I have exactly the same probem and have done for a while, although mine is intermittant.
The car seems ok at less than 70, but will not go any faster, it sort of coughs and splutters, picks up for a second than dies again (i can put it into neutral and boot the throttle, the revs bounce all over the place)
I have changed both the MAF and boost sensor, unplugged and WD40 every connector.

 

If you were getting smoke, I'd say boost leak, and I'd still be inclined to look for one.

Check the reducer pipe (straight after the turbo) and the wastegate linkage is intact (not too common, but the circlip that holds it together can rust and fall off - happened to me!)

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What are they like when revving up in neutral, have either of you looked into the possibility fuel starvation?

 

My problem is intermittant, somtimes restarting the car clears the issue.

 

Well it's just something to consider (mainly for Sarie) not a definitive diagnosis. Your symptoms are actually quite different though both lead to a power loss.

Have you checked out your egr? needle lift sensor? got a boost gauge does it do anything when it happens etc? Obviously intermittent faults are unlikely to be a boost hoses etc, but if you're confident in the maf sensor it must be something else.

 

I've just been out and run my hands over all the hoses and I can't feel or see any obvious splits or leaks, clips are all intact and holding the hoses on nicely.

I forgot to check the wastegate linkage so I'll check that next but I just blanked off the EGR and I'm about to take it out for a spin to see if there's any noticeable difference in case that's at fault

I'm not 100% certain the MAF isn't at fault but certainly disconnecting it makes no noticeable difference in any rev range so I'm thinking the issue is elsewhere. I guess I need a multimeter to test it properly? I'm not sure how to test the MAF directly.

I also don't have a boost gauge unfortunately

I hadn't considered fuel starvation.. is there any way to test for this? The fuel filter was changed around 5k ago and is definitely on the correct way round as I changed it myself and checked and double checked it at the time.

I will take it out for a spin now and come back with results and will also take a look at the wastegate linkage and make sure all is well there..

Thanks guys

 

OK minor improvement in the low range with the EGR blanked but it's barely noticeable and certainly hasn't stopped the car from struggling to rev over 3k :/

What is the needle lift sensor and how do I check it ? I can't find it in the Haynes manual

 

the wires on injector no.1

 

Wires on injector 1 are fine, I already checked them and put some electrical tape around to protect them Although that's not to say there isn't a fault with the injector.. but I've no idea how to test..

However, further development.. I just revved the car in neutral and it is hard limited to 4k. With foot flat it absolutely won't rev above 4k. The needle hits bang on 4k and sits there. Which reeks of a MAF problem.. maybe change my thread title :lol:

Any ideas? Maybe it could be MAF after all but I just don't understand as the Pierburgh and MAFAM are new and were absolutely fine when first fitted and unplugged makes no difference to power through any of the rev ranges.

Totally baffled...

Maybe I should send it back to Rover Ron as that's where it came from

 

To ask a daft question, you have plugged the MAFAM in correctly, so it does what it is supposed to do?

The 4krpm ceiling, seems classic of a knackered MAF.

Cheers
Dave

 

Yeah MAFAM is in correctly.. it was working fine before. I'm tempted to disconnect it all and give it all a good looking over and re-fit it just for piece of mind to make sure I'm not mental as I'm starting to question my own competence.

What do I need to do to test the no.1 injector too?

 

With the 4k ceiling it does sound like a dead MAF - perhaps its faulty? Then the MAFAM would be no help at all for sure. Try driving without the MAFAM? Should be a massive difference with the MAFAM disconnected, if the MAF is alive for it to amplify. If the MAF is dead, it'll behave the same.

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Result.. I bypassed the MAFAM and just plugged the MAF in directly and it now revs to 5k easily in neutral.

However, the old style Pierburgh MAF is horribly out of spec so it's really hideous to drive with it plugged in without the MAFAM so I've had to disconnect the MAF entirely for now.

I've removed the MAFAM and need to get in touch with Ron to see if he can diagnose the fault and/or replace the MAFAM entirely.

