Engine Performance This section is for discussion on all engine building related questions.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: KPower

Why no more power???

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-08-2012, 12:23 PM
  #21  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
triple88a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,456
Total Cats: 1,799
Default

Sorry mine aren't too floppy so i've never tried that but can you use them as parachute during drag racing?
triple88a is offline  
Old 08-09-2012, 10:53 PM
  #22  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
GraemeD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Colorado
Posts: 166
Total Cats: 6
Default

On my M3 I had a ceramic cat break up and it sound like rocks in the exhaust. I just banged on it with a rubber mallet and could duplicate the sound. After I removed it, a piece had blocked the pipe down stream.
GraemeD is offline  
Old 08-09-2012, 10:57 PM
  #23  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
David603's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 19
Total Cats: 0
Default

Mine aren't that floppy either so I tried the no exhaust ride instead. Results are that it was so loud that it felt it had a lot more power then it actually did so I'm not sure if the exhaust was clogged or not. I will continue to investigate until I decide to buy the wideband and boost gauge (and maybe MS2) but in the meantime here is a little video of the car when it was working great:


Thanks for your help!
David603 is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 12:44 AM
  #24  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
triple88a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,456
Total Cats: 1,799
Default

Wait wait you're RACING this car with no wideband or boost gauge?
triple88a is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 09:12 AM
  #25  
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
concealer404's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,917
Total Cats: 2,201
Default

This will surely end well.
concealer404 is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 10:19 AM
  #26  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Leafy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 9,479
Total Cats: 104
Default

Expecting the "there is a lot of smoke out the exhaust and it sounds like a subaru" post in a week or two.
Leafy is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 12:21 PM
  #27  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
David603's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 19
Total Cats: 0
Default

Alright guys, the car has 180 000km and has perfect compression. It has a Powercard - yes I know it is far from the best management - to control the injection. The ignition is still OEM and if detonation is detected there is a knock sensor that will retard ignition timing. For the boost gauge, well this is no turbo, there is no wastegate. The only way to change boost would be to change the pulleys and I am pretty sure that it won't happent even if i don't have a boost gauge. The wideband would be nice but with the narrowband I am supposed to be at 14.7 on the whole powerband and that's it. I know it is far from the perfect setup but it at around 7psi this is not an agressive one.
David603 is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 12:23 PM
  #28  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Leafy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 9,479
Total Cats: 104
Default

Holy christ thats why its slow. You DO NOT want to be at 14.7 when in boost. Jesus ------- **** in a *******, richen that baby up and buy a god damned wideband for tuning.
Leafy is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 12:32 PM
  #29  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,501
Total Cats: 4,080
Default

Originally Posted by David603
The wideband would be nice but with the narrowband I am supposed to be at 14.7 on the whole powerband and that's it. I know it is far from the perfect setup but it at around 7psi this is not an agressive one.
The problem is your blown motor. replace it an you'll recover your lost power for a while.
Braineack is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 03:53 PM
  #30  
Moderator
iTrader: (12)
 
sixshooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Tampa, Florida
Posts: 20,663
Total Cats: 3,013
Default

Did you remove and inspect the catalytic converter for broken ceramic blocks or not? If you don't see any that look broken then the pieces are all in your muffler now or stuck at the elbow in the exhaust pipe. That's why the rattle stopped.
sixshooter is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 04:00 PM
  #31  
mkturbo.com
iTrader: (24)
 
shuiend's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 15,177
Total Cats: 1,681
Default

