Technical Low power from 2012 Doblo Mylife 1.4 petrol

[JerryPO]

Hi,
just bought a 2012 Doblo Mylife 1.4 petrol and although it is just what I need at the moment the power seems to be very poor. I’m used to a 2 litre Pinto kitcar (mpv shape) with around 100hp but the Doblo is rated at 95hp yet it hardly accelerates in any gear. It was struggling up a hill in 2nd gear on a run on Sunday. No engine light and the engine sounds fine. Surely the are not this underpowered from factory. Very disappointed.
Any suggestions?

Cheers

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Never driven a doblo, but I'd read the error codes with MES, check the brakes and wheel bearings. Both can significantly increase the rolling resistance.

Perhaps not all the cylinders are working properly? Checking the state of the spark plugs and eventually looking inside the cylinder with an inspection camera could also give you a hint of what is hapenning.

 

[JerryPO]

Hello,

Never driven a doblo, but I'd read the error codes with MES, check the brakes and wheel bearings. Both can significantly increase the rolling resistance.

Perhaps not all the cylinders are working properly? Checking the state of the spark plugs and eventually looking inside the cylinder with an inspection camera could also give you a hint of what is hapenning.

It’s just passed its MOT so I doubt if brakes or bearings will be an issue. Engine sounds fine but I wonder whether a previous owner has cleared an engine code that indicates something is wrong.
Is there any way these cars can be remapped for improved performance?

 

[the green vanper]

You were the one who drove it for MOT? Or was it the previous owner? If it was him, I wouldn't be so sure. But yes, generally those should not be the problem with a fresh MOT.

Also check if the bulb behind the engine light is there and is OK... or has not been blacked out with a piece of paper... I've seen it a couple of times... It was also discovered only after connecting a computer to the OBD2 port and checking for the errors, because there was nothing lit on the dash.

 

[jackwhoo]

The mil has to come on and go off at key on to pass mot test .....

It is a 1.4 , with supposed 95 hp......the max horse power will be at upper end of rpm scale because of small cc

 

[jackwhoo]

It weighs over 1.3 tons without passengers.
0-60mph 14.9 seconds
Its not going to be quick

 

[the green vanper]

It weighs over 1.3 tons without passengers.
0-60mph 14.9 seconds
Its not going to be quick

Yes, but still, struggling up a hill on 2nd gear??

Of course it will never be a racing car, but it should drive easily when empty.

 

[jackwhoo]

Yes, but still, struggling up a hill on 2nd gear??

Of course it will never be a racing car, but it should drive easily when empty.

Yes but it depends on the hill too, there are some very steep hills. (-:

 

[the green vanper]

Yes but it depends on the hill too, there are some very steep hills. (-:

Yes, but I assume the OP knows the physics

And I think that a check with MES should confirm if everything is OK with the engine and the van.

 

[simon_16vpunto]

Unfortunately, they are slow. When I worked at a Fiat main dealer, we had a demonstrator 1.4 Mylife and it wasn’t rapid at all, in fact neither were the 500L’s in 1.4 flavour and they were 16v

It ended up as a courtesy car for the service dept and numerous customers commented on how slow it was.

 

[the green vanper]

Unfortunately, they are slow. When I worked at a Fiat main dealer, we had a demonstrator 1.4 Mylife and it wasn’t rapid at all, in fact neither were the 500L’s in 1.4 flavour and they were 16v

It ended up as a courtesy car for the service dept and numerous customers commented on how slow it was.

Hmm... if the 95 HP is slow, what about the 65 and 77 HP versions of the first generation Doblo? Does it even drive (apparently it was even heavier)?