Car has no power, help if you can

[FoxBodyGT]

My car feels like it has no freaking power. I can punch it in 1st and it barely picks up. It feels like the clutch is gone, but I don't know. It still shifts, doesn't grind or anything, but it feels like it is gone or the cats are clogged.

Before you ask, I havent' checked the timing (no light) or the fuel pressure (no guage), but I know it is not right.

Anyone want to try to diagnose something over the net?

LOL

 

[rsw007]

tune it. a bad tune can make a stang into an escort

 

[FoxBodyGT]

I would think about tuning, but it started running like this all of a sudden. feels like it is choking up (has a K&N) and I just changed the fuel filter. I get a little bit of what sounds like a slight backfire when I stab the throttle up to 2k and let it come back down.

It is waaay too hard for me to explain, I guess I should just forget it. Oh well.

 

[88stangmangt]

three things to make a motor run compression,fuel,spark..................go from there. i would start with the timing first check my plugs,wires.dist/cap. then check my fuel pressure.(make sure my pump isnt craping out or fuel filter is clogged.)if you car is indeed a 4 eye then you have a carb so no need to worry about the MAF or o2 sensors or anything like that. but if it isnt just reverse that<<<<<<< (dad's maf went out on his 94 ranger caused it to run like crap and not even at all sometimes) since you have cats they could be clogged and have burned out your 02 sensors. (seen this happen before many times)check to make sure you have a good ground on the batt and ummmmmmmmm hopefully you can find it from there but just use the 3 keys (compression,spark,fuel) Good luck man.

 

[FoxBodyGT]

Just some bad gas. I feel so dumb sometimes--just overreacting like a new daddy with his kid

Thanks all

 

[FoxBodyGT]

Well looks like I counted my chicks before they hatched. Car is still running bad. It has decent power, but seems like it is choking. When I hit the gas and rev it, it backfires a little. I changed the O2 sensors, but that did nothing. Looked at the salt & pepper shakers on the intake, they look fine. I cleaned the IAC, no go.

I was standing behind the car while it was running and I could hear the pump working--I was 6-8 ft away, too. Is this normal? I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

I don't have a pressure tester or a timing light, so it looks like I either wait or take it to a shop to see if they will diagnose for me.

Oh yeah, the previous owner(s) of my car decided running codes wasn't important and cut 2 wires to the test connector---one so close I cant even re-do it. I have to scrounge up another one.

 

[HISSIN50]

if you know where the cut wires go (into what terminal in the connector) you can jump them to pull codes. sorry to hear about all that.
some pumps are noisy, right out of the box.