# Erratic Power



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Unfortunately car is still doing this. It doesn't want to really do anything, but when it does it's after it's been sitting out of boost for a bit or when the car has finally chugged its way up to 4k then it starts pulling again. Is there anything I can check to see if things are sticking?


----------



## Shroomie (Jan 16, 2017)

The bypass valve on the turbo or solenoid under the intake manifold... also check the wastegate and boost solenoid... you can find them by following the little vacuum lines attached around the turbo.


----------



## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Well I don't want to scare you but what you're describing is similar to how my car behaved before the transmission blew up. It's at the dealer with a new assembly on the way from Detroit. 

It felt like an engine miss at cruising speed and wouldn't pull (boost) when I hit the throttle. Then when I got back home it really started acting up and luckily threw some codes and died on me. You don't have any check engine lights do you?


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Iamantman said:


> Well I don't want to scare you but what you're describing is similar to how my car behaved before the transmission blew up. It's at the dealer with a new assembly on the way from Detroit.
> 
> It felt like an engine miss at cruising speed and wouldn't pull (boost) when I hit the throttle. Then when I got back home it really started acting up and luckily threw some codes and died on me. You don't have any check engine lights do you?


No CEL's but I did notice it shifting harsh a couple times and a rough idle a couple times on startup. I was fearful it might be trans problems.


----------



## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Well I didn't have any idle problems but I definitely had harsh shifts on occasion thinking back. Hard to say if that's just the design of the transmission or if it's a potential issue without taking it in to have it inspected. 

You've got a 2018 so you're still under warranty right?


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Iamantman said:


> Well I didn't have any idle problems but I definitely had harsh shifts on occasion thinking back. Hard to say if that's just the design of the transmission or if it's a potential issue without taking it in to have it inspected.
> 
> You've got a 2018 so you're still under warranty right?


Yeah, time isn't my issue. It's miles. I'm already at 23k miles and had it for a year this month (bought as a new car/dealership rental).


----------



## Iamantman (Sep 24, 2018)

Understood. Well you're well within your powertrain warranty so I'd take it to the dealer if it's been doing this for the last couple weeks and they can repeat the concern. 
I don't bother with intermittent things at the dealer most of the time because the logistics of getting my car there and the stress of dealing with terrible customer service isn't worth the trouble. But if your concern is there all the time and they can easily see what you're talking about by scanning it or taking it for a drive, I think it's smart to take it in and have someone look at it. Go on a test drive with them if it helps to avoid the "could not duplicate" issue.


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Yeah unfortunately, I don't trust my dealership to solve anything without a CEL. They couldn't even find a burnt bulb on my wife's car or the car (obviously) pulling to the side. Luckily that guy got pushed to oil changes only but now he's doing something that he could royally screw up everyone's cars lol.

I'm going to detune the car back to stock first and see if it's still acting up (just to make sure) then I'll send it to them.


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Ok, without changing anything the car has started acting a whole lot better again. Even though I never got a CEL I'm betting it got a severe knock on bad gas that just cut its power for the last couple tanks. After 3 tanks of gas since it showed up it is now acting way better. Now I haven't had a longer drive than 20 minutes followed shortly by another 20 but I'm going to remain optimistic on this one.


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Update, it got worse again when the car was warm and driving longer distances. I r/r the CAI back to stock. No change just quieter and less responsive. I r/r the stock tune. Seemed to have worked for about the first 50 miles. Was much more responsive and running well again. Now that it's "learned" it is doing the same thing that it was doing on the Trifecta tune. Very laggy, inconsistent power when accelerating, and no CELs...No idea where to look now.


----------



## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

No CEL's is the PITA part here unfortunately. I haven't looked through the rest of the thread but have you tried new plugs properly gapped? Have you tried running some Techron cleaner in the system?


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

I haven't done that yet. I checked one of the plugs (ran out of time as it was a detour) and it looked perfect. I was going to run some intake cleaner and see if that helps as the intake looked a little oily and I'm guessing it can't hurt to clean it up.

Side bar, always use Shell 93 octane fuel.


----------



## Barry Allen (Apr 18, 2018)

Iamantman said:


> Well you're well within your powertrain warranty


They said they've tuned it. If GM finds out, the warranty is voided.


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Barry Allen said:


> They said they've tuned it. If GM finds out, the warranty is voided.


Not exactly, they need to have some reason to assume it was the tune's fault but thank you for your input.


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

Fireworks234 said:


> Update, it got worse again when the car was warm and driving longer distances. I r/r the CAI back to stock. No change just quieter and less responsive. I r/r the stock tune. Seemed to have worked for about the first 50 miles. Was much more responsive and running well again. Now that it's "learned" it is doing the same thing that it was doing on the Trifecta tune. Very laggy, inconsistent power when accelerating, and no CELs...No idea where to look now.


In addition, I just got done driving about 5-10 miles and the car seemed happy as a lark. When the issue first showed up before I detuned it back to stock it had blacked out the entire muffler tip so bad that it was even getting on the bumper. It stopped doing that then I went ahead and detuned it back to stock. Not sure what would have caused it. Initially I assumed bad gas but it shouldn't have carried over to the fresh stock tune and "learned" some of that bad stuff.


----------



## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

Fireworks234 said:


> In addition, I just got done driving about 5-10 miles and the car seemed happy as a lark. When the issue first showed up before I detuned it back to stock it had blacked out the entire muffler tip so bad that it was even getting on the bumper. It stopped doing that then I went ahead and detuned it back to stock. Not sure what would have caused it. Initially I assumed bad gas but it shouldn't have carried over to the fresh stock tune and "learned" some of that bad stuff.


