When driving over sixty mph there is a lack of power and it misfires

Tiny
JENNIFER JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • 5.4L
  • V8
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 148,000 MILES
I just bought this van. Gave her a good flush with flush cleaner, coolant and distilled water because it looked like it hadn’t been done at all. Bought a new thermostat. Oil has been changed, air filter done, I have put seafoam in the gas. I will be adding top engine seafoam to her as well. I’m currently putting new o2 sensors and fuel filter on her. When it gets hot the coolant stays at the fill line. My other cars it went down when vehicle got hot and went back to normal range when cold. What’s up with that? When driving, mostly over sixty or up hills, there’s a lack of power. It misfires. No codes being pulled up at all. She’s not overheating according to the temp gauge. There’s a humming noise coming from the engine area when she’s in idle. I think that sums it up. Help.
Saturday, April 6th, 2019 AT 5:49 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds like it could be a problem with your water pump. If you water pump is going out or the belt is not tight enough it will not properly cool your engine. I have included a few links for you to go to below:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-water-pump
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/water-pump-replacement

Please go through these guides and get back to us with what you find out please.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Saturday, April 6th, 2019 AT 7:16 PM
Tiny
JENNIFER JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
There’s no overheating that I can tell from the temperature gauge. I don’t see any leaking, there’s no grinding or squeaking there is only humming. I did forget to mention there’s a hissing noise coming from near the engine after I turn it off.
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Saturday, April 6th, 2019 AT 7:55 PM
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello again,

Sorry, I misread the first question. Okay a dirty Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) could cause a lack of power, a vacuum leak could cause this, a blown head gasket could cause this and I'm leaning towards this. The hissing could be compression leaking from the combustion chamber. I have included a few links for you to go to below:

.https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-low-compression
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/the-reasons-for-low-compression
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-engine-compression

Please go through these guides and then get back to us with what you find out.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros

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Saturday, April 6th, 2019 AT 10:39 PM
Tiny
JENNIFER JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Well I don’t think it’s the gasket, there’s no steam coming from the engine, no white smoke. Not anymore anyways and it wasn’t sweet smelling. It smelled like gas but it’s now gone since I’ve done the flush. There’s nothing white or milky looking under my oil cap or on the dipstick. I’ll have to check for gas in my coolant tho. I’ll buy the tester for that and a compression gauge. Can I go into a mechanic and have them run a diagnostic when there’s no codes being popped up?
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Sunday, April 7th, 2019 AT 8:47 AM
Tiny
JENNIFER JOHNSON2
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
So just checked my compression by way of turning key to on position and stepping on gas pedal to floor before cranking and it sounds good. I also checked my coolant again and it went down from middle of cold fill line to bottom of fill line which has me to believe there’s a leak somewhere but I’m not seeing it under the vehicle and there’s no smoke coming from exhaust. Where could that little bit of coolant be going? This is the second time I’ve noticed it.
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Sunday, April 7th, 2019 AT 10:25 AM
Tiny
SCGRANTURISMO
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,897 POSTS
Hello again,

If you suspect a coolant leak and are not sure where it is located then this is the proper way to find it. Please refer to link below:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/radiator-pressure-test

Please go through this guide and report back with what you find out please.

Thanks,
Alex
2CarPros
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Sunday, April 7th, 2019 AT 12:29 PM

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