7 failed McLaren engines? Why?

We've rebuilt 7 engines with failed liners, all were mapped, here we explain why.

[@nattcharles]

Spent 12 years working in the tuning industry for a major name brand. In that time I rapidly learnt 90% of people “mapping” were cowboys.

[@jonathancollard3710]

Alternatively just leave engine as stock…. 🤔 Calibrate your driving abilities to performance and buy the model accordingly…. I’m very happy with 570PS thanks, and if need more (or thought my balls were big enough to handle it 😳), I’d get a 650 or 720 . Simples 😛

[@camshaftcasting1451]

OEM calibration teams have access to more data than tuners and choose the production calibration parameters carefully, for good reasons. If you spend 6 figures on a car and then pay ANY tuner to re-map it, you are taking an imprudent risk, in my opinion.

[@michaelmorris1185]

I wish I seen this before I blew the m8 engine twice lol 😂

[@inkanthem]

What tune did you use? 😅

[@grahamdavies5879]

J F Automotive is one of the cowboy outfits blowing up Mclarens. Avoid!

[@thunderpants007]

The cars are ballistic from factory, so if you need and can handle more power you’re already a professional world class driver surely.

[@SpeedingTube]

Amazes me that some people would install a £1000 flash map on a McLaren, no wonder they are burning the rings and liners out. Good to see you guys vary the conditions to get the IAT/AFR tables spot on.

[@1985gooz]

Spot on really, the problem is, because a good mclaren tune is so expensive, people are tempted to use an online vendor and these files are honestly a load of turd, most of the time the problem is when the car arrives on boost, at that moment the fuelling is too lean and bang, as an FYI for everyone, these cars in stock form run pig rich with an AFR around 9.9-10.5 AFR. A healthy tuned AFR will be between 11.5 - 7

[@ratman9802]

Excellent video. This is the go to channel for McLaren practical expertise it would seem - I haven't watched all of the content yet but I will do. Regarding mapping and I apolgise if this is covered elsewhere on your channel - is there any way to tell if a car has been remapped in the past even if it has been put back to factory settings in the meantime? If I find a seemingly good used example and engage yourselves for a pre purchase inspection, are you able to interrogate the car's ECUs to this end? I would have thought Mc Laren would have thought of this themselves and put in some safeguards. It is my (long term!) plan to own a McLaren and I cannot afford to make this sort of mistake. Thanks and all the best, Chris.

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

We can tell if a car has been mapped before but it needs the ecu out and interrogated

[@ratman9802]

@@ThorneyMotorsport Thanks, so not really practical on a pre purchse inspection.

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

@Ratman no, not really, there are other areas we can check of course

[@ratman9802]

@@ThorneyMotorsport Thanks for your reply. OK understood; when the time comes I will come to you once I find a good example. Thanks, Chris.

[@tewby]

Informative as usual..thank you john

[@shoobidyboop8634]

I believe your TM partners (eg Scottsdale AZ USA) offer tuning. Do they similarly warrant their tunes?

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

Might be best to contact them directly, we currently don't offer our ecu upgrades via our dealers

[@UnknownP41]

IAT / ECT corrections, knock control, closed loop full load fuelling all allows for change in conditions… you’re talking like the fuelling needs dialling in at every load and RPM point like an open loop standalone ECU. If an engine ‘leans out at high RPM’ then it’s got a fuelling issue and the problem isn’t in the software it’s physical as lambda is targeted and closed loop fuel corrections work to meet that target if it can’t, there’s a fuelling issue

[@AlbertoRenteria-l6h]

Do you see issues with all level maps? Or just maps above stage 1?

[@ConsoleFinder]

Interested in this question also.

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

Its not a question of all maps kill engines, far from it, we map these cars twice a month and have never killed an engine, its just a question of how and how far and that is in part determined by the model. ALL the McLaren models can be effectively and successfully tuned but you need to know how far to go and also it must be custom mapped to each car, you cant just chuck a file on, so it must be on a dyno with AFR carefully monitored with multiple runs in different temperatures. So stage 1,2,3 whatever all fine so long as you map to the parameters the cars engine can handle. AND of course, make sure whomever maps the car offers you a FULL WARRANTY on the engine and drivetrain. We do, if they dont then ask why.