I there's that much soot coming out then either the cat is plugged (or not working properly) and/or there's some kind of fueling problem. Strange it wouldn't throw a code though


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

That's been what's driving me crazy. All that and no code.


----------



## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

Fireworks234 said:


> That's been what's driving me crazy. All that and no code.


It's definitely overfueling for some reason - maybe the lack of boost is cause the overfueling - there's not enough air ro burn all the fuel But it should throw a code for underboost and automatically cut the fuel because of that. This is really strange 🤔


----------



## 16Cruze84 (Nov 27, 2018)

I'm in Sacramento, CA. I have had my cruze since September 2018 and I have had this exact issue twice. Once last summer (and the dealership couldn't find the issue because no DTC was present. ) and I am currently having the issue now. it started yesterday after work and hasn't stopped since. Last time it went away after a few days on its own. Even this morning when the engine was cold, it still had serious lag on acceleration and then it seemed to power through it after about 3000-4000rpm's. but would often jump or lurch forward as if the clutch were still partially engaged and then suddenly released. I'm installing new plugs tomorrow and either Lucas fuel system cleaner or seafoam. I am also going to inspect the wastegate actuator, the boost solenoid and the rest of the vacuum lines. I will post my updates as they come in Any input or Criticism is welcomed. Thank you again in advance. 

2016 Chevrolet Cruze 1.4L (Gen2) LE2
6-Speed Manual Transmission.


----------



## WillL84 (Aug 5, 2019)

16Cruze84 said:


> Even this morning when the engine was cold, it still had serious lag on acceleration and then it seemed to power through it after about 3000-4000rpm's. but would often jump or lurch forward as if the clutch were still partially engaged and then suddenly released.


My '17 with the auto does the exact same thing after sitting overnight. I leave for work in the AM and pull out of my driveway and stay going up the slight hill and it'll surge until the revs come up.

Then it drives like one wheel is way out of balance or lumpy. Did that with my stock wheels and tires and does it with my new wheels and tires. A mile or two down the road and it's fine.

When I leave work it's fine and if I go anywhere after I'm home it pulls like a freight train up the hill. It only does it when it sits overnight. It's strange.

No CEL or anything. I bought the car a year ago with 6k miles on it and I'm a hair under 15k now and nothing's changed 🤷‍♂️ Thinking of pulling the plugs and checking the gap though


----------



## Fireworks234 (Jan 4, 2018)

16Cruze84 said:


> I'm in Sacramento, CA. I have had my cruze since September 2018 and I have had this exact issue twice. Once last summer (and the dealership couldn't find the issue because no DTC was present. ) and I am currently having the issue now. it started yesterday after work and hasn't stopped since. Last time it went away after a few days on its own. Even this morning when the engine was cold, it still had serious lag on acceleration and then it seemed to power through it after about 3000-4000rpm's. but would often jump or lurch forward as if the clutch were still partially engaged and then suddenly released. I'm installing new plugs tomorrow and either Lucas fuel system cleaner or seafoam. I am also going to inspect the wastegate actuator, the boost solenoid and the rest of the vacuum lines. I will post my updates as they come in Any input or Criticism is welcomed. Thank you again in advance.
> 
> 2016 Chevrolet Cruze 1.4L (Gen2) LE2
> 6-Speed Manual Transmission.


I'm not entirely sure what happened with mine. I know it had to have been something that it learned though because after forcing a flash reprogram with my Trifecta tune, it went away. I tried just going back to stock but it had learned something and was doing the same thing. After I flashed it and put a fresh tune in it went away completely. At this point, I'm thinking it was a tank of bad gas that it learned to detune itself and kept thinking that was the way it needed to operate even after the bad fuel was gone. Mine had even gotten to the point when it first started that it had completely sooted up my exhaust tip to the point that no chrome was even remotely visible. Now, I'm not saying it had to be bad gas but something forced the car to relearn and it stuck.


----------



## 16Cruze84 (Nov 27, 2018)

WillL84 said:


> My '17 with the auto does the exact same thing after sitting overnight. I leave for work in the AM and pull out of my driveway and stay going up the slight hill and it'll surge until the revs come up.
> 
> Then it drives like one wheel is way out of balance or lumpy. Did that with my stock wheels and tires and does it with my new wheels and tires. A mile or two down the road and it's fine.
> 
> ...



my 2016 only does it when it's warm. if it's cold it run like a champ. no issues unless it's warm outside.


----------



## 16Cruze84 (Nov 27, 2018)

16Cruze84 said:


> my 2016 only does it when it's warm. if it's cold it run like a champ. no issues unless it's warm outside.


----------



## 16Cruze84 (Nov 27, 2018)

Another issue I'm having is a grinding sound coming from the front of my car. Only hear it at idle but I noticed that if I push in the clutch the grinding sound completely does away, I'm attaching a video. I think it's the throw out bearing but I'm not a mechanic. My car only had 35,455 miles on it.


----------



## 16Cruze84 (Nov 27, 2018)

16Cruze84 said:


> Another issue I'm having is a grinding sound coming from the front of my car. Only hear it at idle but I noticed that if I push in the clutch the grinding sound completely does away, I'm attaching a video. I think it's the throw out bearing but I'm not a mechanic. My car only had 35,455 miles on it.


----------