Originally Posted by David603
Alright guys, the car has 180 000km and has perfect compression. It has a Powercard - yes I know it is far from the best management - to control the injection. The ignition is still OEM and if detonation is detected there is a knock sensor that will retard ignition timing. For the boost gauge, well this is no turbo, there is no wastegate. The only way to change boost would be to change the pulleys and I am pretty sure that it won't happent even if i don't have a boost gauge. The wideband would be nice but with the narrowband I am supposed to be at 14.7 on the whole powerband and that's it. I know it is far from the perfect setup but it at around 7psi this is not an agressive one.
You are not supposed to be at 14.7AFR on the whole powerband. At max boost you are supposed to be at 11.5-12.0AFR. You need to buy a wideband 02 sensor and gauge now. Then you need to see what exactly you are running for AFR's. If you run 14.7AFR in boost you will cause your motor to explode.
shuiend is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 04:05 PM
  #32  
Elite Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Leafy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NH
Posts: 9,479
Total Cats: 104
Default

Originally Posted by shuiend
You are not supposed to be at 14.7AFR on the whole powerband. At max boost you are supposed to be at 11.5-12.0AFR. You need to buy a wideband 02 sensor and gauge now. Then you need to see what exactly you are running for AFR's. If you run 14.7AFR in boost you will cause your motor to melt.
.
Leafy is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 04:45 PM
  #33  
Elite Member
iTrader: (17)
 
pdexta's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 2,949
Total Cats: 182
Default

Weak coils are probably the single most common issue with 99-00 miatas. A weak coil will then kill your catalytic converter which cloggs and robs even more power.
pdexta is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 05:02 PM
  #34  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
David603's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 19
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by sixshooter
Did you remove and inspect the catalytic converter for broken ceramic blocks or not? If you don't see any that look broken then the pieces are all in your muffler now or stuck at the elbow in the exhaust pipe. That's why the rattle stopped.
I have removed the "middle pipe" witch has the catalytic converter and resonator on it. Both are welded together so I can only see the side of the cat where the gases enters and it seems perfect. It has been raining a lot these days so I can't work on the car very much but the muffler makes a ratteling noise when I hit it with the rubber mallet. I will investigate more when the sun finnaly comes out.

I will probably buy the wideband soon if all else fails.

Thanks for the help!
David603 is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 05:14 PM
  #35  
mkturbo.com
iTrader: (24)
 
shuiend's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 15,177
Total Cats: 1,681
Default

Originally Posted by David603
I will probably buy the wideband soon if all else fails.
NO!!!! You need to order the wideband TODAY. It is not safe to drive a car with forced induction without being able to monitor the AFR's correctly. If you can not afford a wideband currently then stop driving the car until you can. Because if you can not afford a wideband you most certainly will not be able to afford a new engine when your current motor blows.
shuiend is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 06:15 PM
  #36  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
krissetsfire's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Posts: 883
Total Cats: 56
Default

I will probably buy the wideband soon if all else fails.
When they check you out at the register for the wideband don't forget to get a side of motor.
krissetsfire is offline  
Old 08-10-2012, 09:40 PM
  #37  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
triple88a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,456
Total Cats: 1,799
Default

Originally Posted by David603
The wideband would be nice but with the narrowband I am supposed to be at 14.7 on the whole powerband and that's it. I know it is far from the perfect setup but it at around 7psi this is not an agressive one.
Most people do a facepalm just on the internet... I'm doing a face palm in real life while reading this.
triple88a is offline  
Old 08-16-2012, 12:26 PM
  #38  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
David603's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 19
Total Cats: 0
Default

Found the problem. Catalytic converter was broken. It's empty now and everything is back to normal!

Thanks!
David603 is offline  
Old 08-16-2012, 05:04 PM
  #39  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
triple88a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,456
Total Cats: 1,799
Default

In for the blown motor thread.
triple88a is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Full_Tilt_Boogie
Build Threads
84
04-12-2021 04:21 PM
StratoBlue1109
Miata parts for sale/trade
21
09-30-2018 01:09 PM
nbdooey
Miata parts for sale/trade
9
08-30-2017 09:50 PM
Quinn
Cars for sale/trade
6
10-23-2016 07:58 AM
interestedofold
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain
5
09-29-2015 01:42 PM



Quick Reply: Why no more power???



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:32 PM.