My car is REALLY slow...

[slowbird]

I have a 1994 3.4l v6 bird. This car must be the slowest ive ever driven. I know its a small engine and shouldnt be too fast, but I think my friends '92 camry with over 200k miles is faster than my car which is really rediculous. I also get only like 10 mpg. I have a heavy foot, but it still shouldnt be that bad. (no gas leaks)

Sometimes when I rev at 1,500 rpms and stay there, it will backfire really bad. If I lay off, or give it more gas, it will stop backfiring. I changed the air filter, wires, sparkplugs, oil...not the fuel filter. There is a slight knock in the engine, could this be killing my gas milage and speed???

My mechanic said its a rocker arm, nothing to worry about. A friend said it could be a valve. The valve is not opening and closing right, therefore the backfire and the lack of full pressure=loss of hp. Could this be right?
Maybe just need a rebuild? Is it worth it? I have 130k miles on it..

Also, I think the trans could be a little off. When I put the transmission in 1 to see what happens(car has auto trans), it doesnt want to drive at all. I dont know if this is the same 1st gear that the car goes through when the transmission is in drive...

Any solutions anyone?(please dont say get a new car lol)

[ConElite]

Yeah I get 15+mpg all city and I have a heavy foot. You have some serious issues. a V6 F-body post 98 can usually keep up with like '01 GT's.

I cant imagine yours should be to much slower. Check the compression.

[1slo_camaro]

ive got a really good trans for that if you wanna pick one up for pretty cheap. im hurting right now to lol

[Mark B]

a V6 F-body post 98 can usually keep up with like '01 GT's.

You are thinking of F-Bodys with the 200hp 3.8L V6. I think he has somewhere in the area of 170hp. Thats a pretty big difference. As far as the milage goes... Unless you are flooring it 99 percent of the time, I cant see why you would get such poor mileage. Is your service engine soon light on?

[99Firebird3800]

I agree with the above. You shouldn't be getting THAT bad of mileage. It sounds like you've done a complete tune-up, so I'd go for a complete compression and leak-down test. This will tell you if a valve isn't closing properly, and even which one it is.

You could also have a clogged cat since you mention that both performance and mileage is suffering. You may want to try having that replaced as well.

You mention that when you put the car in '1' it doesn't want to move - THIS IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM. I'm not sure of the extent, but from a stop, there should be no difference in take-off if you're in 'D' or '1' since they're the same 1st gear. It could simply be your selector switch is messed up, or it could be a much deeper problem in the trans - I'm not a trans guy, but I understand some of what happens.

If your SES light is on, definately figure out what codes you've got. I'm not sure if you're OBDI or II (probably I since you've got a '94), but you'll have to FIND someplace that has an OBDI scanner, or find the 'paperclip' alternative.

[ConElite]

You are thinking of F-Bodys with the 200hp 3.8L V6. I think he has somewhere in the area of 170hp. Thats a pretty big difference. As far as the milage goes... Unless you are flooring it 99 percent of the time, I cant see why you would get such poor mileage. Is your service engine soon light on?

30hp is a difference but its not something thats going to be as drastic as he is describing. You can probly free up that with fulll bolt ones.

[slowbird]

I agree with the above. You shouldn't be getting THAT bad of mileage. It sounds like you've done a complete tune-up, so I'd go for a complete compression and leak-down test. This will tell you if a valve isn't closing properly, and even which one it is.

You could also have a clogged cat since you mention that both performance and mileage is suffering. You may want to try having that replaced as well.

You mention that when you put the car in '1' it doesn't want to move - THIS IS DEFINATELY A PROBLEM. I'm not sure of the extent, but from a stop, there should be no difference in take-off if you're in 'D' or '1' since they're the same 1st gear. It could simply be your selector switch is messed up, or it could be a much deeper problem in the trans - I'm not a trans guy, but I understand some of what happens.

If your SES light is on, definately figure out what codes you've got. I'm not sure if you're OBDI or II (probably I since you've got a '94), but you'll have to FIND someplace that has an OBDI scanner, or find the 'paperclip' alternative.

No check engine light, no SES light. I do have the ABS INOP ligh on, and the Check Guages light comes on once in a while(the oil pressure guage starts to freak out after driving for about 15 mins. im not sure if its just the guage or the pump..)

