Sluggish 2003 2.0 Hdi

[GooglyBear]

Symptoms:-

slight lag when pulling away at junctions, roundabouts etc.

struggles to pull up hills, usually have to go down a gear, sometimes two. struggles up even a mild incline at 50 in top.

apparent flatspot between 2200-2500RPM, but only when going up hills. i get up to 2200 RPM then feel the retardation. instant mpg display shows that the car is using less fuel than expected, since my right foot is planted on the floor.

doesn't seem to be any difference between throttle being half open of fully open.

 

After trawling through the forum, i've checked and cleaned the EGR valve, makes no difference.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

My mate has offered to come round with his laptop, see if he can diagnose the fault. i presume he has the necessary hardware and software, but where does it plug in?

 

TIA

[coastline taxis]

diagnostic port is in the glovebox. juast to the left as you open it youl see a little panel with a shelf like thing on it. Pull this away and the port is behind it. does your management light come on when you put the ignition on and then go out. it sounds like your in limp mode. Does it need a service

[GooglyBear]

it was serviced just before christmas, think i've still got 8 or 8½ 000 miles til next service.

i'm disabled and sometimes don't get around very easy, today is one of those days. i'll try to get out later to have a closer look, but from memory, the starting sequence is turn the ignition key til fuel pump goes through it's process, service light comes on, then off again, then i start the engine. the service light goes out before i start the engine, but i don't think there are any management lights come on. so far as i can remember, the lights display has been the same since i got the car almost 2 years ago.

would the car do 85 (haven't tried any more) on the motorway if it was in limp mode?

the problem only has any effect when going up hills

[GooglyBear]

trawling through the forums and doing other searches, i'm finding repeatedly people with similar (but not quite the same) problems where either eolys fluid or swirl valve actuator problems are diagnosed. this'll give my mate something to go on, but i'm not convinced that limp mode is the problem, being able to go over motorway speeds. i'm not in the habit of revving it hard, i've read another post that says the car won't rev beyond 3000 if in limp mode, but i'm fairly sure 85mph takes it beyond 3000 rpm, although i might be mistaken.

i'll need to take it out for a run to observe some of these things.

thanks for your input and help

[ukwide]

Hi Mate,

 

Had a similar problem with my 2.2hdi and it turned out the fuel filter was blocked, so worth having a look!!

 

Gary

[GooglyBear]

UPDATE:

My mate tried two different code readers, but was unable to gain a reading, the readers said they were unable to connect. He suggested that it could be the MAF sensor. I had a look around Fleabay, £35, and the seller listed symptoms similar to those i listed in my OP. He even went on to say that a good way to test would be to disconnect the cable harness and go for a short run. If most of the problems go away, then it's probably needing replaced. I followed his instructions, got the dreaded anti-pollution warning, along with engine management light and service light. The car was even more sluggish than it was before, it really did struggle to get up the hill round the corner from me. I got as far as my local petrol station to fill up, where i reconnected the wire harness. The car seemed to go back to the previous state, sluggish, but with no warning lights.

Later in the week i couldn't get past 60mph on the motorway, not even on a downhill, this really couldn't go on.

I ordered the MAF, even little old disabled me can manage two screws and a jubilee clip. It arrived today, took me 15 minutes to get my big hands in there to change the part over before going out for a test run.

Car runs like it did the day i got it now, going up hills and pulling away from junctions no longer a problem. Plenty power and torque throughout the rev range, and the flatspot has gone.

A cheap and easy fix in the end, thanks go to all those who had an input:-)