Hi , i've got a 2001 Mutlipla 1.9JTD ELX its supposed to have 110 horsepower!
It goes quite well on the flat but is a bit gutless up hills and likes to be revved more like a petrol.
I used to have a Stilo 1.9 JTD - basically same engine and it went like a rocket, engine had a deeper note and very eager to pull away but little point in going beyond 3000 rpm as no faster just more noise. I also had an Alfa 156 2.4JTD - same engine but with 5th cylinder, that had 150 horsepower and could shift, turbo whistled noticeably almost like a distant emergency siren!!
Can see turbo actuator moving when revved but not sure it actually boosts much so i'm wondering whether:-

Turbo isn't working properly - no definate whistling/turbo noise heard

Intercooler is clogged up

Cam belt timing a tooth out

It runs smoothly and is averaging 40.7 mpg on daily use in the hilly Yorkshire Dales.....
Any ideas/advice anyone

Thanks in advance

Oh and the EGR has already been blanked off

My 115 zips along quite well for such a large barge and I'm sure it goes better when I treat it to some higher octane fuel.
A while back I did a couple of tanks with some two stroke oil added, which made it quieter but noticeably more sluggish.

My old 110 marea was the same..
It was old and tired

Some days it was great.. others it was woeful..

There was a 'big.dipper' road in the Forest of Dean
We would do 70 down it.. as the other side was just as steep..
Somedays it roared up there at 40..other days it was 20
Terrified some tailgaters though

Lack of boost Im sure.. but never got to the bottom of it

Not had problem always pretty good. First one mapped to supposedly 150 BHP and ran for many years to 170k miles sweet as a nut.

Code reader in OBD to see if any info there to be had.

(professor) Widemouthfrog talked about injector cleaner direct from fuel filter I think - some time back on here ?
Any injector leaks ( woofing noise)

Power tailing off on long inclines is a tell-tale for a dirty MAF (that phrase sounds a bit dodgy )

Try: Removing the MAF, get two small plastic bags (sandwich bags off the roll work well), put a slug of isopropyl alchohol in one then hold them over each open end of the MAF, clamping them in place around the rim as best you can with thumb and forefinger, and give the whole thing a good shake so that the IPA gives the inside a good wash. Let it dry out well and refit.

A quick check to see if it is the MAF is to disconnect it temporarily and see it it drives any better.

Turbo whistling like a distant ambulance siren is exactly the noise mine made for a couple of years, before the turbo spindle seals finally gave up on the M25 (on the way to the channel ferry, all family on board ). Laid down quite an impressive smoke screen. It also filled the cat with engine oil, which took a while to clean out. I was lucky that the blades didn't let go and get ingested - they were in contact with the turbo housing.

Its been on diagnostic machine and no faults stored, on live data there was just a flat line reading for MAP sensor so that was replaced - no difference to performance, previously had genuine Bosch MAF sensor fitted - no difference, EGR blanked off - no change!
Tried a second hand turbo boost valve but this made engine warning light come on, binned it and refitted original and light went off.
Just feels a bit underboosted so will try flushing out intercooler.
Can anyone recommend a reliable company to chip it for a few more horsepower and approximate cost?

Check all of the small-bore vacuum tubing that links the turbo solenoid valve, the turbo VGT actuator and the MAP sensor. That's usually where the fault lies. I had the same thing with mine many years ago - spent a fortune replacing sensors that garages told me were dead, then had someone who knows the engine well take a look. Within a couple of minutes he found a tiny split in a piece of rubber tubing into which two of the small vacuum pipes connect; replaced it with a 2" length of fresh rubber fuel tubing (for which he charged me the princely sum of 20p!) and the problem was fixed. My fault manifested itself as the EML coming on once I hit 3,000rpm, then going into limp mode. If I kept rpm below 3k, no fault codes were logged.


I've seen videos of people setting up a GoPro or similar under the bonnet to see if the VGT actuator is working properly under load. Might be worth a try? I think the 110 has VGT? Not so sure that the original 105 JTD did though.