car problems/questions...

[87_crown_vic]

first off, when i am driving Deuce, when i come to a stop or slow down, the engine light comes on. it kid of flickers. as soon as i start pressing the gas pedal, the light shuts off. any ideas as to why this happens? second, when i am driving the car it has plenty of power, but the car acts like it doesnt want to go over 85mph and when it does it takes forever. i can be cruising at 65mph, and when i stomp on it, it will jump and go but act like it cant hit over that. the motor is wound up and just wont go like my 4 door does. the transmission acts fine and shifts thru all the gears. any ideas as to why Deuce dont wanna go?

[Tiggie]

The engine light is probably the oil pressure low.

If the oil pressure is low, the engine isn't too healthy, and that's probably why is doesn't run as well. The gearing in the rear end could different, too.

[87_crown_vic]

if it was low oil pressure wouldnt it be the oil light on instead?

[DarkKnight]

Im not sure, and might be wrong but i think that the oil light usualy comes on if. your low on oil. and the engine light comes on if not enough Pressure...

But i might be dead wrong..

[Tiggie]

Darknight, you have the right idea. The "oil" light comes on when the oil level is low in the oil pan. The "Engine" light comes on if A.) the car is running hot, or B.) The oil pressure is low.

[87_crown_vic]

i know that the timing chain cover is leaking and i think the pan is also. i got a quote fom he dealer and they said $360 for labor. i have all the parts for them to install. do you think that could cause the oil pressure to be low? or would that have someting to do w/ the oil pump? the motor has no knocking or ticking. i am thinking that the TV cable needs adjusted is the reason for the speed issue. i am gonna adjust it and see what happens. hopefully it is an easy fix for whatever is causing these minor issues.

[Tiggie]

The low oil pressure is coming from either a worn oil pump, worn bearings, or a restriction somewhere in the pressurized side of the oiling system, or a combination of two or all of those.

The oil pan and timing chain cover won't cause a low oil pressure situation. I wouldn't spend the money to get new gaskets for them. Pull the motor and do a quicky overhaul with new bearings/oil pump and seals.

Or, I just remembered, it could just be the oil pressure sensor out of wack. Try replacing that first, or better yet checking the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge.

[gadget73]

Probably it needs bearings. If it makes any sort of rattle when you fire the motor up in the morning, the bearings are likely toast. Check the pressure with a guage before assuming anything but if its low at idle when it gets hot, the bottom end is going. Run thicker oil and you can get away with it for quite some time. When it gets to the point of having the idiot light on full time, consider rebuilding the motor. At that point its pretty much dead.

As for the running out of power thing, have you replaced the fuel and air filters and/or done a tuneup?

[87mefull]

Do you know if it was overheated before, I saw in another thread that you had a leaking timing cover and the headgaskets were replaced? Might seem like a long shot but if it starts flickering after a long highway run or when the engine is hot, it could be overheating also. I've seen the same thing happen on other motors but usually it does mean low oil pressure. Headgasket could have blown, leaking intake manifold, warped or cracked heads or block, bad waterpump, too much air in the system, etc.

Check your compression first though with a gauge as everyone else has mentioned above. These motors can go for awhile with low oil pressure, 15-40 or 20w50 with lucas oil stabilizer works pretty well.