2013 SS 6M very sluggish - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

GuyWhoDoesStuff · 02-15-2019, 02:43 PM

Bought a used SS with 45k miles a month ago. I have done 2 fuse pulls. Run only 93 octane. 2 full tanks before 1st pull. Another 10-15 before 2nd. Left fuses out 14 hours second pull. It's still very sluggish and has trouble starting. I test drove a 2010 SS a few weeks ago and it was much stronger. Can't afford a tune or other mods yet. Just want it to feel normal. I greatly appreciate any help.

ChibiBlackSheep · 02-15-2019, 02:46 PM

Do you know anything about the history of the car?

Did you purchase the car from a Chevrolet dealership?

Was the car stock when you bought it?

I'm curious if someone had a tune on it for mods, then removed the mods to sell the car, but it still has a tune. Or if the car had modifications that caused it to run a little too rich and started to ruin the cats.

If you bought it from a chevy dealership, you should ask them if they can reflash the PCM to stock for you.

Are you capable of pulling 1 or 2 plugs (on different sides of the engine) to take a look at them?

hill_billy · 02-15-2019, 05:43 PM

Check each plug wire connection at the spark plug and coil. Sometimes when I drive mine hard, the engine rocks and will partially disconnect the plug wire from either the plug wire or coil. If it's partially disconnected, my car runs sluggish but doesn't throw any codes/CEL. Each wire will look connected, but one will be slightly backed off. When I push on the plug wire boot, it'll snap into place and all is good.

Wizard1183 · 02-15-2019, 08:18 PM

Never had a problem like that with mine. Trouble starting? Battery? Is a check engine light on? Car fax?

EMB135Driver · 02-15-2019, 09:42 PM

What weight oil is in it?

silversleeper · 02-15-2019, 11:10 PM

What weight passenger is in it?

butters · 02-15-2019, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silversleeper

What weight passenger is in it?

wtf!

qkslvr · 02-16-2019, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChibiBlackSheep

Do you know anything about the history of the car?

Did you purchase the car from a Chevrolet dealership?

Was the car stock when you bought it?

I'm curious if someone had a tune on it for mods, then removed the mods to sell the car, but it still has a tune. Or if the car had modifications that caused it to run a little too rich and started to ruin the cats.

If you bought it from a chevy dealership, you should ask them if they can reflash the PCM to stock for you.

Are you capable of pulling 1 or 2 plugs (on different sides of the engine) to take a look at them?

I was thinking the exact same thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hill_billy

Check each plug wire connection at the spark plug and coil. Sometimes when I drive mine hard, the engine rocks and will partially disconnect the plug wire from either the plug wire or coil. If it's partially disconnected, my car runs sluggish but doesn't throw any codes/CEL. Each wire will look connected, but one will be slightly backed off. When I push on the plug wire boot, it'll snap into place and all is good.

a loose wire or a faulty plug or coil could be the culprit as well.

GuyWhoDoesStuff · 02-16-2019, 12:35 AM

Don't know the car's history, but seems to have been well kept and appears bone stock. Bought from the local Chevy dealer. Not sure of oil weight. Plan on full Royal Purple swap and NGK plug swap at first oil change. An AirRaid CAI and full header/exhaust install are planned at first opportunity. Dyno tune shortly thereafter, funds permitting.

Thank you all for your advice. Checking plugs tomorrow.

Quicksilver2SS · 02-16-2019, 08:07 AM

Pull the maf sensor, check to see if its a "strong" one should have both a letter and number like k24 for example, also probably the original battery, they can also cause havoc.

Pkeen · 02-18-2019, 07:47 PM

Mine just did this very same thing last week. It was the battery on its way out . Installed new battery checked chsrging which was good and all is well again.

HDRDTD · 02-18-2019, 08:24 PM

With all the electronics/electrical items on our cars, it seems like the average battery needs to be replaced every 4 years or so rather than the 10-15 years of days gone past.

In the old days you could tell the battery was on it's way out when the car started cranking slow. Nowadays the symptoms are all over the map.

J Rod · 02-19-2019, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyWhoDoesStuff

Bought a used SS with 45k miles a month ago. I have done 2 fuse pulls. Run only 93 octane. 2 full tanks before 1st pull. Another 10-15 before 2nd. Left fuses out 14 hours second pull. It's still very sluggish and has trouble starting. I test drove a 2010 SS a few weeks ago and it was much stronger. Can't afford a tune or other mods yet. Just want it to feel normal. I greatly appreciate any help.

So, I'm assuming it wasn't "sluggish" when you bought it right? If you've only had it for a month, why not try taking it back to the dealer you bought it from to see if they can find out what's going on? Most used car places won't care but a Chevy dealer might since they'll want you back to buy a new car next time. Also, why were you still test driving cars a week after you bought one?

Russell James · 02-19-2019, 07:54 AM

I wouldn't touch the plugs just yet. Do more diagnostics before throwing parts at it.

Scan it, see if any trouble codes. Bad plug or wire it will have P0300 misfire DTC.

Define your "trouble starting"? Slow cranking or normal cranking?

A no cost check is to pop off the intake tube and peek at the throttle body blade. Make sure it is not gunked up. Pop out the MAF and Air cleaner for inspection. Make sure MAF is not gunked up with fibers burned on the hot wire.

