96 Sunfire Losing Power

[ericv1984]

What can cause a 1996 Pontiac Sunfire SE 2.2L to lose power?

From a dead stop or when I'm already going 30+ and push the pedal to the floor it SLOWLY goes up in speed. Takes a while to even get up to freeway speed most of the time.

 

[planenut_2000]

Check the exhaust back pressure.

 

[ericv1984]

How do I do that?

 

[planenut_2000]

remove the oxygen sensor upstream from the cat and install a back pressure gauge. you should have less than 1 lb of pressure when you increase rpms.
Or you could just disconnect the exhaust system in front the cat and do a quick test drive to see if performance is improved.

______________________________

 

[ericv1984]

remove the oxygen sensor upstream from the cat and install a back pressure gauge. you should have less than 1 lb of pressure when you increase rpms.
Or you could just disconnect the exhaust system in front the cat and do a quick test drive to see if performance is improved.

The oxygen sensor that's in the exhaust manifold?

And if I have more then 1 lb of pressure does that mean the oxygen sensor is going bad?

 

[melsg5]

No it means the catalytic convertor is bad, you are only removing the sensor inorder to have a connection for the pressure gauge.