car a pooch when warmed up

[nrayome99tour]

I have a 99 Contour SE V6. The car runs good when first started but after a 20-30 mile highway trip and its up to temp and I get back on city streets its a pooch. Its down on power by a lot it seems. Also every now and then when on the highway and I go to 3rd and pass someone it will lose almost all power like hitting a brick wall at 5000-5500 rpm. It feels like half the cylinders are gone. Any solutions to these odd problems, thanks in advance.

[BrApple]

any codes stored or active, how are the secondaries working, fuel filter old, how are the plugs and wires .... start with some simple maintenance first and go from there

[Big Jim]

If it is a late enough build for the 99 model year you may have a returnless fuel system. If you do, you may have the typical plugged fuel pump inlet filter screen. The screen is too fine and too small and plugs up too easily. Ford eventually issued a recall on this for some Cougars and Foci.

Find the FAQ for changing the fuel pump. Go to the last photo on the bottom of the page and you can see what the filter screen is like.

You can confirm that it is a fuel delivery problem by driving with a fuel pressure test gauge installed and noting if the fuel pressure drops off dramatically when this is happening.

If that is the problem, take the filter screen out and throw it away. You don't need it. There is a conventional sock filter inside the pump module prior to the pump.

[nrayome99tour]

thanks guys. I'll look into that stuff.