[dennis]

Blowing off an induction hose

Today on my way home from our group drive I was accelerating hard on a freeway entrance ramp when I heard a loud *poof*, lost power and got an engine warning light. Fortunately, I knew where to look because the exact same thing happened to HyperMac yesterday! One of the induction hoses had separated from its throttle body.

Lacking a screwdriver, I did my best MacGyver imitation and used the 110 plug blade on the charger to open up the hose clamp that holds the induction hose. Just as I got the hose back on the throttle body, a guy in a Porsche Turbo pulled up. With the help of his screwdriver I was on my way again, no harm, no foul.

Has anyone else experienced this particular failure? Where is that McLaren toolkit?

 

[HyperMac954]

Yup - had the exact same thing happen on mine literally 24 hours earlier. Lucky for me I was a mere mile from the dealership and they sent the tech over to fix it.

I forgot to ask you Dennis - what side was it? Mine was passenger side.

 

[dennis]

Driver side

 

[Markjayw]

The fun of owning a Turbo car. Glad it was an easy fix for both of you.

 

[GeorgeSSS]

Guys:

I think you're missing an opportunity for some one-up-man-ship here. Talking to your friends:

"I was driving and felt the power drop off on my McLaren. I called the dealership and they sent over a tech who fixed it and I was on my way." (Who else has service like that?)

"I was driving and felt the power drop off on my McLaren. It was a loose turbocharger pressure hose. I used the blade on an electrical plug as a screwdriver, fixed it and was on my way." (Who else has a McLaren, and who can say I FIXED MY McLAREN MYSELF like McGyver.)

Childish, but fun. Party on fellows.

 

[Goplay]

What size screwdriver should I pack in the car?

 

[HyperMac954]

Fairly small - and a pair of gloves, because A) It's hot right there, and B) if you have the carbon engine bay panels, they're sharp on the underside.

 

[JMK]

Happened to me too in Pebble Beach while at Concours. My dealer was there too and they responded immediately. They are awesome!

Techs from the factory where at Concours too and have examined my car and are going back to Woking to determine the appropriate long term solution. It does appear to be a slight design flaw that should be easily overcome.

In the meantime, I was shooting four foot flames out of the exhaust pipes. Only McLaren I know that breathes fire (of course, this is when the hose was only half-off).

 

[cka]

Happened to me too in Pebble Beach while at Concours. My dealer was there too and they responded immediately. They are awesome!

Techs from the factory where at Concours too and have examined my car and are going back to Woking to determine the appropriate long term solution. It does appear to be a slight design flaw that should be easily overcome.

In the meantime, I was shooting four foot flames out of the exhaust pipes. Only McLaren I know that breathes fire (of course, this is when the hose was only half-off).

Four foot flames, great to grill those chicken wings

 

[Sanguru]

Four foot flames, great to grill those chicken wings

and tailgaters

 

[HyperMac954]

Happened to me too in Pebble Beach while at Concours. My dealer was there too and they responded immediately. They are awesome!

Techs from the factory where at Concours too and have examined my car and are going back to Woking to determine the appropriate long term solution. It does appear to be a slight design flaw that should be easily overcome.

In the meantime, I was shooting four foot flames out of the exhaust pipes. Only McLaren I know that breathes fire (of course, this is when the hose was only half-off).

Makes sense - the air sensor is the pipe, so it's seeing all that air from the turbo that's not being pushed into the engine, and dumping the correct amount of fuel for that air into the combustion chamber. No air to mix with, and it gets dumped out the exhaust. And poof, flames.

 

[andy c]

Fairly small - and a pair of gloves, because A) It's hot right there, and B) if you have the carbon engine bay panels, they're sharp on the underside.

Do you need long arms or is it to hand fairly easily??

 

[Jerry]

Do you need long arms or is it to hand fairly easily??

Hahaha, we're all now thinking "must put some screwdrivers and a pair of gloves in the car tomorrow"

 

[HyperMac954]

Do you need long arms or is it to hand fairly easily??

Nah, easy to reach. Just toasty.

 

[JMK]

Make sure you keep some towels in the car to lay over the paint as you will be leaning on the car. With jeans on or something that can scratch the paint, you are sure to do some damage.