99 camaro ss down on power?

[BrandonDrecksage]

I have a 99 camaro m6 that has 95k on it. I bought it a few weeks ago and it felt down on power compared to my 01 camaro. So far i put on headers with a ory that goes through the stock slp dual dual exhaust and replaced the spark plugs and o2 sensors. the car felt a lot faster than original, but still not up to what i think it should be. So I went to the track and ran a best of 15.1 at 96...lol. The y pipe hits the floor pretty bad when I was launching, which I think cause the knock sensors to read false knock and pull a lot of timing. After I left the track...if I woulod roll into first at 30 mph and car would pull a lot harder through the gears.

So is the y pipe my problem? Or should I be looking at something else? Maybe cleaning the maf sensor? fuel filter? fuel injectors? maybe find someone with a scan gauge?

thanks!

[chrisfrom nj]

sea foam it first and take it from there

[MyFirstZ]

i think it is a little more then just the y-pipe. Something seems seriously wrong

[NastyEllEssWon]

sounds like the car is seriously hurt. ive seen ls1's with the traction control on still pull low 14s.

[BrandonDrecksage]

how much timing can the ecu pull from reading knock? Cause the car feels comp,etely different on the highway when I don't launch it. Does anybody have a scan gauge or logging software that could give me a hand? It pulls smoothly, does not burn oil, does not burn coolant, some black smoke comes out of the exhaust and it always starts up right away...no hesistation. Also, before the headers/spark plugs and o2s sensors...I could spin the tires from a stop. Now it bogs down if i try, but if a hit the gas from a roll, like at 3krpms in first it will spin the tires.

also, not worried about the et...I'm concerned with the trap speed of 96. My old 01 ss trapped 108.

[JL8Jeff]

You're probably running really rich if you haven't had a tune yet. I have a Predator programmer that can watch the sensors. If your fuel trims get off too far, I think the computer goes into limp mode and that might be what's happening. I won't be around today but I might be available Sunday if you wanted to scan it. Did you leave the EGR and AIR hooked up when you did the headers? Do you have any codes showing?

[BarneyMobile]

Fix the y-pipe banging issue first. The way I see it, you have 2 options, poly motor mounts, or that TexasSpeed y-pipe braket (which is only a bandaid to your problem). But picking up false knock will slow you down quite abit! You could also benefit from a tune aswell.

[Troy]

If you don't have access to some software, I have Autotap, we could hook it up and see if you are getting false knock and losing timing. I've had false knock and picked up 35 RWHP on the dyno when we got rid of it...

[BrandonDrecksage]

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

You're probably running really rich if you haven't had a tune yet. I have a Predator programmer that can watch the sensors. If your fuel trims get off too far, I think the computer goes into limp mode and that might be what's happening. I won't be around today but I might be available Sunday if you wanted to scan it. Did you leave the EGR and AIR hooked up when you did the headers? Do you have any codes showing?

I figured i'm running rich, but i'm curious as to how much it could kill my trap speed. I kept the egr and air hooked up. I have codes for the rear o2 sensors since they are no longer there..haha. Your in ewing?

Originally Posted by BarneyMobile

Fix the y-pipe banging issue first. The way I see it, you have 2 options, poly motor mounts, or that TexasSpeed y-pipe braket (which is only a bandaid to your problem). But picking up false knock will slow you down quite abit! You could also benefit from a tune aswell.

Cartek should be taking my car back in monday to fix the problem since they installed them. I rushed the guy though, so he didn't have a chance to check it out before I picked it up. I'm planning on doing a cam towards the end of the summer...so it will get tuned then.

Originally Posted by Troy

If you don't have access to some software, I have Autotap, we could hook it up and see if you are getting false knock and losing timing. I've had false knock and picked up 35 RWHP on the dyno when we got rid of it...

Thats what I'm hopping it is....where is long valley>?

thanks for the constructive responses!

