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SRT8 Sluggish ??

7K views 43 replies 16 participants last post by  Vito 
#1 ·
I dont know what it is, if im just so use to the power now and need more, or it is lagging with something. but the car just feels a tad sluggish compared to the sharp responses i have felt from it in the past.

80,000 miles, just changed the oil instead of 0w-40 synthetic i ran Mobil 5w-40 Synthetic, bought the car with 48k, don't know if the Spark plugs have been done, would this be causing the problem if they are way over due?.

Def need a tranny flush and Rear diff.

but the question is could all these things be making the car feel a tad bit more sluggish, idk.. just thought i needed some opinions

Thanks guys

any comment or recommendations are highly appreciated
 
#2 ·
Spark plugs don't need to be replaced till 100k miles, at least that's what it says in my manual.

The predator should help with that "lag".
 
#3 ·
last i heard it was every 50k miles, and yeah thats what i have been really leaning towards, i just want to make sure it not a standard mechanical problem thats right under my nose before things get worse..

Thanks for your response
 
#4 ·
spark plugs used in the 3.5 is different than the ones used in the HEMIs, i believe you have to change them every 50,000 miles but for the 3.5 120 I think.

so yeah change your sparkplugs for sure then do the fluid flush.
 
#5 ·
Plugs in the SRT are good for 100k, but I don't believe it means they will make good power for that long. My SRT is getting ready to hit 80k miles and I will be replacing the plugs this Spring.

Believe it or not, I think my SRT has been increasing in power over the past 10-15k miles. I can spin the tires in second gear like never before (new tires last year) and the engine is sounding stronger than ever. Even the techs at my dealer said they haven't heard a stock SRT sound or feel like mine (and they work on some seriously High Performance SRTs including one that is the fastest Street Legal Chally on the East Coast).

Maybe it's the Aces IV. ;)
 
#6 · (Edited)
Vito,

ACES IV and QuantumBlue. We have discussed it many times and you keep coming close and then end up using the wrong stuff!

Get the whole thing done and you will see a significant difference!!

My SRT8 picked up 25 hp and 37 ft lbs of torque with ACES IV and a full fluid change front to back!

Your move!!:bigthumb:

Regards,
Brian
BND Automotive LLC:driving:
440-821-9040
www.bndautomotive.com
 
#12 ·
Recommend SRT's get full service at 50k, including plugs. You know I had everything done on mine at 50k with all QB products, serpentine belt and NGK iridium plugs. You remember the SRT Maggie bro's? Randolph with the black Maggie on 22" forgiato's was at 82k miles. He kept complaining how his car felt so sluggish and he wasn't kidding. It was like driving a 4 cyl. He did the same service as me and felt a huge difference, with in a matter of a week, his throttle was like new and it just kept getting better. No more hesitation or lag. You just gotta do it.
Brian, please PM pricing for the entire front to back change !!, im going to make the move this time

My bet is that the transmission is largely to blame. You need to reset the TCM.
or get a predator ??
I agree. The automatic is an adaptive transmission. If you have just been cruising your car and not getting on it, shifts will start to get softer. To wake up the trans. pull the number 2 fuse (under the hood) for 20 seconds and then drive your Charger "like you stole it!" :rocker:
i usually get on it alot, but will it still be safe to try this ?? should i pull it while the car is at idle ??
 
#7 ·
Recommend SRT's get full service at 50k, including plugs. You know I had everything done on mine at 50k with all QB products, serpentine belt and NGK iridium plugs. You remember the SRT Maggie bro's? Randolph with the black Maggie on 22" forgiato's was at 82k miles. He kept complaining how his car felt so sluggish and he wasn't kidding. It was like driving a 4 cyl. He did the same service as me and felt a huge difference, with in a matter of a week, his throttle was like new and it just kept getting better. No more hesitation or lag. You just gotta do it.
 
#9 ·
changed my plugs at I think 75K, and by the condition, should have been done closer to 60K, really. Serviceable, sure, but not plugs I would call best for making power. DO that first, and remember, you need 16 of them:)
 
#11 ·
I agree. The automatic is an adaptive transmission. If you have just been cruising your car and not getting on it, shifts will start to get softer. To wake up the trans. pull the number 2 fuse (under the hood) for 20 seconds and then drive your Charger "like you stole it!" :rocker:
 

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#15 ·
my car felt sluggish like this too before to be honest!! i think i made a post about it...i used to bust my buddy's camaro and then finally he busted me good but i had a feeling before i even ran him i would lose prior to the past couple of weeks of the car feeling slugish...i try to reset tcm and it didn't really help to be honest...but my car has only 15k...dont know if its the fuel before the winter or what...be interested in what you do and see if you actually notice a difference.
 
#16 ·
Yeah, its wierd, i couldnt tell you WHEN it started to feel like this, but i do remember it having so much more response and a feel for power.

My plan Currently(all at once) so i can see if it makes a difference.

90-100% BND fluids from front to back.

Change the spark plugs, Run some Lucas Injector Cleaner.

reset the TCM weather i decide to pull a fuse or get a predator.

