Jap2Scrap

To save a few quid towards something nice next year and to give me a better trade in option I recently swapped my 93 GT4 Celica ST185 for a 99 Saxo VTS. Half the insurance and half the fuel bill, significant when you're doing about 700 miles a week!

Anyway, it's not half bad, feels very lively accelerating when cold/cool, say engine temp around 1/4 gauge, but as soon as you hit some traffic and the needle moves to the 1/2 ish mark on the gauge it seems to lose the will to live at low revs. Regardless of the temperature following the peak, i.e. the gauge can drop down all it likes, the low end revs are gutless. It seems to labour pulling away until the 2nd 8 valves open up then it's all go again..

So just wondering if this is a peculiarity of the Saxo or whether there's a fault underlying it.

For the record:

Magnex SS zorst and K&N filter.

The filter seems in a pants location too, looks like it's only gonna suck hot air at the best of times anyway. I realise this could be the problem but the fact that even when engine temp is back down and car is rolling, say 40/50mph, the revs labour below 4.5k i'd say it might not just be this.

Any help really appreciated (couldn't bring myself to ask on GT4OC cos they'd rip the p1ss for me gettin rid of the Celica - I basically just slunk away )

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Possibly thermostat related, failing that tempearture sensor or possibly its getting hot and losing compression, take the oil filler cap of whilst it is running, if you get pufing back through, it means the piston rings are worn, doubt it will be that but its worth checking.

Gunn79

The open K&N will be causing the engine to suffer from heat soak, hence the sluggish performance. There have been many reports of open filters loosing power on the Saxo, esp. on hot days, traffick etc...
A good option is to go for an enclosed induction, such as the Green enclosed, or BMC. The daddy is the Pro-Comp C/F ram cooler, but these are around twice the price of the others.
Also try www.saxosportsclub.co.uk engine section, as there are always very knowlegeable people willing to help.

matt85

Yep, Good idea that. Just make sure you put it in the engine section and not in general or you will get all manner of peculiar responses.

You're not wrong about the Pro Comp either.. c£250 i think... ???

MooseRacer

Without a doubt it's the K&N. Either get a proper enclosed induction kit (procomp, bmc etc) or go back to thte std airbox (which isn't half bad actually)

LG John

K&N filter There is your problem The Saxo does suffer a little from heat soak as standard but nothing like you describe. A carbon enclosed filter with a cold air feed would boost performance and give the car that lively feel most of the time.

Gunn79

The Pro-Comp is closer to £300, but they will be very rare now as Pro-Comp are supposed to have ceased being very recently!

WRX Wannabe

Mine had this problem after i had the cams done!

It would just die at the lights?

It was running a piper cross induction kit with no problems

Jap2Scrap

Cheers for the replies guys. I did glance at the saxosport website before I posted here but to be fair only the general section. I admit to being a little put off by some of the threads, it read a little like the muppet show here

Anyway, on the plus side I'd say the saxo is a cracking little motor for it's class, even if it rattles more than a skeleton w**king in a dustbin. I miss my turbo and torque steer is, shall we say, interesting, but all in all, not bad..

I figured the K&N was a suspect, the location looks all wrong. Especially seeing as the engine bay does get a tad warm and there's precious little bonnet area to soak it away..

Thanks again..

MGJohn

>>torque steer is, shall we say, interesting, but all in all, not bad..<<

If not already done so, get the tracking checked and set up properly.... could/should make all the difference.

IWatkins

Not a Saxo, but on a C2. anyway, try the BMC CDA filter, works well.

Cheers

Ian