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I think I figured out powerloss(on mine at least)

2K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  CLUBSFIT 
#1 ·
As I posted in another thread yesterday, I experienced the dreaded powerloss for the 1st time yesterday! 55 miles on freeway , got off, went to pull out and wham nothing. Again, same thing on way home, but worse. Now this morning, same thing again but even worse. Noe I'm pissed :swearin: So after using all 3 brain cells I figured out why. In WI we have both regular and re-formulated fuel depending on where you live in proximity to Milwaukee. I work in an area w/out re-formulated junk, and live where it is. I was off Wed, and put 15$$ of 93 octane in, but it was at home, and I have never put that gas in my car until yesterday.. Only drove a few miles on it Wed, and went to work thursday, and thats when the trouble began. Now I am not a tech, nor do I play one on TV, but it seems the computer on this car is so smart(or stupid), that it adjusts very quickly to even the type/not just octane of gas you run. So I stopped halfway to work today and filled up w/non re-formulated gas, and instantly better, got off freeway and pulls like I got hit from behind!!! So to those of you that this is very intermitant, think to see if there is some difference in the gas you ran , again, not just octane, than the usuall. Just a thought if this is a repeat flame away, but I do the exact same 60 mile drive every day, so really no other variables. :drive: Hope this helps, I think if you run re-formulated all the time and switched, it might even do the same thing and would have to learn the new fuel?????????
 
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#2 ·
Now I'm really gonna sound like an idiot but what is "reformulated" gas?

Is that the new style gas with more ethenol or something different?
 
#3 ·
Yes it has lots more ethanol and the winter blend, is really bad, it is proved to be 3-5 mpg less, and some in the state have been trying to get it banned!!
 
#4 ·
As I posted in another thread yesterday, I experienced the dreaded powerloss for the 1st time yesterday! 55 miles on freeway , got off, went to pull out and wham nothing. Again, same thing on way home, but worse. Now this morning, same thing again but even worse. Noe I'm pissed :swearin: So after using all 3 brain cells I figured out why. In WI we have both regular and re-formulated fuel depending on where you live in proximity to Milwaukee. I work in an area w/out re-formulated junk, and live where it is. I was off Wed, and put 15$$ of 93 octane in, but it was at home, and I have never put that gas in my car until yesterday.. Only drove a few miles on it Wed, and went to work thursday, and thats when the trouble began. Now I am not a tech, nor do I play one on TV, but it seems the computer on this car is so smart(or stupid), that it adjusts very quickly to even the type/not just octane of gas you run. So I stopped halfway to work today and filled up w/non re-formulated gas, and instantly better, got off freeway and pulls like I got hit from behind!!! So to those of you that this is very intermitant, think to see if there is some difference in the gas you ran , again, not just octane, than the usuall. Just a thought if this is a repeat flame away, but I do the exact same 60 mile drive every day, so really no other variables. :drive: Hope this helps, I think if you run re-formulated all the time and switched, it might even do the same thing and would have to learn the new fuel?????????
[/b]
the car does not know what octane you are running or type of gas you are running. it only detects if there is knock in the engine and thus, throws the car into limp mode.
 
#5 ·
Maybe, but the sensors must, otherwise there wouldnt be such an obvious change w/just gas.
 
#7 ·
It's the gas the detonates prematurely. The knock sensor in the speed 6 is "kinda" sensative.
[/b]
Just food for thought, I still am waiting for my friend (mazda master tech) to hear back from the tech line about the powerloss issue. I also am going to install grounding wires in the next day or so, and I know its many times placebo effect, but w/our drive by wire it may help w/my stumbles in high rpm ranges??
 
#8 ·
All of these powerloss related to gas issues are what is keeping me on the fence when it comes to purchasing/trading in for a MS6. In Minnesota, we also have the odd blends of higher ethanol blended gas and just like in WI it varies if the gas station is in an urban or rural area. I would be pissed if I experienced power loss on a car I just purchased for 25k+.

Good luck getting it banned in WI, it will never happen in MN. Too much politics involved.
 
#9 ·
All of these powerloss related to gas issues are what is keeping me on the fence when it comes to purchasing/trading in for a MS6. In Minnesota, we also have the odd blends of higher ethanol blended gas and just like in WI it varies if the gas station is in an urban or rural area. I would be pissed if I experienced power loss on a car I just purchased for 25k+.

Good luck getting it banned in WI, it will never happen in MN. Too much politics involved.
[/b]
same here, too many people of a certain political party, hugging too many trees :yesnod:
 
#10 ·
well I will be purchasing my MS6 in a couple of weeks...so my question is where can I get a couple barrels of pure octane, so I can just add it to regular gas (because apparently premium is giving people problems) so why not save $$$ :)
 
#11 ·
Normally places like 'Meijer' have 100% gasoline, no additives, no winter B.S.

