Berlingo Lack of Power

[eddieb1974]

Hi Everyone

Ive just brought a 1998 1.8 diesel Berlingo Van and it has a bad lack of power. Hills have me changing down through the gears with my foot on the floor, the most i get on a motorway is 60mph and if a small hill comes along i can be down as low as 45mph.

Its more than just a slow van! somthings wrong.

Under the bonnet is what looks like the xud engine with a mechanical diesel pump, the only wire on it is the stop valve. There is no EGR valve to blame and ive changed the fuel and air filters.

I dont get clouds of smoke out of the back and it runs at tickover perfectly.

Help! Im lost as to what could be wrong.

Your wisdom is appriciated and thanks given in advance.

[artdjones]

You might have too much slack in the accelerator cable.Get someone to press the pedal to the floor and make sure that the lever on top of the pumpis touching the maximum speed screw(the one nearest the front of the van).If it isn't then you can remove the clip that acts as a stop for the cable, remove any excess slack,and then reposition the clip.If the lever is contacting the screw then slacken the locknut on the screw and turn the screw two turns anticlockwise(viewed from the fuel pipe end of the pump).Do upthe locknut and roadtest.Sometimes people screw the stop down to stop employees or their children thrashing the van.The maximum governed speed of the engine should be around 5250 rpm so play with the screw until you acheive that.Otherwise it could be an internal pump fault or a blocked fuel filter or exhaust.

[Peter.N.]

Is it turbo?

Peter

[eddieb1974]

No its a very basic non terbo.

[CitroJim]

Jgra and I once had a problem of no power on a 306 D Turbo. Perfect at tick-over but wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.

Long story short, the cat was blocked. We spotted it after seeing smoke billowing out of the exhaust to downpipe union.

Check the exhaust is clear; not only can the cat choke up (if one is fitted) but the backbox too...

A good test is to stuff a rag up the tailpipe hard and then rev the engine. The rag should be expelled quite violently.

Don't use your hand to hold the rag on the end of the tailpipe. It can cause a nasty injury. I know from painful experience!

[eddieb1974]

CiroJim thats a briliant peice of advice i would never have thought of it in a million years, i will try your test idea in the morning.
Snow permitting!