Hi gang.
2008 SXT 4.7L, just shy of 250k on it. Its been my daily driver for going on ten years, and other than regular maintenance and a few common issues, its ran like a top.
Bout 10k ago, on the highway at 65MPH, I noticed a lack of power; accelerator felt "heavy."
Five minutes later, Immediately after filling with gas, I got hiccups and sputtering while the check engine light flashed at me. I pulled over and googled it and was told blinking engine light mean multiple cylinder engine misfire, and was lead to believe that my catalytic converter was going to reach the temperature of the surface of the sun and the truck would burn to the ground, or the engine would blow up, or the cat would die and be expensive to fix. All indications was to stop driving immediately and tow.
The engine light had become steady and the alarm bell was no longer dinging. I was about 6 miles from home so I drove it home. Then I drove it to the shop the next morning, no issues whatsoever.
Next morning, the shop said everything looked OK and it could have been something in the fuel. Plugs/coils was long overdue, so I did a major service that day including a complete ignition job.
Couple months later, yesterday, was driving on a side street, 40-45MPH, once again right after having filled the gas tank. Engine light came on (it turned off and I don't know why because its been on since 125k due to O2 sensors) and dinged at me, engine sputtered. Loss of power. No flashing engine light, just came on with a single ding and I had hiccups for an instant. Then, gone. Ran fine all the rest of the way home.
This morning I tried to drive out for an elk hunt, needed to get about 300 miles. Of course 30 minutes into the trip the engine light is flashing like crazy, constantly, and dinging at me. I noticed a slight lack of power leading up to it, and perhaps a very minor amount of sputter or shake. Like going over mild washboard. In other words, basically impossible to tell if the engine is running rough or if the road is just a little bumpy.
Turned around immediately and limped it home, engine light blinked and dinged for 2 or so minutes, then constant on and no other issues all the rest of the way home.
I will be at my usual shop again first thing tomorrow morning for a look-see.
Wondering if anyone has any predictions or thoughts.
Thanks.
------------
ETA
Turns out it was my cat throwing codes. Shop advised I run a cat cleaner to see if I can get some more life out of it. However I have many questions.
Looks like the cats bolt onto each side of the engine, but then the pipe going to the muffler is a question mark... Is it welded or compression fit/clamped? Trying to see if this is a DIY job I can handle.
Advise from buddies is to straight pipe the truck. Questions about that... First, is it legal? I'm in an area free of emissions testing, but were it ever to be questioned..... Also, if I straight pipe it (I would remove the cats but retain the muffler), that will change pressures, right? Will a software update to the computer be necessary to keep the engine running smoothly?
Looking for options here. Cats online for this truck are $400-600, shop wanted $1500-2000 to replace.
Thanks.
2008 SXT 4.7L, just shy of 250k on it. Its been my daily driver for going on ten years, and other than regular maintenance and a few common issues, its ran like a top.
Bout 10k ago, on the highway at 65MPH, I noticed a lack of power; accelerator felt "heavy."
Five minutes later, Immediately after filling with gas, I got hiccups and sputtering while the check engine light flashed at me. I pulled over and googled it and was told blinking engine light mean multiple cylinder engine misfire, and was lead to believe that my catalytic converter was going to reach the temperature of the surface of the sun and the truck would burn to the ground, or the engine would blow up, or the cat would die and be expensive to fix. All indications was to stop driving immediately and tow.
The engine light had become steady and the alarm bell was no longer dinging. I was about 6 miles from home so I drove it home. Then I drove it to the shop the next morning, no issues whatsoever.
Next morning, the shop said everything looked OK and it could have been something in the fuel. Plugs/coils was long overdue, so I did a major service that day including a complete ignition job.
Couple months later, yesterday, was driving on a side street, 40-45MPH, once again right after having filled the gas tank. Engine light came on (it turned off and I don't know why because its been on since 125k due to O2 sensors) and dinged at me, engine sputtered. Loss of power. No flashing engine light, just came on with a single ding and I had hiccups for an instant. Then, gone. Ran fine all the rest of the way home.
This morning I tried to drive out for an elk hunt, needed to get about 300 miles. Of course 30 minutes into the trip the engine light is flashing like crazy, constantly, and dinging at me. I noticed a slight lack of power leading up to it, and perhaps a very minor amount of sputter or shake. Like going over mild washboard. In other words, basically impossible to tell if the engine is running rough or if the road is just a little bumpy.
Turned around immediately and limped it home, engine light blinked and dinged for 2 or so minutes, then constant on and no other issues all the rest of the way home.
I will be at my usual shop again first thing tomorrow morning for a look-see.
Wondering if anyone has any predictions or thoughts.
Thanks.
------------
ETA
Turns out it was my cat throwing codes. Shop advised I run a cat cleaner to see if I can get some more life out of it. However I have many questions.
Looks like the cats bolt onto each side of the engine, but then the pipe going to the muffler is a question mark... Is it welded or compression fit/clamped? Trying to see if this is a DIY job I can handle.
Advise from buddies is to straight pipe the truck. Questions about that... First, is it legal? I'm in an area free of emissions testing, but were it ever to be questioned..... Also, if I straight pipe it (I would remove the cats but retain the muffler), that will change pressures, right? Will a software update to the computer be necessary to keep the engine running smoothly?
Looking for options here. Cats online for this truck are $400-600, shop wanted $1500-2000 to replace.
Thanks.
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