Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please!

helix · 27-04-2008, 20:02

I'd be grateful for any advice on the cause of a problem I'm having with my Fabia 1.9 TDI (2002). It occasionally suddenly loses power at around 2250 revs in 5th gear ie at c. 70mph. You can feel the power suddenly drop, almost as if something's been turned off. Sometimes it becomes obvious when I try to accelerate from around 2000 revs: it gains speed very slowly. Once it's happened on a journey it won't return to normal unless I turn the engine off and turn it back on. Two dealers have failed to diagnose and cure the problem. My hunch is the turbo is turning off (it fits the symptoms of sudden loss of acceleration) but the dealer said that's very unlikely as turbo tends to fail completely not intermittently.Thanks for any suggestions!

apd007 · 27-04-2008, 20:07

MAF. As a test, disconnect it and see if it makes any difference.

Sounds similar to my dads 1.9 TDi Octy, although that died at 3100. Had it changed this week by the dealers, supply and fit about £140.

ACSC · 27-04-2008, 20:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by helix

I'd be grateful for any advice on the cause of a problem I'm having with my Fabia 1.9 TDI (2002). It occasionally suddenly loses power at around 2250 revs in 5th gear ie at c. 70mph. You can feel the power suddenly drop, almost as if something's been turned off. Sometimes it becomes obvious when I try to accelerate from around 2000 revs: it gains speed very slowly. Once it's happened on a journey it won't return to normal unless I turn the engine off and turn it back on. Two dealers have failed to diagnose and cure the problem. My hunch is the turbo is turning off (it fits the symptoms of sudden loss of acceleration) but the dealer said that's very unlikely as turbo tends to fail completely not intermittently.Thanks for any suggestions!

Very similar to what our Furby is suffering from at present, 2 dealers diagnosed it as a leak from an intercooler pipe but it happened again on saturday and the AA cant find anything wrong.
ACSC

moley · 27-04-2008, 21:20

I had a similar problem with my old octy1 1.9 tdi (90 bhp). The car would be driving OK then the acceleration would be very slow. Stop the motor and start it again & everything was normal. The problem could ocurr every day, but slowly got worse. No dash lights to give you a clue! The problem was sticking vanes on the turbo giving an overboost error. If this is the problem the turbo vanes they can be cleaned. My turbo problem started at 63,000 miles, just out of warranty.

moley · 27-04-2008, 22:35

Helix, There is a similar post on the Octavia forum at present, might be worth you have a look at that one.

Taxi 219 · 28-04-2008, 03:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by moley

Helix, There is a similar post on the Octavia forum at present, might be worth you have a look at that one.

thats probally about mine.I have a 100PD thats giving me hell at the moment.Similar symptons as yours but i don,t get it at high speed though.I have had 2 MAF,s now on mine.Its in the dealers now as i have told them to keep it until its right again.I have had this problem for the last 12000 miles and been to dealers 7 times and no result back yet.It doesn,t throw up any fault codes and doesn,t go into limp mode at all.Hope you can get yours solved quicker than mine.Good Luck and please post your result here when you have it sorted

helix · 28-04-2008, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by apd007

MAF. As a test, disconnect it and see if it makes any difference.

Sounds similar to my dads 1.9 TDi Octy, although that died at 3100. Had it changed this week by the dealers, supply and fit about £140.

Thanks for your help. Excuse my ignorance: what does MAF mean?

Taxi 219 · 28-04-2008, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by helix

Thanks for your help. Excuse my ignorance: what does MAF mean?

MAF means ; Air flow meter which is fitted onto the air filter housing.

Redfab · 28-04-2008, 19:44

I have had this problem with my golf tdi 130 and it turned out to be the beginning of the sticking vanes problem on the turbo. I believe I caught mine early as a tin of forte diesel treatment in the tank and a bit of agressive driving must have blown all the gunk away that was causing them to stick.

Forte

Taxi 219 · 29-04-2008, 03:14

Forte is good treatment for this.Been around for years.Highly recommended

'Little' John · 29-04-2008, 13:06

I had the same problem on an Astra when the MAF died. Used to die under heavy acceleration, particularly up hill. Had to turn the ignition off and back on to reset it.

helix · 29-04-2008, 20:08

Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and suggestions. I'll try a can of Forte first. If I have to, at least I'll be able to tell the mechanic what's wrong now!

