Loss of power in 2nd gear

[Jaysanooch]

After a long joy ride...I decide to do one last light to light run just before my house. Light turns green, I take off...wheels start spinning at 5000rpm, so I ease off the gas and slap it in 2nd, full throttle and nothing. Feels like the car died, then it picks up and then it's fine. My car is flashed did it before when it was stock....I figured maybe heatsoak so I'll upgrade the smic. But it still does it even now, only after running the car for awhile. What is this? Any idea's?

Can Mpi tuner solve this shit cause I'm going to see Nick in a few weeks for the install. I'm not looking for crazy horsepower just want the car to run perfect at stock boost. Mpi tuner to maximize my mods.

[mspHtown]

After a long joy ride...I decide to do one last light to light run just before my house. Light turns green, I take off...wheels start spinning at 5000rpm, so I ease off the gas and slap it in 2nd, full throttle and nothing. Feels like the car died, then it picks up and then it's fine. My car is flashed did it before when it was stock....I figured maybe heatsoak so I'll upgrade the smic. But it still does it even now, only after running the car for awhile. What is this? Any idea's?

Can Mpi tuner solve this shit cause I'm going to see Nick in a few weeks for the install. I'm not looking for crazy horsepower just want the car to run perfect at stock boost. Mpi tuner to maximize my mods.

what boost are you at? does the car buck?

[Jaysanooch]

My boost is whatever it came with stock. I haven't touched boost. I have no gauges, no boost controller just the mods listed above.

[mspHtown]

maybe your boost just spiked and it was fuel cut. the smic and the full turbo back exhaust raise the boost a little.

[Jaysanooch]

O.k but if it did it before when completely stock?...it felt like a severe fuel starvation...reminded me when I'd take a fast corner with my Iroc Z on low gas. Loss of power, the front end would sink forward then come back to life.

With a boost spike...does the car do any noticable noise, how can I tell?

[Blue_Speed]

it might be that your car is leaning out a little bit then goes back to an optimal a/f ratio. My car did this before and i can tell by my wbo2. i think it's the best thing i have spent my money on. i would definetely say to go with that mpi and if you have any spare money get a wbo2.

[mspHtown]

when it did this on stock boost, what was the temperature?

[CustomMSP]

You might have a leak somewhere. Check all of your couplers and vacuum lines.

Later.

[Jaysanooch]

when it did this on stock boost, what was the temperature?

This would occur in the hot summers and in the winters. It happens when the car is warm or when it's heatsoaked. It always happens in 2nd gear, when speed shifting with the pedal to the metal. If I take off and shift into 2nd and give it a second it usually is fine. From a cold start the car has no such issues.

[Jaysanooch]

You might have a leak somewhere. Check all of your couplers and vacuum lines.

Later.

My intake and hardpipes and so on all seem tight. I think I'll try changing the stock vacuum lines to better quality hoses, I was told this did wonders.

[mspHtown]

if you had a leak, wouldn't every single gear that you boost in be affected...

[Jaysanooch]

if you had a leak, wouldn't every single gear that you boost in be affected...

Yup, but just 2nd gear...that's why I think it's fuel, either to much to lean. It really sucks, I gotta get an Mpi tuner, I was going to anyway but now more than ever. It has to be the answer to fixing my situation.

[Mazdaspeed989]

I have this same problem in 2nd gear. A friend and I were making videos of our cars and doing a drive-bye i was having the same problem. It's not the first time and like Jaysanooch said it was only after the car had been running for a while. Never when it's cold or warming up. If I let off the gas and gradually get back on it the power comes back.

My power mods are:
Split Second AF controller
Injen CAI
Corksport Exhaust.
I have NOT re-flashed.
I'm boosting at 8psi

Any ideas on what it could be? I was working on my car before we went out (cleaned out the EGR valve to fix a rough idle) and checked everything while I was under the hood. No loose connections anywhere.
When I go home again in a few weeks i'll install a fuel cut defense I have...never saw a need for it running stock boost...but maybe it would help. Possibly get it re-flashed too at the 30K checkup. I'm at a loss????

[Jaysanooch]

I have this same problem in 2nd gear. A friend and I were making videos of our cars and doing a drive-bye i was having the same problem. It's not the first time and like Jaysanooch said it was only after the car had been running for a while. Never when it's cold or warming up. If I let off the gas and gradually get back on it the power comes back.

I guess I'm not the only one....I'll let you know if I find the problem....please do the same if you figure it out.

[Mazdaspeed989]

yeah definetally, i don't have my car at school w/ me so i won't get a chance to mess w/ it for a few weeks. hopefully someone on here has had the problem and fixed it though

[mspHtown]

I have this same problem in 2nd gear. A friend and I were making videos of our cars and doing a drive-bye i was having the same problem. It's not the first time and like Jaysanooch said it was only after the car had been running for a while. Never when it's cold or warming up. If I let off the gas and gradually get back on it the power comes back.

My power mods are:
Split Second AF controller
Injen CAI
Corksport Exhaust.
I have NOT re-flashed.
I'm boosting at 8psi

Any ideas on what it could be? I was working on my car before we went out (cleaned out the EGR valve to fix a rough idle) and checked everything while I was under the hood. No loose connections anywhere.
When I go home again in a few weeks i'll install a fuel cut defense I have...never saw a need for it running stock boost...but maybe it would help. Possibly get it re-flashed too at the 30K checkup. I'm at a loss????


so you already have a air/fuel controller and you are still experiencing it? have you completely tuned the unit yet?

