Long Story, but maybe some details will spark some ideas. I think I have read every thread I could find related to my issues. Here we go...

Truck is 1999 F250 4WD V10. 4WD, 35"s, Magnaflow Exhaust. 150K miles. Well maintained. (within last 2K miles, full tuneup, all filters, plugs, fluids, tranny flush and filter replace, PCV replaced, etc). No leaks anywhere. Dry as a bone. Not a workhorse.


Pulled my boat (21' 5000lbs) to the ocean last weekend. When pulling the boat out of the water, we smelled something funny that seemed to come from the truck. Didn't think much of it, no leaks, running fine. On the way home, the boat felt REALLY heavy. In TOW mode, 60mph was all she had. Figured that maybe the boat was full of water, but when I got home, none came out. Brakes on trailer are disabled. Truck was struggling to pull my little boat, and maybe it was just me, but felt hard to stop as well...

Chalking it up to something related to my boat or trailer, I didn't do anything. This weekend, I pulled my friends 23' Boat, and was surprised to experience the same thing. 60mph in Tow Mode was all she had..

I used to be able to tow either boat as fast as I wanted..

So, in summary:

It feels like I have a 25% or so loss of power. Even without towing anything, I can tell the V10 is working a lot more than it should to pull minor hills. Much slower than it used to be. With tow mode off, in OD, truck is very slow to accelerate to +70mph. Feels like it's running out of breath..Torque seems ok? Tranny shifts like butter, and when I performed the flush/filter replacement, pan was very clean and fluid was good.

And maybe this is all in my head, but I could swear the brakes are requiring more pressure to stop now. The smell (whatever it was) has not recurred. All fluids have been checked and topped off. Vacuum lines checked and appear OK. It almost feels like my calipers are sticking, but the rotors are not excessively hot after normal running or stopping. All rotors feel the same. No CEL lights. No Codes.

Any thoughts about where I should start would be appreciated. Above average with a wrench.

Whatever happened here definitely started at the boat ramp last weekend, and is more than likely related to the 'stink'. It was running great before.

Thanks!

 

I'm not really sure on the problem, but to mean it sounds like you have a vaccum leak, that might be whats causing the lack of power and the braking issue. maybe the intake is leaking and it just isn't giving you a code yet.

I would have it looked at by someone who knows how to use a scan tool, not just someone who is going to look and see if there are codes, but someone that knows what all the numbers mean, o2 readings, short term, long term fuels.. but thats where i would start.

 

Thanks much for responding!

Vacuum leak was one of my first thoughts..but there was that smell. I can't put my finger on it...

I checked every vacuum line I could, all in near mint condition. I wonder if the braking problem is just me being paranoid.

What's obvious and more important is the lack of power. I am considering pulling the Catalytic Converter, which appears original.

 

It very well could be the catalytic converter. That "smell" might have been the cat overloading and melting internally.

But, why and why so suddenly? Running rich? Really ******* it ?

What did it smell like? Like someone lit a match? Rotten eggs?

Check the tranny fluid and see if it's burnt. That's the only other "smell" that makes sense.

 

The smell was similar to the sulfery smell of a burnt cat, or maybe brake fluid boiling. But obviously it wasn't brake fluid boiling, because the parking spot to the ramp is less than 100' away and it would never have gotten a chance to get hot enough. Brake fluid level is fine, I don't think I have a sticky caliper either, as all rotors are the same temp and not hot. No pulling. No worn pads.

I also thought that if Cats started 'stinking' I would still be able to smell it. No smells since.

Tranny fluid is as fresh and clean as the day I did the full flush/filter about 6 months (and 2K miles) ago.

Truck was not dogged. I keep the engine real clean. No leaks whatsoever anywhere. I work at home and it's my boat puller/weekend driver. Ran and pulled fine to the ramp, but felt like I was pulling 15K lbs back, and now acts like a 5.4.

 

Definitely get that cat looked at, or just disconnect it at the flange and drive it and see if it's any better. It will be LOUD, but it's worth a test-drive.

 

My neighbors will love that! I will give it a shot when I have time and report back.



Unless I can talk the wife into letting me get that Dyno I always wanted.

Thanks much!

 

Update.

Went ahead and took it to the local muffler shop. They put a temp-gun on the cat and said it was much hotter in front of the cat than it was behind the cat. So, sure I found my issue, I asked them to cut it out.

The cat fell on the concrete, and it was apparent something was wrong.

The cat was empty. Hollow. Nothing at all inside and doesn't appear to have ever been apart.

So, I figured what the heck, just bypass it. They welded in a straight pipe and I was on my way.

Funny thing. Exhaust sounds so much better. Throttle seems more responsive. Spun the tires leaving the shop (it never does that).

So, either there was a ghost in my catalytic converter that escaped when it was cut out, or some other miracle happened. Or maybe this issue was all in my head and I'm paranoid. But truck feels fine now.

 

You're messin with us, right?

 

UPDATE!! A Real one this time! Problem found!!


OK, so none of that made sense, I know. I knew it couldn't have been my cat, but I digress. It was running good! Something else occurred to me while I was sitting on the throne. What else did the muffler guy and I touch..Well, we did check for vacuum leaks or anything suspicious, and found nothing. Oh, we also pulled the cover off the throttle body to see if it was dirty..and it was..

So, I went out there a few minutes ago and was going to pull it and clean it, just for giggles.

Started to take the cables off the throttle body and noticed something. The cruise-control cable doesn't look right. It's all bent and the 2 plastic sleeves were rubbing together when moved, and had formed a few NOTCHES, enough that it wouldn't allow full throttle (or even close) when the notches caught each other. Huh.

So, I pulled the cruise control cable, tested throttle movement, smooth as butter. Got in the truck and tested pedal movement, and wow, I never knew it went that far. It never has!!

All I can figure is that we bumped the cruise cable when looking at the throttle body, and moved it off it's current 'notch' and to another one. But still, with the cable attached, It would only go to 75% or so throttle before bending the cable and stopping throttle movement.


Buttoned it up and took it for a spin. Good lord.

NOTE TO SELF: Do not test WOT in a 45 Zone.



For some reason, the (female) LEO did not seem interested in the least of what I just figured out.

So, total cost of repairs= $395. ($40 for cat bypass, $355 for speeding ticket, 83 in a 45 and court)

Think the Judge will want to hear my story?

 

How's your driving record?
If spotless, it may be worth sharing the story. If the judge is laid back, he may cut you some slack since this would be an apparent anomoly in your behavior.

If not spotless, don't waste his time. Take your lumps and move on.

 

Last time I got a ticket for speeding was about 10 years ago I think. I'm not looking for a sympathetic judge, just happy to find my problem. I'll take the lumps.

It's funny how much more power ya have when the skinny pedal goes more than halfway.

 

I'm trying to come up with something with the word "priceless" in it, but it's not coming to me