HELP NEEDED!!! (Underpowered 172)

[Vtec Abuser]

Ive just been out in my mates sisters MII 172, which she got a few weeks ago. Me and my mate couldnt help feeling that it wasnt running as well as a 172 should do. Now ive driven a couple and just think theres something wrong. We took it on our local by-pass on a section which is uphill and where I can pull 130 in my Civic, the Clio just flattened out at 109mph and just wouldnt seem to go anymore. And I know there not that much slower than my Civic.

My mates got a 106 GTI and I would swear that if we put them against each other, the 106 would wipe the floor with it no problems.

Ive had a look at the cold air feeds to the filter ( like Simon172 mentioned on another post) and cant seem to see anything wrong, no pipes twisted..etc. I know its not the coldest of days, but its overcast here and I dont think the climate is the problem.

Any help would be appriciated lads...

Cheers, Ben.

 

[mikeherts]

If she only got it a few weeks ago, then is it run in properly yet? (not that it should make a massive difference in performance anyway)

If its all run in then I think its just crappy Renault quality control. There does seem to be huge differences in the output of 172s and whether that is due to quality control or how they were run in, I dont know.

Im in the same club as her with the performance so I know exactly what you are talking about.

The sealing of my fate was when a mate of mine who has a Saxo VTR (yes, VTR not VTS) was DISAPPOINTED by my 172. That said it all for me and suffice to say I wont be keeping mine for long nor recommending them!! I knew it felt slow to me, but when someone who drives a car with so much less power thinks that it feels sluggish, something is wrong!

 

[Vtec Abuser]

Well hers is a 51 plate, done 14500 miles so it is run in, I was just very dissapointed in it to be honest. Think she is taking it back to Renault to see if anything is amiss.

 

[telford_mike]

Might be an idea to get a rolling road printout if Renault cant help. A healthy 172 should be making around 150bhp at the wheels.

 

[rt172]

Isnt there meant to be some problem with the VVT on some 172s? PM C1BA and ask him for info on this as he seems to know something about it. Think its something like a faulty VVT switch not activating.

I also remember Capt. Slarty disconnecting the electronics for the VVT and finding that it made no difference at all to the performance on his car.

 

[Vtec Abuser]

Ah right, nice one mate. Ill ask him, theres definitely something not right with it anyway. If it was the VVT would the engine management light be on?

 

[Jonny106gti]

I also reckon it could be something to do with the cat, as its making a few tinny noises. Which im pretty sure would give it a performance loss if it was on its way out. Cause the same happened on my 106 GTI.

 

[Simon172]

When you say tinny noises do you mean ticking when its switched off after a ragging? apart from the pipes im not sure of what else. Is it running on the 98 ron fuel that it recommends on the petrol filler flap? is it an import? I think i read somewhere on here once that the Dutch(?) imports had 160 bhp and not 172? god knows!

Maybe it wasnt razzed from new and hasnt loosened up properly. A friends mums Boat Carlton has done over 100k miles and the engine has never revved about about 3500 rpm! its an auto and she has driven it like Miss Daisy since the beginning. I sat with it parked up revving it and even if i floored the throttle it wouldnt rev past 4000!!! flat out in neutral. How seized up is that?!

 

[Rasclart]

Get it checked!! Some are like that!

Mate with a 106 Gti managed to keep up with a 172 from 40MPH to 120MPH, with the 172 pulling half a car length!!! Now he has raced another 172 and it wiped the floor with him. And before you say the other bloke wasnt giving some he was!!!

Get it checked out mate!! How she has driven it does affect like simon says!!

 

[Neil82]

My pals 172 runs 15.8 1/4 mile @86 mph same place Teady runs 15.1 @ 93 i run 14.8. He also said he raced his pals 106 GTi and it kept up with him now if a Gti raced a good 172 it should get mullered so id take it back to Renault and get them to flash the ECU with the most upto date settings etc ( i think they can do that?)and also get the exhaust/cat checked out and also maybe get a new/aftermarket panel filter. I really wish someone would work out why there are slow 172s about then maybe they wont go about shaming the 172 name

 

[Jim172CUP]

what is that ticking when yo switch off? is it something cooling down?metal expanding?

