Author Topic: Chasing a power loss issue...  (Read 14117 times)

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Offline ElNevera

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Chasing a power loss issue...
« on: February 02, 2017, 11:36:33 am »
Hello

New to the forum, looking for some help.

I have a 2006 6 TS2 2.0d 143 estate. It has 116k on it and I bought it two years ago and really like the car apart from one issue....It loses drive/power when on a motorway.

I'd be driving along at a steady speed and used to use cruise control. Things would be fine until I'd hit an incline where I'd notice the car losing speed. I try and accelerate and there is nothing there. It just loses speed unless going downhill where it still won't accelerate. If I am on an incline or flat it will just keep going slower and slower.

No warning lights light up when this happens.

This has been happening on and off for the last 18 months.

Originally it only seemed to happen when in 6th and the rpm was below 2k. So I stopped using 6th, not ideal but that worked for quite a while and then it started happening in 5th. The other day it happened when I was in 4th on the M62 (No hard shoulder! 'Smart' motorway. Now when it happens even on a level stretch the loss of power is noticeable.

If I pull over and rev the car it will rev very slowly and the amount of thick black smoke that leaves the exhaust is incredible!
If I turn it off and back on straight away, still no real throttle response.
If I turn it off and wait 10 minutes everything comes back and it is normal again.

I have tried 4 garages in this time period with 2 of them being diesel specialists.

Garage 1 - Said they'd found some damaged wiring and that was causing a turbo issue. Said they'd fixed it....
Garage 2 - Ran diagnostics, no codes. Tried to force a DPF regen which failed. Didn't seem interested beyond that.
Garage 3 (Diesel specialist) - Ran diagnostics, no codes. Changed all filters, they noted that the air filter was covered in an oil (The filter was only 5 months old). They also stripped and cleaned the EGR valve. Tried to force a regen on the DPF which again failed.
Garage 4 (Diesel Specialist) - Told me there was a crack on the intercooler, so they swapped it. They also tried to force a DPF regen but it failed.

Now, I was thinking that the problem seems to occur when the car might be trying to perform a regen but if that failed I would expect a warning light of some kind.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I don't know if it is related but the MPG seems pretty low (around mid 30's) considering I do 40 -50 miles a day with 75% being motorway miles.

When it is running fine I do get a fair amount of grey smoke from the exhaust under acceleration. Is that normal?

Help please!

Cheers

Offline V 249

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2017, 03:24:45 pm »
Could be the D.P.F. trying to regenerate and failing, possibly blocked ?
A lot of of Grey white smoke from a Diesel could indicate injector trouble, or worn cylinder/ piston problem.l
Especially if as you say it's using a lot of fuel.! Not being burnt in the cylinders for some reason.


« Last Edit: February 02, 2017, 03:26:57 pm by V 249 »

Offline apav

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2017, 03:27:21 pm »
It should not smoke.

Is the engine oil level normal?

Is the Crankcase Depression Regulator Valve clean?

http://www.flashoffroad.com/Diesel/CDR/cdrvalve.htm

Somebody in the past had said that failed regenerations caused a blocked DPF which then had to be jet washed.

If you got this second hand, are you sure you have DPF and original engine map?

Offline ElNevera

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2017, 10:25:20 am »
Could be the D.P.F. trying to regenerate and failing, possibly blocked ?
A lot of of Grey white smoke from a Diesel could indicate injector trouble, or worn cylinder/ piston problem.l
Especially if as you say it's using a lot of fuel.! Not being burnt in the cylinders for some reason.
The failing DPF regen was what I was thinking too but with no way of proving it.

The Grey/White smoke is something I am concerned about, I am by no means mechanically minded but is checking the injectors something I could do?

It should not smoke.

Is the engine oil level normal?

Is the Crankcase Depression Regulator Valve clean?

http://www.flashoffroad.com/Diesel/CDR/cdrvalve.htm

Somebody in the past had said that failed regenerations caused a blocked DPF which then had to be jet washed.

If you got this second hand, are you sure you have DPF and original engine map?

No idea what a CDR is but I'll have a look at the link you posted.

I have no idea if the DPF is complete but I have been under the car and seen the housing. That doesn't mean there is anything in it I guess. This car gets really sooty in the exhaust, it failed an MOT last year on emissions which was resolved by me driving it hard (4k rpm) for 30mins before the retest. I don't know if that is a sign of DPF failure or not actually having the DPF.....

