Engine sluggish in hot weather

[Megabucks38]

Just got E90 320i, 2009, (done 4000 km only) engine feels a bit sluggish when weather is very hot in the afternoon, like loss of 1-2 horse power.Feels smoother in the morning or at night. Is this normal or spark park issues???Help......

 

[ALBundy]

Just got E90 320i, 2009, (done 4000 km only) engine feels a bit sluggish when weather is very hot in the afternoon, like loss of 1-2 horse power.

Feels smoother in the morning or at night. Is this normal or spark park issues???

Help......

It is normal, due to hotter air getting into the combustion chamber.

Cheers

 

[astroboy]

On a wet morning, even more "lively"! Moist cool air even better for combustion.. :wink:

 

[daveseech]

my 325 has that feeling too. but its less noticeable when i am on vpower. was told due to the higher octane in the fuel, the engine can use more timing during hotter days and so produce more power.

 

[gcarch]

wow...and I thought I was the only one feeling these symptoms! My z3 behaves that way too...sometimes its super responsive, engine sounds meatier and power churns out steadily...on hotter days... feels like engine is out of tune.

 

[wordworf]

Its very normal. On hotter days, air is warmer and hence power will be reduced. Getting a CAI will help reduce this effect.

 

[bimmerdude]

i learned something new today

 

[t2ribena]

hot air is less dense than cold air and in this case hot air has lesser oxigen (the main ingredient for combustion)...it is as simple as that...

 

[astroboy]

hot air is less dense than cold air and in this case hot air has lesser oxigen (the main ingredient for combustion)...it is as simple as that...

Then why are the continental engines are design to run hotter than JDM? or was it only in the past? and need to use "hot" spark plugs (higher optimal operating temperature).. Is it still the case now?

 

[t2ribena]

Then why are the continental engines are design to run hotter than JDM? or was it only in the past? and need to use "hot" spark plugs (higher optimal operating temperature).. Is it still the case now?

running the engine hotter or cooler does not change the fact that the hot air density is lower than the cooler air unless the designer decides to put the air intake near to the hotest part of the engine...most of the air intake is at the front of the car away from engine heat source so all stock air intake is already CAI...

air/oxigen is the main component in combustion in higher ratio compare to fuel (if not mistaken min 15:1) thus a reduction in oxigen will surely contributes to loss of power...

in order to achieve higher fuel burn efficiency the conti car makers run the engine hotter than the japan counterpart...

of course all this IMHO...:top: