Hey all,

So I've been having this problem intermittently over the past month or so. While driving in any gear, between 2-3k rpm I'll have a sudden loss of power. The rpm will drop down real low and the car seems like it's trying to die.

However, if I'm on the highway cruising in 5th, I can drop it into 4th to maintain speed @ 4kpm and it will run fine. Try to put it back into 5th and it'll do the same thing. This is not only a 5th gear problem, just an example. Car does this in every gear in that rpm range.

Originally it was happening every so often but lately it's been happening nearly every time.

I'm new and any advice where to start is appreciated. I usually have to call someone to help me and I don't want to waste their time being completely clueless.

Car is completely stock except a vacuum line job. Problems started about a month or two after the job, so not sure if they're related.

There has been an oil leak from when I first purchased the car in May. A mechanic told me it was coming from the oil pan. Also while doing the vacuum job we noticed a little bit of oil in the intercooler piping. I believe it to be non related but you know better than I do, and wanted you to know all issues that I know.

Thanks

 

The boost issue sounds like a problem with the turbo control system. It requires both pressure and vacuum to work properly. If one or the other isn't working then you'll have similar problems. The following link has some steps for a few tests:

http://fd3s.net/boost_problems.html

Check out the KOKO tests around checking the various actuators.

Oil pan leaks are fairly common. If it's not leaking much, you can just leave it otherwise you'll need to pull and reseal the oil pan:

http://fd3s.net/oil_pan_removal.html

I would verify that the oil is coming from the oil pan before tackling that job. As far as the oil in the intercooler piping, a light coating is fairly normal. If you have oil pooling in your intercooler over short periods of time, then that would be a problem.

 

Ah so the power loss sounds like a boost issue and not a fuel issue. Would that explain why the power loss never occurs @ 4000rpm?

Thank you for the pointers. I'll investigate the links you provided.