its slow to accel...any ideas - Performance Forum
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hey every one. im having a problem tryin to figure out y my car is slow to accel its an automatic and i was woundering if anyone had any ideas. i tried to clean out my fuel system but its still acting the same i jus changed my spark plugs along with the wires but i cant seem to figure out y it is slow at first then picks up at about 25-30mph
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Jet Mechanic
it would help to know something about what you're driving.
year, miles, engine?
Well, since he said plug wires I'm assuming one 2.2 ohv or the other. And I think therein lies the problem.
did you check your cat? if its so clogged it will cause slow acceleration and it also feels like the car is going to die this happen to my 02 alero.
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Sales J Body Connection wrote:did you check your cat?
Wade Jarvis wrote:A bad cat is the #1 most comonly diagnosed problem by people who don't know what they are talking about. You have not given us anywhere near enough information to be able to help. My best advice is that you ask for help in your regional forum. That way someone that lives near you can see the problem in person. Also for future reference this belongs in the maintenance forum. This thread will most likely be moved there shortly.
Sorry, i lol.
So true about cat-clogging. When I just finished swappin' cranks on my '94 I discovered (To much dismay) that my catalytic was clogged during the test drive. I just spent two days in my unk's garage doing the swap & I had to get it home, so I just dropped the extension pipe just behind the cat, grabbed a long enough pipe that just fit inside, broke-up the bricks & started the engine a few times (In alternation) to blow the pieces out. Of course, I had to replace it right away just to pass emissions (But not by much needed).
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
it is a 99 cavie 2.2 ohv and it has 123000 miles i jus put a new exhaust system from headers down with a new cat. so i dont thinik its that
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Jet Mechanic
when you're cruising along at say, 50 mph, and drop the hammer, can you feel it downshift? Does it seem to rev up before it starts to accelerate? Any check engine lights? The problem could very well be in your transmission and not your engine.
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when i am goin about 50 and punch it, it does take a few seconds to kick in and yes it does rev jus a little but no there are no check engine lights......although i did have to take a line that goes from the steering colum to the transmissinon off bcuz with it in i cant get my key out its the line that keeps u from taking out the key with the car in drive...
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Jet Mechanic
Sounds to me just like it's the 2.2 OHV and the 3spd auto. It's probably gonna be a bit slow right off the line since the 1st gear is a bit steep. Once it's revved a bit and making a lil more tq/hp it's accelerating faster.
slow to accell...cavalier.... thats the answer....
Just to expand on what I said, something few people ever consider is that the catalytic converter is supposed to be replaced after seeing about 100,000mi of use. That's right, it's supposed to be replaced after so many miles! The same rules apply to all the "mechanical" emissions control parts on a car. The older vacuum-mechanical EGR valve is supposed to be replaced at about 75,000-80,000mi, the fuel vapor collection canister at 100,000mi, and so-on and so-on. Don't believe me? Check the service manual (Be it Chilton's, Mitchell or Hayes) under the Maintenance Interval section, and you'll see.
Now, Clinton... does the shifter detent indicator on you car so four forward detents with one that looks like a "D" with a squarish ring around it, or just three with just a "D" being the one next too the neutral detent? If it's the former then you many have problem that's not showing-up to the computer. If it's the latter, then it's what SHOoff said. Still, that's an awfully big hesitation in your transaxle's response. Has it been serviced in any way lately? Even just to change the fluid & filter? Was it a flush-style fluid change? And what color is the trans fluid now, and does it smell burnt? If it's cherry red & smells slightly burnt, you have a problem forming that means fairly heavy service needed soon. If it's brown, it'll need service without a doubt, and it'll be costly. If it's black (And that's a rare & bad sight), then you're looking at a full replacement of the transaxle, which can mean: Open wallet wide! I hope for you it's just cherry red. And talk to someone who has a HPtuner that knows about setting auto trans shift points. A simple "adjustment" of them may be a big help to you. Oh, and uh... Get your torque converter's operation checked. It sounds like it isn't unlocking properly on demand during the downshift.
