So after about an hour+ of searching with some, but little luck...I've just decided to ask you all directly.

Since I got my truck about a year ago, it's been a SLUG when taking off. I couldnt beat an 89 civic running on 3 cylinders with its parking brake on if I had to. Basically whether im pulling out of a parking space, or at a stop light, the RPMs get to about 2200 before the truck actually moves. It seems to stay between 2000-2200rpm up until the TC kicks in and its great from there.

Late last winter the trans started slipping and it was still under warranty so the warranty picked up the rebuild (stock rebuild unfortunately). Even still, the RPMS have to reach about 2200 to get rolling and I have to keep them up that high in order to get any kind of normal acceleration.

The trans shifts fine, after about 1700 rpm I can hear the turbo kick in but for some reason it takes that extra kick in the pants to get it rolling. I'm not getting any white smoke, and if the truck is in D and i let go of the brake it will roll so the brakes should not be sticking or anything. im only running a BHAF and straight pipe, but i should be able to atleast beat grandma in her 91 towncar at a light if i have to....

any ideas?

 

Is your transmission fluid level correct? That could cause sluggish take off cause the torque converter doesn't get fully filled with fluid.

 

Sounds like a possible AFC issue

or plugged up fuel filter, whats the fuel pressure? has the prefilter been changed? how is the rubber line from the AFC to the turbo?

These are a start...

Rick

 

^Good points. What do YOU think the problem is? Engine related? Or tranny related? Does the engine feel like it's running strong? What boost are you running?

 

Im doing the fuel filter tomorrow, read some horror stories about getting the truck to even start afterwards but i think i'll be okay. The prefilter hasnt been changed in about 20k, and the rubber line has some cracking in it close to the AFC but doesnt appear to be torn. The fluid level is perfect so i dont think thats much of an issue.

After what ive been reading, that turbo to afc line could be a problem as well as the fuel filter so those are both going to be taken care of tomorrow. If those dont do anything im 100% out of idears

 

When you do the fuel filter, just hand prime the lift pump a good dozen strokes or so. It'll get hard to push. It should start right up after that. You don't even have to worry about filling up the new fuel filter with clean diesel. I wouldn't worry too much about the pre-filter. I changed mine out at 185K and it was clean.

 

I dont have gauges so i dont know the fp or boost, i have a new baby in the family now so i dont really have the time or money to go gauges so thats why i only have the bhaf and straigh pipe for now.

It seems like both engine and trans problems to be honest with you. The engine runs strong as hell, dont get me wrong and the transmission will pull hard after the tc kicks in, but i just get confused as to what to be concerned about when ive got to rev that high to get moving. If its an engine problem i can see it being a fuel problem or a boost problem and if its a transmission problem i'm lost cause theyre foreign to me

 

Hard to say without having gauges. If you hear the turbo then it is spooling. The stock torque converters are really sloppy. Could just be that you think there's something wrong with it but it just the inefficiency of the stock torque converter. Has it always been like this? Even after the tranny rebuild? Towncars can actually be pretty fast you know.

 

hahaha well they seem to smoke me at lights too often so trust me, i know

and yeah, its pretty much always been like this...it actually seems to have gotten worse. before once i got to 2000 i'd be moving now i have to get it to 2200. and it sucks cause my straight pipe is ROARING and my turbo is absolutely screaming but im not moving any faster than i could run and then when the power actually hits the wheels, the traffic i wanted to pass at the light is a good 200 ft ahead of me. Its more embarrasing than anything else, but i know its not supposed to be this bad and laggy feeling so i know somethings gotta be wrong in there somewhere

 

and i mean, lets say the fuel filter is clogged up worse than any youve ever seen. Will I see much low-end improvement after I put the new clean filter in? I've seen 12v's with intake, straight pipe and a fuel plate burn 33's from lights before, not that im interested in doing that, but i just cant see a fuel filter alone keeping me from getting all this power to my wheels

 

well i had that trouble and had a sheard off bolt on the top side of p pump where my touque plate was and fuel shut off

 

it was sucking air for years now runs great.my buddy found it

 

sounds to me like it's just the stock trans sucking all ur power until the TC locks up. I had a auto in this truck when I got it and for the love of me even if I floored it, it wouldn't go any faster until the TC locked up. I'm sure u could do a few free mods like grind ur fuel plate and 3gsk and really wake up the truck...but, the smarter option is to get a nice TC and Valve body and gauges, then start adding alittle power, because i'm sure a nice TC and VB will really make u smile since the power will be put down nearly like what it is when the TC locks up.

 

45 mins to take out the fuel plate and your truck wont be a tird any more. i had the same questions when i first got my truck and i was wondering what the heck everyone was talking about with these trucks having alot of power. then i put in a #6 plate (which is now gone) and realized you have to tweak it a little but lucky for us most mods are cheap or free. once you take the plate out you will slip the stock converter when it is supposed to be locked but you can feather the slip point til you get the time and money for a converter and valve body. i know people that have gone over a year on the stock tranny you just cant mash it everywhere (and you wont have to).

 

just to update, I did the fuel filter and didnt notice much difference at all. At first it seemed to be pulling at 2000 but its averaging around 2000-2200 still, so no real change there.

Tomorrow im gonna test for boost leaks, ive been reading on here that some of the intercooler boots may be torn and whatnot so im gonna check it all tomorrow