Serious loss in Torque

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guinnessman

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Hey guys, yesterday i had a "jiffy lube" change my oil... Lol don't worry i supplied the oil and tranny fluid nothing but the best! Anyway, sure my 96 LSC feels good after the fluid change, but I don't get the tire smoking burn out into the middle of 2nd gear starts like I used to. When I first bought the car almost 2 years ago with 60K miles (now it's got 76k miles) it would burn up the rear tires when I floored it from a stop. NOW it just screeches the tires and I accelerate after the wimpy screech. I seriously feel as if i'm down about 20-30lb ft or torque!!!

Could it be the MAF sensor? I might pull it tomorrow to see if there is anything gumming that little wire up.

Everything else is tip top, plugs, air filter, gear oil etc and i'm on the same tires as when I bought her (fuel filter just changes also aswell as using Chevron every 5K miles).

PS the car goes NOWHERE until it hits 3600rpms or so. I remember when she used to sit me back and I would have to pedal the gas to not have a crappy smoke show launch. These engines have a torque curve that starts almost at IDLE!!! Yet it feels as if all the torque and HP kicks in at like 4,000 RPMS.
 
you have gotten use to the power now,and you have grippier tires?

p.s., you probably only lost 19 lb-ft since when you first got it.
 
Moes8 said:
you have gotten use to the power now,and you have grippier tires?

p.s., you probably only lost 19 lb-ft since when you first got it.
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Grippier tires would result in more pull, less peel out. He said it doesn't feel like it pulls as hard. Something else is at play.
 
did you get larger rims/tires, that would create more rotating mass wich would slow the car down, did you add weight anywhere in the car....sub and such, dead body in the trunk is what did it for me
 
danny_holtermann said:
did you get larger rims/tires, that would create more rotating mass wich would slow the car down, did you add weight anywhere in the car....sub and such, dead body in the trunk is what did it for me
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Actually that has very little effect. Case in point, my 20" wheels with tire weigh LESS than the OEM rims and tire. Why? Rubber weighs a lot. Larger rim usually means less tire.

As for added items in car. Again, little effect.

Now if your a strip car these things can matter, but even them on the scheme of things its not really much.
 
unity said:
IMRC stuck open.
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Very pliable!

unity said:
Actually that has very little effect. Case in point, my 20" wheels with tire weigh LESS than the OEM rims and tire. Why? Rubber weighs a lot. Larger rim usually means less tire.

As for added items in car. Again, little effect.

Now if your a strip car these things can matter, but even them on the scheme of things its not really much.
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I disagree. My car is an absolute slug if more than one person is in it. It REALLY doesn't like extra weight. As for the rim thing weight is what matters, yes some big rims are lighter than oem's. On my 04 Silverado I had Centerline 20's that weighed 2lbs less per rim than my stock 16's. After adding them and performance tires my car was much faster and handled better.

However my buddy got 20's for his S197 Steeda GT. They were about 5lbs heavier per rim and you could DEFINITELY feel a difference in acceleration.

When modifying a car, the worst thing you could do handling wise is add more unsprung weight. It also takes away from acceleration. Although body stiffening is important to handling, the key to it is the lowest unsprung weight you can manage without sacrificing structural rigidity.
 
Did you check your trans fluid before the change? Was it at all brownish? If so and you changed it out then the trans is prolly slipping.
 
unity said:
Actually that has very little effect. Case in point, my 20" wheels with tire weigh LESS than the OEM rims and tire. Why? Rubber weighs a lot. Larger rim usually means less tire.

As for added items in car. Again, little effect.

Now if your a strip car these things can matter, but even them on the scheme of things its not really much.
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Did you know that a boeing 747 usually gains about 500 ibs of weight per year, through the dirt on ur feet to the gum stuck under your your seat, that is the main reason they do overhauls on planes, to cut down weight not to make them pretty.

weight is a huge thing, you add two 30lb sbs in the back of your car thats like having a 60 lb weight being drug behind your car,

as for rims, most times when someone goes with a bigger rim, they go wider, and usually heavier than stock, more rotational mass=slower acceleration=better handling
 
Thanks guys, i'm still running the same wheels and tires since i got the car so that's not it. No added weight either, also when i first bought it i had the dealer change all the fluids and the tranny fluid. I remember when i first seen the car the fluid was a dark red.

I might just do the old washer-fluid-rigged-to-the-rear deal lol so i just squirt fluid on the floor to burn out haha.
 
danny_holtermann said:
as for rims, most times when someone goes with a bigger rim, they go wider, and usually heavier than stock, more rotational mass=slower acceleration=better handling
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That couldn't be farther from the truth. Why do you think autoX guys try to get tubular K members, tubular control arms etc? Because in order to properly improve handling you need to lower your unsprung weight (meaning weight not supported by your springs).

