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Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power

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Offline mth712

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  • Bought a new 86 Sammy in Ca. as they were unloadn'
70,000 mile 94 Tracker 4WD - is a dog accelerating on an on ramp or from a stop. Seems to idle pretty smooth now though. Today changed out the Bosch +4 plugs for NGK plugs. Funny thing I think the haynes manual is wrong. It says something like BKR6 plugs for 91 and newer but all the auto places say bpr5es and that is what was in it when I bought it so that is what I put in it. The sticker under hood says .28 gap but everywhere else says .32 gap. They came gapped at .32 so I left them there. Also changed the fuel filter-seems to start quicker now with about 1 good bump insted of several rotations. Already installed new autozone wires, new cap and rotor, cap from autozone rotor from oreilly. Last week pulled egr valve which was full of carbon and cleaned the best I could-what a pain, I will buy a new one later. Tried to clean the intake with wire but it didn't seem to want to travel good-holes were real clean though. If I start the car cold and pull the large tube from the egr to modulator it is blowing exhaust unless I rev and then it creates a vacuum. If I pull the small hose on the right side of modulator and apply vacuum the engine stubles bad as egr opens. None of this gave it any more power on on ramps or from 55-70 on highway. Uphill on highway it is hard to stay at 70. Never made it much past 80 on straight. If going over 35 and floor it it is a real dog but builds speed-doesn't downshift over 35(3 speed auto).
    New Thorley header ,cat,round muffler and 2 inch exhaust all the way back. Made it louder and pull harder around 65 but I think it lost any downlow power. Set valves a month ago. Put crank pulley at zero and rotor points to the right of #1 with the last of the three points on rotor barely hitting #1. I tried to restab disty today to line up better but ended up right where I started. I set timing to 8 and it was pretty much already there. Mark jumps around when looking at it with light.
   When I first start after sitting cold and rev a few times moisture stains/splatters driveway. I smelled it and seems like plain old water. New tailpipe is dark black coated at lip. No smoke really ever-maybe just barley if I rap it to 5 grand while sitting still.
   I am thinking maybe this is it for power but I swear my 86 Samurai I bought new(5 speed) had more power up to 70 MPH on straightaways.
  Also took compression readings today on cold motor. To test I pulled all plugs and fuel relay. Fisrt crank it jumped to around 90-100 then built fast to the following on each cylinder. #1-165 #2 155 #3-165 #4-175 . I assume these would be better on warm engine as manual said I should check at operating temp. .
  When I bought it the oil stunk like gas. I also have changed pcv valve and temp. sensor and thermostat.
   Runs better than when i got it but not much. Oil doesn't seem to be so gas stinky and stays very clean. I also changed valve cover gasket and disty o-rings which solved all oil leaks.
   Is it the auto tranny that makes this a dog? Is this as much as I can expect? I am about through blowing money trying to get more?
Thanks,

        Mike

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Offline bandit86

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2005, 08:35:35 PM »
pull the carpet out from under the accelerator?  seems like you did I could have though of.  I would run the smaller gap on the plugs though.
TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO JEEP HAS GONE BEFORE!

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Offline mth712

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #2 on: August 12, 2005, 10:27:54 PM »
I wish that were it  ;D . I think I am just used to faster cars. This Tracker feels like if I could wedge the drive wheel in a tight crack the engine couldn't break it free before something would break. Very non-snappy throttle response. I could probably outrun it on foot floored from zero to 10 or so.  ???
Thanks,

        Mike

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Offline Utah_Tracker

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2005, 06:47:27 AM »
Wow,
   That just sounds way to familuar, :P
    I've a 91 with the Automatic and it to is pretty doggy.   I bought it from the orginal owner in 2001 and they had already swapped 5:13's into it trying to get a little more pick up.  But still really doggy.  I noticed that with the first tranny that there was no go while it was cold but once it heated up and during the summer it was pretty much fine.  So it switched it out for another 3 speed. Made lots of difference.
   The Auto is still really doggy compared to the 5 speeds, but that's where I would look next is in the tranny. Your motor is probably fine, just if someone ran the tranny out of fluid or it got damaged some other way that is probably where your power is going.  Also check all of the wheel barrings, if things aren't spinning well that robs even more power from an already power challenged vehicle.
     LONG LIVE THE TRACK/KICKS

Utah
91 soft top Tracker, 3' Calmini Sup, locker around, Auto, & no Power Steering

GO BIG or GO HOME

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Offline Suzuki1.8

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2005, 11:21:02 AM »
Wow i ran into this same problem. My sport is a stick shift and its fast as hell but my friends auto is like driving a whole new car. i have a 1.8 instead of a 1.6 but it still seems like the auto makes a difference in power like night and day. I got a question why you get rid of the bosch 4+ am i the only one who loves those plugs. i use them and have notcied 1 mpg on highway with them and it my be in my head but bottom end felt a little better to.

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Offline mth712

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2005, 11:53:11 AM »
I had hoped the Bosch plugs were the problem but no such luck. I notice no difference between the Bosch and NGK as far as performance. Not sure about mileage. I think the auto is what makes this thing such a dog. It would help if it would down shift above 35 but I think they are made this way. Sometimes when it does downshift it barely gets out of its own way. Most of these comments are with the a/c running but I don't think it makes a huge difference. I need to drive another well tuned 1.6 8v Tracker , auto to see if it drives as crappy.
Thanks,

        Mike

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Offline Utah_Tracker

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2005, 12:32:50 PM »
Just a quick comment about the A/C making very little difference--- DON'T BELEIVE IT!
   I'm not sure about other people's Trackicks but mine is nearly worthless with the A/C on.  It blows good and very cold but if I even have a slight incline I can't maintain any speed.
   You may want to try turning off the A/C while trying to excellerate, that will probably make lots of difference.

Utah
91 soft top Tracker, 3' Calmini Sup, locker around, Auto, & no Power Steering

GO BIG or GO HOME

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Offline steveofrost

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #7 on: August 14, 2005, 12:42:24 PM »
Have you changed out your air box for something a little less restrictive? I was having the A/C prob with my 91' 4-door kick and I tried everything to balance the 'small' amount of hp I was losing. I started with the simple K&N solution and it didn't have any drag after I changed out the filter. My kick is an auto, so I know exactly the frustration you have with it! The only 'basic' solutions that we can do are things that you have been already trying... Helping our speed-impaired Zukes breathe better through less restrictive air intake and outake...
Hey, if you are interested in retrieving some lost low-end power, go for a new camshaft, it really helps! Flush all your fluids if you haven't already. I ended up flushing my tranny, engine and rad and saw a huge ( and huge in zuke terms is minor in other peoples minds!!) improvement. Hope that helps!

steveo

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Offline mth712

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Re: Did compression check Today-trying everything to find lost power
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2005, 02:09:15 PM »
Maybe the fuel filter and NGK plugs helped more than I thought. The last two days going to work seems to run better , breath better or something. I am happier with it. It is about 15 degrees cooler out. Maybe the injector cleaner is starting to work.
    Now that it seems to be running better the funny thing is when it is cold it runs rough till it warms up to normal operating temp. . I am going to regap the plugs to .28 before work Tommorrow and see if it helps this latest problem.
Thanks,

        Mike