started modding now car runs like hell

[kurupt]

ok...i'll start off by saying this happened shortly after i added a 3" RnR downpipe straight through to a titanium muffler and a boost gauge. anyways...my car kinda sounded like it was missing at idle since i bought it right, but seemed to run damn fine. a few weeks after i got my exhaust and boost gauge installed the car absolutely idles like shit and my new boost gauge is only reading about 7 psi. it revs from about 500 to about 2000, it's not consistent at all...sometimes it almost dies but never does, when i drive it's not thaaat bad i guess. if i'm driving hard and the revs get above 4000 its real loud and rattley under the car where the downpipe is (heard from in car, wasn't like that when i first got the exhaust put on). my mechanice pressure tested the system because i thought the boost was low, but he said it tested fine, no leaks. he told me i should replace the timing belt, which i am going to do next. he played with the idle, but can't seem to figure out why it runs so bad. i don't think it has anything to do with the timing belt, but i'm gonna go ahead and replace it anyways just to be safe in that dept. it sounds so bad, i haven't been driving it due to sheer embarassment. i wish i knew how to put an audio clip on here. anyone ever have a problem like this?
nobody around here knows whats wrong...thank u in advance...

 

[Lordpaxin]

mabye an exhaust or a air leak.

start looking at the mods you have done. thoughnot all problems happen when you do semting. Ive had totally unrelated problems occur at the same time, which meakes it hard to pinpoint.

 

[kurupt]

oh ya...it smells horrid now too, at idle, and a bit worse after i drive around town, then come back. i really can't identify the smell though...just plain stinks.

 

[Lordpaxin]

id say the flex tube, most likley.

they sometimes go bad, ive put 3 on my car sofar.

if you bottom out, or mabye a borken motor mount will do it a lot.

 

[kurupt]

flex tube u say...thanx a lot for ur input man. i'd really be lost without this site. i'm gonna have him check all that out this week. after reading another post in this forun about a bad timing belt job, i'm almost thinking maybe he is right, and my timing belt isn't right. he said the marks looked right on to him, but the belt looked old...don't know if he knew to use a ruler to line them up or that there is even 4 marks to line up. hopefully those are off a tooth or something, he did mention it might be that, but ya...i'll get all what u mentioned checked out. i may be able to get a vid or audio clip on here shortly tho. i'll see how soon i take my car in. thanx again for ur input bro...

 

[Coldandafraid]

maybe when you swapped exhausts, your O2 sensor went bad... mine did when I did the same thing.

 

[Topper348]

i would suggest you start with the obvious. You installed a boost guage/exhaust and shortly after you are having {problem}. First, look at the installation of your mods. Is the exhaust on tight? I cant tell you how many times my exhaust threatened to come off on me. Also im not sure about the boost guage problem...but are you sure it was installed correctly? Perhaps it was installed on the incorrect vacume line. If theres one thing I can tell ya, its that if you mod your car and see problems, 9 times out of 10 its the mod in some way either bad installation or incorrect settings or something. Just check your mods over, i bet you will find the culprit!

 

[Enigma_Man]

I agree with Topper. It's usually cause and effect.

However, if it's always _kinda_ ran poopy, doing mods can really drive it over the edge into _very_ poopy.

I'd do some heavy maintenance, if you haven't already: spark plugs / wires, all fluids, O2 sensor, and I really would get that timing belt and all associated parts changed (they're supposed to every 60k miles, guessing yours hasn't in a while?).

-Jesse <- car _fairly_ poopy after mods

 

[kurupt]

Well...i'm ordering my timing belt and bs elim kit tomorrow. I'll have my mechanic check everything out when he's installing those parts. It also doesn't seem like i can rev as low when i'm slowing down/downshifting now, anything under 2K, car kinda bucks. Now that the weather is warming up here, my car is actually running better than it was, still kinda shitty tho. This is strange...can't wait to get it all sorted out...thnx again guys...