NO POWER AT ALL?!?!?!?!??

[chris89]

ok so i just had a new headgasket installed and put new ARP head bolts and got it all together and it runs ok... like it's starts fine and idles fantastic better than it has ever idled but it seems there's not much power like i can't go up a slight incline at 50 mph in 5th without having to Nail it or down shift... What could be the problem? could it be the o2 sensor? could it be ruined from the BHG? I'm pretty sure it's timing related... it's not doing this anymore well atleast i haven't noticed yet but when i went to pick the car up tonight right when i started it up and rev it a few times it died.. then it was really hard to start like it sounded so close to firing right up but wouldn't i had to pump the gas ALOT to get it to finally start up again. Also would there be any reason why the intake is a whole lot louder now?

 

[cuel]

Who did the work on this car? Just curious...

5th is for cruising, not power. You should downshift to speed up anyway. How's it pull in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd? If I want to move faster, go up a hill, or pass, I'll downshift to third(at 50mph). On the highway, at 65-70, I'm cruising in 5th, I'll still downshift to fourth to pass, go up a steep hill, or speed up for whatever reason. Driving a standard is about knowing what gear to use, at any particular speed, to get the optimum results you need at the time. To pass, or go up a hill, even a slight one, you need to be in the correct gear to use the amount of torque available at a particular rpm to move you efficiently and easily. So going up a slight hill at 50 mph in 4th would be ok, but 3rd will get you up even a steep hill or bridge at that speed easily. But that's just my personal opinion. If you want to lug the motor by going up a hill in a high gear at low speeds, please, be my guest.

"Pumping the gas" on an efi motor is only making your leg tired. That's also the best way to flood a carbureted motor. Could be possible that your loud intake and hard start problem are linked. Check for vacuum leaks.

 

[chris89]

I know how to properly operate a standard transmission. Is there anyway i could just easily hook some gauge up to insantly tell me that there's a leak somewhere? That sounds like a very likely cause. That 50mph in 5th on a slight incline is a bad description of the problem. Just accelerating in any gear no matter what rpm.. there's just way less power.

 

[AJ'S 88NA]

I know how to properly operate a standard transmission. Is there anyway i could just easily hook some gauge up to insantly tell me that there's a leak somewhere? That sounds like a very likely cause. That 50mph in 5th on a slight incline is a bad description of the problem. Just accelerating in any gear no matter what rpm.. there's just way less power.

You didn't answer cuel's question, who did the work on the car?

Was the timing gears lined up right with the crank pully, what's your timing set at and was it set with the jumper wire, checked your AFM connections, checked your vac lines, and checked to make sure they are connected right? Several things can be causing your problem.

You have to narrow things down a bit, and no there is no magical gauge you can hook up to tell you what is wrong with it.

 

[cuel]

Smoke testing will tell you where the vacuum leak is, if there is one. A vacuum gauge will tell you if there's a leak. There could be numerous other problems, as well. Timing could be off still, fuel delivery problems, air delivery problems, weak spark, etc. You could have put low compression pistons from the GTE in. I'm just guessing based on your general description.

 

[steven89]

I had a similar problem after I did my HG. The problem on mine was timing and a boost leak [the coupler right before the TB]. So, yeah. hah