Polo power loss

[JamesC]

Hi,

This is a 55bhp 2002 polo 1.2 (the 3 cylinder one)

My polo loses power when it's been at 70ish for more than a couple of minutes, often dropping it to 4th or 3rd then back up returns the power but not always.

Here's what I've tried so far:

fuel filter, spark plugs (ones I removed were black), air filter

I'm not really sure what it could be. I was told when I bought the car that it had just been serviced (well, I negotiated it in to the price) which states my oil/oil filter were changed but about 3k miles later, my oil is black compared to the colour in my mums car which had its oil change at a similar time.

Any idea what it could be? as the car is unusable at the moment for anything but city driving (and where's the fun in that :beerchug:)

Thanks

[DFMM]

Hi,

This is a 55bhp 2002 polo 1.2 (the 3 cylinder one)

My polo loses power when it's been at 70ish for more than a couple of minutes, often dropping it to 4th or 3rd then back up returns the power but not always.

Here's what I've tried so far:

fuel filter, spark plugs (ones I removed were black), air filter

I'm not really sure what it could be. I was told when I bought the car that it had just been serviced (well, I negotiated it in to the price) which states my oil/oil filter were changed but about 3k miles later, my oil is black compared to the colour in my mums car which had its oil change at a similar time.

Any idea what it could be? as the car is unusable at the moment for anything but city driving (and where's the fun in that :beerchug:)

Thanks

You MUST look after the oil and give it the best, MOBIL 1 ESP 5W30 fully synthetic oil, as the timing-chain tensioner had to be revised in 2004 as the plastic guides and tensioner parts were breaking up, partly due to the reliance on a hydraulic capsule to push the tensioner. With the plastic parts breaking-up, the chain on the12Valve 1200 engines jumped the exhaust sprocket teeth, and often bent valves.
VAG are even contributing good-will payments if broken-chains are repaired in VAG garages.
A check-up of your chain-drive may be advised, as well as the oil/filter job. ( basically cheap oil and short trip use will knacker the tensioner, due to carbon in that capsule ).