My car has decided that it hates 1st. If I am sitting still, and stomp it, first gear doesn't launch. The car accelerates, but MUCH slower than it used to. The rev-time seems to be lagging. It doesn't rev as fast as it should and seems bogged down. Once it hits second, it starts acting more like it used to, but the higher RPMs don't make the power they used to. I don't know if it is the transmission slipping, the timing advance being fooked up, or a combination of the two. It doesn't really feel as though it is slipping, but I don't know for sure. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

No, it is not the transmission. The transmission "slipping" won't make the engine not "rev as fast".

One out of 2 things is happening. The engine isn't making the power it used to.... the most likely cause..... after all, the simplest explanation that fits all the facts, is usually the right one..... or, your torque converter is FUBAR. I highly doubt it's the converter. I'd be far more inclined to suspect the former.

Timing advance could be screwed up, but only if you've screwed it up. It doesn't really just up and move around by itself. If you've changed it, put it back where it was when it ran better, and see if it's more like it used to be.

 

I've not changed the timing since.... This spring, I think. And it ran fine after that untill recently. Could the knock sensor be causing the timing to be retarded? Can they go bad or send a bad signal?

 

Could be; if it's been messed with.

Over-tightening it will make it super-sensitive.

If you haven't messed with it, it's probably not the problem.

Is the distributor bolt tight? Since you've messed with that in the recent past, the bolt could be loose, and may have backed off or just not have been tight enough and the dist may have moved; and its natural direction of motion, is to retard itself.

Re-check your work.

 

By this spring, I meant the spring of 05. I forgot that spring is already upon us. I'll check the distributer and the timing and see if that is the issue. If not, I'l try the knock sensor. I need to change my trans fluid, so I'll do that while I'm at it. The gas mileage has plunged since this started... could it be related?

 

Yes

Points at the timing hold-down bolt having been left too loose