Hey guys, gotta small problem here.

For the last few months, my car has been making absolutely NO power above 3500 RPMS at all. It used to pull strong to 4300 or so. It'll rev that high, but has no pull at all, and still shift around 4500 at WOT, just take FOREVER to get there. You can really feel it, like somone hit a switch, and the power is just gone. Anyway, as of yesterday, it has brand new cap, rotor, wires, plugs, and O2 sensor so i doubt its any of those things, but it didn't help. All the plugs were clean, just a nice light brown tint with no fouling or oil built up.

At all other RPM ranges if feels pretty strong, and is still pulling 20 MPG when i'm easy on it. I also usually do get a check engine light after about 5 minutes of driving, but it hasn't done that all day today, though it did on the drive home after the tune up parts were installed. I know i need to scan the error code, but the problem occurs regardless of the SES light being on or not.

Any gurus have any suggestions? I think I'm gonna post this in the TBI board too just to hopefully get the most responses. Thanks to anyone with any tips!


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88 Camaro (The mighty LO3 SC!)
305TBI/700R4/2.73/125,XXX miles
10" Open Element and Flowmaster 80 seires
Bosch Platinum plugs
Double silicone Accel wires


Next up: headers and gears

 

check your timing, and if necessary check all of your valvetrain componets, and then make sure you get your ECM code scanned to find your general area of your problems, if you need any more help feel free to e-mail at londonaftermid21@aol.com later!!!

 

Fuel filter?

 

Hmm fuel filter good idea, nothing wrong with changing it anyway since *** only knows the last time it was done.

That'd make sense, if its not delivering fuel on the big end. I've also had somone say clogged cat, which is possible, cause it rattles like crazy from junk bouncing around on the inside, i think its time to hollow that sucker out.

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88 Camaro (The mighty LO3 SC!)
305TBI/700R4/2.73/125,XXX miles
10" Open Element and Flowmaster 80 seires
Bosch Platinum plugs
Double silicone Accel wires


Next up: headers and gears

 

If you're running high miles you might want to pay extra attention to the valve springs. Once they go your valves will float at high rpm, destroying compression.

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'88 Camaro, hunter green metallic, T-top
LO3 305 TBI/700r4
Performance mods: MSD Coil
Audio mods: Pioneer DEH-P3000, Pioneer 6x9s, Optimum 260 watt 3 channel amp driving 6x9's, prepping to build sealed glass sub box for single 12"

'86 Camaro, ultra silver metallic /w dark blue metallic racing stripes
2.8l MPFI/700r4 /w special 2nd gear delete option
Misc Mods: Cut air box, '83 Firebird spoiler.
Performance Parts: Accel 8mm wires, SplitFire plugs, Gabriel hijackers, poly swaybar bushings.

My Homepage, with pics.

 

Don't forget the cadillac converter. It could be stopped up.



[This message has been edited by steve8586iroc (edited November 24, 2001).]

 

Cadillac Converter eh? hehe

Worn valvesprings could be the culprit

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Purple Haze 92' RS LO3 5-speed

Waiting To Be Installed:
Open Element with K&N Filter, Jet Stage II Chip, TBI Spacer, Injector Spacer, MSD Coil, and a few other tricks up my sleeve

-Don't buy any wooden nickels

 

Hmm if its valvesprings that'd really suck.
Its burning oil on startup too, puffing a bigass could of smoke almost every time, so the valve seals are shot. Maybe i can have the springs replaced whenever i get that problem worked on too. Damn.... more $$
I'm gonna do what i always do i think, replace the cheap stuff first, and then keep fixing things till the problem goes away.

 

I've been banging my head against the wall with a similar problem for about a year now. It used to pull hard all the way to redline, but now at about 3500 - 4000 rpm (it varies) it's like someone flipping a switch and the power taking a 40hp dive and staying there. I also replaced the cap and rotor, plugs, wires, fuel filter, ran a compression test (190 or 185 in all holes), and replaced the cat with a Random Technology. Nothing helped. A few years ago when I did a dyno run they took it up to 5500rpm and it puffed smoke a couple of times when the valves floated. I haven't seen any smoke from the exhaust when the power drops off, but then again on the dyno it was stationary, not already going 35mph...

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Member Southern California 3rd Generation F Bodies
Co-President Golden State 3rdgens
AOL IM: Andy89RS

 

Banging heads on walls is about right! Thats exactly what mines doing, and, with 125K on the odometer and these rumors i keep hearing that the girl who owned it before me stoplight raced it back n forth across town every friday night for a long time, meaning the motors probably been revved high too many times, I'm starting to face the truth that it could be the valvesprings.

Did you end up replacing them yet? If so did that help?