 

[Simon172]

I guess it must be.

Theres definately a fair load of bad 172s about (possibly more than good ones) as ive heard my mates VTS keep up and beat one on one occaision. Ive raced this blue mk.2 172 and left a huge amount of car lengths between us a few times. The VTS is regularly driven hard as he races/ed me since ive had my car, pretty much every weekend for ages.

The 172 driver asked me what mods id had done. Just standard and driven properly!

 

[paddymph]

Im forever getting asked what my mods are, people are floored when i tell em its standard. Mine was leathered from day 1 and im sure its better for it? I wouldnt have thought its anything to do with the cat or the rattly road. Id get it onto a decent rollers for a check up of how its all running.

 

[viceroy]

I reckon its true about how you drive the car determines its performance potential

When I got my car at 20,000km on it, it didnt seem as fast as it is now with 33,000km. I dont rag it to death but I do try keep the revs up where they belong.

The other night however I was on my way home when a 1.8 Seat Cordoba tried his luck with me and although I clobbered him I wasnt too impressed...till the morning when I saw that the aircon light was on (Id hit the aircon instead of the internal blower, and the reason I didnt notice cold air was because the heater was on full)

 

[andysport]

I think my 172 is about the right power. My mate has a 106 gti and i still beat him when i have 4 up (only just mind).

 

[paddymph]

dont about anyone else but id get beat for sure if i tried racign a gti/vts with 4 people in mine?!

 

[Turkish]

Quote: Originally posted by Jim172CUP on 02 June 2003

what is that ticking when yo switch off? is it something cooling down?metal expanding?

contracting, and yeah just exhaust heatsheilds nothing to worry about

 

[cerbera4.5]

definatley something in the vvt thing causing a problem ,not the cat mine does the 4000 rpm buzz and my car flies,had a vts before and its well quicker,,also heard about cars driven more perform better with miles,i.e not ragged but driven quickly using more than 4000 rpm etc,mid you mines a mk1 and i believe there are more mk2s with this underpowered,ecu prob than mk1.

youy really should be able to do them for false advertising ,your buying the car on the premise it has 172 bhp AS ADVERTISED ffs!you get it tested and its kicking out 160 bhp!

 

[livio]

ive ragged the balls off my clio from the day after it was run in,a 106 gti is nothing im always racing the more exotic cars out there and they hate me for it,im no boy racer 37 in fact and having bags of fun in my car

 

[Simon172]

chrismvts

Forum User




Saxo VTS
28 August 2002
3 Posts








Hi, I race Simon172 all the time and Iveonly beaten him once. Admittadly he only just bought the car and had a bad start the 172 old shape beats my stock vts easily. I even raced him up a hill when he had a full car and he beat me Ive only ever raced 1 new shape 172 and I beat it. Is there a difference between the 2 models or is Si just a better driver? The new shape one aI raced was from Tradesales (the importers) so it might not be the same spec as
"dont about anyone else but id get beat for sure if i tried racign a gti/vts with 4 people in mine?! "



I guess im the anyone else ! Paddy - keep that right foot welded mate..

 

[rt172]

Quote: Originally posted by Vtec Abuser on 01 June 2003

Ah right, nice one mate. Ill ask him, theres definitely something not right with it anyway. If it was the VVT would the engine management light be on?

Dont think that disconnecting the VVT did turn the light on actually. Try disconnecting it on this car and see if makes a difference. If no difference than I guess youve found the problem.

Capt. Slarty showed me where it was. If i remember right, its on the left side of the inlet manifold as you look at it. Just some wires and a plastic clip. Ask BenR is C1BA cant help to tell you where it is.

Rhys

 

[philip]

its worthwhile taking the car into renault minute service and asking them to run a diagnostic on the engine. One obvious example is a temperature sensor on the back left hand side of the inlet manifold under the engine cover. If that plays up you loose up to 15 bhp. Its a common problem known by reno