Micra - Losing power uphill!! - NOW SORTED (I HOPE)

[mikey52]

Hi, My daughter has a Micra 1.0, 'Y' reg which seems to loose power when going up a gradual incline, this does not happen all the time, but it is getting more common. Going along about 55 mph in '5th' gets to incline and speed drops so changes to '4th' and speed drops again, ends up in '3rd'. Get to the top on the level and all is well. No 'juddering' or any other strange symptoms are felt during this experience. Any help or comments gratefully received.

Tuesday 31st January
I hope I’m not tempting fate, but problem seems to be sorted, went to Kwik Fit and they said it needed a ‘Throttle Body’ and quoted an all in total of £595. Not happy, so phoned a local garage I’ve used before for ’second opinion’ and he said “bring it in and I’ll have a look at it and let you know”. Later in the day he phoned to say it was all sorted, ready to collect - at a cost of £158. Turns out it needed an ‘Air mass metre module’ - a saving of £437!!!! Just hope it keeps going now.
Thank you to everyone who replied.

[oldfordman]

i would try changing the fuel filter,it sounds like a fuel delivery problem to me,also try a bottle of fuel injection cleaner

[alabbasi]

Blocked cat would also do that.

[JPB]

No cat on a 1982/83 car, only fitted from 1993 onwards. A Micra that age would still have been on a carb which renders the fuel injection cleaner redundant. Fuel starvation was also my first thought, but could it be a weak fuel pump that's the cause since it only happens going up hills? That, or the tank's been run low and allowed some loose paint or some such debris to block the fuel line. If so, try it with a full tank and see whether there any difference. I also thought about the possibility that the main jet in the carb could be partially blocked but that wouldn't be a thing that only manifested itself on an uphill.

[Paul240480]

Is it y suffix or prefix I'd hazzard a guess the latter as it is five speed....
Slippy clutchy springs to mind ......

[JPB]

Is it y suffix or prefix I'd hazzard a guess the latter as it is five speed....
Slippy clutchy springs to mind ......

I don't recall seeing an S4 gearbox in a UK car, even the earliest ones were available with the lower final drive and the S5 gearbox, but thinking about it, K10 clutches always were really weak (light to operate, but that came at a price) so it could well be a slipping clutch. Apart from one thing; usually (assuming an original clutch were still in there), once any Datsun of that age started to slip its clutch, you'd have next to no notice and then it would slip constantly. Great cars, I do love the K10.
I hope this isn't its clutch though, they usually need a flywheel too if they've managed to slip for any length of time.

[Maaarrghk]

Micra and power in the same sentence - now there's a strange thing. How on earth can a micra lose power? It hasn't got any to begin with!

On a less serious note, I too would go for fueling or a blockage. A slipping clutch would result in increased revs, which you don't mention.

Could be worth my usual suggestion of trying all the easy little things, such as plugs, air filter, connections etc.

[alabbasi]

No cat on a 1982/83 car, only fitted from 1993 onwards.

Oh the other Y reg (I didnt think they were around that long ago). Then fuel filter or slipping clutch is probably the way to go.

[mikey52]

Hi All, Thanks for all replies, now for update - 'Y' reg is, 2001 - Have changed Fuel Filter with no improvement, also forgot to mention in original post is that when accelerator is reved a few times there is very little increase in revs and can be pressed to the floor with hardley any increase (even decrease!!), I am thinking this could be electrical issue - any thoughts.

Regards

Mike

[Raymk]

My parents' car had a Y suffix and that was in the 1980's (HAV380Y on a Citroen GSA). Is the Micra in question from this era or is it a later car, laden with electronics?

After reading that pressing the accelerator to rev the engine at rest does not give the normal response, my thoughts are 'check to see if the carb has diaphragm actuated jets/chokes if it is an early car.' Modern fuels are good at eating old rubber/elastomeric materials and will also attack some metals e.g. brass. A leaky diaphragm would reduce throttle response. On a later car, yes, check the electrical connections to the throttle position sensor. Ignore good natured jibes about power and Micra. I have a Reliant Regal MKVI which developes 17.5 BHP and has a 0 - 60 time but I can't find a country long enough to achieve such speed. Your Micra should have heaps of power by comparison