Currently thats my basic idea... for now
 
#19 ·
If you're going to run a cleaner through your engine, I say use seafoam, I've heard nothing but great things about it. Of course use this as a one time thing and follow it up with regular use of ACES IV, that should clean out your engine.

 
#21 ·
lucas is one of the best products out there. Theres also castle fireball that does great in cleaning out the system. Personaly have used and personally have seen great results with it. However theres a product called cataclean that when i dump in my previous charger i felt instant throttle response along with smoother shifting transmission. I never used Aves IV....I read some guys live and died by it and some others who used and went "eh". but i dont have any personal experience with it. I know cetaclean drastically help fuel miledge also...went from averaging 20 miles a gallon to 24 miles a gallon till i trade the car in. goodluck, try to do one thing at a time to see if its fixes the problems...then you can let us know what actually fix the problem.
 
#22 ·
Lucas is typical petroleum solvent - Single phase material with a little Poly Iso Butylene mixed in.

Castle Fireball is really mineral spirits or high flash naphtha a typical petroleum distillate fraction again, and single phase solvent. Really just paint thinner.

Cataclean is made up of:
- Acetone - which is nail polish remover
- Petroleum Distillates that are light hydrotreated - a solvent
- Propan-2-ol - which is isopropyl alcohol - solvent alcohol mixture
- Xylene - mostly this compound. Again a petroleum derived solvent.

The differences with ACES IV is that it does contain detergents that are not any of the above - which clean in a time release so as to delaminate the carbon and deposits without loosening them quickly....like the compounds above which throw them into the components....possibly getting some pieces stuck in the valve, stem, or ring area.

Ignition improving that will produce real BTU utilization for more power

Lubricity created as a reaction to heat. The compounds above will be vaporized by the temperatures and pressures in the combustion process. ACES IV produces lubricity with the help of the heat/pressure of the cylinder bores and allows for 600% less ring wear and 360% less stem and guide wear.

Virtally everyone likes ACES IV......save 2-3 people. The other 2997 people that use it on this forum are on their 3rd or 4th bottle:bigthumb:

Just thought I would clarify what you were recommending - from a quick chemistry point of view.:bigthumb:

Regards,
Brian
BND Automotive LLC:driving:
440-821-9040
www.bndautomotive.com
 
#24 ·
well the reason i say that im going to do everything at once, is because i believe it has to do with a little of everything i listed, there fore if i do it through out a time period, the difference wont be ad brutal as to if i did everything at once.
 
#25 ·
I would suggest doing all the fluids at once, however, I would:

Run some fuel injector cleaner first, wait a few days.

Change plugs next, wait a few days, then do all your fluids.

The alternative is do everything, have great results and believe something else fixed what wasn't broke.

Look at it this way, if the fluids alone do THAT great a job, and you know it was the difference, it was money well spent.

Do everything at once, and you'll never know.

100k on the plugs means they'll work that long, not that they are efficient that long.
 
#28 ·
X2, really couldn't of said it any better, its not that im trying to encouraging you not support a vendor. I wasn't try to knock on the vendor for what he is trying to sell you. My field is not to be an expert in chemistry...just giving my feedback on the products i have use and HAVE SEEN with my OWN eyes that it works. Sorry someone can tell you anything you want you hear if you don't truly understand it. But to have use it and have personally seen results is another. Now by no means am i saying don't buy BND fluids, i have no experience with it. However like i said i have heard more than several owners who has used it and didn't do much. But goodluck to you regardless of what you do, and let us know.:beerchug:
 
#26 ·
You could also try this:


I would certainly look at your spark plugs, like mentioned, just because the manual states 100K doesn't mean that it's in stone, maintenance differs from how you drive. I did most of my big fluid changes about 20K miles earlier than stated in the book because I'm a spirited driver. Same with my oil, I don't wait for exactly 6K miles, sometimes I do it at 5K.
 
#27 ·
Hey Vito..dito on the BND..but to say this just once.....predator......will wake it UP!!....Been there..done that......period....
 
#29 ·
Most likely im going to go with BND because i litterally have never heard a bad thing about anything Brian has sold.

I will be changing the plugs ASAP and regardless i will be doing most of the work all at once.

Also, a predator is in my near future, i cant freakin wait to see what all the fuss is about :)
 
#30 ·
I'd get a Predator after doing the plugs, but that's just me. A Predator is a mandatory purchase. I have no clue why you've waited this long. You post here enough to know better! :bigthumb:
 
#34 ·
what kind of plugs do we need? 16 damn.
 
#36 ·
which site can i order them from
 
#38 ·
lol I WISH WE HAD THOSE lol im overseas right meow
 
#42 ·
http://sparkplugs.com/results_app.asp?aaia=1443332

if you can't find what you need/want here then just do what i did. google it :) there are plenty of options. as for which particular one to use, it seems the popular choice is copper (many have stated that our cars don't much like the platinums) or iridium (though the price/performance is hard to justify for the iridiums)

one brand in particular seems to stand out: NGK. not familiar with it personally, but seems to be recommended a lot and is offered in the link above
 
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