loosing power in my 94

[Tyler St.Clair]

My 1994 f150 2wd 5.0 L is loosing power. I hardly ever use the a/c, the only time i do is when my girlfriend is riding with me. Other than that it is hardly ever used. I have the problem either after the truck has been running for awhile or within the first 10-15 minutes of driving. I have washed and blown my condenser out because it was full of bugs but that still didn't seem to help. I do not think it is a cat problem but have not hooked up a back pressure gauge to test yet plus it does not do it all the time, but have noticed it happening more frequently lately. Anybody got any ideas on what else this could be?

 

[Fellro]

Soooo.... you mention the air, does it lose power with it on, or is it essentially a non-factor? If it really has nothing to do with it, then don't talk about it really. Basically, plugging cats tend to show up more when you are trying to accelerate, worse when really stomping on it. It would seem fine to a point,t hen fall on its face. Fuel filter can act similar as well.

 

[Tyler St.Clair]

I was just pointing out the air because someone already told me that the condenser being plugged could be an issue, however yes it does when it on and off. I replaced the fuel filter a few months ago. So I don't believe it could be a culprit. It usually happens when I go to take off, and sometimes I notice it loosing power while going down the road. It is like it just decides to bog down to about 45 or so then eventually it kicks back in and withing a few seconds im back up to 60, even with the curse set it still happens.

 

[Fellro]

Not sure why they would claim it to lose power if the condenser was dirty, other than raising hood temps, which on stock fuel injected vehicles doesn't tend to be as much of an issue.

I wouldn't rule out the cats, as they will let you run, but it will get progressively worse. If it has plenty of fuel supply, and there is no restriction to the intake air, then the exhaust air flow is on the list to be verified. Does it run good to a point, then just seem to lose power, or just lack of power in general?

 

[Tyler St.Clair]

Lack of power at take off most of the time. Sometimes it will do it when I am driving down the road but not as often. What happens is it will run good until I come up to a stop. Then we I go to take off it is like it has no get up and go whats so ever it just wants to creep along. Then eventually I can feel the engine kind of kick then I gain speed pretty quick, but every time i stop its the same thing all over again.

 

[Fellro]

Well, here is my experience with bad cats, maybe you can compare. Many times they idle fine, sitting in neutral will rev fine. When you go to take off, if you are heavy on the pedal, they will dog out. If you light pedal it, it will take off ok to a point. If it dogs out, then back off the pedal, it will kind of seem like it gets a power surge. Light pedal into it, and it will pick up the pace to a point again. You can many times get it going if you keep stepping in and out of it like that. If you just hammer down, it will dog 100%, sometimes to the point it seems like it is backfiring through the intake. As soon as you back off the pedal, it seems kind of ok, but then dogs again.

 

[Tyler St.Clair]

Yes that seems pretty similar to what mine does.