Loss Of Power And Rough Engine At Speed

[shepheap]

2.5 weeks ago I took my 1.9TDi 130 '03 (35k miles) into local dealer as I was losing power (at times complete turbo shut down) and the engine sounded VERY rough and was gradually getting worse.

After much agro I got it back Friday eveing after they had identified that the DUal MAss Flywheel was damaged and they replaced it under warranty as part of the current recall.

Assuming that all my problems were solved I took it on a long run yesterday.

Seemed OK to start with, but as the enginge got warmer there was more vibration (not a lot, and certainly better than when the MFW was replaced, but the engine sounded 'rouger' than 4weeks ago when I bought it.)

Also it seems to be lacking power: when accelerating there is an initial boost/surge of power and you can hear a slight whistle/whing noise from what I presume is the turbo. The whistle/whining stops afetr a few seconds, even with the accelerator still depressed, and there is a slight fade in power although the vehicle continues to accelerate but slower than I believe it should.

It now struggles to accelerate up a slight gradient with only 2 adults and 2 young children in 5th gear - when I got it it would cruise up the same gradient in 6th.

Any ideas please as I will be taking it back to Ford Monday and don't want to be fobbed off by them as it only has 10 days of Ford warranty left!!!!

PS there are no warning lights, nor were there when the Turbo was shutting down 3 weeks ago.

[mumof4]

hmm...i would suggest the MAF may be at fault...or not reconnected properly or summit........The Maf does not give a warning light...mine had a loss of power and struggled on graients that it used to fly up..i unplugged it and it was better...not perfect..but better....so i replaced the maf..she goes like the wind now.

 

if there is no change if you unplug..then its not the maf at fault.

[tim-spam]

Classic MAF symptoms - 99% sure. As for the rough running, however, the MAF would not cause that. Anyway, tell the dealer that it's the MAF, and get them to change it - performance should then improve to 'as new' levels. By the way, if you don't trust the dealer, mark the old MAF in some way so that you know if they don't change it.

[shepheap]

I've just been out and disconnected the MAF. Noticed a big drop in power with it disconnected and better connected, so I assume that it isn't that(?).

 

Still seems odd that I get the turbo whistle and surge of power to start with and then the power drops away - not massive but I certainly notice the difference.

[NikpV]

I get the same at low speed but at highspeed it seems to lack power - not dramatic, somebody suggested it was a vacuum pipe to the turbo (Neil I think) I need to pursue this further.

[NikpV]

original post

 

Perhaps it wasn't the turbo ? need more details

[tim-spam]

As I said before, 99% certainly MAF. My car had identical symptoms (although maybe not so bad, as the performance was not painfully slow, but the car would accelerate well when the accelerator was pressed, but the performance fell flat from around 2000 rpm to 3000 rpm, and was much more noticeable in the higher gears), and disconnecting the MAF made the performance on a par with milk floats and bicycles. However, the MAF is not a works / doesn't work part - the loss of performance can, and usually is, gradual, and gets steadily worse over time - I noticed mine comparatively early because I tow trailers and caravans fairly frequently.

Disconnecting the MAF on earlier cars (Mk 1's) could indeed improve performance, but the later ones (especially the 130's) aren't like that - they depend much more on measuring the actual air mass flow for their basic fuelling and, due to the Stage 3 emissions regulations which the PD engines meet, the 'MAF malfunction' fuelling levels are much lower, hence the drastic reduction in performance when disconnected.

Get the MAF changed, and the performance will be restored.

[NikpV]

but the performance fell flat from around 2000 rpm to 3000 rpm, and was much more noticeable in the higher gears), and disconnecting the MAF made the performance on a par with milk floats and bicycles. However, the MAF is not a works / doesn't work part - the loss of performance can, and usually is, gradual, and gets steadily worse over time -

 

 

this is more like my symptoms without the MAF I might as well pedal it, usually it pulls reasonably well in low gears/low speed, seems to go flat at about 40-50mph up a hill, struggles to maintain speed of 70+ up a slight incline I think its getting worse but the change is so gradual. Is the sensor a hot wire type, is it getting dirty/deposits over time which would mean that the wire doesn't cool down so fooling the ecu to add more air and making the mixture too lean in these circumstances?????

[shepheap]

Is it possible that my unbalanced and knackered flywheel has upset something else or shaken a pipe loose? They did say that the flywheel was "damaged beyond recognition" but I didn't see it myself.

