The L2E15M gasoline engine is used as a “range extender” on the popular Li L6, L7, L8 and L9 models in Russia. It turned out that this power unit, which is a licensed version of the famous “problematic” Prince unit, developed jointly by BMW and PSA, inherited all of its “childhood diseases”, and in some aspects became even weaker, the publication’s expert Ilya Khlebushkin said.
The main faults identified are related to the timing drive. The Chinese version uses a thin Morse leaf chain instead of a roller chain, which makes it extremely demanding on lubrication and prone to stretching after 100 thousand kilometers. There is a high risk of chain jumping or breaking.
Also vulnerable was the variable-displacement oil pump with an electric pressure control valve, which can jam after 100 thousand kilometers, which will lead to a critical drop in oil pressure and, as a consequence, to scuffing of the crankshaft and camshafts.
In addition, in the crankcase ventilation system, the rubber membrane in the plastic cover often breaks, which causes oil waste and malfunctions of the air flow meter.
The article also mentions “the vagaries of the cooling system with not particularly reliable pumps and thermostat,” which increases the likelihood of engine overheating.
To extend the life of the engine, Za Rulem experts recommend that owners of Li hybrids forcefully turn on the engine even with a charged battery to avoid rare “dry” starts, and also use fresh gasoline with an octane rating of at least 100 to avoid detonation.
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