KA Lacking power, help?

[LA_phantom_240]

Okay, I picked up my new '93 vert yesterday and drove it home. Its got 109k miles on it, has an auto tranny, and everything is stock to my knowledge. So driving home I noticed that at constant speeds with the motor turning less than about 3.5k rpms. I replaced the distributor cap and rotor, as well as the spark plugs. The wires are on order. The car is still acting sluggish. Im going to replace the fuel filter as well, but I would imagine that if the filter was dirty, i wouldn't have power at higher speeds, where I would need more fuel. I have to grab my timing light to make sure thats not out of whack. Any other suggestions?

[savannaae]

Add a turbo. :)

[LA_phantom_240]

...thanks...

Any other useful info?

[Ninjabread]

Most likely timing, mine had that issue.

[LA_phantom_240]

K. Ill go buy a new light. My dad's old light has seen better days. And Im gonna give it a seafoaming.

[locodrftr]

Do a compression test and see what the numbers are,
also check to make sure your exhaust is not somehow plugged..exhaust plug is pretty noticable low end power loss. My co workers single cam ka had a plugged exhaust and it felt sluggish. wasnt totally plugged but very very restricted put in a new cat and good as new..

[KA-T_240]

Not to sound like an ass: but throwing part at a problem is not the best way to fix it. Granted most the parts should be replaced for a good tune up.

Auto KA's unless boosted are extremely sluggish. They never well feel like a 5-speed or anywhere close to it. Converts also have alot more wieght, also slowing the car down. If you want more get up and go swap to a 5-speed for starters

Did you Check your air filter? check for codes on the ecu? compression and leakdown test also help?

[LA_phantom_240]

Not to sound like an ass: but throwing part at a problem is not the best way to fix it. Granted most the parts should be replaced for a good tune up.

Auto KA's unless boosted are extremely sluggish. They never well feel like a 5-speed or anywhere close to it. Converts also have alot more wieght, also slowing the car down. If you want more get up and go swap to a 5-speed for starters

Did you Check your air filter? check for codes on the ecu? compression and leakdown test also help?

Can't do a compression test yet, my dad's tester is broken.

I would understand being slower than my 5 speed fastback was, but this is more like NO power at certain speeds, as in if I keep my foot steady on the pedal I lose speed and RPM's, unlike tranny slipping where it would act more like a slipping clutch under a load.

The cat is a good place to start I suppose, it makes sense. I don't think its completely clogged, as the car doesnt overheat, and loss of power isnt present only after warmup (typical bad cat signs). I gotta check the air filter as well. I only replaced the pugs and what not because I by the owner's dad (who was selling the car for her while she's at college), that it had been at least a year since its last tuneup.

I also seafoamed it and DAMN there was a lot of smoke. Ive never had this much smoke come from a single seafoaming. I noticed when I took off the brake booster line that the engine kept running pretty steady with the line off. Usually when I do this on most vehicles they freak out and idle low and try to correct it. Im thinking maybe I have a vacuum leak as well.

[zerooath]

im having that same problem now..just not as severe really...

i added injector cleaner today and ran premium fuel and the problem let up A LOT but still sluggish at high speeds and sometime while just driving to the store and back.

i bought a fuel filter today but never had time to change it..im doing that tomorrow.

[LA_phantom_240]

Hmm... lmk how it goes.

[1Via!]

There is a difference between an engine having a certain amount of power and that engine feeling sluggish because of some component that is hindering it from producing all of the power it is capable of. Lets not be cocky and just assume that it is the latter.

The basic maintainance things I would do are, seafoam the engine, change the oil, change the transmission lube, and change the differential oil.

From there, there are a variety of other things I've done that have seen noticable results.
-new o2 sensor
-water temperature sensor
-grounding 'kit'
-cleaning throttle body
-setting timing

Also, something to consider is that your automatic transmission is on its last legs.

[LA_phantom_240]

There is a difference between an engine having a certain amount of power and that engine feeling sluggish because of some component that is hindering it from producing all of the power it is capable of. Lets not be cocky and just assume that it is the latter.

The basic maintainance things I would do are, seafoam the engine, change the oil, change the transmission lube, and change the differential oil.

From there, there are a variety of other things I've done that have seen noticable results.
-new o2 sensor
-water temperature sensor
-grounding 'kit'
-cleaning throttle body
-setting timing

Also, something to consider is that your automatic transmission is on its last legs.

at 109k miles, would it be common to have the tranny go out? It goes into gear nicely, and pulls well when the car catches power.. The fluid is also a decent orangeish color, with no burned smell.

Like I said, the car has decent power to it, but all too often it just lacks any authority whatsoever. Even when I floor it it neither the car nor the engine accelerates. If I pump the pedal a couple times I can get a little power, or if I floor it and get it to downshift to about 3.5k rpms, she's throwing me back.

[LFOabuse]

^^ I agree - def check the o2 sensor. If it is broken or disconnected it can cause very poor performance at low rpms.

[LA_phantom_240]

Cool. Ill go grab the sensor off my fastback, as well as my mafs.

[Revhard_s14]

If none of the above posts solve your problem then maybe it's your fuel pump? I remember when mine was going out it felt extremely sluggish and had no power at all.

[LA_phantom_240]

I like having a parts car :D

Cool. So I'll go ahead and grab the parts I said I was gonna grab, and also clean my vacuum lines to the iacv and what not.

So, with today being my day off, looks like I got my work cut out for me.

[LA_phantom_240]

Thanks for all your help, guys, but while inspecting my motor after seafoaming, I found this:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/phantom240/P1010019.jpg
Yep. It was a mafs problem. The mafs was reading that there was less air than there really was. So I start er up with the seafoam...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/phantom240/P1010020.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/phantom240/P1010021.jpg
Runs like a top now. :D

[1Via!]

Sweet. The best fixes are the easy ones.