Nope, this is not what I am speaking of. I have experienced the computer pulling power via some method. My freeway speeds were fine (no 40mph limit), but my acceleration was crap. If you floored it, you had zero pick-up. It very well could have been running on only 2 cylinders, but there were no overheating issues at all.y'all are confusing things i think. i have never seen proof that the computer retards timing during a CEL, however what some of you are speaking of is "limp-home mode" which is caused by overheating. in this case, the engine shuts off fuel to two cylinders and pumps air through them to cool the engine.
I have also heard that depending on what code & what caused it, the engine will retard timing, which in some cases makes sense. As far as the 20mph limp mode...mine was more like 25mph...I couldn't get out of 1st and it wasn't from overheating, when my fuel pump went (mine's a 2000) it caused a big enough vacume in the line that it kicked me into limp mode (at least that's my assesment, my engine was still cool when I took a turn with under 1/4 tank) Lucky for me I was only a block from homeHey it's me the newbie, my car has been acting up with the
check engine light on it just seems sluggish. if I reset the light it runs great. I got talking to ford andthey said it resets the timeing about 5-10 degrees.depending on what the code is set for, it could retard timing more. I drove with my light on for a year and the car would only act up every now and then but once I bought the mac intake and the pro-m my car would die with the cel on. so now I reset the coed everytime the light kicks on until I can get my chip
reburnt.
Depending on what you have done to your car, it can be more noticable.