high altitude help

[gt fast]

i just moved to colorado right outside iof denver. i have a 1992 explorer and moved here fro arizona. since i got here the truck runs a little rough, high idle and does not accelrate or run as good as it did in arizona. what are some things i can do to get my performance back. i have already pulled the little grey lego type chip called the octance booster or whatver. it helps some but still high idle, and does not go up hill at all really, you almost need to floor it and it doesnt accelerate it just holdss a speed.

[Roadrunner777]

Put the octane clip back in, it retards timing and will cost you both power and mileage. You might try disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes to force the computer to relearn idle. I guess I will leave it to others in high places for comments...

I know a long time ago I drove a pinto from SF to tahoe all the time and I did 3 things that helped get up the mountain. First, I opened up airflow as much as I could with aftermarket air filters. I might, in this instance, just maybe give one of those conehead deals a shot. Next, I opened up exhaust, I put a header on the pinto, put a short flowthrough muffler on the end of the header and called it a day. And, I opened up the jetting on the holley-weber a few sizes. Of course, none of this would pass CA inspections today, but that was back in 1980.

And, I'm not sure how to translate that to your situation. I'd make sure the Cat converter was in good shape, maybe open up the exhaust with some better flowing components. I don't think the jetting is relevant to fuel injection. Your Mass... Hey, wait. Yeah, clean your mass airflow sensor and see what happens. That's the part that is supposed to compensate for thin air. I'd do that and then reset the computer.

[IZwack]

cheapest solution: lighten the truck

[gt fast]

Well i have a flow master exhaust already. Cold air intake.and why put the chip back I n if the truck runs betterwith out it in.

[Iron Weasel]

I'm around 4500' here at the house and I regularly travel to Albuquerque which is the same elevation as Denver. Follow Roadrunners suggestion and disconnect the battery for 30 minutes or so. That'll cause the ECU to lose the learned operating parameters and force it to relearn new parameters at the higher altitude.

The reason it runs better with the octane shorting bar removed is because the truck is still using the learned fuel map, ignition timing, and everything else from the lower altitude. When you removed the shorting bar, you retarded the timing by 3°, so put it back then disconnect the battery cable for at least 30 mintues.

Afterwards, when you reconnect the battery cable it can take up to 10 miles of varied driving (idling, slow acceleration, fast acceleration, cruising, etc.) to relearn new parameters.

[Makahveli]

Yeah man up here you will want to put that clip back on, when I was younger and dumper I pulled my clip off for a few months and the explorer gradually ran crappier and crappier, then reconnected it and the idle was so much better again! You might want to get a chip and when its being programmed let the programmer know your in high altitude mile high elevation. I learned that my ex ran best when it did idled over 1k rpms. Get a bigger throttle body if you can where you can adjust them.

[gt fast]

Yea I did put the clip back on.where would I get a larger throttle body at.and where would I find a chip and a tuner

[rustbucketMI]

Turbo will solve all of your thin air problems. As a more practicle solution upgrade the MAF housing, not the sensor, with one from a 4.6L or 5.0L.

[Makahveli]

good luck with turbo searching and all, cause you will really then need a chip and custom tuning then......

I believe there is a jet chip or tuner on sale in the for sale forum right now, and some times throttle bodys too! I don't know if you can get them new anymore but they pop up on ebay now and then too!!!