After having no motor for 5 years and installing a junkyard motor this summer, my car is finally officially on the road, registered (past emissions somehow) and most of the kinks have been worked out. Now it's running cool, idle is stable, there are no leaks anywhere since all the seals are fresh and it's reliable enough to use as my daily driver once again.
Now, the last issue with it, is that it feels like it's about 30-40hp low on the top end. It has gobs of torque to about 2500 rpm and that's it. The torque just seems to flatten out and drop off quickly past that. The engine is trying. It sounds like it want's to go fast, but it just isn't there. Here are my symptoms:
I have no codes, and the motor is basically completely stock. I have a TwEECer, so I may try to look into it that way.
I ran a couple cans of Seafoam through it and is helped a tiny bit, but it was no magic bullet.
Could this be a bad head gasket? I never did pull the heads.
Thanks for any help!!
Now, the last issue with it, is that it feels like it's about 30-40hp low on the top end. It has gobs of torque to about 2500 rpm and that's it. The torque just seems to flatten out and drop off quickly past that. The engine is trying. It sounds like it want's to go fast, but it just isn't there. Here are my symptoms:
- Low power over 3k rpm, the car just doesn't pull like it should.
- Some greyish smoke in the exhaust when I punch it at around 2500-3000 rpm.
- Pinging at WOT, but not in CL.
- Some occasional backfiring on tip-in, just as I change gears and start to gas it again.
- MAF Sensor is clean
- Spark plugs are Autolight 24s (IIRC)
- Coil and distributor are new
- Fuel pump and filter are new
- PCV valve is new (but I had to remove the filter)
I have no codes, and the motor is basically completely stock. I have a TwEECer, so I may try to look into it that way.
I ran a couple cans of Seafoam through it and is helped a tiny bit, but it was no magic bullet.
Could this be a bad head gasket? I never did pull the heads.
Thanks for any help!!