sparg Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I've mentioned this before, but not really got anywhere. My 2001 Td5, 87K on clock, had it for about 8Kmiles, has a slightly incongruous habit. When cold, it takes off like a rocket - I don't mean to, but it still suprises me. Once warm and esp. after about 30 miles, it seems not quite so willing. If I stop for a while - say, just long enough for a leisurely half of hand-pulled ale, then jump in and set of, the vim and vigour has (often) returned (the car, not me). In an exaggerated version of this, yesterday I found that it was (whilst cruising at about 40mph, country roads) exceedingly reluctant to accelerate much. This lasted for a couple of miles - just feeling generally sluggish. It cleared gradually, rather than all at once. In a related vein, I've also noticed that the turbo whistle from the exhaust (it's got a straight thru pipe) is quite prominent when cold, but fades and is harder to hear when warm (unless my ears have adjusted to the standard LR racket) I've been thinking about the various symptoms, which are not really, really pronounced, and come up with various hypotheses: 1) fuel tank breathing - or rather, not. - I've also noticed on filling up that the tank 'sighs' when the key is inserted into filler cap - but here, one would think the pump would get noisy 2) hoses to/from turbo - I notice people sell replacements - must be for a reason 3) ecu is doing something funny - but what? 4) a fuel filter somewhere 5) air into fuel line? 6) wife has a hidden remote control - but in which case, I wouldn't be able to stop off at pub. anything else, and, further, how to go about testing some of the more likely ones? (which are..?) Finally, anyone else had any similar symptoms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crwoody Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Sounds like it could be a blocked fuel filter, (in the drivers side rear wheel arch.) Has it been changed lately? Are there any odd noises from the fuel pump when the problem occurs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 The filler cap of the fuel tank itself has a hole to breathe through. This could be blocked as you hear the sigh when you put the key in... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Sounds like it could be a blocked fuel filter, (in the drivers side rear wheel arch.)Has it been changed lately? Are there any odd noises from the fuel pump when the problem occurs? no. - can't hear any fuel pump struggling noise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 The filler cap of the fuel tank itself has a hole to breathe through. This could be blocked as you hear the sigh when you put the key in... yes, wondered about that. odd thing: it sighs when i put key in, before I've even turned the cap... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crwoody Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I think you'll find there is a tank breather next to the rear X-member inside the rear passenger side wheelarch, ends up in an inverted "U", could get bunged up with mud, worth checking that out . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 I think you'll find there is a tank breather next to the rear X-member inside the rear passenger side wheelarch, ends up in an inverted "U", could get bunged up with mud, worth checking that out. ah! - thanks - didn't know there was a breather there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Keir Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I seem to get this aswell going to go have a wee gander at the breather tomorow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J@mes Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 yes, wondered about that. odd thing: it sighs when i put key in, before I've even turned the cap... its not the cap, its your wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 You know, I've a sneaking suspicion that TD5 performance varies quite a lot from car to car, and (in this case) even for one car. I hear some folks say they can come near to V8s for performance, then others say they're ok, but nothing to write home about. I've noticed some days it pulls like a train, and I almost seem to be having to hold back, and other days, it just seems harder to get up to speed. At these times, I also notice that it's not really pulling away well at low revs - there's that irritating little pause as you let the clutch in ad it feels as though you're going to stall - in every gear. I wondered if it was partly an accelerate--by-wire problem, and the ecu actually changes the responsiveness of the pedal (bearing in mind that it actually does do this when in low ratio, I think) - but even if I really stamp on the throttle to make up for this, it still seems to strain a little, all the way up the rev range I've been wondering how to try to collect enough evidence on what seems to be a rather vague and intermittent problem. First thing would be to try to exclude subjective factors - am I subconsciously exaggerating. Here, some kind of inexpensive accelerometer combined with a laptop might be able to pinpoint the practical differences. But I hear one or two of you mention a nanocom thingy; as i don't know what these do (apart from reading digital data from sensors and ecu, I suppose) - apart from giving error codes (aagh) do they actually give anythin meaningfully related to power output? ( I know it's not a rolling road, but...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparg Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 its not the cap, its your wallet. No, that's more of a creaking noise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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