About the clogged cat, the guy I bought it from said he shoved a broomstick in there to hollow it out right before he sold it to me. I dont know why he would do that after I already agreed to buy the car. Could I try to just unbolt the exhaust and shake the cat out?

I guess Ill bring my car to the transmission place for a check up. Just experimenting with the trans, when I put it in 2, slow down to 5-10mph and put it into 1, the car rapidly comes to a stop as if i slammed on the brakes.

UGH...

[slowbird]

I just got back from the transmission place...
The guy test drove the car and said the trannys sliding. There isnt any shifting at all and its just slipping. He said every minute im driving the car, the more im killing it. He also said he doesnt even know how the cars driving..
I feel like I cant even sell the car like this...Cost about $1280 for a rebuild.

[DHolmes]

[QUOTE=ConElite]Yeah I get 15+mpg all city and I have a heavy foot. You have some serious issues. a V6 F-body post 98 can usually keep up with like '01 GT's.

no way,it could keep up with a 94-98 gt(non PI) but 99-04 gt's are high 13's low 14's 1/4 stock.99-04's run about even with lt1's


1995 Chevrolet Camaro 3800 7.4 15.7
1994 Ford Mustang GT 6.1 14.9 (C&D Dec '93)

1996 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 5.7 14.1
1999 Ford Mustang GT 5.5 14.1

1999-04 mustangs recieved better cams,intake and heads.making 40 more hp then 94-98 mustangs.

[ConElite]

Believe it or Not Holmes.

I was thinking the 98+ v6 F-bodies. Those are close to how quick a stock likem 99-00 Stang. With a good driver.

[Joe 1320]

haha....... even my lowly 3.4 did a 15.456@86.82

3800s with a stick should be quicker yet. My Stock 97 WS6 automatic would roast stangs and cobras of the day. You can't go by what you read in mags as 100% the final word.

[DHolmes]

on other forums guys run 13.8-14.2 all day with 99-04 stangs,ive seen time slips,

but saying a 98+v6 f-body can beat a 99-04 gt is Bs

look at the specs

http://www.edmunds.com/used/2001/for...050/specs.html

http://www.edmunds.com/used/1998/che...142/specs.html

99-04 mustang gt has 60 more hp,80 more pounds of torque,and weighs less,come on

[Craig 94 TA GT]

I think the argument is that a solid running 3800 V6 f-body can race against a '94-'95 GT well. Maybe a bit harder for the 10 more hp OHC '96-'98 models. The '94-'95s are in the 15s. My friend had an '84 GT that ran 15.5 in the quarter mile without good traction. He had beaten every single '94-'95 GT that had ever raced him. His '84 GT had 175 hp and was a vert. It ran a 0-60 of 6.97 with the G-tech.

[Joe 1320]

I just got back from the transmission place...
The guy test drove the car and said the trannys sliding. There isnt any shifting at all and its just slipping. He said every minute im driving the car, the more im killing it. He also said he doesnt even know how the cars driving..
I feel like I cant even sell the car like this...Cost about $1280 for a rebuild.

I doubt that has a thing to do with a backfire. My bet is that there are several issues with the car, perhaps one is the transmission. Whether something is "worth it" or not is a matter of opinion. My 94 3.4 just turned over 222,300 miles and is still giving me 27+ average mpg with a 5 speed. I don't beat on it, I baby it as it's great transportation from point A to B.

I see a sceneriio where a transmission shop "thinks" the trans is slipping, rebuilds the trans and hands you the bill. You try to drive home and the thing still backfires and hardly wants to move. The trans shop says "The trans works great, you've got another problem with the motor. " So you've shelled out $1250 and are still without a good running car.

It never hurts to get a second opinion from another shop.

[Mark B]

I see a sceneriio where a transmission shop "thinks" the trans is slipping, rebuilds the trans and hands you the bill. You try to drive home and the thing still backfires and hardly wants to move. The trans shop says "The trans works great, you've got another problem with the motor. " So you've shelled out $1250 and are still without a good running car.

Definitly agree with that. Get a second opinion. Trans shops alot of times only see trans problems. Thats what they make money on.