SHO POWER LOSS!!

[Sir Robert Arthur]

I own a 1993 SHO "Automatic" with the 3.2L... I am experiencing a big power loss with my vehicle, and I cannot figure out why?? I can tell you this much about my cars history: It has 93,220 miles on it... I did the 60,000 mile service at Ford when the car was at 77,000 miles ( I had just bought the car and the owner never bothered ). I have replaced "Within the past 6 months" my fuel pump, fuel filter, water pump, oxygen sensors, motor mounts "Front and rear", spark plugs and spark plug wires ( Still using the Motorctaft ) "No oil in plug wells either", and last week I had my transmission rebuilt at AAMCO "$2000"... It used to rocket to 60mph, and now doesn't. The power loss started about two months ago "Before" I had the transmission rebuilt, so I am suspecting something is wrong with the engine. I have had a few "Missed" start ups lately, where the car turns over and just keeps turning without starting up... Then I try again and it fires right up. My check engine light has been coming on a lot lately also, and I had the codes scanned. The only thing that came up was for the "EGR" sensor... The guy that did my scan cleared the code and the light has not come on since.... The oil light was flickering on and off for a while also, and all of the sudden just stopped coming on all by itself. I did a few 0-60mph tests the other night, and the car starts out ok "Still not as good as it used to" and then bogs down considerably "Almost like a pause" while attempting to shift from 1st gear to 2nd... Then after the shift it seems to come back to life again. Also while on the highway I used to go from 65mph to 90-100 in no time... The other night I was at 65mph with the pedal halfway down and got on it... The car creeped to 80, and then topped out right about 85-90mph with the pedal to the floor!! Almost to say that whether the pedal was halfway way down or to the floor didn't matter?? Sad to say, but I truly believe that my dads Taurus GL would give me a run for my money right now...LOL!! Something is definately wrong with my car, and any ideas or help would "GREATLY" be appreciated!!!!

<small>[ April 27, 2002, 08:09 PM: Message edited by: Sir Robert Arthur ]</small>

 

[sdpatt]

It could be one or more of several things causing your power loss. It sounds like your intake manifold's secondary runner butterfly valves may not be opening. These valves are normally open when the engine is off and held closed by vacuum. When the plugs and wires were replaced, was it accomplished with the intake manifold still installed, or was the manifold removed? If it was removed, there is a chance the vacuum source or power supply to the solenoid valve was disturbed.

Check for the valves to change position by putting the car in neutral, opening the hood and blipping the throttle shaft on the throttle body with your hand to quickly rev the engine to the rev limiter at 3800 rpm. You should see the diaphragm actuator, linkage and shaft move for the secondary butterfly valves.

If this is not happening, check the electrical connector to the solenoid valve near the center of the rear intake manifold plenum. This is the only electrical connector to the vacuum handling parts at this location.

The other possibility is that the vacuum lines were removed and incorrectly routed upon installation. The routing of the secondary butterfly vacuum lines is from the tap on the rear plenum to the front tap of the black plactic accumulator tank. From the rear tap of the accumulator to the bottom tap of the solenoid. From the top tap on the solenoid to the "T" fitting under the idle air control valve, from the side post of the "T" to the rear bank secondary vacuum diaphragm valve and from the front post on the "T" to the front bank diaphragm valve.

If all of this checks out properly, can you try to give some more specific informationthat might help us to narrow down the possibilities?

 

[naval-avi8or]

This should't create the problem your having alone but If you had a CEL for the EGR and all the mech did is cleared the code the problem isn't fixed. More than likley the nostrils are cloged in the intake, or some other part of the egr is bad. My nostrils were completly clogged (plugs 1/2" deep)and the coputer would re-adjust or temp clear the condition itself. If its not reciculating these gases than they are going into your cat/exhuast sytem and could foul it which could lead to a loss of power.

 

[SHO MONEY]

This might be out there but have you the cats checked out? Sounds like you might possibly have plugged cats. That would cause a serious power loss. Good luck!

 

[sdpatt]

naval-avi8or:
This should't create the problem your having alone but If you had a CEL for the EGR and all the mech did is cleared the code the problem isn't fixed. More than likley the nostrils are cloged in the intake, or some other part of the egr is bad. My nostrils were completly clogged (plugs 1/2" deep)and the coputer would re-adjust or temp clear the condition itself. If its not reciculating these gases than they are going into your cat/exhuast sytem and could foul it which could lead to a loss of power.

That would mean that the 3.0L, 49-state SHOs would have fouled cats since they don't have an EGR system. Think about it for a long second, the EGR gasses originate from the number 3 cylinder's exhaust manifold. That means that they are exhaust gasses to begin with. The cats certainly know what to do with that stuff.

Scott

 

[naval-avi8or]

sdpatt
[

That would mean that the 3.0L, 49-state SHOs would have fouled cats since they don't have an EGR system. Think about it for a long second, the EGR gasses originate from the number 3 cylinder's exhaust manifold. That means that they are exhaust gasses to begin with. The cats certainly know what to do with that stuff.

Scott[/QB][/QUOTE]

Scott~ Does the EGR only get its gases from the #3. I was looking at mine and it looked like it caome from the rear exhaust manifold. As for what I said and ment it didn't come out right. I was trying to elude to bad/restricted exhaust causing problems with the EGR (ie CEL). As I reread my post I must have been smokin some Crack.