Hey guys,

This is my first time posting here. I have an 05 TL 5 speed automatic with a cold-air intake. (Pics will follow, she's a nice one)

About a year after I installed the cold-air intake with a K&N air filter I started getting a massive decrease in fuel mileage. Went from about 400-500 km a tank to 300-400 km but that's another story. My main concern is that over the past few months i've noticed that all of my low end power has completely disappeared. Last spring my tires would burn out if I even tapped the gas, now i'll be lucky to over-take a 97 Ford Windstar on a city street. I recently had a tune up, spark plugs replaced, and a busted cylinder coil as well. What the hell is wrong with my car guys?!

 

I bet your car is getting heat soaked....

The TL's loose massive low end in the summer....try doing the following:

Ultimate cooling mod
Coolant bypass mod

Make sure your air intake filter is clean and nothing restrictive is in the way....

This should help

 

I appreciate your quick answer! I've been told this before, but i've lost so much power it's almost unbelievable and it hasn't happened to me in the 2 previous summers i've had it. To be honest, i bought the air intake off some guy who was ripping apart his tl's engine, i've been told the quality of the pipe may have something to do with it or the oxygen sensor not hooked up properly but i've had it looked at and nobody said otherwise.

I've been told my timing belt needs to be replaced (Total load of crap regarding my power) since i have 130k.

What are these coolant mods you're talking about? I'm sorry if i'm not down with the TL lingo yet, i'm still new to this.

 

Elaborate on these a bit, if you don't mind.

 

Massive? It has been in the 90's and 100's here for the past few weeks and I have not noticed any power loss or mileage issues on my '05.

To the OP, just keep checking the basics. Air filter "shouldn't" make that much difference, but take a look to make sure something isn't really wrong. Check what fuel you are using or possibly change to a different vendor to see if it improves.

You mentioned your timing belt and 130k. I am assuming that is 130k km and not miles? Have you pulled your plugs to see if they look normal? Any check engine lights yet?

 

I'm using the highest octane sold in Canada, 94. I just had my plugs replaced a month ago but i'll check them (What sort of signs would hint at a bad plug, or is it just self explanatory?) Never had a check engine light in my life, only when I first installed the cold air intake. Yes that's 130,000 kilometers which would be around 80,000 miles.

 

check to c if there is anything blocking the CAI's air flow, i've heard of this happening several times. This could kill your gas mileage and the power of the car.

 

Heat Soak.

On a related note, low end power and TL should not be placed in the same sentence. /thread

 

not a problem dude...check my answer below

Yeah sure...

1> Ultimate cooling mod:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-performance-parts-modifications-112/ultimate-cooling-mod-739098/

All you do is remove the crowl and your done....this allows a lot more air through the engine compartment hence cooling it more.....

2> Coolant Bypass:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...coolant+bypass

Your coolant is ~200F and is running though your Throttle Body and hence heating it...which ends up heating the air flowing through and hence low performance....You should do it in summer and since you live in Canada, I would suggest reversing it (going back to stock)...the process takes a total of 2 minutes....

Both these mods dont cost anything at all....

To reduce the temperature you can also do the intake manifold thermal gaskets, throttle body thermal gaskets, throttle body spacers....just couple things that will keep the sensor a little more chilled

 

I have The same problem. And there is many others but there is no solution yet! I have high flow cats, v3 Jpipe, comptech exhaust, lightweight pulley, intake, all the heat spacers, coolant to throttle bypass and ucm. During hot weather i cant brake my tires loose, u tell me. Typd F transmission fluid and brand new spark plugs... I changed tons of sensors and nothing. I have no codes and never had one. The only thing i could try is to replace the primary two oxygen sensors but then again im pretty sure it wont do shit

 

Sigh, there is no hope for us it seems! I'll look into some of the simple suggestions you guys gave me and let you know, really annoying especially when no mechanic even has a clue.

 

Dude have you tried resetting your ECU ? I did it yesterday and she felt a lot better....

A mechanic might tell you what to do which might or might not be needed....try 1 thing at a time and see your results....some mods complement each other and some dont....you need to find what suits you best

 

Also, all cars get heat soaked.

my 90hp nissan frontier felt like it only had 60hp this morning.

 

TL low end gone? it was never there to begin with! lol jk

 

Oh i have low end in the morning and at night, i barely need to touch the pedal and she goes. When heatsoak starts rising it feels like you have to beat her just to get going. Its even worse then having 4 big size adults in the car...actually much worse

 

The funny thing is every time i do reset the ecu she feels much peppier but that doesnt last really long. even the same day it might go back to its old behaviour. I really gotta pull over one time and reset it while its happening. There is some sensor thats causing it for the eCU to pull timing. It goes into some safe mode when she really shouldnt. But then again ive never seen any car with temps that high under the hood. Its amazing.

 

What gas are you running?

 

 

I think i already mentioned I use 94 octane. The highest you can get at the major stations in Ontario.

Damn so many potential problems/fixes, where to start!

I don't know why so many people are claiming the TL has no low end power, maybe you never had any to begin with, but I know my car was a f*cking beast 6 months ago. That cold air intake really changed the way it took off and rode 1st and 2nd to 8000 in automatic hahaha.

 

I think its the way we drive....Its just an assumption but:

I reset the ECU and drove like a grandma for 500 miles....getting 26-28mpg on mixed driving....and the low end was gone....I did not hit VTEC even once...it felt like no power but hey the gas mileage was awesome....

I reset the ECU again and drove spirited for 500 miles.....getting 24-26mph on mixed driving....the car felt so much better thro out....the low end was off the hook....

try this and let me know...

Dude i tried to help but u go in a loop....here do not get confused and try these....

1> disconnect the battery (remember your navi/radio codes)
2> do the Ultimate cooling mod (~20-30 minutes)
3> do the Coolant Bypass (~10 minutes)
4> connect your battery
5> go for a drive
6> let us know the difference....

 

IMO, driving with the air on while its really hot outside will make your car feel like its a tank. Seriously. At least thats how my car is. When the air is off, its like a horse power switch is flipped back on. Just my

And as mentioned, the TL doesn't have much low end power to begin with. Heat kills it.

 

Oh don't worry, i'm not going in loops, just made a comment that's all.

I have 1 more question, could the problem possibly lie in the crappy aftermarket pipe if have for the cold air intake? A few people suggested since the pipe is just some no name that the oxygen sensor isn't reading the air flow properly? I'll post a couple of pictures of it when I can.

 

The pipe is just taking the air from the filter to the throttle body....you can replace the pipe using an AEM/KNN/Fujita pipe/intake....some name brand....

I barely doubt this has anything to do with the intake pipe....

 

more like rear end...