Fiat Punto Active 1.2 (54 plate) No acceleration

[Dimclem]

I did a long motorway drive recently and around an hour into driving the car lost acceleration on a very very slight incline, it then really struggled with uphill for the rest of the journey. This was a couple of weeks ago, and I put it down to the car being fully loaded with the whole family and luggage. But it's still doing it even when it's only me in the car. It also sounds as if I am driving in wet conditions even when the roads are perfectly dry.

There are not warning lights on the dash, and on the flat/downhill I have no problems.

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[timtheenchanter]

when was then last time it was serviced?

 

[Dimclem]

It's due for a service. Last one was a little over a year ago.

 

[Burnerman]

Does the car seem to have a misfire when accellerating, and does the engine idle well? Throttle bodies are a known problem on these.
Other than that, see what happens if you disconnect the MAF sensor at the air cleaner box.
I'm unsure what you mean when you say the car sounds like its being driven in the wet?
John

 

[Dimclem]

Driving through the wet is the best way I can describe what I can hear. It sounds like the sound of tyres on a wet surface.

There's no backfiring and it idles fine.

 

[Burnerman]

This may sound, and probably is, completely nuts but can you see any debris in the exhaust tailpipe - i.e catalytic converter collapse? Does the exhaust note sound muffled, as if theres a restriction in the exhaust gas?
I'd be tempted to take the lambda sensor out of the exhaust manifold and see if power restores...if only at least to rule that one out.
John

 

[Dimclem]

The lambda sensor was replaced last november.

OH says it sounds like it's sucking in air (as opposed to driving in wet conditions)

 

[Burnerman]

The OH may just be right....around the inlet manifold there's a few rubber pipes that may have split or come adrift, so do check them.
If its one leading to a manifold pressure system sensor, then thats the problem.
John