Hi everyone ... Our 1999 MK1 Punto Sporting 16V is having some really serious power issues. Over time, it has got worse and worse and since the last service, there is a noticeable, if not dangerous power drop when shifting the third and beyond. The car needs to be driven with the foot to the floor and despite the revs going up reasonably quickly, the car could not pull skin off custard!
Just to recap, the plugs and wires have been changed at the last service and the air filter, fuel filter and oil filter/oil were changed at the last two services. After the last service, the car had a noticeable "jingle" when shifting gears ... Not every time, but most times. I thought nothing of it until the last week when I was reading about dropped baffles and clogged cats on another car forum.
That got me thinking ...
So, how do you check for a clogged cat? I have read a couple of technical websites which suggest doing a vacuum check and revving to 2500 RPM. I have connected a gauge to the only vac line I can find in the engine, which is the FPR vac line. I t'd the gauge off that line and found 19 inches of vacuum at warm idle. Revving the engine got the just up to, like 5 inches of vacuum, and then holding at 2500 RPM made a reading of 25 inches of vacuum. According to one site, "You can do a vacuum check at idle and then at 1500 RPM. If the vacuum is say 21 inches at idle and like 15 inches at 1500 then the cat is likely clogged." So ... Does 25 inches mean it's super-clogged, or okay?
Can anyone give me any hints?
Paul
1999 Fiat Punto Sporting 16V (Mk1) And some SAABs :) ...