I have a 1994 1500 V8 5.2 that I keep at the lake house for pulling boats for the most part. It doesn't get a lot of mileage each year. In fact in the winter it doesn't get driven much at all. I have been putting sea foam in the gas to keep it stable. I normally keep less than 1/4 tank of gas.
I am not sure when it started exactly because I didn't notice it. But it has no power and can't even pull my pontoon boat out of the water up the ramp.
In fact, from a dead stop it has no guts at all. It acts like a vehicle with the timing retarded. Like back in the days when you set the time. If it was retarded it had a low idle and no power. But it does not ping or knock.
Or if you were trying to accelerate from say 5 mph in 3 gear on a manual transmission.
I put a new rotor and dist cap in it. Had the fuel pressure checked. Although I don't know if he check it while driving to see if it dropped.
Had a hole put in the pipe in front of the cat on the exhaust to see if it was plugged up. Nope. then welded it back.
But I did have a guy at the parts store put the scan on it and he said it had a trans fluid temp sensor code.
They don't have the part, and I am not sure where it is located. I wonder if it may have come upplugged. Could this possible be the problem of no power?
I might add that I have to turn the OD off around town because when you get to about 50mph or so, it shudders trying to decide if it wants 3rd of OD. Turn if off and it stays in 3rd and runs smooth. I can do OD on the highway around 70.
The truck seems to idle well. It is not perfect but if I turn on the A/C it does not die or idle down that I can tell, so I think the Idle Air Valve is ok.
I am not that bright with injectors. I had carbs back when I was young. I did put some sea foam in the intake via the brake vacuum while at an idle and put about 2 ozs or so in slowly, then shut if off and let it sit for 15 minutes then start it up. I have tried a can of fuel injector cleaner and Chevron gas as well. I put High Octane in it.
But there is something killing the power on this truck.
From what I understand there is a limp mode. But, I can manually put it in 1st gear and shift manually and get 3 gears and OD if I don't have it turned off.
So, I have tried to tell you as much information as I can think of and hope some of you might be able to help me figure out what is going on. I took it to a mechanic who is suppose to be pretty good and he couldn't figure it out either. He said all the plugs have good spark. I put in a new rotor and cap after I took it to him, just in case.
I think if it had a head gasket or intake gasket I would hear some noise. I have read about the plenum in some of these trucks. I don't know if that the problem or not. I did not look down in the throat to see if there is oil. But it does not leak a drop or use any oil that I can tell.
Any thoughts or suggestions?