The engine sometimes feels as thoyugh it wants to perform but then settles for second best!

I've only got 10 days of ford warranty left so I am keen to resolve it.

[Guest MATT jr]

mmmmm, could be MAF - but as when you disconnected it, it made the performance worse, it might not be.

 

you mention the turbo basically switching off once the speed/revs get up? this might mean there is something wrong with the turbo/other turbo parts.

 

on ours, the only time you cant really hear the turbo, is at very low revs lol, if you are accelerating, you can hear it loud and clear, until you let off.

 

would a unbalanced flywheel, cause damage to bearings?

 

is there any knocking noises from the engine?

 

with the warranty - isn't it, if you report the problem, before the warranty runs out, then it does not matter if you run over the period?

 

MJR

[Guest MATT jr]

is there a boost pressure sensor? could this be knackered?

 

MJR

[NikpV]

with the warranty - isn't it, if you report the problem, before the warranty runs out, then it does not matter if you run over the period

 

:blink: :angry: :angry:

 

you might have to argue...... no really

 

We had a problem with our instrument cluster 2 years into the 3 year warranty, garage changed it twice and ford instructed them to replace the original until the fix for the cluster was implemented. It took them 18 months to do it by which time ford did not want to know. The garage were very good and sent all the documentation including Fords instructions not to try and fix it but they still argued and offered to pay half of the

[tim-spam]

The MAF is a hot film type, and contamination will cause a loss of performance as described. In terms of warranty, if you inform them of the fault before the warranty expires, they are obliged to fix it, even if it takes them months to find and fix the fault. But, as I said before, yours are classic MAF failure symptoms, and it is so quick, easy and cheap to replace, there isn't really much to lose. When I changed mine, it cost

[NikpV]

In terms of warranty, if you inform them of the fault before the warranty expires, they are obliged to fix it, even if it takes them months to find and fix the fault.

 

That was my (and trading standards) opinion as well

[shepheap]

Beware:.....

 

Picked the car up from local dealers last friday - all seemed well after the new clutch and flywheel were fitted under warranty but only had a slow drive home in traffic.

 

Went to Oxford on Sunday and the engine seemed to be rough and lacking power - kept hearing a whistling noise form the turbo that wasn't there before.

 

Told Ford I wasn't happy and arranged to take it in at the end of the week. Also drove firends 115bhp with twice the mileage last night and found that it was smoother, quieter and more powerful which confirmed my concerns over mine!!

 

To top it all, today the BRAKE FAULT warning appeared on the dash with STOP!!!!!

 

After much argument with Mr RAC (who wanted to start the engine and plug in his diagnotics which may have wiped th fault codes (apparently)) got it towed to Fraud dealers.

 

Anyone got any good news about Galaxies (or should that be Galaxys?). I thought they were supposed to be reliable!! - I've had mine for 4.5 weeks and its spent 3.5 of those either in the workshop or feeling sick!!!!! <_< :D :D

 

5 dyas of Fraud warranty left - time to start praying I think!

[Masked Marauder]

You only need the ignition on to read any stored codes, you don't need to start the engine. Just turning the ignition on won't wipe the codes.

[tim-spam]

Depending upon what the brake fault is, this could be connected with the loss of power - perhaps there is a vacuum leak somewhere affecting both the boost control and braking performance.

 

As regards the warranty, you have pointed out the faults within the warranty period, and that is sufficient - your dealer is now legally obliged to fix the faults, however long that takes.

[jkspoff]

Anyone got any good news about Galaxies (or should that be Galaxys?). I thought they were supposed to be reliable!! - I've had mine for 4.5 weeks and its spent 3.5 of those either in the workshop or feeling sick!!!!! :)  :o  :o

 

5 dyas of Fraud warranty left - time to start praying I think!

They are good, but like a lot of other MPV's/people carriers they are full of so many components, even Bosch ones that are supposed to be the most reliable, inevitably go wrong. I have a mate with a new Renault Espace, and its had a new gearbox, new A/C compressor, new windscreen, full of rattles, its spent 7 weeks in the garage out of 4 months, the list goes on and on......so its not just the Gals, and as long as you have a warranty you're OK for a long time without taking out a second mortgage ! When your warranty runs out pay 200 quid and get another one ASAP ! When they do work they are very good. :o