V10, no power.

   / V10, no power. #11  
We are all guessing here but I am thinking bad catalytic converter. My next guess is bad torque converter, but that's depending on what the tach shows.

Fuel pump is a possibility and can easily be verified with gauge but not likely in my book.

Check the air filter for a mouse nest, spark plugs, and other simple stuff.

Chris
 
   / V10, no power. #12  
I'm showing my age here but I have had a Vovo that performed similar and it turned out to be a diaphram connected with the carburator. Or that was what I was told. Talking about 30 in a 55, this was in Germany and I had to go from Ramstein AB to Stuttgart. I did it but how I didn't get a ticket or run over I'll never know.
 
   / V10, no power. #13  
Sounds like catalytic converter, since you mentioned exhaust tinny rattle. If one collapses inside, engine will run fine until volume of exhaust increases as engine revs.
 
   / V10, no power.
  • Thread Starter
#14  
Sounds like catalytic converter, since you mentioned exhaust tinny rattle. If one collapses inside, engine will run fine until volume of exhaust increases as engine revs.
That could very well be it. The ground had frozen up overnight so I was able to get the truck away from my barn without to much trouble. I had it idleing in my driveway and crawed under poking around the exhaust. All the shields are good so I hit the catalytic converter with my hand and it does rattle from within. The exhaust appears to be all original so I should not be surprised with 182k miles.

I don't have a scanner so I will have to get it to my friend's garage. The light is not the best outside today and we have rain coming so I probably won't get much done. A quick look around the tank tells me that I may have just enough room to pull the pump without dropping the tank if need be. Won't be fun though.

I have been planning on going over the truck and putting in new plugs, wires, etc. Being my garage is weather dependent, lol, I just might write a check to get it done.
 
   / V10, no power. #15  
I would check to see if the cataletic converter is stopped up or something in the exaust line.

Good advice, we often forget the "out" and only focus on the "in". It's not "breathing", which means either: 1) Not enough fuel going in. 2) Not enough air going in, or 3) Not enough exhaust getting out.
Of course, these 3 simple things can be caused by hundreds of other things, but knowing which of the 3 is where you must start.
 
   / V10, no power. #16  
Good test for a cat con. Is to run it for about 5 min and if it is about red hot compared to other parts of nearby exhaust probably choked up.
 
   / V10, no power. #17  
Good advice on the cat converter especially if you just noticed the rattles recently. I totally missed the part about him mentioning about tiny rattles.

I don't know about with the new catalytic converters but with the old ones in the early 90's we would take a piece of rebar after they were clogged and pound out all the ceramic inside them and put it back on but than again my states DMV doesn't check emissions on vehicles either.
 
   / V10, no power. #18  
I'd pull any codes first thing. Sometimes you can get codes but no check engine light.
 
   / V10, no power.
  • Thread Starter
#19  
The more suggestions I read here, the more I think that everyone suggesting the cat is correct. I forgot to mention that when I pulled over and put some gas in it yesterday, something did smell hot but I did not feel like crawling under the truck in the slop. I pulled the transmission dipstick and the oil was fine, clean and not hot or smelly. I was watching the rpm's, the coolant temp, etc. but all seemed in order.

I was briefly under it this evening looking around but it was raining so I did not linger. The fuel filter looked relatively clean but I need to look closer and will probably replace it anyway. The truck is titled an 04' but it has fuel return lines to the tank so per my Haynes manual that would be an 03' setup. Being a box truck, I have adequate space to pull the pump if need be. There is also a large device on the left side which I gather is an inertia switch to shut off the fuel in the event of a collision.

The cat looks involved to change out or bypass. The exhaust "T's" and tapers down in an oval shape going right into the cat. I can possible break the pipe loose where it goes into the muffler with my torch rather than cutting it in half and splicing it with a band clamp. That way I could get something into the cat to poke around and suck out the debris with my shop vac. Then if that cures it, I could replace it, heh heh.

I also need to ask around to see if someone I know has something to read the codes before I take it out on the road again. Or, maybe pick one up for myself. I never felt that I had enough use for one.
 
   / V10, no power. #20  
After you count the spark plugs to see if they are all there!!! :(
You could start it up in the dark and look for wires jumping fire. I have seen engines put on a real light show.
It's possible that the muffler is partially stopped up. I have seen that on 1 ton Ford Parcel (Box) Vans.
 
 
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