[98tadriver]

Check engine light on or flashing?

check your spark plugs and plug wires. u might be on 6 or 7 cylinders

i could be wrong, but i think the LS1's max spark retard is 4* that will slow you down a couple of tenths and mph but not 2 seconds and 12-14 mph lol

where are you shifting it?

[BarneyMobile]

Actually, the knock sensor can pull up to 20*. About 2 years ago, I had a knock sensor go bad on me and when it would act up while accelerating, my head would amost hit the steering wheel from the massive loss of power.

[BrandonDrecksage]

Originally Posted by 98tadriver

Check engine light on or flashing?

check your spark plugs and plug wires. u might be on 6 or 7 cylinders

i could be wrong, but i think the LS1's max spark retard is 4* that will slow you down a couple of tenths and mph but not 2 seconds and 12-14 mph lol

spark plugs were done and the car sounds normal. light is on steady just for the missing cats. no flashing.

Originally Posted by JerzLT1

where are you shifting it?

5500 the first couple of runs. 6000 a couple..no change in time. I was short shifting cause it wasn't pulling so no point in revving the piss out of it.

Originally Posted by BarneyMobile

Actually, the knock sensor can pull up to 20*. About 2 years ago, I had a knock sensor go bad on me and when it would act up while accelerating, my head would amost hit the steering wheel from the massive loss of power.

thats what I'm really starting to think...cause the car will put me back into the seat when I roll into it. but when I launch...it falls flat on its face.

[98tadriver]

Originally Posted by BarneyMobile

Actually, the knock sensor can pull up to 20*. About 2 years ago, I had a knock sensor go bad on me and when it would act up while accelerating, my head would amost hit the steering wheel from the massive loss of power.

holy crap! that would do it. 4 yrs ago, my transam was going 12.5@111mph and the only thing i changed was the LS6 intake, i wound up going 12.7@ 109 on an identical 60' and then the code came up for knock sensor. scanned it, and it was pullin 4* of timing from 3krpm all the way to redline

[BarneyMobile]

Yea, the more knock the PCM sees, the more timing it will pull.

[98tadriver]

if that y pipe is banging hard enough, do u think it could be picking up false knock ?

[BarneyMobile]

Originally Posted by 98tadriver

if that y pipe is banging hard enough, do u think it could be picking up false knock ?

absolutely!

[MyFirstZ]

that has to be some serious banging to pick up knock. But i have seen some pretty weird ****.

[BrandonDrecksage]

cleaned the maf sensor today...to say it was dirty would be an understatement. there was about 6 bugs in the screen part and the wires were completely black and having gunk on them. Car feels a lot better...but still feels soft if i launch... I'm thinking the launching was causing knock and the car was already down on power because of the maf being completely dirty. I'm getting a scanner tomorrow to monitor knock to see if I am getting it when the y pipe hits.

[1984camaroz28]

you do a compression test or leak down to confirm the motor is soild

[BrandonDrecksage]

Originally Posted by 1984camaroz28

you do a compression test or leak down to confirm the motor is soild

no...just bought the car..going through the normal things first...the cleaning of the maf sensor seems to have done the trick.....

[BarneyMobile]

Originally Posted by MyFirstZ

that has to be some serious banging to pick up knock. But i have seen some pretty weird ****.

It doesnt take much, if you hook up a scanner and have someone lightly tap anywhere on the block with a hard object, you'll see timing being pulled. When the y-pipe bangs the floor on the launch is like hitting the motor with a sledge hammer.

[BrandonDrecksage]

update...
went to etown tonight and ran a best of 13.8 at 104. so just cleaning that sensor netted me 1.3 sec and 8 mph. The banging was really bad launching cause the drag strip was pretty well prepped. So i'm sure i'm still hurting from that, other wise i'd say the car is in alright shape. Still need to get the y pipe fixed, the shop said they would do it next thursday.

[98tadriver]

are your motormounts shot? lol i know when my motormounts were bad, my exhaust was banging quite a bit. after i bought poly mounts, problem was solved

[rbaksi]

wow thats a huge improvement just by cleaning the MAF.