger. A friend with an "everything" XU9J4 ie deep sump, lengthened pickup, extra door on the pump baffle, windage tray, external drain pipes and an accumulator etc, still destroyed itself in a race on semi-slicks. The XU10J4 is much better. I ran one with an accumulator for a few years and it was rock stable. Eventually it died however, because the oil return pipe broke off and wedged itself between the two trap doors.

[boldy205 74]

If you are not taking it on track I can't see a problem. I've owned, rebuilt and blown up a 1.9 Mi. s*it happens!????

[B1ack_Mi16 67]

Did run my 405 Mi16 really hard from cold every day for 8 years.

 

It had done 410000km (I bought it at 250000km), and still engine worked like a charm.

 

Never did anything else than changing oil, filters and valve stem seals.

 

Strange these Mi16's are of so varying "quality".

[woodymi16 24 2 Cars]

My 1.9 MI has been faultless on the road, but even with a sump baffle, uprated pump spring and race oil I have one eye on the remote pressure gauge on the track. The pressure does drop on track days even with my medium budget tyres so I will be investing in a dry sump over the winter.

[SweetBadger 91]

I've killed several but none due to oil surge.

 

My current engine has been solid for a season's circuit racing - semi-slicks & race orientated suspension.

 

Previous engines have all done trackdays on semi-slicks, and the crank / bearing shells have shown no sign of oil starvation after the engines were stripped. Only oil control mods have been petert's extended oil pick-up and a Gti6 sump, and slightly overfilling sump.

 

I'm about to pull the crank on my current XU9J4 engine due to the flywheel trying to escape! Will post back how the crank & bearings look.

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

I've lost count and totally given up on XU9J4's for motorsport unless dry sumped. I've had an XU9J4 destroy itself on a LH sweeping on ramp, not even driven in anger. A friend with an "everything" XU9J4 ie deep sump, lengthened pickup, extra door on the pump baffle, windage tray, external drain pipes and an accumulator etc, still destroyed itself in a race on semi-slicks. The XU10J4 is much better. I ran one with an accumulator for a few years and it was rock stable. Eventually it died however, because the oil return pipe broke off and wedged itself between the two trap doors.

 

If you run both with accumulator, what's what makes the XU10J4 last? They share the same head?

[welshpug 1,627]

My L reg 2.0 405 has been fine, standard other than a cat back ss exhaust, pulled 160 bhp on two different RR's, did a trackday at Llandow on terrible tyres and had great fun!

 

it only has about 100k on it but has been sat for m any years so will be rather worse for wear

Edited October 1, 2015 by welshpug

[petert 555]

 

If you run both with accumulator, what's what makes the XU10J4 last? They share the same head?

Yes, same head. There are only two differences really. The accumulator on an XU10 can feed directly into the oil gallery (above the starter) without having to make a turn through a fitting or otherwise, which might otherwise reduce pressure & flow. The XU10J4 crank is drilled differently.

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

Good point about the oil feed; I was about to ask you clarification on the oil feed connection. Did not recognize it on my XU9J4.

 

Regarding the drilling, I opened a topic in the past http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=139289

Still not sure if that's all, or if the rods play a part....

Edited October 1, 2015 by wicked

[SweetBadger 91]

 

Pics of the bearings and crank from my xu9j4 after a season of racing - all look pretty good, no signs of oil starvation:

 

 

 

[Anthony 1,000]

Only properly blown one up, where it suffered a suspect rod bolt failure at 7k rpm at Castle Combe and promptly put the piston and rod through the radiator.

 

Only minor issue is that it wasn't my car I was driving...

[Alan_M 66 1 Cars]

Not blown one up yet, but the aftermarket low pressure light (20psi?) went like a disco light on a 'ring lap.

[amin 1]

which one is better? 2 litter mi16 or Xu10j4rs GTI-6?please explain to me.

[Stu 18]

I've blown one, spun a shell on the last right hander at Donnington before the final chicane on the back straight. That was an Mi with 1.9 spacer plate, extended oil pickup, XU10 spring, XU10 trap door sump and extended baffle, front mounted oil cooler.

 

On slicks though, and in its defense it probably did 15 trackdays and around 10k road miles over 5 years before it let go. Problem was the spun shell very quickly turned into a thrown rod and it was game over from that point really.

 

I do miss it though, compared to the boat anchor GTI-6 thats in there now it was a much more characterful engine.