No Power - Possibly Stopped Up Cats?

Hi all.
I have a 2003 expedition with a 5.4 I’m trying to get rolling again.

At first, I noticed the truck had a miss around 55MPh, thinking a coil pack was bad. Eventually, problems got worse, to the point the truck wouldn’t drive over 50MPH at all. The top speeds kept reducing to the point where I couldn’t drive past 10MPH. I noticed the High temp emission line coming from the header on the driver side was missing. Upon replacing the line, I next noticed the nipple the line went to on the EGR feedback sensor was melted and broken. So, I proceeded to replace this sensor also. Still no difference. I found another broken vacuum line coming from the back of the throttle body, and replaced it, still no difference. On start up, the truck will idle great for about 20-30 seconds, then you can notice a small shake like a misfire. However, truck is not reading a misfire code. The only codes I see are O2 sensor on bank 1 and bank 2, and fuel lean mix. When first driving vehicle, it doesn’t want to go over 10MPH, and accelerates very slowly, almost no power. Eventually, if you can get rolling down a hill and build up speed, you can drive steady around 45MPh, but that’s about it.

I’m thinking it’s a stopped of Cat converter, but looking for input to make sure I’m on the right track before I cut some pipes out . All feed back is appreciated.

Your Suv is more plugged up than a Grizzly bear before hibernating for the winter. Just from what you described with egr, and sensor to exaust melted down, tells me one or more cats is totally clogged. Probably due to a neglected misfire of the engine. Run a fuel pressure test first, along with any codes from the data port. Any exaust or repair shop can remove the front 02 sensors, and do a back pressure test on exaust. You've got the symptoms unfortunately, so let us know.

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I will get on that and update findings.
Glad to know the feeling is mutual.
I bought a fuel pressure test kit from harbor freight, but it doesn’t have the fitting ford uses apparently.

Any downfall to cutting out the Cats and running a pipe through them?

We've had some members that have done that with no ill effects. You will have to screw a spark plug non oil fouler into the 02 sensor hole to fool the computer. Depending on where you live, you may or may not pass smog. If you go that route, you might want to have a shop run an emissions pre test to be sure you running within passable smog limits. An inspector crawls around to be sure the cats are there, but can't tell if their gutted. The other reason for fooling the computer, is to keep the check engine light off. That the smog guy looks for before he even starts a smog test.

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Hell, run with open headers/pipes and wake the neighbors.....

I used to do that with my Yamaha 100 twin. Took the baffles out, and man did that ring ding ding, turn into bam bam bam. I used to deliver the morning SF chronicle on Sunday mornings, along with afternoons the other 6 days. I'll never forget one Sunday morning I was bam bamming towards the end of my route, when I approached a ********* of Sf police man's houses and the one that I was friends with their sons, and delivered to, popped his head out the window at 6:30 am, and gave me a look that made me have to change my tightey whiteys . Thank god he was 4 houses from the end of my route. That and being pulled over by another motorcycle cop in Daly City, made me put my baffles back in! That kinda made me favor quiet bikes, and cars after that.

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Sure sounds like a plugged up cat. I replaced my entire exhaust and decided to put new cats on since I am over the 150k mark. The parts below are direct fit pipes with Cats already installed. They are the "federal standard" cats that are legal in all states but California. Shouldn't be a problem unless you live in California or plan on selling your truck there. Should save you money over the California CARB cats. All of this was ordered off Amazon. This exhaust is economical. The OEM exhaust has mandrel bends and the walker exhaust does not. It doesn't seem to impact performance. I tow a 7000# camper with my Expedition.

Cats:
Walker 54816
Walker 53863

Other parts:
Dynomax 31622 (gasket)
Exhaust-Mate 35793 2 3/4" Heavy Duty U-Bolt Exhaust Clamp (2 needed)
Walker 53447 Extension Pipe
Walker 52308 Exhaust Tail Pipe
Walker 55339 Quiet-Flow Stainless Steel Muffler

How's your experience with the Walker parts? Here in New York, they tend to rust out in 18 months. They used to be great. Don't know what happened to them.

It's called maximum profit, at a bargain price. Everyone has this fantasy that they can pay 1988 prices in 2018. A friend of mines dad way back had a sign in his garage where he built outrageous fast Yamaha 2 stroke bikes. His wall plaque said it costs money to go fast, how many dollars worth do you want? That was 1968. Words to live by today. Theirs a reason the expensive stuff lasts/works, when the rest fail. Quality. You pay now, or you pay later, your choice!

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Trainmaster said:

How's your experience with the Walker parts? Here in New York, they tend to rust out in 18 months. They used to be great. Don't know what happened to them.

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I am in eastern pa and not much issue with rust. But I had a new walker cat comb rattle and I had returned it to rock auto under warranty. Then another rattle happened in walker muffler... Thought it rusted and collapsed. Nope the cat comb was in the muffler . I would try the eastern cats if you can use the non California ones.