Top Gear challenge, supercars, technical questions

Top Gear challenge, supercars, technical questions

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Discussion

al78

Original Poster:

14 posts

34 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
Not sure if this is the correct place to post this question, but having watched the Top Gear challenges DVDs, and enjoying the buy a supercar for £10k and drive it from Bristol to Slough episode, I have a couple of technical questions:

1. What was wrong with the Maserati engine with its tapping noise and ultimate disintegration?

2. Why does an engine lose horsepower with age?

DVandrews

1,325 posts

290 months

Monday 6th June 2022
quotequote all
1) My guess is that it was rod knock (big end bearings)
2) loss of power can be any number of things, worn pistons and rings resulting in lower compression, valve seat degradation leading to lower compression, failing injectors/fuel pump, heavy deposits in combustion chambers/ports, failing cats, failing sensors, degrading exhausts, the list is endless. Eventually everything will fail (entropy), as the various components slide into oblivion they will affect the engine efficiency.