where has all my power gone?

[adam 32]

had the water pump changed the other day (cam belt off) however now all my power has gone. itll spool up ok but over 4500rpm theres no power at all. i cant audibly hear pinging or misifirng. i just bought a new set of plugs and put them in today but the problem is still there

im guessing its timing, do my symptoms sound like base ignition timing (CAS) or is the cam timing out??

thanks

adam

[Emre]

Your ebc is farked, it is not bringing your car on boost... ditch it and try a bleed valve.

That was a joke, so stop your cursing.

If it was the base timing you could pick it from the positioning of the crank angle sensor in a second. Sounds like a cam timing issue if you have cam gears, but i just can't think of a reason for them to loosen the bolts to alter the cam timing. They may have jumped a tooth with the cam belt as well.

Take it back and get them to fix it.

[adam 32]

yeh i have a feelin cam timing is retarded...

mainly cos the lack of power is up top

problem is this is the local, family garage which i used only cos i didnt have a rattle gun cos of the crank pulley bolt. so i think theyre gunah throw their hands up and say i duno... time to get angry

[Emre]

Has it been like that all the time since you've picked your car up...?

If it's base timing or cam timing, it could be diagnosed with visible inspection in very little time, check them both.

If all check up ok things get a bit more complicated. I don't have all the knowledge to advise you on, so i won't. Take it back to them to fix it, i'm guessing it'll just be the re-aligning of the cams.

[adam 32]

nah its been like this since the water pump was replaced yeserday. (cam belt came off) so im assuming its timing of some sort...

[rev210]

the timing is easy to check with a gun.

Alternatively you can retard it in steps to see if you can eliminate the ping. If you have HKS cam gears they are dead easy to set back to the right level.

cam timing on the exhaust ought to be retarded about 3-4 degrees for best top end. (thats two little marks worth max on the pulley).

[adam 32]

maybe i needed to be a bit clearer, sorry

i have std cam gears and cams. recently the water pump was changed and the cam belt removed in order to complete the job. since picking up the car from the garage i have absolutely no power up top and are getting some serious backfires.

is this a timing issue?

[rev210]

backfires?

They have either really retarded the timing. or skiped a tooth on the timing belt.

Try advancing the timing to see if things get a little better.Thats an easy one, quite possible they re-set the timing to what they thought was factory.

[adam 32]

yeh ive been playin with the CAS, also changed the plugs but no good...

i think its retarded cam timing. sound like the right symptoms?

[rev210]

when you say 'playing with the CAS' do you mean using a timing light?

Get a timing light on the thing and see where it's at.

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Adam,

I agree with rev, it definately sounds like it's heavily retarded. Timing light and then the manual to tell you how to reset the timing.

[BOOSTD]

Remember the timing works on a double trigger. You timing light will read 30 degree for 15. I'm guessing the mechanic hasn't realised or You cam gears could also be a notch out. Pull off you front cover and check that all you TDC marks line up.(a little dot is punched in every pulley)

[adam 32]

im thinking more toward cam timing retarded than base timing though. cos off-boost and up to around 4000rpm it feels 'ok'. well im gunah take it back to the shop today - now i remember why workshops are shit

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Adam,

Good luck with it, and report back what the result is:D

[adam 32]

ok pullled the cam covers off this mornin and checked cam timing

its all 100%. if it were a tooth out im sure itd be running alot worse than what it is... so for now thats ruled out

its under full boost that its doing it, which makes me wonder whether its just a coincedence or that theres a boost leak or a problem with the turbo

it doesnt misfire, its just really hesistant under full boost over 4K. any ideas anyone?

a big thanks to those who have replied so far

[GTS-t VSPEC]

Adam, It's always hard to diagnose while driving, get it on a dyno and look at AFR's and boost. Backfiring usually means retarded timing though, get a timing light on it:D

[adam 32]

yeh i dont have a timing light

yeh ill put it on the dyno

i may have figured out my pinging issue as well, no 6 injector isnt firing as well as the others so will run some injector cleaner through the next tank and ramp her up late next week

[GTS-t VSPEC]

You should have popped down to SST, could have done it then:D

[adam 32]

yeh i went to mackas to change my plugs instead. at the time i thought it was a plug issue but not to be

by the way im running NGK 7's gapped at 0.85mm if anyone thinks that could be the issue??

thanks

adam

[GTS-t VSPEC]

I think we ran a colder set on Micko's but you would notice it breaking down if it was the plugs.