Need Help...very sluggish engine

[ckisaacs]

Recently bought a 1994 Explorer and lately it has a very sluggish engine. Some days it drives great, but I've noticed that if I drive it from cold and let it sit while I'm at work - in the evening it drives fine. However, if I drive it, make a stop and get back into it, it revs really high and seems to get stuck below 40km and revs. like crazy before it becomes "unstuck". On days like this it is a real dog on the highway, and on an incline the "check engine" light would come on briefly. Does any have have any idea what this could be? Also wanted to ask if this year Explorer needs the expensive gas? Any help or ideas would be appreciated!

 

[Crankcase]

Your transmission is going....It could be the speed govenor, which will hold the tranny in first gear....Run a search here for "transmission not shifting out of first" or similar threads....

A way to see if it is indeed is the tranny is to try starting off in second...

 

[ckisaacs]

Had the tranny check for free. Seems to be fine.

 

[Opera House]

First read the code

Go to www.batauto.com and click on tech to get the home method.

 

[TPLYNCH]

If by expensive gas you mean High Octane, no, you don't need to use it unless you have an aftermarket computer chip installed that requires it. Stick to the cheap 87 octane. If your engine pings, clean the Mass Air Sensor (MAS) and tighten you lower intake manifold bolts.

 

[ckisaacs]

Thanks everyone for your input. Will check.