When scanning, what are the fuel trims? Need to know if it's rich/lean/misfiring.... An engine left misfiring too long can fudge up a Cat conv.

Lots to check before buying parts.

02-15-2019, 02:43 PM	#1
GuyWhoDoesStuff Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 19	2013 SS 6M very sluggish Bought a used SS with 45k miles a month ago. I have done 2 fuse pulls. Run only 93 octane. 2 full tanks before 1st pull. Another 10-15 before 2nd. Left fuses out 14 hours second pull. It's still very sluggish and has trouble starting. I test drove a 2010 SS a few weeks ago and it was much stronger. Can't afford a tune or other mods yet. Just want it to feel normal. I greatly appreciate any help.

02-15-2019, 02:46 PM	#2
ChibiBlackSheep Drives: 2012 2SS/RS, 1968 SS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southeast, PA Posts: 2,088	Do you know anything about the history of the car? Did you purchase the car from a Chevrolet dealership? Was the car stock when you bought it? I'm curious if someone had a tune on it for mods, then removed the mods to sell the car, but it still has a tune. Or if the car had modifications that caused it to run a little too rich and started to ruin the cats. If you bought it from a chevy dealership, you should ask them if they can reflash the PCM to stock for you. Are you capable of pulling 1 or 2 plugs (on different sides of the engine) to take a look at them? __________________ LS3 Crate Engine Swap \| CSP Custom Cam 232/240 .615/.615 113 +3 \| Stainless Power LT Headers \| Z28 Intake \| Borla S-Type Exhaust \| FTI Triple-Disc Billet 3200 Stall 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS \| 1968 Camaro SS \| 2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury \| 2021 Spark LS

02-15-2019, 08:18 PM	#4
Wizard1183 Drives: ABM SS2/RS M6 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lafayette,LA Posts: 2,231	Never had a problem like that with mine. Trouble starting? Battery? Is a check engine light on? Car fax? __________________ Life is short, drive it like you stole it!

02-15-2019, 09:42 PM	#5
EMB135Driver Jedi Master Drives: Boeing 757/767+2010 IBM 2SS Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bangor, ME and Palm Coast, FL Posts: 1,121	What weight oil is in it? __________________

02-16-2019, 08:07 AM	#10
Quicksilver2SS Drives: 2SS/RS LS3 NPP Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Sacramento Posts: 227	Pull the maf sensor, check to see if its a "strong" one should have both a letter and number like k24 for example, also probably the original battery, they can also cause havoc. __________________ Taylor 409's, BF Comp 2's, Z26 pads, Hurst billet shifter

02-15-2019, 05:43 PM	#3
hill_billy Drives: 2013 Black SS M6 Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Georgetown, KY Posts: 47	Check each plug wire connection at the spark plug and coil. Sometimes when I drive mine hard, the engine rocks and will partially disconnect the plug wire from either the plug wire or coil. If it's partially disconnected, my car runs sluggish but doesn't throw any codes/CEL. Each wire will look connected, but one will be slightly backed off. When I push on the plug wire boot, it'll snap into place and all is good.

02-15-2019, 11:10 PM	#6
silversleeper Big Crow Drives: '13 ZL1 Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: California Posts: 1,485	What weight passenger is in it?

02-16-2019, 12:35 AM	#9
GuyWhoDoesStuff Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 19	Don't know the car's history, but seems to have been well kept and appears bone stock. Bought from the local Chevy dealer. Not sure of oil weight. Plan on full Royal Purple swap and NGK plug swap at first oil change. An AirRaid CAI and full header/exhaust install are planned at first opportunity. Dyno tune shortly thereafter, funds permitting. Thank you all for your advice. Checking plugs tomorrow.

02-18-2019, 07:47 PM	#11
Pkeen Drives: 2010 Camaro 2ss/rs, 2008 Avalanche Join Date: Jan 2019 Location: Lake Pannasoffkee,Florida Posts: 246	Mine just did this very same thing last week. It was the battery on its way out . Installed new battery checked chsrging which was good and all is well again.

02-18-2019, 08:24 PM	#12
HDRDTD Drives: 2013 Triple Black ZL1 Vert M6 ECF Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Trenton, Michigan Posts: 7,047	With all the electronics/electrical items on our cars, it seems like the average battery needs to be replaced every 4 years or so rather than the 10-15 years of days gone past. In the old days you could tell the battery was on it's way out when the car started cranking slow. Nowadays the symptoms are all over the map.

02-19-2019, 07:54 AM	#14
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,482	I wouldn't touch the plugs just yet. Do more diagnostics before throwing parts at it. Scan it, see if any trouble codes. Bad plug or wire it will have P0300 misfire DTC. Define your "trouble starting"? Slow cranking or normal cranking? A no cost check is to pop off the intake tube and peek at the throttle body blade. Make sure it is not gunked up. Pop out the MAF and Air cleaner for inspection. Make sure MAF is not gunked up with fibers burned on the hot wire. When scanning, what are the fuel trims? Need to know if it's rich/lean/misfiring.... An engine left misfiring too long can fudge up a Cat conv. Lots to check before buying parts.