Same with the engine remap, I have no point of reference having come from a petrol focus.

I wish I'd bought a petrol Mazda now as I really like the car itself but I really can't afford to chuck much money at the engine now.

Thanks

Offline ElNevera

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2017, 09:38:46 am »
The problem is getting worse. Lost power in 4th this morning. In the past keeping the rpm over 2.5k kept the problem at bay so I would go 1 gear lower than I should be but that is not going to work.

Fuel economy is now down to ~30 mpg

MOT due in April, front shockers need replacing, some suspension components need replacing, rear brakes need doing and this power problem on top makes me wonder whether it is worth bothering  :-\

Offline V 249

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2017, 07:26:16 pm »
 Depending on the cars current value and by the list of things going wrong and need money spending on them, is the car in your view getting past economic repair. ??

Offline ElNevera

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2017, 04:04:41 pm »
Depending on the cars current value and by the list of things going wrong and need money spending on them, is the car in your view getting past economic repair. ??

I am beginning to think so. I wouldn't mind so much if I knew what was needed to fix the power loss issue. I paid £2.5 for the car and have spent at least £1000 chasing the issue and we buy any car would offer £400 (Last time i checked)

Offline V 249

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2017, 07:21:30 pm »
Your details show car as a 2006 vehicle,so it's well over 10 year old. You will not get big money for it.
Depends how much it's worth to you,always assuming you can fix it.?

Offline apav

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2017, 03:22:23 pm »
Can you ask Mazda for some advice? Can you ask them whether a dodgy DPF delete could cause all these problems? If they could overwrite the original map, you will be sure that the car management wise gives the right orders. You can then chase sensors or engine components. The fact that the car smokes even when it goes about right, does not seem normal. You have fixed the intercooler and the wiring but the fact that the DPF does not regenerate means that something is missing half way through and that very likely is to be both the DPF and the map.

Yes the £2.5K are a lot of monies and that is reason why it is worthy to add the extra £500-£1K-£2K and buy the same car from a dealer. Most of the independent dealer cars come straight from the auction, cleaned and gone for profit. A dealer car will have some kind of checks to ensure that it will not be returned soon after the sale. Once you get a nice solid car, you don't even need the warranty, you maintain it according to the manufacturer and it will keep going for ever. Visiting many garages will not help. When you went to the first one and they fixed something, you should have gone back to chase the problem. I think you have done all the necessary repairs but there is still something missing on the management part.

Offline TommyAwesome

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #9 on: February 21, 2017, 08:02:42 pm »
I have exactly the same issue - 2007 Mazda 6 Kumano (TS2 I think) - lost power after using cruise control. five minutes later, power is back.

I think it's the turbo, as I can rev without problem... but I'm not a mechanic... I'm only guessing.

Offline TommyAwesome

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2017, 08:07:04 pm »
is the DPF the Diesel Particulate Filter? What is a regen of it?

Offline Willpower

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #11 on: February 21, 2017, 08:41:49 pm »
Please have a read through the following two topics. They will answer your questions.

http://www.mazda6forums.co.uk/index.php?topic=36.0


http://www.mazda6forums.co.uk/index.php?topic=38.0
Look at life through the windscreen, not the rearview mirror.

Offline TommyAwesome

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #12 on: February 21, 2017, 09:08:02 pm »
OK, after reading those links, I do not think this loss of power has anything to do with the DPF... It just felt the turbo wasn't kicking in, in my case at least.

I could still rev lots without a problem, so would  that rule out piston rings/gasket etc?

Offline ElNevera

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2017, 07:54:44 am »
I've had a safety recall letter from Mazda about the airbags so I will be booking it in.

I was just wondering if it would be worth getting Mazda to do some diagnostics? Up to now every other garage that has had it has said there are no codes stored. I don't want to waste money if it isn't going to be any different than the other garages.....


Offline apav

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Re: Chasing a power loss issue...
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2017, 08:33:16 am »
Maybe you could discuss with them and see what they suggest. If for example they suggest to do diagnostics again and find no codes, ask them whether they will charge you for that. Most of the dealers they advertise something like a free healthcheck. If you can sweet talk them to do that for you while they do the recall work, you may get something out of it.