Need a good mechanic

ChevyGuy · Feb 9, 2012

Didnt quite know where to put this so figured chatter box was best.

Anyways, Ive got this 1990 F150 5 speed straight 6. I cant figure out whats wrong with it, neither can my dad and neither can my old highschools autoshop. I fear taking it in would cost way to much and have it be something small.

Im looking for someone that could do a free diagnosis or point me in the direction to someone you know what can. I live in Covington. I just wanna know whats wrong with it and fix it. Im tired of letting this truck sit and I dont wanna see it go to the scrap yard, my current daily has approached 300,000 miles and is soon to explode so I need this truck running.

Any help is nice.

What is happening:
I dont think the motor is getting enough fuel, I have replaced the fuel filter and pump and still getting the problem, if I give it to much throttle it bogs down and dies, it doesnt correctly, it just bounces from 300rpm to 800rpm. Ran a smoke test and the EGR is smoking more than it should, would the EGR cause it? I just want some more info so I can try new things. Sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

Jwredneck · Feb 9, 2012

Had similar symptoms on two vehicles in the past and both times it was a clogged catalytic converter.

crash2 · Feb 9, 2012

Remove the o2 sensor and drive it...If its better then your cat is plugged...

ChevyGuy · Feb 9, 2012

Do I have to just remove it from the exhaust from or unplug it to? All I did was unscrew it from the exhaust, didnt work. Ran worse.

zukkev · Feb 9, 2012

unplug it too...

zukkev · Feb 9, 2012

The best thing to do is to have an exhaust backpressure test done to it...doesn't take every long, and will instantly tell you whether or not the cat is plugged...

whitetrashfab · Feb 18, 2012

Im not trying to be a **** but you already wasted money throwing parts at it (fuel pump and filter?) with no results? Yet you say paying a shop to diag it is going to cost way to much? Most GOOD indepedent repair shops have very reasonable rates and will be able to come up with the answer for you in a very short amount of time, you can even take it home and fix it yourself if you want and save a few bucks.

I work for a repair shop and I see this kind of thing all day long where someone has spent alot of time and money trying to "save" them selfs a few bucks and in the end they just spent twice as much as they needed to.... :awesomework:

skinny_pedal · Feb 18, 2012

whitetrashfab said:
I work for a repair shop and I see this kind of thing all day long where someone has spent alot of time and money trying to "save" them selfs a few bucks and in the end they just spent twice as much as they needed to.... :awesomework:

God bless them

jeepster72 · Feb 18, 2012

I had a fi 351w that did the same thing and it was the computer temp sensor.easy to check with one from the junk yard, free or real cheap.Not sayin it's what your prob. is but it is what mine was.