Low power when engine is cold.

[Spanky_DSM]

Ok, my car is a 1995 automatic Talon tsi awd. Every time when my car is started with the engine cooled off i have power issues. for example as the car is idling in park, and by giving it a tap of gas the engine starts to stall but restores after letting go. Also when accelerating the car feels like it has 50hp. It only runs decent after it is fully warmed up. Anyone have a clue what could be causing this problem? Thanks

 

[jenks]

Have you checked the obvious things such as plugs, wires, fuel filter, and making sure your getting spark and fuel?

 

[Spanky_DSM]

Have you checked the obvious things such as plugs, wires, fuel filter, and making sure your getting spark and fuel?

I've replaced spark plugs, wires, and the fuel filter. Could it be that i may have gaped them wrong?

 

[jenks]

Possible what gap did you put? Should be around .028.

 

[DSMTyson]

Anything from .32-.28 is fine.

 

[Spanky_DSM]

Possible what gap did you put? Should be around .028.

To be honest i dont know, but i do think it was larger than that. Probably .034. Im gonna go ahead and try and close the gap right now.

 

[chuckstsi]

Try things that are related to temperature like the coolant temp sensor. I couldn't see why tune-up items would cause an issue. I'd figure they would be trouble all the time..

 

[Spanky_DSM]

Try things that are related to temperature like the coolant temp sensor. I couldn't see why tune-up items would cause an issue. I'd figure they would be trouble all the time..

Well my cars engine does feel hotter than its suppose to be after driving it for a bit tho it doesn't over heat. thanks

 

[chuckstsi]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't there two temp sensors? One for the gauge and one for the ECM?

 

[BigBeans]

It's not the plug gap, dont worry about that. You don't get blowout at idle.

It sounds like the car might be running lean. I would look more closely at the fuel system. Look for boost/vac leaks and check fuel pressure, go from there.

Well my cars engine does feel hotter than its suppose to be after driving it for a bit tho it doesn't over heat. thanks

What do you mean it feels hotter than it's supposed to but doesn't overheat? It either gets too hot or it doesn't.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't there two temp sensors? One for the gauge and one for the ECM?

Correct. The two wire plug on the thermostat housing (highest up) is for the ECM, one of the single wire plugs (i think the one on the right) is for the gauge.

 

[Ravenous]

Try things that are related to temperature like the coolant temp sensor. I couldn't see why tune-up items would cause an issue. I'd figure they would be trouble all the time..

This ^^^^^

I had a problem where the car was hard to start and once started int ran really rough and weak until it was completely warmed up. I plugged it into the logger and when my car was cold the temp sensor was showing -72 degrees. I'm not saying yours is running rich like mine was but if it is off towards the high side it would be running lean (reading 180 when coolant is at 20 degrees.)

 

[Spanky_DSM]

What I meant was my car feels hotter than normal operating temperature. Hotter but not toward the point to where its over heating.

 

[tips000]

vaccum leaks, check your tb seals and all of your lines. mine does this too. i have leaky tb seals.