Power loss, over heating???

[Gonix]

Car: 04 Ibiza 130 TDI FR (revo remap est 170bhp)

Problem:
After intense driving the car just loses power same as if you over rev the engine you have to pull over and restart the engine.

Suspect 1:
Engine overheating but temp never climbs above 90

Suspect 2:
Engine over reving but power loss accures at before 4200rpm but real over reving in 3rd gear kicks out at 5200rpm.

Tested:
Getting tired I decided to do a final test for the overheating suspect and ran the car for a good 3 - 4 miles at average 135mph on closed road. I know this is not good but its annoying and wanted to find out at what ever cost. After running at max speed for a good 3 miles the engine finally kicked out and cruised slowly to a stop. Throughout the process the temp never moved from normal operating temperatures.

Is this normal, running an engine that long at that power without any temperature change.

Also the dash board never displays any warnings or changes before or at power loss.

PS. Standard cooling, only modification is the Revo remap.

Really need help and no garage can find a problem.

 

[Damoegan]

That will be limp mode mate.

It could be a number of things. You realy need to get vag-com plugged in and see if there are any faults.

 

[MrNorma]

That has to be the best diagnostic check i have ever heard.

 

[cheshire cat]

are you running with a nearly empty tank, if so it could be fuel overheating, is there any point in running to >5000rpm?

 

[kriso]

Tested:
Getting tired I decided to do a final test for the overheating suspect and ran the car for a good 3 - 4 miles at average 135mph on closed road. I know this is not good but its annoying and wanted to find out at what ever cost. After running at max speed for a good 3 miles the engine finally kicked out and cruised slowly to a stop. Throughout the process the temp never moved from normal operating temperatures.

Is this normal, running an engine that long at that power without any temperature change.

It's pretty normal for any car engine to run at normal temps, even when driven at max speed, as long as the cooling system is ok (correct coolant, no leaks, no broken thermostats). It wouldn't be very well designed if it overheated when you drove it fast.

At those speeds there is alot of air moving through the radiator and being a diesel, it doesn't run that hot anyway. Also I agree with cheshire cat - is there any point revving it that high in lower gears?

 

[PLuKE]

Seems like its going into limp mode. I reakon the inlet temp will be mega high. Best thing to do is take the drivers side fog light out, This will get more air to the SMIC and might help.

Give it a try, its a 2min job.

Luke

 

[Gonix]

That has to be the best diagnostic check i have ever heard.

Its free!

Thanks for the replies guys, I will be buying the vag-com cable and see if there are any fault codes. PS this wouldn't happen to do with anything on batteries as when I got my car revo'ed the one fault which appeared was Flat Battery even though it never did since codes were last cleared?

are you running with a nearly empty tank, if so it could be fuel overheating, is there any point in running to >5000rpm?

I had about a 1/4 tank at the testing but this seems to be at any fuel tank level.

Only reason I have been this high in low gears (once) was to test the throttle limit and cut point (limp mode).

Limp mode, I know this can be caused by a number of things but is there anything in particular that limp mode activates commonly in 04 Ibiza's?

 

[Gonix]

Just clicked, my timing belt is a little loss so the garage tells me. Makes a beautiful chirping noise when engine is idling.

Could this be possible suspect?

 

[Ad Lav]

Have you had it changed?

 

[Gonix]

Have you had it changed?

Not since I bought the car at 54k, car now at 77k.