[@ConsoleFinder]

I would love to have my GT tuned by you all. But I’m in the states 😭

[@Commentcrusader]

Would the engines also blow out if you just don’t map them? I have a bone stock 675lt. I wonder how reliable the engines are. I hear nothing but good things from most owners. Drove mine 16k km’s and nothing at all

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

Only stock 675 engine we rebuilt was from a car that was serviced 4 miles earlier, not enough oil in it

[@m5p944]

No way you build Dyno in room with echo

[@surplusstock8778]

Could you safely get another 100hp out of a 570s?

[@siimplymari]

Now I'm scared to buy a McLaren after watching this. Gonna have to stick with my Honda Civic until McLaren gets these problems sorted out.

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

Missing the point of the video, but I'm sure you'll enjoy your car choices

[@nojabs999]

Are you in competition with JM IMPORTS. now they have a 720s we should see some good tunes.

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

I don't consider us in competition with anyone, we are a specialist Mclaren company which offers tuning and upgrades as part of that expertise.I think someone from them called us last week as regards a failed 720 engine but can't remember the outcome.

[@BK_711_]

Hopefully you expand to the US, possibly Arizona?!?!

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

Scottsdale announced soon

[@AffordablePC1]

Have you seen Tavaresh's blown up engine after a monster tune... Lasted 1500 miles, blew the bottom end out.... Take a look Grusome !!!!

[@EvoraGT430]

It's almost as if that reinforces his point!

[@AffordablePC1]

@@EvoraGT430 Erm, Yes... Dont tune these with Caveat Emptor

[@linwoodeaton1038]

ρгό𝔪σŞｍ 😁

[@dailysliceofinterweb793]

M-Engineering blew up Tavarish's 675LT a few weeks ago... Seen them blow up lots of McLarens

[@antilol66]

Is this true? Any source? I am keen

[@dailysliceofinterweb793]

@@antilol66 They blow up mclarens all the time. They poped the motor on a gold 675LT like a week ago at a 1/2 mile event in europe... it was all over the internet... they tuned it. Here's a link to a random guy they they blew his motor and the shop talks about it... kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXyUf6ypjZWomNUsi=xiF7i537WN1Msxc- Seen them remotely tune a bunch of cars that exploded... Pretty sure they tune McLarens for DME tuning as well remotely and they blew up Street speeds 717s 720s... They also blew up randy at savage garages grey 720s... none of those guys really talk about it, but they all were getting tuned mclarens and all of a sudden M blew their motors up and the cars disappear of their channels... DDE's 720s was blown up by Gintani... Don't think they remotely tuned that one though... not sure on that particular car but it definately grenaded on camera... So yeah... they've been grenading motors for years all over the world... It's no secret but most people aren't into McLarens like that so they don't realize how many they've destroyed

[@EvoraGT430]

As if a 675LT needs a map.

[@Karlbrandt0145]

Glad your back John,another Stellar informative video!!! My mapping is and will remain ALL stock. Mclaren engineers are best of breed due to all their intensive testing on the race track and off!!! Very happy with what have!!!! Awesome power with reliability!!! Looking forward to Your next words of wisdom!!!

[@1985gooz]

I very much doubt mclaren wrote the map for their engines. It would have been done by Bosch/Riccardo.

[@Karlbrandt0145]

With such an awesome machine it's better to be safe than sorry!!!!

[@1985gooz]

@@Karlbrandt0145 Yeah but there are holes in the stock mclaren mapping as well, especially on the 12c and 650, it isnt exactly perfect should we say, but full thottle fueling is overly safe which is good news I guess, but its a bit of a waste of fuel.

[@1985gooz]

@Cody Rogers Doesnt matter mate plenty of good ecu calibrators about at that time. Also the revised power mapping was released in 2013/2014

[@1985gooz]

@Cody Rogers MAT?

[@derekrunyan983]

How is they're cooling brilliant if they have overheated and cracked crowns ?

[@ThorneyMotorsport]

We do explain in the video

[@mazdaman1286]

Please don't pick up a spanner if you don't understand the basics....