Was I taken?

[Cheezno6]

Be careful with that Lucas top end lube, if your cat is starting go (like it sounds) that stuff will kill it for sure. Any Ford with over 100K can have a bad cat and they don't all fail the same, some go slow some all at once. I had a 91 F350 7.5 ltr w/125K on it. Went to the gym one morning ran just as fine as it always did two blocks down the road on the way to work it stalled and wouldn't re-start. Towed it to buddies shop and the scan said everything was bad typically a bad ECM. On the way over there the tow truck driver told me his friend had a Ford truck act the same way and it turned out to be the cat, so for the heck of it I dropped the cat and VIOLA! it started right up and all the codes cleared. I never would have thought cat unless that guy had said that. Check your trucks exhaust velocity at idle and at 2K rpm. If there isn't much of a difference your cat is going south (or you ahve a seriously clogged muffler). If you don't have emissions there cut it out the truck isn't OBDII so it won't matter to the ECM if it's gone. Your problem could be two fold. If the truck was running lean due to fuel problems it probably screwed up the cat as well. If you have to have a cat there are plenty of good after market high flow ones out there for resonable prices

 

[xploridaho]

No, I'm in Idaho, we don't have emissions here. I may just try unhooking the cat and seeing how it runs.

 

[xploridaho]

Ok, after everything I have changed, I have found the real problem with this truck. The fuel tank was full, and I mean full of rust. I have the injectors out and cleaning them, have replaced the fuel filter 2x and now have removed the tank and a new one is ordered. I have never seen so much rust in a tank in my life.

 

[Cheezno6]

With all the new parts and cats off that thing should haul azz (relatively speaking)

 

[Big Jim M]

If he replaces the cats with a straight pipe it will SOUND like it is going faster for sure.. But if it actually does go faster is doubtful.
Big JIm

 

[bcost882]

be like a tractor loud as hell but doesn't go very fast

 

[89 ranger.]

I had a problem similar where I was pulling up the pass and it would bog down and have no power.. Came to be a plug back out arched and exploded in my cylinder..check plugs, maybee

 

[89 ranger.]

Okay srry there were
two pages and I didn't read till after I posted

 

[dawson111299]

just a thought but have you tried some dry gas its amazing how much moister can build up in a fuel tank from just setting around empty plus some pple will put just about any gas they can into a tank if they really dont care about the truck just to move it or get it started . Another thing is old fuel will tarnish and the rust coler could be just that running old tarnished fuel will foul your plugs to the point where it just will not run good or not at all. pull a plug and look at it if its fouled do to tarnish it will be black and kind of shiny. I know it sound odd but I worked at a used car lot and my boss had me put old fuel in the yard truck that we plowed with (against my better judgement but hes the boss) I had just put new plugs in the truck and with inside a day or 2 of running the old gas the truck just quit running and wouldnt start pulled a plug and bingo presto black and shiny new plugs changed fuel out of tank an back in buisness

 

[xploridaho]

The rust color in the gas was just that, rust. When I pulled the tank and attempted to clean it out I got big flakes, little flakes, medium size flakes and rusted silt. I figure for $113 a new tank is the safest way to go.

 

[gjm4l]

Glad to hear you got it figured out. Hopefully you got a steal of a deal so for the price of a new tank and some other parts you'll end up with a solid ride.

 

[xploridaho]

well, after replacing the tank and filters, the truck is running good again. Really needs shocks and a muffler though.

 

[Cheezno6]

If he replaces the cats with a straight pipe it will SOUND like it is going faster for sure.. But if it actually does go faster is doubtful.
Big JIm

That would depend on if his cats are clogged or not. Ever had one clog up on you? I have, huge difference in power

 

[xploridaho]

No, my problem turned out to all be fuel related. Got that taken care of, and new shocks, now for that muffler.

 

[vpcoded]

glad to hear it is running.