Gradual Power loss / Fuel issue...HELP?!

Kris&HerX

Bumpers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Boise, ID
Hey everyone,

Krispy here. Jenny is having some issues lately and we're stumped. I'm not finding a whole lot of similar experiences through the forums so I figured I'd create a new post.

A few days ago, I started to feel a lag in the truck. I tried to get on the interstate to go to work and couldn't get any power(torque not electrical) at the beginning of each shift, or anything above 60 mph without the truck feeling like it has someone tugging me backwards. When shifting, it'll hold onto a gear for a long time and then finally kick into the next gear rather hard and go. It's been gradual, and I've had to limp the truck back and forth to work. Yesterday I left for work but as I stepped on the gas pedal barely anything happened. The engine sounds like it's doing what it needs but isn't getting a signal to send torque. I already had someone check it at the transmission shop. He thought it was fine and believes it's either bad cats or a fuel issue. We've checked into the fuel with a pressure kit from OReillys but it didn't fit quite right so who knows if the test really worked.

Then we found a couple of cracks in the exhaust manifold (the noise from the manifold had gotten worse as this started) so we took that to the muffler shop and had a whole new passenger side exhaust manifold replaced but still no solution to the power loss. Also a plug that we made for the ait intake resonator delete has melted and was letting in more air past the MAF sensor. So we're guessing that between the reading of the MAF and the O2 sensor on the manifold, the fuel ratio was all sorts of messed up. Again, this has been gradual with yesterday being the day I couldn't get the truck to push itself through an intersection on a yellow light (I was turning left).

We're thinking about changing out the distributor (the whole she-bang) since the cap and rotor have already been changed a while back and aren't likely the issue. I'm just not familiar with what could go bad all of a sudden and so gradually.


Please help!
 

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Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
Get the manifolds and cats checked out; the cracks aren't doing you any good. Sounds like a time for Thorleys :D

My money is on a worn out tranny though with the hard/delayed shifts you're experiencing. With 18 years on it, it needs some rebuild love.
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Even though I can get up to speed after a shift, it just takes forever?
Yeah. The engines ability to breathe is directly related to how it pulls. Different gears in the transmission respond to the loss of power differently.

But the biggest clue to me is that the problem came on gradually. If it was mechanical, it would likely have been instant. With it slowly getting worse, that really makes it seem like a cat problem.
 

BEEFY

I Smile when Gasoline Can Freeze
It totally could be cats. If you are able to unbolt the secondary cats from the exhaust and take it for a quick drive that should tell you. It will be verrry loud but will allow it to breath.

If the motor seams to rev fine it could be the trany. Check the fluid level. possibly try an additive like Lucas trany oil, I have brought a few tranys back from the dead with it and a new filter.
 

Kris&HerX

Bumpers Installed
Founding Member
Location
Boise, ID
IT LIVES!


SO we pulled the distributor and heard a nice little rattle. Gave it a few shakes and out popped two twisted shards of metal the size of a fingernail. Thank gobble that OReilly had one in stock. New distributor is in and she's back to driving... well re-learning how to drive after the cracked manifold and air intake (resonator delete mod failure) leak pulling in air behind the MAF sensor.

Thanks for the help. Hopefully this was the fix.

-Krispy
 
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