'03 Ex losing power
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From: Rowlett,TX
'03 Ex losing power
On the way to pick up my boy from skate practice, I noticed a weird gurgling sound under acceleration and a loss of power. It seems as if it hesitates to go, and may be clogged up, which leads me to think clogged cat. It does have an exhaust leak, the pipe from cat to muffler has become 100% disconnected, always has been, I didn't think it was much of an issue and figured it could wait until I got around to it. The sound seems to be coming from the middle of the truck, underneath, which leads me further to believe it's the cat. I don't know how many catalytic converters this truck has, I know my 02 ford has 4, which I hate. Any ideas on what the issue could be? Also my mass air flow sensor doesn't want to sit in the holder tightly. It seems to fall out as soon as I take the air filter housing apart. I'm wondering if it isn't coming out, losing its seal then causing what I assume would be a vacuum leak in the housing.
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From: Rowlett,TX
sorry, in my rush I completely forgot to include that. It's the V10 XLT. I took the air filter box off and lined everything up, it's sitting in there tightly now, so that's out of the equation. It's gotta be something else, leaning more and more to catalytic converter.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Chino, California
I wonder if it could be a bad coil (COP) causing your TC to lock up? The plastic housing for a COP may be cracked causing a ground to the cylinder head. This loss of power is when you accelerate.
You may be lucky and be only a cracked boot for the plugs. When was the last time you changed your spark plugs? Did you replace the boots as well?
You may be lucky and be only a cracked boot for the plugs. When was the last time you changed your spark plugs? Did you replace the boots as well?
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From: Rowlett,TX
Just rolled 100,000 on it, have yet to change spark plugs and COPS. Would there be a visible crack or does this require pulling each cop and plug and check them? When I accelerate I hear what sounds like air rushing under the vehicle. Could just be me wanting it to be one thing over the other though. I hear the air gurgling sound though, which also leads me to think it's exhaust/vacuum related.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Chino, California
If you're planning on keeping this truck, at 100K, it is time for you to change the plugs anyway. I would replace the plugs and get new boots. Start with that and see if it still does the same thing. Inspect each coil for cracks while it's off. If you find one cracked, replace it.
As far as checking boots, squeeze and roll it between your fingers to see if a crack appears. I would simply replace them all. They're not that expensive.
As far as checking boots, squeeze and roll it between your fingers to see if a crack appears. I would simply replace them all. They're not that expensive.
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From: Rowlett,TX
I definitely plan on keeping it, and had planned on doing plugs and boots but this happened. If it's a converter I'm going to have to get that fixed, then in a few weeks get the plugs taken care of. I'm going to take it in tomorrow and get an exhaust place to check it out and see what they say about it. Hopefully the news won't be too awful bad.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2009
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From: Chino, California
Ok, report back to us and let us know what you find out. I'm curious.
BTW, TC means torque converter in your transmission. A grounding out from a bad COP or boot (even water build up in the plug area) messes up the sensor causing the TC to lock up under load...hence the hesitation and rumble sound and loss of power.
BTW, TC means torque converter in your transmission. A grounding out from a bad COP or boot (even water build up in the plug area) messes up the sensor causing the TC to lock up under load...hence the hesitation and rumble sound and loss of power.
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From: Rowlett,TX
I drove through some high water last night, probably 6 inches high that I didn't see until I was already in the thick of it. Could it be possible that the water shot up and has gotten in to the plug area and TC? How would this be fixed? Just by replacing the bad COP of boot?
Cargo Master
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From: Chino, California
It is possible that water may have gotten into the plug area...not in the TC.
What happens is when you have a cracked rubber boot and water gets into the spark plug area, it creates a short between the cylinder head and spark plug. This electrical problem creates all sorts of false readings in your sensors...one of them possibly having your TC to lock up when it shouldn't. The rubber is the insulation that prevents grounding out. Just like a wire's insulation.
You could have the boots checked, but since you will need to replace plugs and boots, you minus well get that done. You don't need to replace all the COPs right away. You can reuse them if they're still good.
You didn't experience this problem even with the leak in your exhaust for quite some time, right? You can still drive it, but just every once in a while when you accelerate, it acts up?
What happens is when you have a cracked rubber boot and water gets into the spark plug area, it creates a short between the cylinder head and spark plug. This electrical problem creates all sorts of false readings in your sensors...one of them possibly having your TC to lock up when it shouldn't. The rubber is the insulation that prevents grounding out. Just like a wire's insulation.
You could have the boots checked, but since you will need to replace plugs and boots, you minus well get that done. You don't need to replace all the COPs right away. You can reuse them if they're still good.
You didn't experience this problem even with the leak in your exhaust for quite some time, right? You can still drive it, but just every once in a while when you accelerate, it acts up?
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From: Rowlett,TX
It's any time I put any acceleration on the vehicle that isn't "baby acceleration". I can baby it, no problems, runs fine but if I have to go say...1/3 of the pedal down, I get the issues. I brought it home from picking up my boy when the issue started, turned it off, turned it back on, drove it to the end of the street no issue, then turned the corner and it came back. Also had it go away briefly on the way home from picking up my boy, only to return as quick as it went away. I got a few quotes for a catalytic converter, $3,000.00 for one, and $250.00 for the other. I've done tons of business from the guy who quoted me $250, from my old shackled up Pontiac street rod to my mud buggy jeep, so I'm taking it there. Will post back with an update once I get it taken care of to find out if it's one or the other. Wish me luck.
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From: Rowlett,TX
Sitting at the shop now. Was told it was the converter, 275.00 for that plus bad ignition coil quoted 120 for that. Also needs a tune up, which I knew that and was quoted 375 total for that which is pretty damn good compared to 800 I was quoted from the ford house. So 395 out the door to get major issues fixed and will come back for tune up in about 3 weeks. Pretty happy with quotes. Any input on prices?