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
its a lil brownish color and no it has not been serviced bcuz i was told not to service it if it seemed like it was slippin a little some guy told me if i flushed my tranny it could cause more damage. the shifter looks like P,R,N,D,1,2 no square or oval, today i took it out on the highway got to 50 then punched it it tool about a good 2 seconds to relize it was on the floor and thank you i did not kno that all that had to be changed after about 100 000mi i did notice something else today after i was under my car i have a slight exhaust leak where the headers meet the down pipe to the cat its small but could that be part of the problem also?
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Jet Mechanic
Given that the OBD-II system relies on a precise reading of the exhaust from the Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensors placed both before & after the catalytic converter, I'd say yes. But it's not as big as what you have going on with that trans. Time to bite the bullet, 'cause it needs service. And I mean the type that involves pulling the whole powertrain assembly out (That's how it's done professionally on FWD cars with the engine mounted sideways, like yours) and tearing it down to it's basic elements to replace whatever is glazed, burned, heat-warped (Clutch-steels), worn and just plain leaking (All the seals, internal & input & output), then reassembling, testing (On a test bench, if the shop has one) & then finally reinstalling the whole damn thing (To the engine & cradle, then that into the car) just to address it properly. It sounds like alot to go through, but just remember that next time you think it's okay to wait on maintenance service on an automatic trans (Fluid & filter once a year!) or that you don't need to add a trans fluid cooler (Remember: The ideal operating temperature for ATF is 175*F. Anywhere above that & you're just shortening the life of it... And your trans!).
I'm sorry to be the bearer of such bad news, but I figured it's best just to straight-forward with you than sugar-coat it. Whomever had that car before your really neglected it. But I've seen worse. My dad's '89 G-series Beauville had a black air filter, spark-plugs with signs of blow-by on the insulators, and a rust condition in the block that I could never flush-out (Even with a machine!) that resulted in a blown head gasket after it reached 186,00mi along with a head bolt that snapped-off in the block during removal to change said gasket that was irreconcilable, resulting in us junking an otherwise nice van with a finished, fully functional interior.
Hey, maybe you'll get lucky & find a good, low-mileage replacement trans that you can pay some guy with a shop just a few bucks to put it in. I wish you luck, pal. Seems like you'll need it.
Oh, BTW... Did I mention that for some explicit reason the factory timing chain set in the LN2 (Which is what you have) tends to fail around 100,000mi? At least in the S-trucks it does. I can't say about the J-cars as it seems there are many here that still have the factory chain at 267,000+mi & are still going. You know what? Nevermind... The in-tank fuel pump will more likely a worry to you once you get to around or above 135,000mi. It's that way on all GM EFI cars.
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
Guys ease up on the keyboard mechanic thing here! It is way to easy to falsly diagnose the problem without driving the car.
Somehow I had an idea that the cat was not the problem. And go figure it is not as he stated it has been replaced. Your small exhaust leak you mention has nothing to fo with your issue.
Since you stated you do not have a square or circle around the D the you have the 3 speed trans. This combined with the 2.2 OHV is the slowest engine/trans combo put in a cavalier. What you feel may be completly normal for your car. I can't say for sure since I have not driven it.
Whoever told you not to flush it as the problem could get worse is right. If you are going to flush trans fluid it needs a complete flush (not just dropping the pan and changing the filter) every 30,000. The reason is that the old fluid degrades some over time. When you add new fluid to old fluid a reaction betweens the new and old fluid takes places causing "varnishing" which affects the seals in your transmission and can lead to premature trans failure.
My dad had a 96 Chevy 1/2 ton that the trans fluid was dark red in. A service guy upsold him a flush. The truck had never been flushed as far as we know (it was bought used) within a month a truck that had never had a trans problem was shifting rough and starting to slip.
Trans fluid is not always always a direct indicator of how soon a trans will fail. I have a freind who's mom drives a 98 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. The fluid in it has been brownish for the past 45,000 miles and it still drives like the trans is new.
