The longer from battery reset the more sluggish

[badstang123]

I've noticed this problem for a while. When I first reset my battery the car runs great. The power, acceleration and smoothness are fine. With time, however, my car begins to run worse. I notice it most on slight acceleration. When pulling away from a light or something of the sort (Regular driving not accelerating hard), the car feels like it's tied to a post. Just kind of like the car is real heavy and it doesn't want to get going.

I also notice that when I'm up to speed, if I roll into the gas slowly I get the same feeling until I hit WOT. When I hit WOT the cars power and acceleration are exactly how it should be and the car takes off. It's almost like the feeling when you hit the nitrous button (No nitrous hooked up on this car. I was just using that as a reference point). Basically, It's like night and day when I go from part throttle to WOT. It's not the usual smooth increase in power like right after I reset the battery.

I'm just wondering what your guys ideas are as to what might cause this. Whatever thoughts you have are greatly appreciated.
- Justin

 

[cbarr300]

deadspots on tps possibly. Either that or you have some other things that need to be replaced (such as o2 sensors) that are throwing your computer for a loop.

My first instinct would be to check the tps with a voltmeter.

good luck

 

[final5-0]

When you reset the pcm you clear out any corrections it's adaptive strategy has made.

I'd guess it is making large ones by the symptoms you describe.

Seems to me, you got something mechanical wrong like a sensor or the like
or
Depending on the kind of mods you got, it kinda sounds like its corrections are counter productive to what is needed.

Grady

 

[ProKiller]

do you ever get a CE light? ever have the car tuned? like Grady said, the computer is adapting to some condition. if its a negative condition like to much fuel, it will adjust to account for it.

 

[Stanger007]

+1 on the tune being off.

The adaptive strategy is learning bad things.

At WOT you aren't using any the adaptive strategies findings. (can someone confirm this)

Read your codes and see what is up.

Just a stab... exhaust leak at EGR or before O2s maybe?

Wes

 

[final5-0]

At WOT you aren't using any the adaptive strategies findings. (can someone confirm this)

Wes

I've seen SO much talk about this

Some say adaptive can effect OL ... others say ... NO it can't

I've seen some say it only hoses around with OL on Fox pcm's

Maybe we can get lucky here and Don will help clear it up

I finally reasoned

if my CL was in order
it would not hose around with my OL

My long term tune has been pretty stable
I gotta think my reasoning is ... at least ... kinda sorta ... on track

Grady

 

[badstang123]

All of your guys thoughts are greatly appreciated. I haven't had a tune done and there really aren't any major modifications. Up until this point I only have bolt-ons. Also I never get a check engine light and the O2's aren't brand new but were replaced a little while back.

The TPS thought is something I considered too. I've checked the voltage though and it seems okay. If this is holding me back at all though, I have all new upper and lower intake, elbow, and throttle body sitting my garage. They will be going on soon and will surely get rid of that concern if it is affecting anything (I just don't really like throwing on new parts when I'm trying to remedy a problem though).

For those of you that don't know I work at a Toyota dealership. I took some time today and talked to a mechanic. Even though he may not be an expert on Ford's I value his opinion. His first guess was that the EGR may be going out. His recommendation was to pull off the vacuum line and see what happens. The car seemed to run quite a bit better. It's still pretty recent after the battery reset but the car felt very strong after I removed it and very smooth throughout slow acceleration. I'm going to drive it like that for a few days and if it seems better I will probably replace the EGR. This might even help remedy a bit of pinging I experience at times.

Thank you for all your thoughts. If you guys have any other ideas please chime in or any thoughts on the EGR's contribution are welcome. Thanks.
- Justin

 

[HISSIN50]

Justin, regarding the EGR thing: If simply pulling the EGR vac line helps, check the line for vacuum at idle (a bleeding EVR can cause vac to creep to the EGR valve when it should not, which makes the car run like poop).

Some quick diagnostics like this can maybe save a buck or 5.

Good luck bud.

 

[badstang123]

Well tonight I threw a new gasket on the egr valve. I also took some time to fix a vac line that was running to something in the egr system that I suspected was leaking (Figured you were probably right Hissin). The car seems to run very well now even with the vac line connected at the egr. I think that vac line leaking further down the system from the EGR may have done the trick. I also had a slight bucking that seems to have gone away and the acceleration seems much more responsive. I'll let you all know how it runs after a couple weeks. Thanks for all the input.
- Justin

 

[final5-0]

First thing I wanna make PERFECTLY CLEAR here is ................
I'm not picking on you when I say this

Its just a perfect opportunity

To show how faulty wiring, hoses, gaskets,
and
Other simple mickey mouse things can cause all kinds of probs

I know I usually over look the simple stuff

I usually wanna a make prob WAY more complicated than it really is

Hey

Its gettin close enough for me to ................

Wish all my 94-95 :SNSign: buds a Merry Christmas

Grady

 

[badstang123]

I usually wanna a make prob WAY more complicated than it really is

It may not be that. It may be that we often times operate on the principle that something as simple and stupid would not be overlooked.

The funny thing is, I've known that line's connection had stretched and was kind of getting bad but I didn't think much of it. Then after I replaced the gasket on the EGR and thought about what Hissin said I took a grand total of 3 minutes to fix it. We'll see how she runs today.
- Justin