Ok gents I took my truck (01 5.4L V8) to a local mechanic and the first thing he did was plug my truck up to a machine to see if he could pull any codes. No codes. Well the main reason for me bringing my truck in was because it struggles to accelerate, there's almost no exhaust coming from the tail pipe, and it feels like its missing when I get to 45-50 and again at 55-50.

The guy tells me that he thinks that all of my catalytic converters are clogged up. Does this sound like it could be what's causing my problems? I contacted the local exhaust shop and they quoted me 600 to fix it which is about 1100 bucks cheaper than what the mechanic quoted me. Let me know what you guys think. I just recently got a tune up with a new fuel filter, plugs, and other things.

Thanks in advance

 

You can get a infared thermometer to check the cats. If they clog up then they will be REALLY hot. I dont know exactly what your problem is because its hard to diagnose from a distance without codes or anything.

 

Yeah I know what you mean about being hard to figure it out with no codes. I just don't wanna fork out 600 bucks and that not fix it.

 

With what you have presented, here is my opinion and why.
First, a no code report is an indication that the converters are not an issue without testing for back preasure ahead of the first converters.
The converters have a rear sensor that detects switching ratio for which no problem has been detected by the computer looking at their performance.
.
Second, one bad coil will cause the missing symptoms you discribe and not set any code for the poor performing cylinder because it is not a 'hard' failure as it comes and goes per the change in driving loads. This does not set a code because it takes a number of hits and a permant failure or reset/cancel occurs, hence no code set in memory.
Have the Ford dealer do a stress test on all the coils when hot to find the coil with low output. Why this is so is a long explanation that often the dealer techs don't know about.
Please do not spend large sums of money on a guess.
Hope this is of help to you.

 

^^ Helps me out a ton man thanks a lot. Any idea what that could cost to have the dealer check the coils? I can only assume that its still less than the 600.

 

i've heard that if one of the cats are bad it will be glowing red hot after the trucks been ran.

 

I'm gonna try and call my local dealer on the 1st when I get paid. I need to get this fixed asap.

 

^^^^

 

miles, plugs ever changed (what kind). sounds like a low grade misfire IMO.

 

You have an exhaust system blockage. It is not necessarily the cats, it could be collapsed baffles in the muffler or a crimped pipe. Have a muffler shop look at it.

 

take your truck to a better technician...one that knows how to monitor data and properly diag....first off any exhaust restriction will set a system rich dtc. If it hasent set one yet, it will. Second he should be able to monitor long term fuel trims to determine which converter bank is plugged(if that is your problem) it may just be lean cause of low fuel pressure WHO KNOWS!, or it may be missfiring which will set a rich DTC and effect fuel trims as well . And as for him saying BOTH of your cats are plugged I find that vey hard to beleive...they dont just decide to plug all of a sudden and make your truck run bad. your truck would need to be burning alot of oil. Usually when they are restricted its from impacting something and breaking apart on the inside.

FYI to other posters, cats do not get hot when they are plugged they are actually cooler. A common mistake when someone sees a glowing red cat is to think it is plugged. It is glowing red because the truck is missfiring and all the excess fuel is burning inside the cat...which is destroying it.

 

Thanks a lot Paralyzer. I just got a tune up with new plugs and such done about 2 months ago. I used autolite plugs which were recommended to me over Bosch. So what should I tell the mechanic when I bring it to a new one? Just tell him my truck is running like crap and see what he tells me?

 

yes. i dont think your last guy knew what he was doing...especially if all he did with the scan tool was check for codes.

 

Yup thats all he did. Then he went to the back of my truck and felt the air coming from my exhaust and then he came to his conclusion. Then he proceeded to tell me that with my cats being clogged, that could cause my truck to miss the way it does. It was after he said all that that I finished listening to him. Thus the main reason for posting this thread.

 

Autolite plugs? Aren't these trucks very sensitive to the type of plugs beinng used? I would change them to Motorcraft Double Plats.