Renault Kangoo dTi: Severe Power Loss - Help!

Hello experts,

The following problem:

Engine converted to run on vegetable oil.
ESP malfunction.
ESP ausgetauscht b. Bosch.
Salad oil conversion expanded.
approximately 60 horsepower on the dynamometer.
Top speed: 120 km/h in 5th gear, and 3600 RPM in 4th gear.
Not yet fully revved (not my own yet).
However, it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient even before the switch to vegetable oil!
Could buy the car!
Risk purchase???


What could be the reason?
Turbocharger?
Electrical problem?
It depends on the circumstances.


I would be grateful for any advice!

Sure, here's the translation:

'Thank you in advance.'

Best regards, Klaus.
PS: I think this forum is absolutely great because it's well-organized!

Hello Klaus,
To the best of my knowledge, the Kangoo isn't exactly a lightweight vehicle, and its aerodynamics are more akin to a billboard than a Porsche.
I once had a similar car as a rental (also the dTi with 80 hp), and it drove like my old 740 (a Volvo, not a BMW). So, it's not exactly a rocket.
Renault likely has a similar diagnostic interface to VW. You might be able to find free tools/adapters etc. for it in forums that focus on Renault in general (I'm afraid I don't know any).
Otherwise, I would take it to a Renault dealership and have them read the error codes.
You can post the translation here, and maybe it will provide some clues.

Klaus wrote:

Engine converted to run on vegetable oil. ESP malfunction. ESP ausgetauscht b. Bosch. Salad oil conversion expanded. approximately 60 horsepower on the dynamometer. Top speed: 120 km/h in 5th gear, and 3600 RPM in 4th gear. Not yet fully revved up (not my own yet). However, it wasn't particularly fuel-efficient even before the switch to vegetable oil! What could be the reason? Turbocharger? Electrical problem? It's a matter of perspective???

Hi.

There could be several reasons for a significant loss of power, in my opinion, ranging from piston seizing due to running on vegetable oil (combustion residue in the piston ring area), to turbocharger problems, poorly adjusted ESP (fuel quantity/start), to a faulty mass airflow sensor (if the Kangoo has one), and many other minor issues like clogged filters.
It would be almost impossible to say anything reliable based on a remote diagnosis.

Hi,

(I had sent Klaus...)

...but the Kangoo isn't that heavy, as far as I know, it's only slightly heavier than a Golf 3 or an Ibiza with a TDI engine. The aerodynamics are certainly a factor, but according to the technical specifications, it can reach 160 km/h with the 80 hp diesel engine, which would be about 170 km/h according to the speedometer... therefore, this is probably not normal.

A few weeks ago, there was a discussion in the Kangoo forum about tools for reading out data, but it was ultimately unsuccessful. It seems there isn't anything quite like VAG-COM available for these vehicles.

What is quite certain (I had asked about this here and there at the time, because a friend was interested in the Kangoo with a diesel engine) is that the dTI and VE-TDI engines are very similar.

Best regards,

Jan.

Thank you for the information. That doesn't sound good regarding the piston.
The car doesn't belong to me. I'm considering buying it. The owner explained that after the oil change following the salad oil business, there was salad oil (I don't know how he determined this) in the engine oil!
Does this indicate piston ring issues?
However, it seems it wasn't particularly popular before the renovation either.
However, a compression test has already been performed - by Renault!
Apparently, everything is okay.
Hopefully, I can grasp all of this. I need to get used to the abbreviations first.
I must have missed the diesel technology lecture!

With my 10-year-old Citroën (BX TD), I've been able to handle all the maintenance and repairs myself so far, including engine-related issues.
Now, it seems like it's impossible to go any further without a computer or other diagnostic tools.

I am still grateful for any advice or suggestions.
(Otherwise, the car perfectly matches my expectations!)

Best regards, Klaus.

Hello,

Without reading the error codes (e.g., from an electronically controlled fuel injection pump or turbocharger) or measuring specific values, you will only be able to guess at the cause.
It sounds harsh, but unfortunately, it's true.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hello, it's also possible that the fuel injectors are clogged (or partially clogged). If the compression is good and the glow plugs are new, it's likely the problem lies here. I'm assuming that the diesel filter and the air filter are new!
Pour in some diesel fuel injector cleaner and then head out to the highway, flooring it in fourth gear.

If none of that helps, the fuel filter or catalytic converter (if applicable) might be clogged. In that case, it's best to remove the expansion tank and run the engine for a while without it (of course, on a closed course).

I'm assuming that this part doesn't have a mass airflow sensor. If it does, replace that first.

Hi,

...uh... the original post is from 2002! So, the Kangoo in question is probably long since repaired, sold, or scrapped...

Best regards,

Jan.

Oops, I'm not sure how to find those old threads; I've encountered this issue before, sorry.