Thread: At Dyno Losing Power - Need Help

Alright. Thanks guys, I will take all these things into consideration. Any suggestions on where to get compression test done at? I do not have time or even a garage to attempt it myself. I know Nissan charges an arm and a leg.. I'd like to get it done at a somewhat knowledgable performance shop. They can check ignition timing also and put it back to stock (and possibly advance it). One with a dyno would be the best since I'd be able to get everything checked and then get some solid base numbers.

Stop right there cowboy.

You need to start thinking about the life decision 99% of us made a while ago when we decided to work on our own cars and do the research it takes to make the work useful.
A timing light is $45-$75 and a compression check tool isn't much different I don't think. For the price of these tools and a little research around here and maybe other sites/forums you can do the work yourself, know it's done right, learn, and save money. You don't need a shop to do this sort of thing. Even adding a good $60 set of Craftsman tools still keeps you below the cost of some shop.

Oh, also, if you don't have the desire to do this or endless limbs to give up, you might reconsider owning an SE-R. =/

^^^ what he said. rent the compression tester from autozone or something and see what you get.

I understand where your coming from but listen to where I'm coming from:
1. NY winter
2. Daily Driven (not literally but more like a few times a week and this is my only car)
3. No garage and no where to work on my car, store tools, or anything
4. If you didn't notice as I stated above I've had the car for less than 4 months, give me a break. I'm not going to dis-own my car just yet buddy..
5. I don't think you want to know what my profession entails either..

..that's wtf I'm working with.. I can't change my situation just yet but I am on here getting advice up front before I make the best decision for ME at this time and point. If you or anyone else wants to lend me their garage and a hand on doing these task, I will more than happily take the offer and do it myself. I appreciate the advice.. ..oh yeah and fyi I'm working toward getting those endless limbs.. Team Cak-aholics lol

Just borrow a timing light and compression tester. Lots of stores have lending policies. You have to leave your credit card # thats all. Get it and wait for a nice day. Go through all the FAQs and read SE-R.net a bit.

Take it easy on the 'tired motor' stuff until you know. SE-Rs should pull harder but I'd make sure it was in tune. Timing first.

i'm with those guys, stuff this easy shouldn't be paid for. mine is a daily, and i'm in ohio i know cold too.

Yeah I got you. I will see what I can do.

The main reason to do the compression test is to make sure your focusing on "tune" isn't a waste of time - I expect with that mileage it will be fine, but you really have to check unless you want to risk some bucks on ignition parts and such. I mentioned "reset" for the ECU because if for some reason it's not reaching closed loop, it could hose your power, but the car would still run "ok". Normally that will also throw a CEL, but I've seen that not happen, too. All that takes is flat blade screwdriver, your keys, and a few minutes - instructions are all over the forums so I'm not going to repeat here, just to say its really easy.

Timing would be my next check, and believe me, I live in NW CT (plenty of sub-freezing and even sub-zero days) and did all kinds of work outside in the parking lot in Winter when I lived in apts or condo, it is not fun, but this is the easiest stuff to do even when it's cold out. Even now, if I have something else I my garage it's the kind of thing I would not bother to move the other car for. Try changing a water pump on a Ford Bronco II, now that sucks in Winter outside in the parking lot! Coolant everywhere, POS parts, man I hated that rig.

If you learn the very easy basics of reading Nissan ECU codes, checking or setting the timing, replacing belts, plugs/wires/caps, your Nissan will pay you back with most likely 100% reliability and it will never strand you if you take even the most basic care of the car. You will be able to deal with 99% of the common issues you might run into. I have 140k on one, 130k on another, an neither car has ever let me down. One of them was kind enough to have its only dead battery, and only flat tire while sitting in the driveway.

The good news is you chose something that pays back the time you invest instead of sucking your time and wallet dry just to piss you off and fail anyway.

Yeah I am going to get together with my brother and try to use a friend's garage to get it all done. Thanks. I will post results after.

MA winter for me for 20 years.
Mine is daily driven, and my only car.
Same up until this day. Work happens where it's parked.
Your car has a trunk, yes?

I'm not trying to be a jerk here but wake up. We've all been in the same boat or worse. If you don't have the money to pay people to do it right you need to learn how to do it yourself under what ever circumstances you find yourself.

I'm glad to see you've figured out a way to get the car fixed that is acceptable to you. Keep up the good work.