Technical 1.3 Multijet 66kw no power until 3000 rpm

[ValterZz]

Hi,
Im struggling to fix problem on my Grande Punto and i need some advice.

My car has really sluggish acceleration until it gets to 3000 rpm then it gets sudden boost and goes as it should. It goes 170kmh on highway no problem.
Loss of power is so bad if i stop on uphill i will not be able to move. It is worse when the car is cold, after some driving it gets a bit better but its still pretty bad.
Right now its cold weather so engine is slightly unstable until it warms up usually takes few seconds to warm up enough to stabilize its idle rpm.
My local mechanic is suspecting on faulty injectors. He removed them and i took them for official testing at nearby shop , and it turns out they are in pretty good condition.
By looking trough internet i found out someone advised to check EGR and turbine actuator.
My EGR valve was faulty last year and i took it to some mechanic shop. They erased the check engine symbol and apparently shut the valve close via computer if that is possible?
And about turbine actuator, my current mechanic tells me it works fine.
So im out of ideas as is he, any ideas are greatly appreciated?

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi

Injectors would have been ok

Its a Control problem

Not a mechanical one

Any warning lights now?

Does it start perfectly..hot and cold?

 

[ValterZz]

No warning lights are on, and the car starts perfectly even when cold.

I forgot to add up all of this started 3 weeks ago after i was on really low fuel level, even got warning on display that i should stop when i was few meters away from gas station , but i managed to get to pump before engine shut down. Since then it gradually started to get worse with the symptoms mentioned above until one day car would shut down 3-4 seconds after i would start it. It just would not want to stay on . It would start normal and run pretty fine for 5 seconds and then just shut down. Friend from work then came 2 days after to take a look, and managed to keep it running with start spray, i immediately went reving it on highway and since then it stayed with the same symptoms of no power until 3k but it turns on and stays on no more shut downs.
And the fuel filter is also changed.

 

[Benz8]

Since You have been driving low on fuel - I think You tank pump has got clogged, so it now does not deliver enough prepressure to the highpressure pump on the engine - so I would start to check the prepressure - and if this is too low remove and clean the pump in the tank - or renew it, if that does not work.

There might also have come air into the system or the high pressure pump.

 

[bugsymike]

Since You have been driving low on fuel - I think You tank pump has got clogged, so it now does not deliver enough prepressure to the highpressure pump on the engine - so I would start to check the prepressure - and if this is too low remove and clean the pump in the tank - or renew it, if that does not work.

There might also have come air into the system or the high pressure pump.

Some form of blockage is possible after running out of fuel as you described or dirty fuel with water in it .
I would have thought after it has been running for a while any air would have cleared the system.

 

[ValterZz]

Thank you all for reply so far . My mechanic is really struggling to fix this but no luck.
We ran out of ideas.
All related to fuel supply seems ok. As i mentioned car goes 180 Kmh after 3k rpm without problem on highway. If fuel supply was clogged that wouldn't be possible, anyhow we checked fuel pump it works, we replaced 4 fuel injectors with his spare ones that are 100% tested and working, still nothing. We changed air pressure control sensor.
As i mentioned EGR is shut close.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Turbo should come on song 1500 to 1900 revs and the lack of power suggests this may be the root of the problem. Waste gate sticking?
it has power at higher revs then it suggests the fuel supply is OK not restricted. Turbo actuator Intercooler pipes leaking or somethimg similar is where I would start. The car should idle evenly unless its really cold and even then should do so within a few seconds.
Also check your accellerator cable is not come loose. To much slack there for any reason will cause this too. I used to have a diesel and it had a slider with a clip to correctly tension the cable and if the clio ever got removed and put back wrong it behaved a little lie this.
Pump problems would be most likely to show as a misfire or just rough running or failure to run at all.
Try some fuel system cleaner as well before spending loads of money.
I hope you find the issue soon.

 

[AndyRKett]

Turbo should come on song 1500 to 1900 revs and the lack of power suggests this may be the root of the problem. Waste gate sticking?

I'm going to add to these suggestions. As the Punto Evo had a variable geometry turbo, its possible that the vains in the turbo are stuck in a higher RPM position and therefore not allowing appropriate boost at lower Revs.

The other possibility is a stuck or broken EGR valve, which is flooding the engine with exhaust gasses and not allowing it to breath? i'd be looking at the exhaust to see if there is unburnt fuel or when the car is running if it is particularly smoky, this might give some clues.

I would also add on my old Punto 1.3 the power really only kicked off at 3000rpm, but you could still chug about slowly at lower revs it just lacked any real power at low revs. this is the nature of diesel engines. The Turbo on the 1.3 is very small.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Punto Evo had a variable geometry turbo,.

Ditto 2008 Golf 2.0GTD and those have a BIG issue with the turbo variable veins sticking. I would recommend reglarr fuel system cleaner/ additive to anyone with VVTurbo as a matter normal practrice as the alternative is expensive. In fairness I sold the Golf on and even withthe fault, depreciation was no worse than average. It put me of VW diesels for good though.

The upside of that was my Panda 100HP, which I deeply regret selling as it was one of the best kept cars anywhere. It was spoilt and not maintained by is next owner, MOT history and advisories after a couple of years read like a book.

Im now a firm Panda convert and in favour of failed VW turbos. Ihope to get one last 4x4 if they bring it back in 2023.

 

[ValterZz]

Well thank you all for comments, turns out it was faulty EGR, previous mechanic did not shut it down completely as he said he did , he only erased check engine symbol that why my current mechanic had a problem detecting the problem via computer. Problem is solved by replacing EGR and now car works as it should.

Thank you all for help.