1995 Explorer Limited 52K miles. It's losing power and spudders.

[ExplorerSHO]

I picked up a 1995 Explorer a few weeks ago with only 51,000 original miles on her. Looked perfect as it belonged to an 80yo grandmother in the Northend of Boston.
It wasn't used very much and all the orignal documents are there.
After driving it every day after getting it the past few weeks It started to act up.
It losses power fast, the RPMs drop and wont go above 2500 when it acts up and gets really slugish. If you push the pedle to the floor it boggs down and wont go abouve 2000 rpm's and miss fires. I noticed the cats where glowing red so I ripped them out and replaced them.
I replaced the EGR Valve Pressure Sensor.
Took off the Mass air flow and tubing and replaced the air filter and used CNG Air flow cleaner on the Sensor.
Replaced the Fuel filter which turns out it was still the original one from when it was new in 1995. (after removing that a dark brown colored gas came out of the filter on the inlet side)
Also replaced the thermastat as well.

Now the O/D lite is blinking and the O/D on/off switch never worked wen I got the truck 3 weeks ago.
I checked all the fuses and there all fine.

Please Help.

 

[coonerboy]

Have you checked the spark plugs?

 

[BrianDye]

O/D Light means "Limp Mode" from what ive read, and it means get your trans serviced ASAP, Id probably go for a transmission flush if I were you, with 51k miles, the trans cant be bad, but 14 year old fluid cant be good haha.

I would say check the plugs, and you already did the filter, so I cant help you any further man, try seafoaming it if you want, I noticed quite a response and idle difference

 

[ExplorerSHO]

Also I replaced the rear Shackles and both rear electronic Air shocks that I got from Ford.
All this started to happen with-in a few days after having Parkway Sound in Everett install a remote starter and alarm.
I just picked up spark plugs and wires today and will be putting them in tomorrow morning when it’s light out and warmer

 

[BrianDye]

Let us know the results

 

[hworksinc]

See if there are any error codes stored for the transmission - that will tell you what is wrong. There may just be an electrical problem, particularly if the problem started after an alarm installation (I've seen some crazy bad installations).

Definitely get the trans fluid changed - I'd hesitate to get a flush though. If the fluid is original, there are probably deposits of crud in the trans and a flush will just disrupt them. Options differ greatly on whether fluid flushes are good or bad, but in this case I'd be very wary of disturbing 14 years worth of deposits - perhaps you could do a flush after a few fluid changes (allow some of the deposits naturally dislodge and filter out), but not yet.

I'd get the trans fluid changed and the filter replaced (you have to drop the pan to so that, and you can clean off the magnets while you're in there - you'll get a better idea of exactly how dirty it is in there).

 

[BrianDye]

X2 on what he said ^^
I meant to say change the fluid, as flushing it COULD possibly draw bits and pieces out that are holding it together.

The kit from autozone (Rubber seal, and filter) is like 14.99$ I think, I recently did mine, its a little under 50$ to get the kit, and the trans fluid you'll need. (Enough of it, and then some leftover)

 

[ExplorerSHO]

I replaced all 6 spark plug and wires with new ones. The old wires had arc marks and cracks.
Took it out on the road and ran fin until I pressed just under half of the gas peddle and it once again bogged down and wouldn't go above 2200 rpms.

Now the O/D light is blinking all the time and the tranny is working in limp mode. (what ever that means)

Any ideas?
I'M AT A LOST

 

[schzjoe]

Have you tried pulling the negative battery cable for about half an hour, and see if the codes that the transmission is holding on to will clear? This usually works to clear faults with the check engine light. Just thought maybe....

 

[2000StreetRod]

Did you drain the fuel tank?

There's no telling how long it set without being driven before you bought it. I think I would have drained the fuel tank, then changed the fuel filter and then added fuel injector cleaner. You may have bad gas causing a lot of your problems. The torque converter will not lock up unless you're in closed loop.

If the cats were that hot it probably means the mixture was very rich. A check engine light (CEL) should have been illuminated. Do you have any DTCs set? If so, let us know what they are. Otherwise, we're just shooting in the dark!