lack of power 1.9TD Xantia 1997

pete.fair · Unread post by **pete.fair** » 23 Apr 2003, 01:56

can anyone help. I have a Xantia thats done 107k which has no real go in it. The turbo can be heard to spin up and is quick through the gears when it comes in, though trying to overtake at 70mph or to accellerate up a long climb in 5th is a different story. Have used the old injector cleaner but still to no avail. The engine has no apparent leaks that I can see, but wondered if it may have something to do with the fuel injector pump. Have replaced the air filter and given it an oil change. Any help would be appreciated.

sooty · Unread post by **sooty** » 23 Apr 2003, 02:07

If you have a rev counter in your instrument cluster and if at approx. 70mph in 5th gear, and your revs are at 2500 approx. Then your turbo is just starting to boost to give you that kick, but if its below 2500 then you won't have that accelleration your looking for, which is common to all the td's.
But are your sure you have no leaks in the intake piping between the turbo and the inlet manifold, where you maybe losing some of the turbo boost pressure required to give the kick you are looking for.
Its worth a check of all your piping etc.
Sooty

mbunting · Unread post by **mbunting** » 23 Apr 2003, 04:05

Also check the pressure pipe that links the intercooler->inlet pipe to the top of the pump. If this is blocked, disconnected, or leaking, it will affect fuelling, and therefore performance.

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 23 Apr 2003, 05:32

Sorry to butt in - but any ideas on lack of power in a high-miler BX TXD (normally aspirated)? It'll get up to speed (eventually ), but doesn't like hills in any gear, at any revs.
There's a suspicion of air in the fuel (lumpy start without priming) -but would that make such a big difference? It has the Xantia-style priming bulb but there does seem to be a "gurgle" close by when this is used.
I have another diesel BX which positively flies by comparison. I did also start to adjust the bolt on the middle of the throttle part of the Bosch pump when trying to locate the (very simple) throttle cable adjustment, and this was paint-marked to discourage movement> I guess (it was also marked to discourage diesel specialist warranty claims, no doubt). Any suggestions appreciated.
David

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 23 Apr 2003, 06:10

dlm -
Most common problem on an aspirated diesel (provided not simply worn out) is air intake restrictions, or exhaust blockage (carbon).
Next most common problem is carbonised injectors.
Another common problem is simply the accelerator cable not allowed to reach the max setting on the pump.
It is outmust important to ANY diesel, that engine oil is replaced at prescribed intervals. Failing this will most definately lead to a premature worn out of the engine in general. This is because carbon particles allways are caught in the oil, working like an extremely good grinding fluid.
If the diesel car is commonly used for shorter town-trips, it will regain most of it's old strenght taking it out for a long good warming through weekend drive. This is because a lot of the carbon simply gets a chance to blow/burn out the exhaust.
But commonly in severe cases, a new exhaust is the only cure. It simply cloggs with carbon, before it rusts through.
Also several tankfulls with injector cleaning added, may work wonders.
Simple service as cleaning/replacing the airfilter is assumed at every oilchange. Especially BX diesels have a nasty tendency to clogg the airfilter with oil from the sump vent, within every 6Kmiles/10K km, which is the interval for engine oilchange. A hose diameter restrictor (small piece of a smaller hose) inserted in the vent hose at the filter, may work well, reducing the airfilter oil clogging problem. But be sure this do not cause oil leakage, because of a then pressurised sump.
BX diesels with the large circular barrel airfilter, usually have a foam filter which can be cleaned in petrol or engine cleaner.

rory_perrett · Unread post by **rory_perrett** » 23 Apr 2003, 16:10

As a long shot - don't forget the fuel filter (as I did for more miles than I care to admit to). Changing it on my BX Turbo diesel gave a very noticable increase in performance.
Rory

pete.fair · Unread post by **pete.fair** » 25 Apr 2003, 02:20

Checked the rubber hose that connects to the intercooler pipe and injector pump , it was a bit perished on one end so taped it up, which improved it a bit but still does not have that get up and go like my old turbo diesel xantia. Any ideas and have i checked the right pipe ?

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 25 Apr 2003, 02:56

At 107k your engine is hardly run in! Do you have any history on the car? has the cam belt been changed recently? (it's all to easy to retard the pump a notch on the timing belt without noticing it and that plays havoc with the performance). As Rory says, change the fuel filter and make sure the filter is air tight. If you want to find out all sorts of things about diesels (some of which you'll wish you didn't know!) Check out the BX DIY site:
http://www.tramontana.co.hu/citroen/
//NiSk

mark_sp · Unread post by **mark_sp** » 25 Apr 2003, 05:14

It may be that your current car has tighter emissions control than your old one [including say EGR]and that it won't actually perform as well as the old one. I've recently bought a 1998 1.9TD and it is gutless compared to my 1.7 TD BX. On an uphill stretch of dual carriageway locally I regularly reach the crest at 85mph in the BX if traffic is light, can't top 65mph in the Xantia.
Mark_sp

pete.fair · Unread post by **pete.fair** » 27 Apr 2003, 00:04

Had a good look under the bonnet today and noticed that a new excellerator cable had been fitted which did not allow maximum throttle. I adjusted this and the performance is just about up to my old Xantia, the mpg was 43 prior to this, so know I have the proper boost i expect it will drop a bit. Thanks to everyone who helped.

DLM · Unread post by **DLM** » 27 Apr 2003, 03:10

Anders - in reply to your post above, which I read after a few days away:
(1) "Accelerator cable not allowed to reach the max setting on the pump" - this has been checked and adjusted - engine revs were originally not going a whisker above 3k until this was done. The car now works through the full rev range - but even in the max torque range between 2k and a little above 3k the car doesn't pull as it should.
(2) To the best of my knowledge, this car has had regular oil changes.
(3) As for exhaust, I'm suspicious of this because the car was used intensively about town before I had it. It did get a 200-plus-mile delivery run from me (though not above 3k due to the problem mentioned above)!
(4) Injectors were serviced prior to me owning the car, and new air filter (rectangular box type) was fitted at first oil service I gave it. Injector cleaner has been used.
(5) The fuel filter was also changed by me recently.
David

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 27 Apr 2003, 03:59

Mark - your new Xantia weighs about 25% more than your old BX (possibly even more) . . .
//NiSk

mark_sp · Unread post by **mark_sp** » 29 Apr 2003, 19:07

NiSk
Yes the power to weight ratio is considerably different. Generally the point I was intending to make is that when a manufacturer makes an existing engine produce lower emissions the result is usually a reduction in maximum power/torque. I believe that an early car was compared to the existing car which was said to be a 1997 model. The 1997 model may have part engine management, a cat and EGR to reduce emissions, the early car would not.
Mark_sp