What's making me lose power?
08-06-2003, 02:02 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
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What's making me lose power?
Hey guys (and girls!),
My engine is stock right now. I remember Stan-Bo saying something in another post about finding where your engine loses power and getting it back. Sounds like a good idea..... I've had my car about a month now and I'm starting to notice a loss of power from about 2500 - 3200 RPM. It's noticeable even when I'm cruisin around town under light acceleration. Kinda hard to describe, but it's like I have steady pressure on the gas, but when it hits that RPM range, I just lose acceleration even though the revs are goin up. After 3200 or so, it picks right back up and keeps goin! Kinda like turbo lag without the turbo! I notice it the most in 1st and 2nd gear, but that's where I'm doing the most accelerating, so that makes sense. So any ideas on what could be causing this? Remember, I have no mods to the engine.
I saw my plug wires look like some cheap aftermarket wires and I was plannin on replacing them, but it doesn't seem like that's it..... so let me hear the ideas! Thanks.
My engine is stock right now. I remember Stan-Bo saying something in another post about finding where your engine loses power and getting it back. Sounds like a good idea..... I've had my car about a month now and I'm starting to notice a loss of power from about 2500 - 3200 RPM. It's noticeable even when I'm cruisin around town under light acceleration. Kinda hard to describe, but it's like I have steady pressure on the gas, but when it hits that RPM range, I just lose acceleration even though the revs are goin up. After 3200 or so, it picks right back up and keeps goin! Kinda like turbo lag without the turbo! I notice it the most in 1st and 2nd gear, but that's where I'm doing the most accelerating, so that makes sense. So any ideas on what could be causing this? Remember, I have no mods to the engine.
I saw my plug wires look like some cheap aftermarket wires and I was plannin on replacing them, but it doesn't seem like that's it..... so let me hear the ideas! Thanks.
08-06-2003, 03:26 AM
#2
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 2,817
When I speak of power loss I mean:
1. Sloppy bushings.
2. Open differencial.
3. Slipping clutch.
4. Clogged air filter.
5. Old plugs.
6. Old oil.
Take a good look at your emissions. I know a lot of guys are haveing a problem with the canister that comes off the intake (I would have the proper name for it but my FSM is in my car and my car is in the shop).
1. Sloppy bushings.
2. Open differencial.
3. Slipping clutch.
4. Clogged air filter.
5. Old plugs.
6. Old oil.
Take a good look at your emissions. I know a lot of guys are haveing a problem with the canister that comes off the intake (I would have the proper name for it but my FSM is in my car and my car is in the shop).
08-06-2003, 10:30 AM
#3
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Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 203
My 92 coupe is doing that to... and thats how I was decribing it to my friend, its like turbo lag with out the turbo... I'm waiting on new wires to come via UPS and I'll see if that helps anything...
08-06-2003, 05:45 PM
#4
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Well, it's good to hear someone else has the same problem!... kinda...
So how did you get the idea it was the wires? What kind are you gettin? Are Magnecor wires still pretty good to go?
So how did you get the idea it was the wires? What kind are you gettin? Are Magnecor wires still pretty good to go?
08-08-2003, 02:42 PM
#10
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Yea Evil, I have run A/C a few times, but this power loss is occuring all the time. I don't think that is it.
Thanks Strizzy. I'll check those out before I decide on some. Also, what plugs do you use? I could just as well replace those too since I'm not sure exactly when they were done last. Are the iridium worth it? or just some Bosch factory replacements?
Thanks Strizzy. I'll check those out before I decide on some. Also, what plugs do you use? I could just as well replace those too since I'm not sure exactly when they were done last. Are the iridium worth it? or just some Bosch factory replacements?
08-20-2003, 09:28 PM
#13
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The weird thing is the problem seems to have disappeared! At least I haven't noticed it in the last week at all! Bad gas maybe? I had been gettin 91-92 oct but last week I filled up with 89, and I haven't noticed any lag. I had already ordered the Magnecor wires, but they haven't shown up yet. I'm sure I need them anyways, but we'll see!
08-20-2003, 11:59 PM
#14
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: sactown bitch
Posts: 673
I find my car laging too. Its a 96 SE and i have the same problem, I remember having way more power but i thought i was just getting used to the car. I use redline synthetic oil all the time now and when i started it helped but i feel the loss again. I just replaced my plugs with some ngk platnums and they are out of the box meaning no gap needs to be set, as specified by nissan. I have noticed that the loss occurs when the clutch fan is running. I hope some new wires will help me!!
08-27-2003, 01:40 AM
#15
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Well, it's pretty interesting that a few other people have the same problem. I got my wires and installed them today (Magnacor KV85). Didn't solve the problem.... Next, I'll try some new plugs. Maybe clean the injectors after that...? Oh yea, like I said before it seemed to go away for about a week, but then I noticed it back again. And now it still is there. It seems to do it more when it's cold, or possibly when the clutch fan is running like s14.5boy said. Weird........ I'll keep tryin things! Can't hurt to replace the plugs and wires anyways.