The one thing I did learn in my short stint working for Steeda when I lived in Pompano Beach was that the key to a better handling car is lowering the unsprung weight. They actually made me read up and learn specific things before they would even consider hiring me. That was the main thing they made me learn. They are more focused on handling then speed.
 
If your trans fluid was brown...and you drained it and added brand new fluid...pull your pants back up...you've just :q:q:q:qed yourself
 
Sapperfire said:
If your trans fluid was brown...and you drained it and added brand new fluid...pull your pants back up...you've just :q:q:q:qed yourself
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Agreed. Never add fresh fluid to burnt fluid because when you do, your fresh fluid is now burnt too.

As Fordnut mentioned, the J-Mod would be a + for you and also, don't forget that the streets are now getting hotter and you may have burned the rubber down to a point of good grip.

Rear shocks may be giving in a little more now too with age. You stomp it, the rear goes down with softness which in turn is giving you a little added grip because the firmness you once had, isn't there anymore.

unity mentioned the IMRC's being stuck. Possible but with your mileage, I don't know.

Clean the MAF like you said you were going to do, make sure you have a clean air filter and never Chevron it every 5000K. Always use 93 unless 91 is all you have in your area. Maybe you meant gas treatment when you said "Chevron" but I was going to suggest TB and fuel injector cleaner. It might be time for you to seafoam that engine real good.

You said it had new plugs! Who put them in and what were they gapped at? Maybe removing them and putting in some Autolite 764's gapped at .054 would make a big difference for you.

Make sure someone didn't put a Toyota floor mat on the drivers side. :)
 
ripped camel said:
That couldn't be farther from the truth. Why do you think autoX guys try to get tubular K members, tubular control arms etc? Because in order to properly improve handling you need to lower your unsprung weight
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to an outsidern00b that may appear to be the case.

in actuality the Kmember swap is more for improving front/rear weight balance & chassis stiffness.

tubular control arms are also for increased stiffness/less deflection

P.S.
NONE of the above has ANY impact on "unprung" weight.
 
LaserSVT said:
Whats unprung weight? :lol:
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one of those goofy meaningless terms like Boost which is like measuring the amount of penis you DIDNT get in the hole

unsprung weight is like..weight you dont have to carry, it just rolls along

LMAO
 
XLRVIII said:
one of those goofy meaningless terms like Boost which is like measuring the amount of penis you DIDNT get in the hole

unsprung weight is like..weight you dont have to carry, it just rolls along

LMAO
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I know what unsprung weight is ya doof! You said "unprung" weight before. :lol: :p

I am gonna go order some boost bars online now to go with my cross drilled brake lines. :wrench
 
ripped camel said:
That couldn't be farther from the truth. Why do you think autoX guys try to get tubular K members, tubular control arms etc? Because in order to properly improve handling you need to lower your unsprung weight (meaning weight not supported by your springs).

The one thing I did learn in my short stint working for Steeda when I lived in Pompano Beach was that the key to a better handling car is lowering the unsprung weight. They actually made me read up and learn specific things before they would even consider hiring me. That was the main thing they made me learn. They are more focused on handling then speed.
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Ya, i re-read what i posted, it should ave said Bigger/wider tires=better handling, and i really never thought about the whole unsprung weight thing, makes you think a lot......... So what exactly did they make you read? any certain books or was it physics books?
 
The trans fluid was never brown. And fluid changes were done every 25K miles i have receipts from last owner.

Now, i owe yall an apology for my "retardedness" lol.

So today i go outside, pop the hood and remove the airbox etc to see if the maf sensor wires were gummed up, they're clean. I pulled the airbox also to clean out around that area, some leaves and smut etc, no biggie. I drive to autozone to get a new filter just to put in, the older one wasn't even that dirty, i figure let me just put a nice fresh one in. Did that, done.

Next i go into the trunk to get my small ratchet i always carry, i lift that spare tire cover (i don't have a spare lol it never had one to begin with) and THERE is the weight!! F**kn A i had 4 small tool boxes filled with tools that i forgot to take out of my trunk after winter!! Lol i felt like a jackass. I had put them in there to add more weight to the tires for the snow, which helped alot.

PS just for kicks i weighed all the boxes up and it totals to around 76lbs!! Keep in mind these are the the old rustly metal boxes lol. Gotta love them. Anyway this seemed to help, i can now burn out!!!:eek::cool::D
 
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