[_JaCk_]

Hi all, I have a Rover 214i (P reg Bubble) I was driving on a country road yesterday and began to climbs this moderatly shallow hill doing 35mph in 3rd gear. As I accended the hill the car looses power and if i press down on the accelerator nofin happends. So i went down into 2nd gear the same happend so i ended up in 1st gear just about gettin up this shallow hill. if i were to stay in 3rd or 2nd gear with my foot to the floor i would of stoped. What really naffed me off is that a ford transit van with a full trailer took over me!!

I am wondering what could be the problem. mayby the fuel filter? Spark plugs, leads etc are fine,

Thanks

Jack

 

[mikew7790]

Sounds like an HT problem... does putting a load on the engine exacerbate the problem? So you have to drive with a light throttle?

Check your dizzy cap, rotor, coil etc.. been through any puddles lately?

 

[technozen]

Also check the vacuum tubing from the manifold to the ECU isn't clogged.

NOTE: do not blow through the tubing with the ECU end still connected!!! You will end up needing a new ECU!!

 

[chris-416sli]

I had this problem with my 416. turned out the 'stuffing' in the exhaust collapsed blocking it. Symptoms were the same as you. Have a look up the exhaust pipe with a torch and if you see any fibre (looks like loft insulation) then have it checked out by an exhaust center.

 

[ashy]

Did the revs drop at the same time as the car losing power or did the car just slow down with revs still building?

 

[_JaCk_]

the Revs die aswell as the power, also pulling away from traffic lights is a little sluggish

Thanks

Jack

 

[ashy]

Air filter clean?

 

[_JaCk_]

erm... looking at it its pretty clean yeh.

Jack

 

[ashy]

Hoe does the car behave if you give it some good revs in neutral?

 

[_JaCk_]

sounds fine but there is an unusual delay from when the accelarator is pushed to when the engine starts to rev. for a petrol engine it does seem a little slow.

Thanks

Jack

 

[rover214sei]

Does the car rev freely right up to the red line? Mine once started losing power and would not go above 4000 revs in any gear. So in my infinate wisdom, i dipped the clutch and floored it. There was a huge bang from the back end and when i brought the clutch up, the car shot off sounding like a tractor. The exhaust packing material had come lose and blocked the rear silencer. The bang was the silencer exploding!

 

[aboard_epsilon]

I know naff all about ecu's and whatever.
if the car had a carb and had these same symptoms it would be the accelerator pump /fuel enrichment device.

or if it had a dizzy it would be something wrong with the vacuum advance/retard

now then ........going by that logic
it could be two things ..
your injectors are gummed up.
or your ecu map sensor is duff .
Ive also heard that the pipe on the map sensor can get full of oil .....and needs emptying and cleaning now and again ........or the oil will get into the ecu and bugger something up in there .

all the best...mark

 

[_JaCk_]

where is the ECU map sensor pipe located?? how can i clean the injectors?

Thanks

Jack

 

[mikew7790]

I doubt its the injectors, so forget that until you've ruled out the simpler (and more likely stuff) first:

MAP sensor line - its the rubber pipe running from ECU (silver box) to the inlet manifold. As Paul says, DO NOT blow into this whilst one end its connected to the ECU or you will be sorry. Also careful when you detach make sure you don't snap the outlet.

HT side - little more difficult to diagnose.. when were the plugs changed last? Spark plug leads look ok? Does it have a dizzy cap and rotor? If so when last changed? etc..

Is it using any coolant? Excess smoke out of exhaust?

 

[_JaCk_]

Erm am not sure when the plugs were changed last, they look fairly new. the leads look ok. it does have a dizzy cap n am not sure when that was changed because i recently bought the car with a HGF which was successfully fixed. no exxcess smoke is coming out of the exhaust


Thanks

Jack

 

[AlanC]

Just to add my tuppence worth..

To quote what I read here somewhere, you can't tell the condition of HT leads just by looking at them.

I would suggest that you start cheap and work your way through replacing.. Spark plugs, rotor arm and distributor (dizzy) cap, then HT leads. All available from Halfords and relatively easy to fit. Unscrewing and unplugging is all that's required.

I had the same symptoms and it was the HT stuff that ws causing it. Not the ECU as Paramount Swansea tried to sell me (GRRR!).

--Alan



--Alan

 

[mikew7790]

Fair point, thanks Alan

HT side of ignition typically fails under load which would appear to be whats happening here.

 

[Broon]

HAd that problem for ages, changed fuel filter last week and an instant return to normality. For around 10 pounds its worth doing