There is no need to "bite the bullet" and go spend a bunch of money on your car. It might be better to drive it until it is no longer road worthy while saving up money to buy another car or building up your credit wichever your case may be.
The 3 spd is not electronically controlled so HP Tuners would not be able to change anything.
Nickelin Dimer
You give so much incorrect info you make my head hurt.
I am ASE certifies in transmissions. I have rebuilt many automatics. Only once have I ever seen black fluid, it was because someone put engine oil in the transmission. The worst trans fluid gets is a dark metalic purple or sometimes a brownish but not black. Even if it was black it does not mean it will have to be replaced as opposed to rebuilt. Very rarely do automatics need replaced as opposed to just rebuilt.
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ok soo ur sayin jus run it till it dies and dont worry about a flush or anything because it could cause more damage?? cuz thats pretty much what the guy i kno told me. i have also been saving money and building credit for either a performance transmission or a new car that has a manual transmission but i plan on having this car untill it dies but i want it to run as long as possible so what can i do to keep it going as long as i can?
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Jet Mechanic
car-part.com. Chances are you can find a used trans with less mileage in your area junkyards for cheap, at least as an emergency measure if it blows on you. In the meantime though, I'd be putting money away and just drive it til it quits. Although, with the mileage you've got on there, you may seriously want to consider if its worth the effort and money since you may wind up putting a transmission in only to need to replace or otherwise service the engine a little while down the road. The 2.2 and 3 spd auto are both cheap and plentiful in junkyards, and I'm not going to advocate either way, but its something to think about before dumping the money. If you'd really rather have a better car than start saving your sheckles now. If you really like the cav, then go ahead and put money away for a trans and motor build. But always have an emergency fund that can cover you if any major component fails, so that you're not completely screwed if something goes wrong.
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Your basic PM's would probably be good for it. Oil, filter, plugs wires, and your trans fluid and filter. But I wouldn't do anything drastic.
Like I mentioned in my post above... it really doesn't sound to me like there's anything wrong with your car.
^^I happen to agree with the flushing part. And downtime-wise, it's easier just to replace a trans as a whole than rebuild the existing unit. Isn't it? And what I said about the catalytic, that was just an extension on the importance of it's maintenance for everyone to know. I did read how he replaced it. And I asked for specifics because I haven't seen the car, and I obviously can't from here. It just helps give the others who click-on this thread to visualize the situation. And since when is an exhaust leak nothing to worry about? Isn't the IM-240 emissions test enacted nation-wide? They tend to crack-down heavy on things like that in it around me. And I never screwed with a auto trans-axle, except for Mopar's infamous 604 in my dad's '89 mini-van, so I can't say I'm fully familiar with how all transmissions are designed, but since I too have ASE Certification training (Full, at least) I know how they all basically work, and what effects the life of them. And I had yet to learn at the point I mentioned HP-Tuner it was a full-mech 3-spd (Again, I've yet to actually see the car, so...) which IMHO seems odd & outta-place in a '99 model-year American gasoline fueled passenger-car.
I may not know everything, but I know what I speak upon & I try not to speak upon something unless I know what I speak is solid knowledge. And WTR, the ATF in my second truck (The one that was bought to fill-in for the first when it's cheapo chain failed at a "premature" point in the rebuilt engine's life) is black. And smells burnt like a steak left on the grill too long. And this was from the used lot of a big Chevy dealer. You gonna tell me that a GM dealer don't know how to service a GM truck? Even if it has only 115,000mi? And how about the timing chain? Are you gonna tell me that failure of it (Particularly in the S-trucks) around 100,000mi is unusual, after the two cases in which I have witnessed & dealt with this odd failure personally? I don't think so. I'm certainly not calling you incompetent Wade, but try to understand where I was coming from as I stated what I have in response.
BTW, Clinton: Yeah, just run it 'til it dies... That's the way GM built it to be. Why else would it be built so cheesily?
Go beyond the "bolt-on".
ok thanks guys ill update in a few days to let u kno what i had done
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Jet Mechanic
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