Ok so after everything i got my car finally on the road. I bought it for $1100 and put $800 into it. I love the thing theres no rust and its running like a champ. Now that i got everything mechanically settled enough to cruise around in, I insured and registered the car. Drove it today and its a blast its really a fun drive. That being said, i noticed it wasnt very peppy, i understand its 19 years old and toilet bowl injected but still I decided to have a friend use a stop watch and get a 0-60 rough estimate. I got 14 seconds, is this realistic? Im thinking a vacuum leak because the car was sitting for atleast 6 years before i bought it and the lines are probably dry rotted, the TB unit was rebuilt new fuel pump and brakes were overhauled. Also, theres a somewhat high pitched sound if i open the hood, sounds like one of the pulley bearings. All that aside its been a great experience with it. If anyone could offer any input id be very greatful.

 

14 seconds to 60 a hummer h2 is faster than that if you have a iphone download the free dyno app thats th real way or go to the 1/8 dragstrip i run a 9.7 second 1/8 mile in my 92 firebird 305 tbi at 71 mph

 

0-60 in 14 that is terrible, my old altima would whoop the crap out of you, make sure your friend is timing it right... With that time it shouldn't feel too peppy. Make sure you don't have a v6

 

No thirdgen should be that slow, except mebe the old duke, but even the v6 cars run a 17 second 1/4 mile, if its THAT slow, something is probably wrong, as always I suggest you start with a tuneup(esp buying an old used car), could just be clogged fuel or air filter choking it up, or old plugs, etc.

 

I did a full tune up fresh fuel pump fuel filter plugs wires cap rotor new air cleaner. Im thinking vacuum leak.

 

Buy a vacuum gauge from the parts store, They're great for diagnosing problems and getting baseline readings. I dont mean an in-car gauge, but a diagnostic gauge. Very useful.

 

4-cylinder base model?

Vacuum leak shouldn't affect your performance like that, they'll typically give you problems at the low end of the RPM range, stuff like surging and idle control issues.

 

Timing way off? Clogged cat?

 

a bad enough leak can most definitely cause a huge power sap.

 

I went on a cruise on the seaford oyster bay and after 15 minutes the SES came on. I checked it and it was 21 for TPS but it went away after i restarted the car. That makes sense that the TPS wouldn't be sensing the right position and adding the right fuel. I think im just going to put a new sensor in and calibrate it be done with it. Ive been driving it all over, this is a blast to drive and im learning so much about cars, but i really only know so little which is why i like learning about them so much, theres just so much information. Tomorrow im gonna adjust my cable spray some throttle body cleaner to check for vacuum leaks and then buy a new and adjust my throttle position sensor. Sometimes i can feel the pep and others i dont. Im really thinking its the TPS.

 

Well i had the money and replaced all my sensors regardless, not that expensive and took like 10 minutes to replace. Also I would recommend replacing the vacuum lines if your going to do something cheap. My 20 year old vacuum lines looked like crap, now they are shiny and clean and I was able to route them better. The idiot before me routed them wherever he thought they should go, I had to completely reroute ALL my vacuum lines :/

 

I might as well, when i replaced the CTS the prongs were rusted to the pins hahah, i wouldn't put it past the TPS either. Ill have it replaced tomorrow, im hoping it makes a difference.

 

Can't hurt Right?

 

my car used to have like 20 vacuum lines, now it has like 3, FPR, brake booster and PCV, nothing like an uncluttered engine bay :P

 

Did you just cap them? I got rid of 2 when i switched to my edlebrock air cleaner. Oh you have an 85 and dont need emissions equipment anymore. Well im just gonna have to replace all mine and chaqnge out the TPS and take it from there

 

90% of the vac hoses on my car were emissions related, and I've removed all the emissions equipment. I like a nice clean simple uncluttered engine bay, I've removed or simplified a lot of things in it.

 

rip all the computer stuff out and carb it,dont ever have to worry abt ses ces or preformance problems due to eletronics.also makes life easy