Lacking in power

[sharky2202]

Hello
We have just purchased a 2006 Clio 3 1.6 16v for a cheap run around but it’s lacking in power especially up hills, any ideas would be appreciated before we take it to the garage

 

[Louis]

Hello
We have just purchased a 2006 Clio 3 1.6 16v for a cheap run around but it’s lacking in power especially up hills, any ideas would be appreciated before we take it to the garage

Use a lower gear, but seriously. What's the issue? Any flashing EML?

 

[sharky2202]

Use a lower gear, but seriously. What's the issue? Any flashing EML?

Funny, on the flat it’s fine but uphill even in 2nd it seems to struggle

 

[Ol’ Tarby]

Is it definitely broke, or is it just slow?

Any other symptoms at all? Rough idle? Missing? Etc

 

[sharky2202]

It’s fine to drive on the flat but we live in the mountains and when going up hill at 30 mph it seems to struggle in 2nd gear, it idles fine and doesn’t seem to be missing

 

[Louis]

It’s fine to drive on the flat but we live in the mountains and when going up hill at 30 mph it seems to struggle in 2nd gear, it idles fine and doesn’t seem to be missing

It's not going to be great up a hill at 30mph anyway really!

 

[sharky2202]

It's not going to be great up a hill at 30mph anyway really!

Even if I get to 60 mph in 3rd it struggles and I then have to go into second

 

[Louis]

Even if I get to 60 mph in 3rd it struggles and I then have to go into second

It's hard to say without getting it plugged in. Could be a number of things. Has it been serviced recently?

 

[sharky2202]

It's hard to say without getting it plugged in. Could be a number of things. Has it been serviced recently?

That’s my first step it’s going into the garage for a full service and maybe a bottle of cataclean and then I’ll see what it’s like

 

[Louis]

That’s my first step it’s going into the garage for a full service and maybe a bottle of cataclean and then I’ll see what it’s like

Dont waste your time with any cleaners.

 

[Martin_172]

Has it had a timing belt? MK3 uses the VVT engine, it's a similar setup to the 2.0 16v, timing could be out.
They are a reasonably pokey engine so it should feel fine to drive