Our 98 Felicia has 111,000 miles on it and Mrs A reported it was a struggle to get it above 70 mph, which never used to be a problem. It has recently had a new water pump and rad for other reasons, but the apparent loss of oomph is definitely there, even though the car seems to start and idle and run OK on the face of it. I took it for a run on my own and in third it did not want to get up and go at all going up a local hill.

I wondered if it might be the cat or 02 sensor. The car is not thrashed and has regular oil/filter changes. Any ideas??

Alfie 168 (my other car is a 3.0 V6 Alfa 24valve..which STILL goes like stink even after 150,000 miles )

the 1.3i, the poor top end performance could be that the valve clearances are way out. supposed to be done every 20k miles or thereabouts.

not difficult to do at all, and really transforms the characteristics of the engine

check the coolant sensor is working properly first

check the coolant sensor is working properly first

hmm, IIRC my bro's skoda was faster when it was reading low and overfuelling:thumbup:

just suggested tappets as when we got car originally it exhibited similar issues

hmm, IIRC my bro's skoda was faster when it was reading low and overfuelling:thumbup:

just suggested tappets as when we got car originally it exhibited similar issues

yeah that is possible, but surely if the tappets were out it would be making a nasty tapping noise up top??

might also be a problem associated with the throttle body, may need cleaning, or it may just be because the cable needs adjusting...

without seeing it, who knows.......

was just the "regular oil/filter changes" bit that caught my eye...

care to lay odds sir?

as for the TB, good call!

replacement rad and water pump may be a symptom of a head gasket faliure??

Not head gasket according to pressure test and litmus test in coolant. Its been serviced by ex skoda dealer mostly with me doing 'in between' oil changes. It had a new thermostat and coolant sensor a couple of years ago..the plastic housing failed in the stat. It was exhibiting the symptoms before the rad blockage that initiated replacement. There has been no change pre/post rad &WP replacement & fan switch.

It could probably do with the valve clearances doing, but its certainly not loose and tappety in the " sounding like a bag o nails" sense.

I'l get it checked, but not sure whether to treck 30 miles to Skoda dealer in Lincoln or let the local VW Audi bunch in Boston have a go.

Anyone know the valve clearances? I've lost the Haynes manual I used to use on the Favorit...This is our fourth Skoda, 2x Fav and 2 x Felicia over 16 years and we have run them all to over 100,000 with relatively few problems except age/mileage related replacements.

It might just be old and knackered, but the engine sounds too sweet for that and it uses no oil to speak of so I doubt its that. Mrs A does not thrash it, it gets a weekly 500 mile commute mostly on motorways/duals.

Thanks for comments in any case

Alfie 168

How long has the car had the problem? Have the tappets been adjusted regularly is there any difference between when the engines cold and warm? how old is the exhaust? An exhaust boxes inners falling apart can kill power top end without affecting idleing at all.

My brother had an Escort where the exhaust inners went and he lost power. It really upset the Lambda. Is it using any more petrol than normal?

My brother had an Escort where the exhaust inners went and he lost power. It really upset the Lambda. Is it using any more petrol than normal?

the back box collapsed on mine, and cut the power right down. as you said, hard to get to 70mph.

Having driven it a bit more and had a few opinions we've decided there's nothing wrong with it, we've all got used to driving 2.5 and 3.0 cars and got spoilt:O . In fact (tempting fate) it seems to be running quite nicely:thumbup: It definitly seems faster since I made number one daughter remove all her riding crap out of the boot:D

Alfie 168

Having driven it a bit more and had a few opinions we've decided there's nothing wrong with it, we've all got used to driving 2.5 and 3.0 cars and got spoilt:O . In fact (tempting fate) it seems to be running quite nicely:thumbup: It definitly seems faster since I made number one daughter remove all her riding crap out of the boot:D

Alfie 168

rolf! excellent news sir:rofl:

Hello,

Yea the "riding crap!" might have an impact alright. But just one note!! the Tappets are hydraulic and DO NOT NEED ADJUSTING. if your value clearances where out of line there would be slight banging leading to major banging and bad shudder in the engine. witch you can see when you open the hood. try balance a coin!! lol no better not it might hit the fan and fly in your eye!. lol.

#

seriously though.

important

correct oil/correct coolant and self adjusting tappets as standard on these cars! do not use pure water in any coolant system it will lead to gasket failure and no Rovers are not the only cars in the world to ever have this problem ROFL:thumbup:

Thanks

Simonize

Beg pardon Simonize, we may be talking at cross puposes here.1.3 litre Skoda 135 and 136 engines do not have hydraulic tappets. The 1.6 VW engined version might (I don't know offhand).

Having set the tappets on a few occasions not only with screwdriver/spanner and feeler gauge..but also with a natty tool I've had for thirty years called an SPQR tappet adjuster.."the idiots way of doing tappets easily" I can confirm they are not hydraulic. Had em on Escort Mk3 and Golf GTi however:D

As to coolant, I have always used a 50/50 mix of tap water/antifreeze. Never had a problem with head gaskets in 36 years of motoring, over 400,000 miles in Skoda Favs&Fellys, over 140,000 miles in my current Alfa. The only head gasket I ever had fail was in summer 1978 on my old Peugeot 204 estate (1971 model). I fixed that in the street outside my student digs in Leeds.

Alfie 168

Hello

Well if there not Hydraulic then, I have been fooled.

By the owners manual, Haynes manual, local mechanic, mechanic friend and even various websites. I was checking two years ago cause I also had Loss of power but it was the coolant sensor. The mechanic said no its not the tappets there self adjusting and should never need adjusting. they can be adjusted but there not supposed to be. It can indicate another problem in the engine. Its the 136 Engine 1.3mpi that I have in a GLXi Felicia. Its also push rod, and yes the 1.6 is totally different its 1.6VW unit.

Thanks for your reply and hey I used to drive an Alfa 33 1.3v great car the power was crazy in it. It had a boxer engine and used carburetors instead of injectors much like the Austin maxi 1750HL my dad had. He now drives a "modern" Rover 414i:) DOHC 16V.

Thanks Alfa

Yours

SIMONIZE

the 1.3's do have self ajusters but, like rear drum brakes, they never work. best to tweek them every now and then.

as for the 1.6, yes you are dead right that is a vw aee, with hydro tappets.

hmm, if the 1.3 mpi has "self adjusting tappets" how come I have to adjust mine with a spanner, screwdriver and feeler gauges?

I cant really see any "adjusting "mecahnisms on the cam/rocker/valve train.

Two additional thoughts.

Either

1) There are a lot of lazy spanner monkeys in garages these days who either don't know or can't be bothered to do tappets anymore, and give customers a load of BS about them being self adjusting.

2)They are in fact..Self Adjusting..beecause..wait for it....You have to adjust them yourself:rofl:

You are quite right Woody. Its the simplest oldest system around, but it doesn't undo its own nut, screw itself up/down to a gap measured in thousanths/inch then tighten itself, whilst rotating the engine slowly back & forth for each set of valves. If it does, it means I've had too much to drink (thats 2 pints for me these days:O )

Alfie 168

o, sorry chaps, was under the impretion the mpi was fitted with self-ajust. i know the spi was ajust it yourself style. for some reson i thourght the mpi's had self-ajust.

my bad.

o, sorry chaps, was under the impretion the mpi was fitted with self-ajust. i know the spi was ajust it yourself style. for some reson i thourght the mpi's had self-ajust.

my bad.

not arguing mate:D

as far as i'm aware, the 1.4 mpi in the fabia has self adjusters...

we'll see when I end up servicing my cousins one.

that might be were i'm getting mixed up. :confused: