Help! WOT No Power

[etsa]

Hi All:

I have run into a very strange problem as of late. At Wide Open Throttle, the engine bogs then picks up strong then reaches about 3500-4000rpm and feels like it is either starving for fuel or the exhaust is plugged. I can hold it and the power stays the same. This takes me to about 60-65mph and just stays there.

If I back off to 3/4 pedal, the power picks up a little and I can get more speed. This happens when under a full load condition. I can be going down hill no problem. Level ground slight problem but it revs slowly but sooner or later gets there. Going up hill, forget it.

If I throttle up 3/4 pedal, the engine revs up slowly but surely it is just slower than usual.

I thought I may have needed a tune up but I changed plugs, wires, cap and rotor and still same problem. I also changed fuel filter and had my Indy check the fuel pump pressure but that all checks out.

Anyone out there with any ideas? I would really appreciate it if anyone can point me in the right direction.

Thank You in advance.

Aloha,
Eric

[etsa]

Hi All:

I went ahead and changed the fuel pumps, relays and OVP also. No changes. I also went to the muffler shop and they cut off the mufflers and ran it uncapped and still same problem. They welded back the mufflers and still same symptoms.

Does anyone know if I am looking at a fuel starvation problem, electrical, transmission or vaccum problem.

Any help would be appreciated. I am at the end of my rope soon.

Aloha,
Eric

[ozzy]

Can you rev it in park or does it bog down???

[etsa]

Hi Ozzy:

It revs fine in park or neutral. Seems like under a load condition.

Aloha,
Eric

[ozzy]

A dyno and a 4 gas analyser would be handy, it definitely sounds like it's starving for fuel. When your indie checked the fuel pressure did he check both upper and lower chambers in the fuel distributor?? My guess would be a bad fuel distributor or a problem with the electrohydraulic actuator, you may want to try running it with it disconnected.

[stevebfl]

Fuel starvation sounds like the first choice. Simple to test, just monitor fuel pressure while the event occurs. A dyno would be handy but we usually don't set up the dyno we just either use our ten foot gauge or an electronic tranducer to our multimeter.

You removed the mufflers, did you remove the cats including the PRECATS right at the manifold. If exhaust restrcition is the problem (and it probably would be my first choice if you hadn't considered it tested) it would be at the precats.

Coil output is a distant third on my list. Pretty tricky to get the max output to ony be a problem at full load but it sure does happen. Usually maximum output is about double maximum ever needed. Max output is usually around 30kv. The required at idle is around 8-10kv. At full load it is probably 15-20kv. The greater the load the greater the needed activation voltage, when you exceed the capability it don't run anymore.

Of course the thread makes NO mention of what model Ford we are workng on and as I write I can't remember the signature, seems like early 103.

[stevebfl]

Interesting, I never noticed that in the reply form the original title which shows the model doesn't appear. Neither does the full signature.

[etsa]

Hi Inetd, Ozzy and Steve:

First off, Thank You Very Much for all your responses. Sorry, I haven't been feeling well the past few days so sorry for the late Thank You.

Inetd, injectors seem fine and compression is fine too. Mass air sensor needs to be checked.

Ozzy, fuel distributor and electrohydraulic actuator will need to be checked.

Steve, sorry for the lack of information in the thread title. I spent so much money chasing this problem already I am having a hard time thinking.

I didn't check the pre cats. What is very funny is that my exhaust manifold is very white in color while my pre cats front side is white and everything behind the pre cats out is a nice rust/brown color to the exhaust tips. Could this suggest that the pre cats are clogged?

Is pre cats required or can I just pull them off? I am at a lost with this problem.

Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated and I will keep you all posted as soon as I find the fix or run out of money, which ever comes first.

Once again, Thank You so much.

Aloha,
Eric

[joeym]

Hi Iwould think if the precats were a problem the engine temp would be high enough to be more of a problem then the lack of power.joeym

[etsa]

Hi Joey:

My average temp has been rising lately to about 100-105 degrees but I haven't hit redline yet. I just figured that our hotter weather was the cause. Going up hill, the temp would be at it's highest, it would reach about 115 then come back down to about 100-105 coming back down hill.

Thanks for the info.

Aloha,
Eric