Strange power loss while stuck in snow
 

Okay so I have a 3400. My car is a 2002 alero gls coupe. We've been getting a lot of snow lately and with that comes getting stuck in drifts. So I turn off the traction control and start rodding on it a bit, sometimes accidentally hitting about 5000 rpms and mostly trying to keep em between 2500 & 4000. Going from drive to reverse I make sure my wheels have stopped moving. Car hasn't gotten much over half temp(bottom side of needle touches top of halfway mark). It'll take 20 minutes to get out sometimes and I give it a little break to cool a bit. I've been reading around the boards and haven't really found similar problems. So what happens is I'm getting on it pretty good and all of a sudden it just feels like I'm holding the brakes. The car gets quieter and just has no power. Rpms don't jump up like a tranny slip at all. There's no cel, rough idle, or any odd sounds. It just bogs really bad. Almost like flipping on a choke on a warmed up atv. Doesn't burn a drop of oil, plugs are the perfect color also the exhaust smells fine. There's no rotten egg smell or the sweet smell of coolant . Many times while doing this the Powersteering quits working until about 5 minutes of normal driving after I get out. Hope I gave enough information. Feel free to ask questions. Thanks!

Please explain how the engine is performing during this period when the power steering quits working because if the engine is losing power then that will also affect the power steering. How many miles are on the car?

I usually find out the Powersteering is not working once I'm out. It has 132,xxx miles and runs like a top other wise. The pump usually makes a VERY slight whine, but when it's not working you cant hear a thing. I have to Rev it up to about 2200 or so and the pump will work until I let off the gas. The rack is good too replaced it 8000 miles or so ago. Even when the car looses power it's still running smooth, but just feels like I'm barely touching the accelerator.

Ok....I have two possible theories here:

1) The power steering pump could be binding up and causing excess drag on the engine thus reducing it's available power.

2) The continual forward/reverse rocking maneuver could be generating excess heat in the transaxle causing temporary fluid pressure loss. This assumes the car drives normally most of the time except for anytime after you do the rocking maneuver.

Just ran out and looked. I do have glazing on my serpentine belt so the belt may be slipping. You are correct the car runs great if I'm just driving normally. Wot passes are no problem and I have this really long steep hill on the way to college every morning and downshifts in nearly the same spot it always has so tranny strength and engine power have not seemed to change any. I just want to make sure something isn't going on as it is my only ride to school.

I have to ask, How fast are you spinning the wheels while doing this? 4000-5000 RPMs sounds like your going 70+ mph.

You are killing the car doing that, if the car isn't moving with the wheels going 20mph, why do you think going 70mph is going to be better?

Ask this guy. He couldn't get traction and just kept flooring it. Video says "Broken fuel line" but that's 100% bullshit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1IgcWx9TxQ

Really I don't know. I do try to keep the revs under 3k just sometimes I press just a lil too hard. I know it's hard on the car and I hate it. I changed the serpentine belt today and my steering is no longer jittery, so maybe the belt was slipping. As for losing power I was reading around and saw something about a torque management? Supposedly it does something to reduce power output of tranny? But I do agree with you it is hard on the car.

I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago. A road I need to use is uphill hill at both ends. A few inches of snow cover. Traction control not giving any help. Turned off the traction control and started "gassing on it". At times it would lose power and I would have to work the throttle to get the power back. I though for sure I would trash the motor or trans. May have hurt the transmission, not sure if the traction control works anymore, but other than that it seems ok.

why not bounce the throttle at a lower rpm, giving the wheels a chance to catch as you gain speed, works great in my alero using this technique. In 8-12 inches (drifting) this combined with rocking have got me everywhere I needed to go without any digging or being pushed. My car hasn't seen above 3k if even that for the purpose of putting the car into motion in the snow.

03gold that honestly a good idea. For some reason I never thought of that. I was just so used to driving my truck. When iI'd get stuck with that I'd gas it and plow right through, but with my car I just bottom out so easy. It would frustrate me and I'd give er gas. I don't think it did any major damage to the tranny though. There's no trailer hitching feeling to it and it's a smooth transition between gears. I'd think the engine could take it. Never did hit the Rev limiter or anything even once and they were slow revs, it's not like I whipped it right up there. She runs smooth and idles great. The major one I got stuck in was about 2.5-3 feet deep on the highway on the way to work one day. That's about the hardest time I ran her and that was about a month ago. Everything seems smooth still.