1.9TDi Sudden Power Loss

[eccleshill]

Driving my Octavia 1.9TDi to work this morning and all was normal. Got onto the main A road, booted it in 3rd gear off the roundabout, accelerating normally then it hit 3,500 or so rpm and wouldn't go any further. Into 4th gear no acceleration at all. As usual in these circumstances I then got stuck behind someone doing 35-40. Drove through small town at 20-40 and still running smoothly but very poor acceleration. Out the other side of the town doing 40mph in 4th , floored the throttle and it slowly eased itself up to 60mph. Into 5th and it held 60mph OK but when I tried to accelerate it had nothing left.

I lifted the bonnet when I got to work and I think I heard an unusual light hissing but it was difficult on 2 counts - I very rarely have the bonnet up with the engine running and someone was using an angle grinder in the adjacent building!

The engine is running smoothly, no smoke, no odd noises, no warning lights.

Any ideas before I take it to the local wallet drainer?

[eccleshill]

Update!

Just went out for a sandwich. Car started 1st time and is running perfectly again. Pulls as well as it ever did and revs smoothly all the way to the limiter at 4500 rpm.

Any ideas anyone?

[Stuart_J]

Update!

Just went out for a sandwich. Car started 1st time and is running perfectly again. Pulls as well as it ever did and revs smoothly all the way to the limiter at 4500 rpm.

Any ideas anyone?

Sounds like a gummed up Turbo

Very common, do a search , there are loads of threads on it. The vanes in the turbo get bunged up & the car will try & over boost, the car senses the problem & reduces power. as soon as you switch the car off the car it resets itself & will be fine until the next time. It will slowly get worse, options are to clean the turbo or replace it.

DONT go to a main dealer as its a 1K job

Edited 21 September, 2010 by Stuart_J

[xman]

Update!

Just went out for a sandwich. Car started 1st time and is running perfectly again. Pulls as well as it ever did and revs smoothly all the way to the limiter at 4500 rpm.

Any ideas anyone?

Your car went into "limp home" mode after the ECU detected a problem with the turbo boost not being correct. This may be due to several things, turbo, MAF sensor, vacuum pipe leaks or sensors. It is reset by turning off the ignition and turning on again.

In your case, because it was a one-off, I would say it was probably due to sticky vane actuator on the turbo, possibly due to too much gentle driving in the past. The actuator can be freed up by cleaning/lubricating or in light cases, exercising it a bit with a session or two of "italian tuneups" to make it cycle from min to maximum boost a few times.

[eccleshill]

Your car went into "limp home" mode after the ECU detected a problem with the turbo boost not being correct. This may be due to several things, turbo, MAF sensor, vacuum pipe leaks or sensors. It is reset by turning off the ignition and turning on again.

In your case, because it was a one-off, I would say it was probably due to sticky vane actuator on the turbo, possibly due to too much gentle driving in the past. The actuator can be freed up by cleaning/lubricating or in light cases, exercising it a bit with a session or two of "italian tuneups" to make it cycle from min to maximum boost a few times.

I thought that when they go into "limp home" mode the engine management light comes on - I had no warning light.

I do tend to drive gently a lot of the time because I am in traffic but try to use full throttle 4000 rpm acceleration at least once per journey - that is what I was doing off the roundabout this morning when it happened. I haven't given it an Italian Tuneup for a while - maybe it is time! But have you noticed that every time you try every grandad and his Rover come out on the roads!