Could be exhaust related?

[Re4peR26]

Well the past couple days my cars performance hasent seemed to be at its best. Boggs a bit in the lower RPMs and feels like its losing power on the side note header is cherry after driving. So with that being said Im going to be installing a test pipe, I was wondering if thats going to make my car louder or what not, Hopfully i will get my performance back, PS no vaccume leaks IC pipes are on solid!! Fuel pressure normal!

EDIT: also bad gas milage 14 mpg!

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Did you take a look at your spark plugs? Take a few minutes and pull the plugs. They can tell you alot about what is going on with your engine by just looking at them. If there is any doubt that they are bad, just replace them. It will cost you under $10 and that is a good place to start.

 

[Re4peR26]

Plugs are like new less then 300 miles on them, Along with new wires. there gapped at 0.27

 

[CTP]

What makes you think it's a clogged cat? That would tend to kill power up top, not down low and it wouldn't just start one day at random.

If you have a way to log, check your timing while driving around. Your knock sensor might have crapped out.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

Great! I just wanted to make sure you have checked those plugs and wires. Thats just the first thing I go to when I here of a bog or lack of power etc. This does sound like it could be related to the cat. Hopefully swapping in a test pipe will get you running good again. What kind of cat are you running? To answer your question about how loud it will be, you should hear a noticable difference. It shouldn't be really loud, but yes it will be louder.....no cat=music to my ears nothin sounds better than a boosted 4g63

 

[2gntrbo]

i pulled my turbo and header off last night and i found that my v-band clamp was loose---huge exhaust leak. i dunno how it loosend up but check that. maybe it could be the reason, do that before you put a test pipe in.

 

[Re4peR26]

Well installed the test pipe and great news. Performance is pretty much back. Its a little louder but not too much sounds good laying in some boost Here is a question i have got to ask.. My friend has a 95 TSI AWD, the thing is he really has nothing done but 3 inch exhaust and boost controller, for some odd reason his is faster then mine driver mod heck no he cannot drive. So maybe could be a sensor. Did boost leak test its fine compression on the cylinders are fine aswell.

That leads me to the knock sensor? I have no CEL so if its bad it will cause me to loose performance.

 

[VETTE_50_TH]

If you have a logger, check your timing advance. You could have timing being pulled which affects the cars acceleration alot. The knock sensor could be saying you have some detonation or phantom knock and pulling timing. What are your intake manifold temps? Another reason timing could be pulled.

James

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

How much boost are you running? Does your friend have a stock T-25 turbo? What boost level is he running?

 

[Re4peR26]

Hes running 14b on like 14-15 psi i know hes hitting fuel cut.. Im running 16g at 18 psi! no fuel cut!

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I have no good answer as to why his car would be faster. You should have no problem being quicker than him with the 16g and higher pressure.

 

[Re4peR26]

Yeah I'm stumped as well!