The H4Jt engine or 1.4 TCe was first introduced in 2009 and was only used in the Megane 3rd generation and also in the Scenic. It wasn’t the best Renault engine but it still offered good power, very good fuel efficiency, and great driving experience.
Renault 1.4 TCe was a turbocharged powerplant that lived a shorter life than expected. In modern vehicles, the company turned to smaller engines trying to chase the emission control rules that are becoming more and more complicated.
In this article, I want to cover the major problems and also some features of this engine that should be of some use to people considering buying a Megane 1.4 Turbo or already owning such a car. Also, I’ve written articles about the 1.6 TCe and 1.3 TCe that you may find worth reading.
What should you know about the 1.4 TCe engine?
This is the 4-cylinder turbocharged engine developed in 2009 to power only the Megane and Scenic. It lasted up to 2016 and was made in Spain. It’s also named TCe 130 because of its power range.
Interestingly, Nissan also used this engine but gave it another name – HR14DET. But I don’t know about the cases when Nissan used this engine in Europe or the US.
So, here are the features of the 1.4 TCe worth knowing:
- the 1.4L turbocharged engine offers 130 horsepower and 190 Nm of torque – this is an optimal level of boosting such an engine;
- the fuel supply is pretty simple – it’s port injection with no problems regarding carbon buildup or complicated pumps;
- the engine is all-aluminum, the camshafts are driven by the chain, there is a phaser on the intake cam;
- there are no hydraulic lifters, so you will need to adjust the valves from time to time to avoid issues with performance;
- the engine is not too fast barely accelerating to 100 km/h (62 MPH) for 10 seconds and having a 200 km/h (125 MPH) maximum speed;
- as far as I know, the TCe 130 was available with either a good manual transmission or the CVT.
When it comes to fuel consumption, the engine is pretty good. It offers about 8.5 L/100km in the city (that’s about 33 MPG UK) and 5.3 L/100km on highways (over 53 MPG UK). Fuel economy is certainly the strong side considering the good power and torque.
But the problem is that in real life the engine showed much worse consumption. I believe this was one of the reasons why the more-or-less good TCe 130 engine ended its life along with the end of the 3rd-generation Megane. The company didn’t want to use it in any other model after that.
How long can the 1.4 TCe engine last?
When it comes to Renault engines, they are not always as durable as we want them to be. Actually, the 1.4 TCe engine offers just about 200,000 kilometers or 120,000 miles of life and it’s not that much.
It’s packed with different problems and its lifespan depends largely on the way you drive the car and care about the engine. For example, overheating may kill this powerplant at any mileage. And low-quality oil could easily affect several important units.
It’s still hard to get the 1.4 TCe engine past the 200,000 km mark because of its common issues that slowly kill it.
What are the common problems with the 1.4 TCe?
So, the H4Jt engine is not problem-free. Everyone who owned a Megane or Scenic with this petrol engine knows for sure that it requires some attention. Proper maintenance and good care are not the ways to prolong its life. It’s just the way to avoid this engine falling apart.
Here are the common issues you need to consider:
1) Oil consumption
The aluminum block is pretty weak. Any overheating leads to a change of its shape. As a result, the engine may start leaking oil externally and internally even after long highway rides.
It’s not uncommon for the 1.4 TCe to have a broken head gasket which requires expensive repair. So, at about 100,000 kilometers or 60,000 miles, you may start getting pretty bad oil consumption. It may even lead to low oil levels and further problems if not noticed on time.
2) Very weak chain
Unfortunately, Renault used a pretty weak timing chain in these engines and it can last about 100,000 km or 60,000 miles. After that, the chain may start rattling because of stretching.
Replacing the chain at this moment is crucial for the further life of the engine. If the chain jumps, it will likely lead to damages that can’t be repaired. The good news: you can get a used engine and drive your car further. The bad news: these engines aren’t cheap at all.
3) Turbocharger sensors failing
Turbo sensors are faulty and they keep failing even when you replace them with new ones. Renault doesn’t seem to care about faulty parts because they discontinued the engine 8 years ago.
So, the new sensors will also be faulty and they will fail in several months leaving you with no turbo, so weak power. Sometimes, this can happen away from home and you will need to limp or tow your car. A really bad disadvantage.
4) A lot of minor problems
This engine won’t let you be bored with owning the Renault vehicle. It will entertain you and plan your free time for you. I mean you will need to go to the dealer or a good garage pretty often.
Also, you will learn a lot about modern engines and their problems because your mechanic will tell you all kinds of different stories about the engine’s construction and its significant flaws.
How can you prolong the life of the 1.4 TCe?
Well, the TCe 130 engine is not going to live much longer than 200,000 kilometers as I said before. But even to get it to this point, you will need to know several important things.
First of all, here are the tips to drive your 1.4L Turbo engine longer:
- change the oil more often to avoid turbocharger oil lines clogging;
- use only OEM oil and filter for your vehicle;
- once you hear rattling or your car reaches 100K km or 60K miles, change the chain kit;
- pay attention to the phaser at about 150,000 km or 90,000 miles;
- pay attention to the coolant level and check it as often as you can;
- never drive your Renault if you see that the engine temperature gauge is higher than usual;
- make sure you know a good Renault mechanic who’s not going to rip you off.
This is not the worst engine ever but I can’t tell you that the engine is actually good and I would own it with pleasure. No, I would avoid the 1.4 TCe. But if I ended up owning the Megane 1.4 Turbo, I would just give this engine some care.
Anyway, if your Renault is approaching 200,000 km or 120,000 miles, it’s time to think of a new car, in my opinion.
