Member Since: 09 Feb 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 233
After off roading, down on power and poor MPG
Anybody any clues what I should be looking for?
Took my car to Devon to do an off road day. Fairly gentle, though a few big mud/water splashes, and a fair bit of fire road driving over pebbles. I have the Mantec underbody plate on, but some pebbles did seem to get firmly "squirted" up into the underside of the car.
180 miles each way, 31 MPG there, 25 MPG back, and it now feels like someone stole my TurboChip upgrade!! No dash warnings or lights on.
What should I be checking/looking for before I take it to a dealers?
Thanks
Steve J2018 1.5Ti Skoda Octavia - dull as f&ck
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27th May 2008 7:39 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72791
Bunged up intercooler or lot of crap in the EPB drums would be my first (non expert) guess.
PS you could have had a tail wind on the way there & fighting it on the way back. We do lots of longhauls S Wales to Highlands and when there is a strong headwind mpg suffers by up to 4 mpg, with a good tail wind it increases by same. Remember the aerodynamics are that of a big brick with a big sail at the back to help if a tail wind. Has neen a northerly wind lately.
Last edited by DSL on 27th May 2008 7:44 pm. Edited 2 times in total
Maybe a daft question... but did you reset the mgp for the way home, because if you didn't, it will have included the mpg whilst off roading which will be conciderably less. (that wouldn't explain the loss of power though )As you slide down the banister of life
may no splinters point your way
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27th May 2008 7:41 pm
joness7
Member Since: 09 Feb 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 233
AVE: Yes, I did reset the MPG. It was my first clue, cos after the trip down, and the off roading, the MPG was still going DOWN on the way back!! So reset it to monitor.
DSL: I must admit I considered the weather as I came back on Monday morning in lashing rain. However me and the missus agree it's down on power. Will check intercooler and EPB. Missus said it felt like the brake was on ....
Thanks guys. Any more ideas, would love to hear them. Will post some photos when I get a chance.2018 1.5Ti Skoda Octavia - dull as f&ck
2019 D5 SdV6 SE Anniversary - black/black - good riddance!!
2010 D4 TDV6 HSE - Nara Bronze with black - now gone!!
2006 D3 TDV6 HSE - Buckingham Blue with Alpaca - now gone!!
BMW R1200GS - also blue, also gone!!
Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin DCT - Dakar colours
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 - the Black Arrow
27th May 2008 8:04 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72791
Feeling like brakes are on would suggest the EPB was dragging (note that I am no techie!!!). Intercooler easy to sort, gentle hose through the slots in teh Mantec till the juices run clear. Avoid anything powerful like a jetwash, just slow and easy. Same for radiator. Had the same offroading at Yarwell, mpg well down on return trip driving same steady speed that I did there. Turns out EPB was packed full of sand & mud and needed cleaned & reset after it failed.
27th May 2008 8:08 pm
joness7
Member Since: 09 Feb 2006
Location: West London
Posts: 233
DSL wrote:
Bunged up intercooler or lot of crap in the EPB drums would be my first (non expert) guess.
And if a fellow non expert hypothetically wanted to check the EPB where would they need to look? Hyopthetically speaking you understand....
And yes, I know it's under the car!! Slightly more precision required.2018 1.5Ti Skoda Octavia - dull as f&ck
2019 D5 SdV6 SE Anniversary - black/black - good riddance!!
2010 D4 TDV6 HSE - Nara Bronze with black - now gone!!
2006 D3 TDV6 HSE - Buckingham Blue with Alpaca - now gone!!
BMW R1200GS - also blue, also gone!!
Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin DCT - Dakar colours
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 - the Black Arrow
27th May 2008 8:36 pm
DN D3 Decade
Member Since: 24 Jun 2006
Location: W.London.
Posts: 2296
joness7, Without stripping anything down, just feeling the p/b drums for significant heat after a short run would tell you if the shoes are dragging. One side of mine actually melted the plastic plug in the hole in the drum (used for backing off / setting up adjusters). Mine hadn't been offroad though, it happened after a visit to stealers after I mentioned the continual squealing from the brakes after releasing P/b and pulling away.
27th May 2008 9:34 pm
hernan1304
Member Since: 28 Feb 2008
Location: Dubai
Posts: 490
The D3 reduces engine power automatically to protect itself if it's getting too hot. Mine did this last weekend before the engine blew... Now it's in the shop and might need a new engine. Not saying this is your problem, but something to think about?
The symptom for me was that although it kept running, the engine power was greatly reduced. Temp was higher than half but nowhere near the top (and this was a 40c day!), and no warning lights. Check your coolant for any signs of leaks.
Not sure if there are other things that would cause the D3 to reduce power as well...? Have a good read of the manual.
28th May 2008 5:52 am
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
relating to another thread, changed my air filter last week....it was covered in foliage from off roading that obviously got sucked in through in the intake. New filter and away we went.end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
28th May 2008 7:34 am
1955diesel
Member Since: 08 Mar 2005
Location: Birmingham England
Posts: 31
As above. If you went wading, check for a soggy air filter, although not usually a problem.
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Mine hadn't been offroad though, it happened after a visit to stealers after I mentioned the continual squealing from the brakes after releasing P/b and pulling away.
