Okay, I found my GF a 1996 LS vert 2.4 5 speed with a blown motor a year ago. I put a new motor in it with a centerforce dual friction clutch intake and pacesetter header. I dont know why but it just seems like it cant get up to high RPMs. I dont think I could even get it up to 6,000 RPMs, with the gas to the floor. Is it possible I have a clogged cat? I know the 2.4 is not that slow, lol but the current set up it has now is a 2.4 with 72K header into the stock exhaust. I dont know what it is buy it cant get up to the red line without sounding like its going to blow up, lol.
What could it be?
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
it could be a clogged cat. have you tried the rag test?
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Does your exhaust smell like eggs? It could also be the difference of wear and tear with your motor compared to hers.
www.kronosperformance.com / 732-742-8837
clogged cat , clogged fuel filter , clogged air filter , bad fuel pump
all are good possibilities
Okay I have a few Q's
Rag test, can you explain that?
The exhaust doesnt smell like eggs HOWEVER the cat does have 122K on it so i am not sure.
As for my motor compared to hers I dont really know, I bought my car when I was 15 and put an exhaust system and intake, header and mounts so never drove the car stock. Never had this problem. Like I said it can BARELY hit 6K, even 5500 in first without sounding like its going to vlow up.
As far as the fuel filter, why would that kill performance really? Wouldnt it create a lean condition? And how would I got about checking the fuel pump?
Thanks guys I am going to check the cat, something tells me its that. The car has 122K on it and the tranny but I got the engine out of an oldsmobile with 70K, shouldnt be that beat up.
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
A plugged fuel filter will cause leaning out as RPM's increase. If you floor it and it loses power as RPM's climb, the fuel filter is the first thing to check. After that, it could be the fuel pump and then the injectors and regulator. Probably not the injectors and regulator though, as it is very unlikely for all four injectors to have issues without throwing an engine code.
I don't exactly know how you test for a plugged cat. I believe it's something to the extent of holding a rag in the tailpipe to see if the engine runs the same. If the engine runs the same, then it is already plugged at the cat. If the rag causes the engine to stumble and slow, then the cat is most likely fine. I know the only 100% sure fire way to check it is to take it off the car and look through it.
the easiest way to check clogged cat is to drop the down pipe from the manifold , or to tap on it and find out if something is loose inside
other way is to remove the o2 sensor and put a pressure gauge on it , if the pressure builds up over 2-3 psi there is a major restriction in the exhaust
fuel filters need to be replaced around once a year to 18 months , or between 20-25k miles , you can pull the filter off and blow into it , and if you can blow through it its clogged
they are cheap , and if you can remember the last time it was changed , its best to just do it
i wouldnt say its the cat just on milage
Thats exactly what my 3.1 is doing. It just has no power..wont rev. Car runs fine unless you step on it. Ive changed coil pack,wires,plugs,fuel filter,injectors and fuel rail. Next on the list is the fuel pump..im gonna have a new car when im done
I hope its the fuel filter, I havent changed it and I dont know about the previous owner. She doesnt drive much and only put like 4,000 miles on it in 9 months. I really want it to perform great, I know it isnt what the 2.4 can do. Its almost as slow as her old 2.2 5 speed, lol.
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
Forgot to mention guys, it has a stumble upon acceleration, what could this be? I assume part of the problem, with stumbling acceleration and no high RPMs does it look like a fuel filter problem? I am going to pick up some fuel injector cleaner too. What is that stuff in a can that cleans the engine really well? I remember seeing someone with a picture of it, all kinds of crap was blwing out the exhaust really cleaned out the engine well.
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
By new motor do you mean a new used motor?
You can always try taking off the throttle body and cleaning that real well. Or heck if you real adventurous take the whole intake mani off. Then run some sea foam through it to clean the carbon out.
Make sure the plugs are gapped correctly and that the spark plug boots and springs are in good shape.
Hmm, all good ideas I will try. So basically this week some time I will do a major tune up on the car.
I got the new fuel filter, oil change, filter, take off intake mani and clean that, TB, and injector cleaner. I gotta get this thing running mint, I know its faster. I am getting a high flow cat, I think thats the problem.
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
Friend of mine had a 94 sunbird (3.1). He was popping EGR valves his cat was so clogged up. It ran similar to what your describing, just worse.
I checked his cat by drilling a small hole in front of the cat and just letting it run. Ran MUCH better, so try pulling the O2 sensor BEFORE the cat and firing it up. It'll sound funny, but if it runs better then you have some restriction, likely at the cat.
ImportFyghter: This applies to your problem too. More so, since it was on the 3.1 that I discovered this. If you can pull your O2 sensor out before the cat, see if it runs better. You might throw a code because the O2 won't be reading normal exhaust, but it shouldn't even have to get out of open loop running mode to see an improvement. You'll run rich for a minute with the sensor out, but otherwise it should indicate if you're having a problem with a choked up exhaust system.
Definitely check anything else that can clog also. Filters and the like.
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Sleeper style, they don't see it coming that way.
Okay I am getting the cat really soon for the car, I hope thats it. It is a RK cat, will this set up sound bad, pacesetter header, RK cat and stock cat back.
http://members.cardomain.com/vertz24 1998 Z24 Convertible
The official clinically proven rag test works as follows: wrap a shop rag around your cat. Go drive around the block (as in an under 5 minute trip). If the rag hasn't started on fire by the time you get back, your cat is just fine.
I was a retard, and now I'm permanently banned.