[Mazdaspeed989]

no i have done no tuning yet...i can't get it to work with my laptop...i'll have to figure that out and get some numbers posted on the boards, give the masterminds a little more to go off of.
that or go somewhere and get it tuned

[Jaysanooch]

I went for another joy ride, car was warmed up and noticed the same issue with 2nd gear at full throttle. I make the adjustments...keep going, I put it in 3rd and my boost felt hesitant and unconsistent. I'm beginning to think that my car just runs like shit when it's warm up period.

I want to replace my vacuum hoses, and see if this helps. I heard stock vacuum hoses are poor quality and are prone to cracking. Where can I get top notch vacuum hoses?

I'm gonna get new spark plugs aswell, as I have not changed them since new. I only have 28 000kms. I'll see through process of illimination.

[Jaysanooch]

Mazdaspeed89 I think I know the source of our problem, when installing my boost controller, the vaccum line from the wastegate just broke apart in 10 different pieces. No leaks were discovered when gasing the vacuum lines before hand. Since I changed the hose, I haven't felt the loss in power.

Change that hose for sure, if you still have the stock one.

[smo0f]

when you guys mention that it's a cold vs hot issue, as in it only does it when the car has been on for a while, that is a hint that the problem, or one of the problems, is a leak somewhere. the leak gets bigger and more noticeable when the object containg the leak expands due to heat. as far as it only happening in 2nd gear and not the rest, you haven't built up enough boost in 1st gear to experience it, you build some boost in 2nd but lose it due to the leak thus experience the symptoms you are getting. in 3rd, 4th and 5th, you have enough boost where a small leak is not noticable. this is my theory anyways. so yeah, look into the vac lines. probably very small unnoticable leaks all over it and it's ready to fall apart

[Jaysanooch]

when you guys mention that it's a cold vs hot issue, as in it only does it when the car has been on for a while, that is a hint that the problem, or one of the problems, is a leak somewhere. the leak gets bigger and more noticeable when the object containg the leak expands due to heat. as far as it only happening in 2nd gear and not the rest, you haven't built up enough boost in 1st gear to experience it, you build some boost in 2nd but lose it due to the leak thus experience the symptoms you are getting. in 3rd, 4th and 5th, you have enough boost where a small leak is not noticable. this is my theory anyways. so yeah, look into the vac lines. probably very small unnoticable leaks all over it and it's ready to fall apart

Your theory makes alot of sense now that I discovered the leak. Previous leak tests showed nothing and was getting really upsetting. Had I not gone to see Nick at Modern Performance to install boost controller and Mpi, this would have gone on until the vacuum hose would of completly exploded. I gotta thank Nick and his crew, I will sleep alot better now.

[Mazdaspeed989]

Hey thanks i'll check that out, i have replaced the vac line from the wastegate but what i didn't replace was the part where it actually connects to the wastegate. that could very well be what is leaking, i'll check it out tomorrow and see if i can't solve this problem. thanks again

[Mazdaspeed989]

Alright last night I took that hose back off, The part i had left on from the stock hose was the part that connected to the wastegate and sure enough there was a hole in it. I took it for a quick ride this morning with no power loss. I won't get to test it anymore till after the wkend, taking my moms accord down to atlanta (my tires are bald) but it seems to have worked. Thanks a lot jaysanooch for the update.

[Jaysanooch]

Good to hear man....it had to be the problem since our symptoms were so similar. They also put some heat resistant tape around my vacuum hose...I think it's a good idea. Good luck man...

[PharmacyMSP]

don't get freaked out by ONE run... our cars run rich as shit sometimes. If it does it on a regular basis, then it is a cause for concern.

[Mazdaspeed989]

Alright I am still having the problem!! In second gear it is as if my car hits a wall, it starts to boost then lurches forward as if i hit the brakes then gets power again then does stops again. It feels like someone who is trying to get going in first gear and is not very good at it...where the car lurches back and forth. Except it's in 2nd gear...could it be heat soak? i don't know much about it or what it would feel like, also in first gear sometimes i feel like i get no boost at all, i mean i know i wouldn't get much in first but it just feel like a complete loss of power.
This is frustrating the hell out of me! any ideas would be great, i think i'm going to re-replace all of my vac lines to see if maybe i'm still getting a leak somewhere but i just don't think that is my problem.

[Mazdaspeed989]

Quick question...would heat soak cause your car to run rich? ie i can smell that it is running rich...
I just went through and checked all my lines and everything looks alright, took it out for a spin (got pwned by a prelude running 12lbs of boost). I'm thinking now it's the shitty intercooler/piping.

[Mazdaspeed989]

Bump for some help before I hate driving my car!

[Mazdaspeed989]

Alright newest symptom is the exhaust smells like a lawnmower, so it smells really rich. I am at a loss, i think i'm going to uninstall the A/F controller this week and see what that does but if anyone has any idea as to what might be going on please let me know!!!!! thanks

[Mazdaspeed989]

Bump for some help! Please! I'm going to uninstall my A/F contoller tomorrow and see if there is some tuning problem with that but I still have one vac line to replace (the one from the A/F controller to my brake booster line). But any more thoughts would be appreciated.

[Jaysanooch]

Man...sorry hear, I wish I could help cause mine has been ok except I've been having issues with my car. I'm getting code P0340 camshaft position sensor. It feels exactly like fuel cut except it isn't according to cel. My car has been at the shop for a few days now, everything seems o.k....the sensor is clean, the wiring to computer is good.

I've had trouble with cel codes since my trip to Jersey. I had the Mpi installed directly from Nick at Modern Performance to avoid any problems, so I know the install is good except why am I getting this P0340 code.

I know my response doesn't help....just venting cause I'm really frustrated myself. But try gasing your vacuum lines at some shop who can, and see if you get a leak.