Hi all,

I bought a 93 f150 5.0 about six months ago and I love it.

Recently, all my antifreeze emptied out on me. So I replaced both the upper and lower hose - lower hose had a huge gouge in it from a rock or something. Still had a leak. Took it to the shop because I am not a mechanic- just can do basic things. They told me it was a bypass hose to the water pump. $90... Took it home - still leaking a bit. Took it back to the shop and they told me it was the water pump, said they would replace it for 300. I told them no thank you. Went to the auto parts store and picked up a water pump for about 40 and went to put that in. Well, it could have been the water pump, but I also had a gouge in the engine housing that connects the water pump. So I used some jbweld and let it cure. Sanded it smooth and flat. Put everything back together and no leak.

When I first went for a ride, it bogged down upon acceleration twice, then stopped. I didn't drive it for a day or so. Then I took it about 20 miles away (in Chicago that means about an hour/hour and a half trip). On the way there, the truck was fine - no bogging down. Then on the way back, just about every stop sign felt like the truck was going to stop running. It would bog around 5 mph and sometimes around 15 mph. It was sporadic - not every stop sign had it bogging. Check engine light came out for a few seconds about three times throughout the trip.

I think since it didn't start until after I replaced the water pump, it must have been something I did. Can anyone give any pointers on what to check? I read it might be o2 sensor, fuel pump, etc but those don't seem likely given I didn't mess with them - tho, the o2 sensor is close to where I was working, so that is a possibility. I read perhaps it could be a vacuum leak - but from what I know about working with motorcycles - vacuum leaks generally increase rpm and it is idling pretty low, imho.

I am a complete beginner - basically learning as things go out. I know many things radiator due to having an issue earlier in the year that cause me to take it out, and a few things here and there, but not much more.

I appreciate the help in advance - thanks - Andrew

 

Start by running the self test that should quickly shed some light on the problem.

Ford Fuel Injection » How To Run a Self-Test

Might be as simple as you left the ECT sensor unplugged for example or might be unrelated to your resent work, pure happenstance but won't know for sure until you look.

 

So I figured out it is a vacuum leak- I can hear hissing somewhere near the power steering pump- now I'm trying to find the leak. I've tried carb cleaner on a few joints and nothing. Today I thought that perhaps I didn't tighten the bolts enough on the powersteering pulley/housing after replacing the water pump. So I took the belt off, and tightened then down a bit more, put the belt back on then tried to start it- it wouldn't even try to start! Is there anyway I would have blown a fuse or anything taking the belt off and tighten (which I've done many times before without problem). I hear clicking in the second solenoid in the passenger side and clicking in the fuse box - seems to be from the electronic engine control relay. Any ideas before I break something else would be appreciated.