When the 0.9L Turbo engine was first presented by Renault for several small cars, it was a disaster. All experts said that the engine will last 50,000 kilometers and will then die. They were openly laughing at Renault and saying that this engine was even smaller than the good pack of milk. But things appeared to be much better than they predicted.
Today, I will tell you more about the 0.9L TCe engine that has been manufactured by Renault since 2012 and installed in many vehicles of the brand. I will cover its interesting features, common specs, and also will pay attention to its problems and possible flaws that you should know about.
Here’s what exactly I’m going to talk about in this article:
- What should you know about the 0.9 TCe engine by Renault?
- What’s the expected longevity of this engine?
- What are the common problems you should know about?
- Can you do something to prolong the life of this little guy?
Key features of the 0.9 TCe Renault engine
This is the smallest engine in the huge TCe series. The series embraces a dozen of petrol turbocharged powerplants (what a weird word to name a less-than-a-liter sized engine!) that have been manufactured within the last decade. Overall, the series has a good reputation, but even now, a lot of car buyers are afraid of the 0.9L version.
This engine has powered many car models like Renault Twingo, Clio, and even Captur, as well as Dacia models Logan and Sandero, and also Nissan Micra and Smart Fortwo and Forfour. Although experts were very skeptical about the success of this engine, people bought it and left a lot of positive reviews.
So, here’s what you should know about this machine:
- this is the 3-cylinder 0.9-liter turbocharged petrol engine with the head and the block made of aluminum;
- the engine offers 90-110 horsepower depending on the version and up to 170 Nm of torque which is surprisingly good for this displacement;
- the phaser is installed only on the intake camshaft;
- the cylinders are coated with anti-friction material that helps to avoid extra wear at high RPM;
- the timing system is driven by a chain which is a good solution for its overall durability;
- the oil pump is quite up-to-date, it’s automatically adjusted to the load and RPM to supply the needed oil pressure to the engine parts;
- the port fuel injection system was a surprise, but it’s good for maintenance costs and overall reliability.
I should say that even with only one phaser and port injection, and also with not the best turbocharger engineered by Mitsubishi, this engine is super-great in terms of fuel economy. For example, the Clio with the 0.9L TCe may achieve 4.1 L/100 km fuel consumption on highways and 5.7L/100 km in the city.
The weight of this engine is 86 kilos and I saw two guys taking it out without any equipment – just with their hands. But with these advantages of good efficiency and light weight, also come several bad sides like questionable durability and also problems with several common problems that may happen now and then.
How many kilometers will the 0.9 TCe survive?
Renault clearly stated that this engine should go about 150,000 kilometers (less than 100,000 miles). But in real life, some of these engines can hit the 200,000 kilometers milestone easily with just some expensive repairs on the way.
If you are going to buy a used car powered by the 0.9 TCe engine, I wouldn’t recommend looking at anything higher than 100,000 kilometers. Also, such a vehicle shouldn’t cost a lot because of a very high risk of serious engine problems. So, selling a used Renault or Dacia with the 0.9 TCe engine is not that easy.
The engine is small and has to be rotated as crazy to bring in some decent power and torque. Otherwise, you’ll be moving around the city like a turtle. So, it often works at high RPM and has problems with proper lubrication. This leads to all kinds of different issues.
If you want to use this engine longer, you should read this article till the end and find out all the possible tips on prolonging its life.
Also, don’t think that other small engines don’t have issues with durability. Here’s my previous article about the 1.0 TSI engine in the Skoda Karoq – have a look. Also, I’ve written the article about the 1.1L non-turbo engine in the Fiesta, you may want to check it out, too.
What are the common problems with the 0.9 TCe engine?
This machine has a lot of problems. But before you spoil your mood when reading about them, remember that this is one of the cheapest Renault engines in history. The reconditioned engine will cost you about 1,500 euros and you can even buy a cheaper used machine without a warranty.
It still has several important issues you may want to know about. I’ve prepared the list with the most common problems:
1. Possible premature death
At about 120,000 kilometers (80,000 miles), some of these engines may develop oil consumption. This is a clear sign that the engine may just get broken at any moment. Then, unexpectedly, the rod bearings turn and grind the crankshaft. This will mean the death for this engine and you will have to look for a remanufactured one.
Repairing the engine after its rod bearings malfunction is not wise in terms of your budget.
2. Timing chain issues
The chain is very thin, so it almost never lives as much as the entire engine. It’s very important to catch the moment when the engine starts rattling. This should tell you about the urgent chain replacement. The chain kit is replaced quite easily and it doesn’t cost a fortune which is good. Usually, this happens at about 150,000 kilometers (before 100K miles).
If ignored, the engine rattling may lead to chain jumping. When it jumps, the valves will meet with the pistons and you won’t like the consequences of such a meeting. Usually, the engine will be cheaper to replace than to repair.
3. Expensive phaser failure
If you hear a kind of cracking or crackling from the engine, I can bet this is the phaser. The engine only has one phaser on the intake cam but it’s still very expensive (about 180 euros) and labor is not going to be cheap, too.
If you ignore the problem, the broken phaser may damage the valves and will make the engine work harshly and inefficiently. The problem will only escalate after some time.
4. Wintertime problems
These are bad engines to own if you live in the northern part of Europe where temperatures are well below zero in winter. The 0.9 TCe doesn’t like freezing weather and may just not start in winter letting you down in one of the most important days of the year.
If you experience problems with the cold start in your 0.9 TCe, it’s a good idea to go to the dealer and ask about available software updates. Renault issued several updates to deal with uneven idling and problematic cold start and, surprisingly, those updates really worked well.
5. High revs and quick wear
I believe that the problem with oil consumption starts because of piston rings and valve seals issues. They are developed in this engine pretty early because you just need to rev up the machine quite hard. It will not accelerate the car if you try to keep it under 3000 RPM.
And this is the problem. On the one hand, you lose the durability of the engine by revving up like crazy, on the other hand, you can’t help but rev up like crazy to keep up with other cars on the road.
Can you prolong the life of the 0.9 TCe Renault engine?
You may have noticed that the problem number 5 described above is one of the most obvious reasons for the premature death of these machines. They get poor lubrication, start burning the oil, and eventually fail. So, can you do something to avoid these issues?
Here’s what you can do to drive your 0.9-liter engine much longer:
- change the oil more often than Renault says – 15,000 kilometers (9,000 miles) is quite OK;
- change the timing chain at 150,000 kilometers (90,000 miles) to avoid issues with it;
- try to keep the engine under 3000-3500 RPM even when you are accelerating;
- avoid speeding on highways – the optimal speed is 100 km/h (62 MPH);
- at about 100,000 kilometers, you should have the valves adjusted as the engine doesn’t have hydraulic lifters;
- change the drive belt at 90,000 kilometers (50,000 miles) because it can brake and kill several expensive units under the hood.
To wrap up
The 0.9 TCe engine offered by Renault is not bad at all. It’s not expensive and the remanufactured unit may cost you less than the standard price for repair of any other engine. So, it’s not a bad powerplant to own.
But if you want to drive it many miles, you should remember several important rules or tips on how to prolong its life. Also, you shouldn’t ignore problems and should address them as soon as possible.
