I had a problem with sever lugging and power loss when I was up in the Colorado Rockies yesterday. First happened at 11,800 feet, usually while climbing. The routine "Service Engine" light went on and styed on.

Got off the mountain OK but worried about the next time.

Suggestions?

 

Well this is most likely due to the fact the air is alot thinner up there at that altitude and the engine was in a sense suffacating.

Dixit

 

...you lose aprox 10% engine power for each 3000 feet of altitude due to gradually reduced air density; at 11800 feet the density altitude is such that you're down to about 60% of the power at available at level, obviously at that altitude some parameter went out of whack in the mixture control(s) & you got the lights. Not to worry

 

Can you imagine driving at 7000+ ft every, every day...
I really want to take my car to sea level just to feel them stock horses!

 

I used to live in Colorado and drove over the Rockies many times. I would have your Max checked out. My Max never had any probs over the Rockies. The only prob you should have is a lack of power. I was living at 9200ft drove everyday to 5280ft and over the Rockies 5-6 times.

So no lights should have lit, check the car for codes.

Mark

 

You will need about 3lbs of boost just to get your car to stock power. I feel ya I was at 9200ft, S.......L.......O........W!!!!

 

I am moving to colorado in september and this was what i was afraid of. I know ya loose power at elevation, but hearing it is make me sad to loose the power on a regular basis. Might have to hope the next job pays better so i can get some boost. Well at least 6 is better than what you loose with a 4 cyl.

Side question- any tunning issues to be aware of with running nitrous at elevation, since the air is less dense?

 

I won't even bother racing FI cars, after stock 1.8T Jetta handed me my behind...
S...........L..........O...........W.... it is.

 

Oh ya!!! Most modern turbo cars won't loose too much power up to about 9000ft, they increase boost as the elevation climbs. A N/A car at altitude is a joke. Say you rape a 1.8T at sea level, the same 1.8T will rape you at 5000ft......crazy! If I were to stay in Colorado I would have traded my Max in a second for a turbo car.

Sleepur

Remember you loose a percentage of your power. A 100hp 4 cyl will loose approx 15 hp at 5000ft. A 200hp 6 cyl will loose 30hp at the same elevation.

As soon as I got to Vegas I was like WOW! I am still at 2000ft but it is MUCH better!

 

Loveland Pass and watching trucks going up the hill...non-turbo trucks are going 10MPH, turbo trucks are going 40-50 MPH.

 

Kinda makes me glad I live right next to the Hudson river. I got all my horsies

DW

 

In fact, I have more When I dynoed my car, I got 180 real hp, but then it was SAE corrected down to 172.

Cranman who live in New Mexico, I beleieve, had to have his 4th gen dyno SAE corrected UPWARDS about 40 hp! He's at 9000 ft or so. Wow. NA and at high altitudes. Sucks. Turbo upgrade time!

DW