What the heck happened!?!?!?

[TwinCitiesSHO-Off]

My car has rather high mileage but something happened that scares me a bit. I sat down in the cockpit of my favorite road rocket and when I went to gun it, it felt like something was missing. I've had problems with the emergency brake being stuck on a little bit, but the car rolls, so I don't think that's the issue. It feels very weighed down, like there's an extra 3 or 4 people in my back seat. One of my friends suggests maybe a lost cylinder thanks to a bad spark plug. Should I do a 60k tuneup? Or should I look at something more or less substantial? HELP ME!!! cry

 

[olympic]

From the description you gave, it's almost impossible to guess at the cause. But a sudden loss in power can be caused by a dead cylinder or maybe a plugged catalytic converter. I would start with pulling the EEC codes and doing the cylinder balance test. http://www.dalidesign.com/hbook/eectest.html

Otherwise your just shooting in the dark.

 

[SilverSHO]

Well...the other day I was heading home, and I noticed that I had lost a lot of power; I checked the plug wires and snugged them down properly and everything was fine. I think a wire slipped off a plug somewhere.

Anyway...the point is you might want to check your plug wires.

 

[sdpatt]

Need more input. Codes might help. Any misfires or backfires? Specific rpm ranges or throttle positions?

 

[TwinCitiesSHO-Off]

THere's been no weird things happening with the engine. THere's no sudden drop off, it doesn't get stuck on particular RPM's. The best description I can offer is that it feels like the car is carrying an extra 800+ pounds in the rear. I was already considering a 60k tuneup, is this something that would help!?

 

[sdpatt]

How old is the timing belt?

 

[revhardSHO]

And how many miles??????

 

[TwinCitiesSHO-Off]

I bought the car within the last year, so I'm not quite sure how old the timing belt is. The milage on the body is 180,000 but had an engine replacement performed at 100,000 or so. Thanks for the suggestions, any more are more than welcomed!!!

 

[DavidT]

plugged cats??? Have Midas check the backpressure of your exhaust... $15 or $20.

 

[CharlieR]

Don't ignore the request for codes, see if the car will diagnose itself.
A loss of 1 cylinder or spark plug wires would make the car jump, blalk and misfire badly. I doubt you would describe it as 800lbs extra.
It sounds like a sudden deterioration. A stretched timining belt would be slow deterioration, I suppose a "jumped belt" is possible - don't know.
Here is another thought - no high end performance? The secondaries are not opening up. May not throw a code if the PCM thinks the intake manifold runner control (IMRC) is working properly but it is not.
Lots of posts in the past month about secondaries, search them, learn how they work and check it out.
Try to make an accurate diagnosis - get the codes and use the forum's help with as accurate discription of the problem as possible, don't just throw proceedures at it hoping to fix it "by guess and by golly" or you will land up like this headbang

 

[JoeHoe_SHO]

60K is always good...as if I knew just what the **** I'm talking about...I can tell you how much it costs, how to change the waterpump and spark plugs/wires but that is about it...I hope to expand that knowledge when me and who ever I can get to help me do it on my 89

 

[snodevil11]

Well, just a suggestion, check your plug wells for oil. I was driving my sho one day and all of a sudden it did that same thing. One or more plugs or wires failed and I lost one or more cylinders which seemed to feel like a 800 added pound to the car. I don't know for sure, but all that takes is poping off all your wires one at a time and looking down into the wells for oil and or water or such. Good luck!

 

[qiksho]

TwinCitiesSHO-Off:
My car has rather high mileage but something happened that scares me a bit. I sat down in the cockpit of my favorite road rocket and when I went to gun it, it felt like something was missing. I've had problems with the emergency brake being stuck on a little bit, but the car rolls, so I don't think that's the issue. It feels very weighed down, like there's an extra 3 or 4 people in my back seat. One of my friends suggests maybe a lost cylinder thanks to a bad spark plug. Should I do a 60k tuneup? Or should I look at something more or less substantial? HELP ME!!! cry

Since you have had brake problems, I would check and make sure that your rear brakes are working properly. The caliper slider pins have a tendancy to rust and freeze. Even though you can drive, maybe there is enough friction to cause your problem. shrug