I have had my 1990 F250 heavy half for a couple of months now. It has just over 80,000 original miles on it and was basically only used for the purpose of hauling a 5th wheel by previous owner.

The last couple of weeks, we're had intermittant stalling- once pulling out of the parking lot at work (engine was cold on a slight incline) and another time after driving 2 miles then idling at a red light. It has a tendency to have a rough start off the line from idle to accelarate, but not terrible. With the multiple minor things, I elected to put it in the shop as opposed to guessing and replacing random things. My mechanic is great, but he couldn't find anything wrong- not even a check engine light, and no codes on the computer and he could not replicate the issue driving it.

Today was the worst of the events, my husband drove the truck and less than 2 miles from home, there was a sudden deceleration, it just dropped. From that point on, he was unable to make it above 10 mph and could not generate enough power to get the truck up the hill we live on. He had to back down the hill, then risk driving on the highway in that state- the only other route without a steep incline.

Has anyone ever seen/heard of/dealt with this? Any advice?

 

Sounds to me like a catalytic converter problem. Might be plugged up being original. Had a buddies Escape do this the other day with his fiance' driving it. However, his shotgunned both into the manifold and out the back. First time ive ever seen them do that much. Normally its just the loss of power.

 

Uuuuuuuuuuuugh so my only option is to replace the cat. -.- Whose idea was this truck anyway?!

Thanks for the info.

 

will it rev up easily in neutral or park

 

F'in awesome, it is in fact the catalytic converter which is what I was afraid of. Mechanic bore holes in it and it runs somewhat now, but my options are to run pipe through it or replace the converter to the tune of 1/4 what I paid for the truck in the first place.

Thanks for your input guys, I was really hoping to be wrong but no such luck.

 

Check you states emissions regulations. I live in GA and anything with a GVWR of 8500# or more is emissions exempt. It it is same in your state cut it off and straight pipe to muffler.

 

"The state of Kansas currently has no emissions enforcement on motor vehicles. The Kansas car registration process requires only a VIN inspection for most cars. Drivers are not required to have their vehicles annually tested for emissions, and no additional emissions paperwork is required to register a car or truck."

My mechanic says for some reason it is illegal for HIM to run a pipe through the cat, but that there's a guy a ways down the road that can do it for me. I guess I don't understand why the Mechanic shop can't do it but the Muffler shop can? Whatever. At any rate, getting a new catalytic converter is not going to happen right this second for sure!

Thanks again!

 

Oh, and to the message I missed, yet it revs easily in park or neutral, but when actually accelerating (or trying to), I can hear the hiss under the center seat.