The MAFAM is clearly doing something as with it plugged in the car doesn't drive like it has an out of spec MAF but does rev limit at 4k with poor performance, but with the MAFAM unplugged and MAF plugged in the car drives like it has an out of spec MAF (which it does).

MAFAM must be dodgey. At least we've finally got to the bottom of it... I hope.

Thanks for your help guys Time to email Ron!

 

Result.. I bypassed the MAFAM and just plugged the MAF in directly and it now revs to 5k easily in neutral.

However, the old style Pierburgh MAF is horribly out of spec so it's really hideous to drive with it plugged in without the MAFAM so I've had to disconnect the MAF entirely for now.

I've removed the MAFAM and need to get in touch with Ron to see if he can diagnose the fault and/or replace the MAFAM entirely.

The MAFAM is clearly doing something as with it plugged in the car doesn't drive like it has an out of spec MAF but does rev limit at 4k with poor performance, but with the MAFAM unplugged and MAF plugged in the car drives like it has an out of spec MAF (which it does).

MAFAM must be dodgey. At least we've finally got to the bottom of it... I hope.

Thanks for your help guys Time to email Ron!

Well i have done the same thing and removed my mafam, now the car revs freely throughout the rev range and has loads more power, it seems that it was intermittantly failing before and was doing it constantly recently so it seems that my mafam is knackard too.

 

Yay Ron is being wonderfully helpful. Hopefully it'll all be sorted soon Thanks again chaps. Glad it's not fuel starvation or anything more hideous.

 

if its intermittent it could just be a loose connection

 

Something for you to check... it turns out my fault was because I hadn't modified the connector properly from the MAFAM to the MAF. The MAFAM end isn't designed to fit into the old Pierburgh MAF and needs some adaption as stated in the instructions that came with it.
I read all the destructions and tried to adapt mine and I'd adapted my connector as much as I thought it needed but it turns out I needed to be much more ruthless and hack loads more off it so it would fit snugly.

Ron has adapted it properly for me now and it goes in about another 1/2cm more than it did so that right there explains my MAFAM issues. I feel a bit dumb but nevermind.. at least it's properly adapted now

I'm really hoping it solves my overall issue with high end power .. I'll be fitting it tonight so I'll find out!

Big thanks to Ron for sorting me out. Might also be worth an admin changing the title of this thread so it doesn't have (not a MAF issue) in brackets as it may mislead people who're having similar issues and they may not bother to read the thread and find all this out Technically wasn't a MAF issue, was a MAFAM issue but was still basically down to the MAF sensor not being rigged properly.

 

Well as it turns out, despite the coincidence of my MAFAM not being connected properly, the changes haven't fixed my problem.

My car is still topping out at around 3200rpm before screaming for another gear and losing speed on slight inclines with my foot flat to the floor.

Looks like something else is wrong

 

When you mean screaming for another gear, do you mean really noisey, or just it'd work better if you could change up another gear?

And you don't get any smoke at all?

 

I mean there's no power left.. I could keep my foot flat and ask it for more and if I'm lucky enough to be on a downhill then the car might finally crawl through the revs to around 3800 but it'll take a while to get there. It's not hard limiting but there's no power above 3000rpm really at all.
It's not brick walling in the revs, if I put it in neutral I could rev it to the redline if I wanted to, but in gear it just struggles like mad once it gets to 3k.

And nope, no smoke.

It's had the intercooler hose replaced and I've pretty much ruled out the MAF entirely now. I've felt around all the other hoses and can't find any signs of an obvious boost leak. That's not to say there isn't one but I can't find one and no smoke at all.

Injector no.1 wire looks okay but again that's not to say there's not a fault there.

I really need to get it diagnosed somehow :/ loathe to get robbed by a garage but looking more and more like I have no other choice. Another thread has just popped up in here though with the EXACT same symptoms as I'm getting.

http://forums.mg-rover.org/showthread.php?t=434386

 

And, just to check, when you disconnected the maf to compare, did you disconnect the loom plug from the mafam, or the mafam from the maf but leave the loom plug plugged into the mafam, if you see what i mean?