Redfab · 30-04-2008, 18:16

Just so you know, when i put the forte in my tank I put the lot in just under half a tank so it had a high concentration of the stuff.
When fully warmed up i went to a quiet car park and revved it up to around 4k & held it for 10-15 seconds. I did this 2-3 times then repeated it the following 2 days. I think this is what helped it blow the gunk away. This was along with the change in driving technique using the full rev range.
Apparently if tdi's are driven like Miss Daisy this is what causes the gunk to build and the vanes to stick. It does them good to receive a good thrashing now and again.
Good Luck

Mark Smith · 30-04-2008, 18:46

I suggest you get your "limp home mode" checked, my octavia did this and it's the computer stopping the engine doing damage when it thinks there is a prob. hope this is all it is
good luck Mark

27-04-2008, 20:02	#1
helix Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 79 Thanks: 8 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! I'd be grateful for any advice on the cause of a problem I'm having with my Fabia 1.9 TDI (2002). It occasionally suddenly loses power at around 2250 revs in 5th gear ie at c. 70mph. You can feel the power suddenly drop, almost as if something's been turned off. Sometimes it becomes obvious when I try to accelerate from around 2000 revs: it gains speed very slowly. Once it's happened on a journey it won't return to normal unless I turn the engine off and turn it back on. Two dealers have failed to diagnose and cure the problem. My hunch is the turbo is turning off (it fits the symptoms of sudden loss of acceleration) but the dealer said that's very unlikely as turbo tends to fail completely not intermittently.Thanks for any suggestions!

27-04-2008, 20:07	#2
apd007 Oops! :( Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: The 2nd biggest city in the whole of England. Posts: 2,921 Thanks: 53 Thanked 57 Times in 49 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! MAF. As a test, disconnect it and see if it makes any difference. Sounds similar to my dads 1.9 TDi Octy, although that died at 3100. Had it changed this week by the dealers, supply and fit about £140. __________________ Support Briskoda join Freedom ======> Was :- Skoda 120LSE Yellow 1.2 ~ 60 BHP? Then :- Mk I Skoda Octavia Blueline 1.9 TDi 90 BHP. Now :- Mk II Skoda Octavia vRS Black 2.0 TFSI. 200 BHP.

27-04-2008, 21:20	#4
moley Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 163 Thanks: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! I had a similar problem with my old octy1 1.9 tdi (90 bhp). The car would be driving OK then the acceleration would be very slow. Stop the motor and start it again & everything was normal. The problem could ocurr every day, but slowly got worse. No dash lights to give you a clue! The problem was sticking vanes on the turbo giving an overboost error. If this is the problem the turbo vanes they can be cleaned. My turbo problem started at 63,000 miles, just out of warranty.

27-04-2008, 22:35	#5
moley Briskodian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 163 Thanks: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 21 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! Helix, There is a similar post on the Octavia forum at present, might be worth you have a look at that one.

28-04-2008, 19:44	#9
Redfab Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North East UK Posts: 68 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! I have had this problem with my golf tdi 130 and it turned out to be the beginning of the sticking vanes problem on the turbo. I believe I caught mine early as a tin of forte diesel treatment in the tank and a bit of agressive driving must have blown all the gunk away that was causing them to stick. Forte __________________ Golf 130TDI PD Fabia 1.4MPI

29-04-2008, 03:14	#10
Taxi 219 Not anymore Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bournemouth Posts: 2,166 Thanks: 99 Thanked 101 Times in 98 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! Forte is good treatment for this.Been around for years.Highly recommended __________________ Car now: 56 Octavia MK2 1.9TDi Ambiente-Debadged-Metallic Flamenco Red DMF Reqiured soon Previous: 06 Octavia Mk1 1.9TDi Classic with + pack-Diamond Silver Sadly missed: 97 Nissan Primera 2.0TDi SLX- Red Paul I only live for GTA IV

29-04-2008, 13:06	#11
'Little' John Briskodian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Darlington Posts: 141 Thanks: 4 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! I had the same problem on an Astra when the MAF died. Used to die under heavy acceleration, particularly up hill. Had to turn the ignition off and back on to reset it.

29-04-2008, 20:08	#12
helix Briskodian Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 79 Thanks: 8 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and suggestions. I'll try a can of Forte first. If I have to, at least I'll be able to tell the mechanic what's wrong now!

30-04-2008, 18:16	#13
Redfab Briskodian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: North East UK Posts: 68 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! Just so you know, when i put the forte in my tank I put the lot in just under half a tank so it had a high concentration of the stuff. When fully warmed up i went to a quiet car park and revved it up to around 4k & held it for 10-15 seconds. I did this 2-3 times then repeated it the following 2 days. I think this is what helped it blow the gunk away. This was along with the change in driving technique using the full rev range. Apparently if tdi's are driven like Miss Daisy this is what causes the gunk to build and the vanes to stick. It does them good to receive a good thrashing now and again. Good Luck __________________ Golf 130TDI PD Fabia 1.4MPI

30-04-2008, 18:46	#14
Mark Smith Briskodian Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Sudden loss of power on 1.9 TDI. Help please! I suggest you get your "limp home mode" checked, my octavia did this and it's the computer stopping the engine doing damage when it thinks there is a prob. hope this is all it is good luck Mark

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