HUGE power loss

[fire98bird]

Ok. I have a 1998 3.8 Firebird and just replaced the tension assembly and oil pressure sensor. Tensioner was worn out, belt slipped, hit the sensor. But after all this is fixed the car has a huge power loss. It runs fine for abour 2 or 3 minutes. Then you can kick the car down and it will just rev to about 3500 rpms and will not put any power out. Im lucky to get 60 mph. Oh and Diagnostics test said cylinder misfire, but plugs and plug wires were replaced about 3 months ago. Anyone know if running it while the oil pressure sensor is bad will cause a plug to foul? Im thinking it could be fuel pump or injectors =\. Im just hoping its not going to cost a lot to fix as its just messing up at the worst time =\

[winnipegcamaro]

Re: HUGE power loss

i jsut had a problem with my engine boggin down on accel, it was a bad cat converter for me so check that, after that check coil packs. gl

[fire98bird]

Re: HUGE power loss

i jsut had a problem with my engine boggin down on accel, it was a bad cat converter for me so check that, after that check coil packs. gl

This could be the problem, there is a vibrating noise coming from that area of the car. How can I check that? Just take it to a garage?

[winnipegcamaro]

Re: HUGE power loss

went to midas and got mine changed 2 days ago and the guy brought me under the car and banged on the cat with his hand and i could hear broken peices and a rattle. so u can try it yourself to hear for the sound or take it to a muffler shop they can replace it for you. buy a high performance one to replace the stock bs before though.

[fire98bird]

Re: HUGE power loss

went to midas and got mine changed 2 days ago and the guy brought me under the car and banged on the cat with his hand and i could hear broken peices and a rattle. so u can try it yourself to hear for the sound or take it to a muffler shop they can replace it for you. buy a high performance one to replace the stock bs before though.

About what price would I be looking at?

[Crazed98Camaro]

Re: HUGE power loss

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/94106...spagenameZWDVW

Stock will be a lot more.
Just find out if its the cat.

[winnipegcamaro]

Re: HUGE power loss

well the cat cost me 80 bucks + shipping, install was about $120

[fire98bird]

Re: HUGE power loss

Ive decided Im just gonna cut the cat off and either straight pipe it or gut the cat. Can anyone help me out here, cuz Ive never fooled around with that stuff? Places to cut and whatnot.

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: HUGE power loss

if you dont know what you're doing with exhaust take it to a shop, there's alot going on by the cat... make sure its the cat before you do anything

if you have a misfire code, that cat won't throw that. there's another problem.

crank position sensor?

[Pathogen]

Re: HUGE power loss

ONLY DO THIS IF THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING! The cat (exhaust for that matter) gets very very hot.

Disconnect the pipe behind the cat. If you're on stock exhaust, it'll be a slip fit connection.

Look inside the cat to see if the peices are broken up. If you want to gut the cat while you're down there, Jam a pipe into the thing a few times and remove the peices as they break off - then start the car and revv it a few times with the pipe disconnect to clear the small peices out.

Make sure to tell us if this fixes your problem. ;)

[Meatyshells]

Re: HUGE power loss

wjat was the code?

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: HUGE power loss

ONLY DO THIS IF THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING! The cat (exhaust for that matter) gets very very hot.

Disconnect the pipe behind the cat. If you're on stock exhaust, it'll be a slip fit connection.

Look inside the cat to see if the peices are broken up. If you want to gut the cat while you're down there, Jam a pipe into the thing a few times and remove the peices as they break off - then start the car and revv it a few times with the pipe disconnect to clear the small peices out.

Make sure to tell us if this fixes your problem. ;)

Your stock cat to S-Pipe connection was slip fit?

[Pathogen]

Re: HUGE power loss

Your stock cat to S-Pipe connection was slip fit?

In my 2000 is its. The sucker kept falling off the car when I was driving!

*thinks... maybe that was after the S....

Doggonit-- now I'm starting to think that was my 3.4....

Ive decided Im just gonna cut the cat off and either straight pipe it or gut the cat. Can anyone help me out here, cuz Ive never fooled around with that stuff? Places to cut and whatnot.

Second thought, take it to a shop.... but tell us which code the car is throwing.

[Firebirdkid96]

Re: HUGE power loss

In my 2000 is its. The sucker kept falling off the car when I was driving!

*thinks... maybe that was after the S....

Doggonit-- now I'm starting to think that was my 3.4....



Second thought, take it to a shop.... but tell us which code the car is throwing.

Lol, only reason I ask is because I happen to have my stock exhaust from manifolds back to I pipe sitting in my garage off of my 96, and the S-Pipe i welded to the cat with the trans mount bracket on it.

If it's a random misifre code I'm willing to bet you either a. have bad ignition components somewhere and the car REALLY is misfiring or,

the car isnt misfiring at all, your crank position sensor is bad, or the stator in the harmonic dampner is bent.

[Pathogen]

Re: HUGE power loss

Lol, only reason I ask is because I happen to have my stock exhaust from manifolds back to I pipe sitting in my garage off of my 96, and the S-Pipe i welded to the cat with the trans mount bracket on it.

If it's a random misifre code I'm willing to bet you either a. have bad ignition components somewhere and the car REALLY is misfiring or,

the car isnt misfiring at all, your crank position sensor is bad, or the stator in the harmonic dampner is bent.

I'm going back to thinking it's plugs/wires.

and MayBad for the exhaust thing.... dang it's been a while since I really thought about stock exhaust. lol