'80 450 SEL slowing down

Hi,
Writing for my daughter who is having problems with her 1980 450 SEL. She lives 700 miles from me, and i have been trying to diagnose over the phone Seems today, she hit the road and the car started to slow down. Soon, she couldn't get over 45mph. The engine was smooth, but under powered. She just had a fuel pump and fuel filter replaced three wks ago. Car ran fine until today. When i had the car, it had an erratic idle. I replaced the air cleaner in August. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Tanks, pat

[mhingram]

patrick,
This is tough does the engine rev up okay or is it maxing out at a lower rpm than before. If the transmission shifting okay?

howdy mhingram,
thanks for the reply ----- i did ask her to check the color of the tranny fluid -- she said it was pink -- i should have asked her if it was opaque, which would indicate water. she is going to light it up later this morning --- i need to ask her for therpm reading/45mph, i guess --- probably should be about 1900, i guess? she is living in a remote area -- the local mechs. don't want to touch the car. oh, is there more than one fuel filter on that car? the only filter that was replaced was the one at the rear, beside the fuel pump. and that had to be replaced twice, as the first mech. punched a small hole in it, while installing it. might need to buy her a ford thanks for the input, pat

daughter contacted a shop in memphis -- they seemed to think it was a plugged catalitic converter -- could have been clogged by overly rich condition or leaking oil -- this morning the car wouldn't go over 30mph -- merry christmas pat

[mhingram]

I am so sorry, that is no fun but I find a large steel rod and a hammer works well with those old cats.
m

cool, perhaps i will use the rod on the car proper i have used a garden hose and soapy water before; never thought of the "rod" thanks, pat