So I recently had my clutch replaced with a brand new LUK oem setup and also had the car inspected. It shifts and engages great but the whole car has felt a bit sluggish compared to what I remembered although I've only been driving it more regularly since I've returned home for the summer. ANYWAYS...... I do remember that the guys @ Monro pointed out a small exhaust leak coming from a splitting seam on my main cat they noticed during inspection. It wasn't an issue then but now I'm not so sure. Tonight I took the car out for a drive and suddenly it's like BAM! I'm ripping it up, accelerating faster and all out more ballsy then I have been. It feels like I've got an extra 15-20 HP. I'm not complaining but What the hell is causing this? I've only come to 4 conclusions:

1. My exhaust leak has been partially plugged and the back pressure is activating my auxiliary ports which may not have been activated before.

2. I recently found out i needed to tighten a battery terminal and add some terminal grease and the imporved flow of current from the alt is making it have to work less hard to charge the battery.

3. It was about 68 degrees outside when I went out tonight compared to 80 this afternoon when the car felt slower.

4. God realized that as an RX-7 owner, I'm basically the coolest human ever and he rewarded me for my automotive righteousness.

I'd like to believe #4 but I'm leaning toward #1. What do you all think? Let me know fellow rotorheads.

 

idk how relevant this is but...
Did you break the clutch in?

 

Maybe your motor is about to pop... When all mine have gone they always had extra ***** in the few weeks before death..............

 

definately number 4 is the situation. God finally got to you on the list of RX7 owners and has blessed you with an awesomely running car. haha... lol i love it.

Brian

 

I would probably more likely lean towards #3 though it does not seem it should make this big of a difference I can definitely tell when it is cooler outside by ALOT more than I woulda thought...

- Chris

 

I think rrtecs problem is #4 its just the extra effort on the motor when god gave him relief caused the blow.

 

I've heard some people say that the car will Be at it's best JUST before It POPS!..but I have noticed that the N/A I have seems to like when it is Cool out.It gets Spunky!..So I'll go for the Weather/Temp thingie.

 

wow - that all just confussed and freaked me out. I did break the clutch in for 400-450 miles or so with all easy double clutching and no **** shifting at anything above 3500 rpm. I drive the car when it is sometimes below 50 degrees when I go to work every morning though and it never seemed that ballsy. I don't think it's gonna blow either because it was a complete bruce turrentine rebuild just before I bought it from him and it only has ~65k on it. Shouldn't this be the prime for the engine? Also, I maintain my engine and I never really drive hard; It's mostly just a to and from work vehicle and the occasional road trip. I don't race or even redline more than a few times a week. Also... It's a freakin NA. NAs should be good for atleast a couple hundred thousand miles and I know Bruce Turrentine doesn't jobbie **** with cheap parts. If you ever get a chance, go on down to East Coast Rotary in NC and see for yourself. It's very impressive. Anyways..... Maybe I am just extremely lucky with RX-7s and everybody should come pay me to bless their car.

 

That's why I am advocate of upgrading the clutch almost immediately. Car grips better and therefore results in the feeling that you have more HP.. It was always there but a bad clutch can definately hinder your ability to feel it

Edit* Oh and I really didn't want to go there but,

HP values are affected by air density and temperature. For every seven degrees celcius the air temp increases you lose 1%HP and I don't even want to get into how altitude affects HP...

 

Oh yea I'm sure both of those were factors but i thought it felt sluggish when it was cool out and I had a new clutch. It was just last night that it just had more getup and go which made me think someting else was causing it. Thanks for all the great replys though.