I'm going home this weekend and would like to bring back a tanker full of 93 :)
 
#12 ·
Gasoline octane at the pump is a measure of RON (research octance) plus MON (motor octane) divided by 2. RON is indicative of a gasolines tendency to knock at low engine speed low load conditions. MON is more representative of an engine at higher speeds and loads.

So all 93 octane fuels are not the same regardless of whether they are reformulated or conventional. What we need is gas that has a greater percentage of the MON than RON.

Not sure where ethanol is RON vs. MON wise, but we will all find out soon as MTBE will no longer be used in US gasoline starting in May.
 
#15 ·
I think he meant oxygenated when he said refomulated
 
#17 ·
I really don;t know about this powerloss issue, i really don;t think i;ve felt it.
I drive the car very hard and i'm averaging at least 150 miles a day on it.

About the knock, i mean hell i'm drifting with the car every weekend or on the track with it
so i know i'm pushing it hard but i really havent; felt a drop in power.

does this powerloss usally only happen in higher rpms?

maybe i got lucky? (knowing my luck hell no)

sorry if this was a stupid post, i'm just curious
 
#18 ·
Put a gauge on there, you'll know if/when you're getting it.

Jason
 
#19 ·
Put a gauge on there, you'll know if/when you're getting it.

Jason
[/b]
yea prolly. I'll hook up a knock sensor from defi or somethign with my boost gauge

but i literly really just dun feel powerloss.

i think someone posted that if your running at 93 octane and you don;t shift at redline ur ok..
well seeing that i'm always shifting at 5700-6000 thats way before redline and i never had anything lower then 93octane even from the dealer...
could it be that i just haven;t had the sequence of events to give me that powerloss thing?
 
#20 ·
Its possible. I normally shift around 6k and dont see it. Ive seen it about three times now and each time I was on the highway coming home from work (read bat out of hell) and kept it in 4th or 5th and was on-off holding the rpms up. Id be goign along, then bam, no accel. Look at the gauge and pulling 6psi. Id put her in neutral, pop the clutch in, turn her off, then turn her back on, shift into 5th and get on it and spike of 20 and settle at 15psi.

Jason
 
#21 ·
Its possible. I normally shift around 6k and dont see it. Ive seen it about three times now and each time I was on the highway coming home from work (read bat out of hell) and kept it in 4th or 5th and was on-off holding the rpms up. Id be goign along, then bam, no accel. Look at the gauge and pulling 6psi. Id put her in neutral, pop the clutch in, turn her off, then turn her back on, shift into 5th and get on it and spike of 20 and settle at 15psi.

Jason
[/b]
hmmm ok so its possible i just haven;t experianced it. hahah GREAT!
thanks for the input~!
oh btw how much of a pain was it getting the vacume lines through the fire wall for the boost gauge?
 
#22 ·
By myself, it wasnt too bad. I really wish I would have had someone else to help though. Took me about 2 houts total to install everything from dismantle to driving away completed.

Jason
 
#23 ·
Just food for thought, I still am waiting for my friend (mazda master tech) to hear back from the tech line about the powerloss issue. I also am going to install grounding wires in the next day or so, and I know its many times placebo effect, but w/our drive by wire it may help w/my stumbles in high rpm ranges??
[/b]


:goon: :slap:

www.howstuffworks.com

or

:google:

please.
 
#24 ·
I live on LI in NY and we have only reformulated gas, used to be MBTE now ethanol/Methonol 10%. My car has only experenced powerloss once, so I dont think it's the gas. I agree with most it's an over active knock sensor and that software is the fix. I notice that they are using this engine package for other vehicles with different HP numbers. Is the lowered HP because of an engine change or just a software/computer change?
 
#25 ·
I live on LI in NY and we have only reformulated gas, used to be MBTE now ethanol/Methonol 10%. My car has only experenced powerloss once, so I dont think it's the gas. I agree with most it's an over active knock sensor and that software is the fix. I notice that they are using this engine package for other vehicles with different HP numbers. Is the lowered HP because of an engine change or just a software/computer change?
[/b]
maybe it was just that particular tank of gas, but my point is that I think the car adjusts to certain things, and your car has only run that gas, so no issues, but mine has alway run on the non reformulated and ONLY when I put the reformulated in did I experience it. On most cars the computer adjusts to octane and other things to allow running on different gases depending on where you live etc. So I dont think its so far fetched to say that the computer on ours is so much more picky, that changes in gas, even the same octane can cause sensors to get pissed. 3 days on the good gas, and have not had even a hiccup. Also, to those of you who are not sure if you experienced it, you havnt. I always wondered too, but after it happened there is NO doubt, so be thankfull. :)
 
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