 

As stated on your other post we are practically neigbours, send me a PM and I will bring round my diagnostic kit. You can always buy me a couple of pints of Speckled Hen for the privilage! (Not at the Lurcher though)

 

spikey, I pulled the whole lot out.. I sent the MAF and MAFAM off to Ron so the whole lot was disconnected entirely for over a week.. no difference.

Bunny, it's nice to finally have a neighbour on here! I see loads of MGs and Rovers around but never anyone on the forums from my area
Haha not at the Robin Hood either please

I'll drop you a PM

 

If i still had my TD i would have brought my MAF round as it worked perfectly, also had a MAFAM aswell so could have ruled them both out lol

Unfortunately i can't be much help now as im obviously running petrol, hope you get it sorted soon though seems you are having quite a few problems with that car!!

 

I've already ruled them both out.... but thank you

You traitor, going over to the dark side and ditching the derv

 

Haha, the thirst for more power got the better of me!! Plus the engine noise is a lot better lol!!

 

Yeah have to say I'm looking at washing my hands of it and getting a Honda Civic VTEC instead.
Not particularly powerful, but a crapload quicker than my 45. Even in full working order my 45 is hideously underpowered. Not to mention the Civic is actually cheaper to insure... despite being significantly more powerful!

That said, it's had a lot of work done already so I'm loathe to get rid of it for 1/4 of what I've spent on it. We'll see. If the current issues can be solved without it costing the earth then I'll hang onto it for now and give it another chance

Starting to want for more power though as the 45 is embarassing to drive, especially at the moment.

Got undertaken by a P Reg Toyota Emina last night and to make matters worse, the Toyota clearly had a boost leak as smoke was gushing from his exhaust everytime he changed gear. Humiliating.

Have to say, it should be called the Enima as I pretty much soiled myself at how ugly it was... as it undertook me and left me for dust

 

Which civic you thinking of getting? Type R??

Hmmm must have been a little bit embarrasing getting undertook by that ugly looking thing!! As you have seemed to have checked all the usual suspects it may be a more serious problem with your car, maybe injector related or fuel pump related? Stick some sdi's in!!

Hope you get it sorted though

 

A total stab in the dark but what condition is the air filter? I only ask as mine did similar to you ie foot flat to the floor and next to nothing. It turned out it the AF was soaking wet ( how it happened no idea and it's never done it since) I guess a fouled air filter could cause similar probs.

Very long shot and not trying to state the obvious but you seem to have tried most everying else

 

It's a good point. I replaced the filter about 7k ago so hadn't thought of changing it but it could be that something has happened to it I'm not aware of. I'll take a look tonight, thanks for the headsup

 

Sorry your still struggling buddy, did you adjust the throttle cable? mine seems to be better after doing it.

 

That's good to hear I still haven't done mine yet as I'm working 14 hour days but tonight I actually get off at 6.30 so I'll be home before 8 which means I should have enough daylight to have a go at it and check out the filter

Fingers crossed!

 

while sticking in SDi will give you more power for sure, i think you ought to work out where the power has gone first as you are ust masking an underlying issue

i would not ask the garage to find SDi's but source them yourself as they will probably charge you over the odds...

Good luck with the last bit of diagnostics

 

Yeah but if I can't find out where the power has gone myself through tests and rummaging then it will end up having to go to a garage for diagnostics and that could cost me hundreds. The garage already told me that after running a few tests with diagnostics systems if nothing is thrown up immediately then they'll start by replacing all serviceable parts and then start dismantling bits from there if they can't find the fault. Dread to think what that'll cost.

I intend to find the SDi's myself if I decide to get them fitted but will have to pay a garage to fit them for me as I don't fancy the job myself having read into it.

But thanks! Bunny_Brain is going to help me out with checking it out in more depth with his diagnostic tools and once we've done that and I've checked out the last few things on my list then I'll have to make a decision on what to do with it!