Power Loss
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New User
Joined: Sep 2004
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Power Loss
1988 F150 4x4 302 w/AOD. 171k miles 
Starts fine, idle is irregular, high, then low. Biggest problem started this week. I climb a fairly significant hill to and from work. 1800 vertical ft in 7 miles one direction. It runs fine about half way up the hill and then I hear tons of clicking under the dash and it feels like it is running on 4 cylinders. Check engine light flashes faster until it is on continually. Manually down shift into 2nd and it revs and accelerates fine up to about 55, chech engine light stays on (don't like to rev it past about 4000rpm). If I shift it back up into "D" and back off the throttle it shifts into 3rd and the problem starts again. Otherwise it runs like a champ. Just that damn hill! Any ideas?
Starts fine, idle is irregular, high, then low. Biggest problem started this week. I climb a fairly significant hill to and from work. 1800 vertical ft in 7 miles one direction. It runs fine about half way up the hill and then I hear tons of clicking under the dash and it feels like it is running on 4 cylinders. Check engine light flashes faster until it is on continually. Manually down shift into 2nd and it revs and accelerates fine up to about 55, chech engine light stays on (don't like to rev it past about 4000rpm). If I shift it back up into "D" and back off the throttle it shifts into 3rd and the problem starts again. Otherwise it runs like a champ. Just that damn hill! Any ideas?
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 725
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Welcome, I would scan the codes from the ECM and go from there. Autozone will scan them for free if you don't have a scanner, they probably do it so you'll buy parts from them 
. If you find out what the codes are write them down and post them in your thread and I'm sure somebody can help you out.
. If you find out what the codes are write them down and post them in your thread and I'm sure somebody can help you out.
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I just got home from work, and what do you know, it did not do it on the way home?! Go figure. Anyway, I know it needs a tuneup, so I bought the stuff for that and also for the PCV fix I read earlier. I will get the codes before I start the tuneup tomorrow. Before it was something to do with the PCV, I took it off and cleaned it out, I think maybe the PCV sensor is faulty or somthing there. Thanks for the reply's and I will keep you posted!
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,557
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From: Concord, NC
Do you mean EGR sensor? There isn't a sensor on the pcv system...
The procedure for pulling the codes yourself is on the website Saurian posted, or in a Haynes manual (I actually like the way the Haynes manual does the test better). It's quite simple to do and it should tell you why the computer is turning on the check engine light.
The procedure for pulling the codes yourself is on the website Saurian posted, or in a Haynes manual (I actually like the way the Haynes manual does the test better). It's quite simple to do and it should tell you why the computer is turning on the check engine light.
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O.K. I did not read the codes, as I was doing a tuneup. I changed the fuel filter, cap, rotor, wires, did the PCV fix found on this website and lastly, I changed the spark plugs. #8 was nothing but a nub and was loose! Truck has probably been running on 7 cylinders for awhile. So, now I feel a little silly cause I have had the truck for about a year, got it for free when I sold my 1998 f250 so I wouldn't have payments and it needed a tuneup something fierce. No check engine light. Test drive on the hill and it ran better than ever! Did I read somewhere that this PCV fix would take some of the clunkiness out of the AOD cause the thing runs like a new truck! I will hook it up to the scanner when I see the check engine light flash and let y'all know. Things are good right now.
