Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting bogging when cold and loss of power

for the past week when I've started up the car it will bog hardcore, like you can really step on it and it will hardly move, backfire a few times almost die and then slowly go then it will take off and then bog down and it will switch through taht a few times a second until you are at high RPM (4500+) once it gets warm, it is fine usually, but it will jerk when going under 60 down the highway, and then stop and then start jerking again(I don't know if that is realted to the bogging or not). It also has lost power too, all across the rev band. I came beck from college where I usually can get 30mpg if it feels like it and I got 21 or so. I searched and came up with new plugs or wires, but the plugs are less than a year old and would new wires cure the bogging and loss of power???? No codes, had it scanned today and the repair shop(who is very good) couldnt' find anything. I have a 1400 mile road trip starting this friday and want t0 get more than 20 mpg!!!! so any hlep would be great!!!

Fuel filter, fuel pump, moisture in gas tank?

Since it's a 95:

Go out and check the secondaries linkage. Make sure both sides are rotated ccw. Turn the key to run and they should turn cw.

Have the intake gaskets been replaced?

Check the PCV elbow (comes out of the bottom of the UIM) for leaks or collapsing.

Was the CAT recall done? Check for underhood sticker.

Ok, I forgot to add all taht we have done already. Checked out the vacuum lines, they are ok. the fuel filter is new as of 3000 miles ago, i treated the gas tank a couple tanks ago, spent all sunday working on the thing. Could it maybe be the ECV? thats the only thing we could come up with. Oh yea, it has 48,000 miles on it if that helps at all. I will look for the secondaries linkage and PCV elbow right now and see what I find.

Ok, I am somewhat a newb when it comes to the secondaries and all that so heres a stupid question- Where is the secondary linkage?? and which line is the PCV elbow? thanks. I have 2 days to fix this before I have to put up with 22mpg for a 1400 mile trip.

When my IMRC was broken the engine never bogged or hesitated. It just lacked power over 3K rpms. My bogging was caused by small vacuum leaks and a bad TPS.

My car is at the shop again, but I do remember checking that out not knowing it was the PCV and I had replaced that rubber hose but not sure about the elbow. I beleive it was ok, but I will check when I get the car back. COuld thisbe the cats? If it helps, th exhaust pipes are really black, definitly more than normal. and the shuddering started and just got worse with time.

mine has done the same thing since I have owned. Just a minor annoyance when it is cold. The power on my car is fine though once it is warmed up and I get 24-28 mpg on the highway. Since you moved back from college did you have all your stuff in your car while hauling it back and that is why you got bad milage? I too have new wires, plugs, fuel filter, gaskets, cleaned UIM/LIM, new cat....but not PCV valve....couldn't find the stupid thing. I have a new one, but just haven'changed it. LOL. When I get home from work tonight maybe I will give changing that a whirl. I am also wondering if it is the precats for our cars that might be plugged or something.....or if the secondaries just don't close like they should when it is cold and then they free up after a little bit of driving. But when I did the UIM cleaning they were closed like they should be.

elradio-
I did ahve it quite loaded down, but maybe not a whole lot more than I did when I got 30 mpg, and would it really make 9 mpg difference? so I'm pretty sure thats not the problem. If it makes a difference, I have 225's on there, and they are Potenza G009's so they hurt it a little I think, cause the 30 mpg was on Comp T/A 215's. It never used to really lack power once it warmed up, just did it within the last few weeks. I'm praying the repair shop will find somehting. My best guess is pre-cat or some reandom sensor that the repair shop thouthg it could be. I should hear from them within the hour. Thanks for teh help so far, guys.

EDIT: Called the repair shop and they said that it could be the idle air sylinoid (sp). Does this make sense????? Need to know soon as I need call them back.