Is my engine done for?
 

So after an awesome weekend of finally driving my 5.0 around and fixing the pesky coolant leak, I think the engine took its last breath last night. Here is the scenario/problems (87 gt 5spd 5.0L 125xxxkms on original engine)

As I'm driving I notice the car stuttering and wanting to die. If i give it gas the gas just backfires and doesn't want to move (specially anything 2000rpm and under), when i would stop, the car's idle is all out of wack almost stalling and the shooting up. I wasn't far away from home when it started, so when i got home I popped the hood, there was a screeching sound coming from the passenger side of the engine, almost sounded like it was coming from the head. Something reaked but there was no visible smoke. When i got down to check under the car i noticed my cats were smoking. I checked the oil just to make sure, the oil was full but it was smoking of the dipstick (maybe just cause it was hot) Oil pressure and temp gauge were all telling me that everything was fine. Coolant levels were fine. have no idea what it could be and I feel this problem might surpass my mechanical skills which sucks. What do you guys think it is? I'm really pissed, getting sick of having this thing constantly parked. If i think of anything else I'll post it.

So point form recap.
-Crazy idle when stopped
-Stuttering, wanting to stall @ 2000rpm's or less
-Car just backfires and refuses to accelerate when given gas
-Crazy screeching noise coming from the left side of the engine, maybe from the head
-REaked of something burning, could not recognize the smell and no visible smoke coming from the engine
-Cats were smoking when i checked under the car.
:banghead:

Have you tried to start it since it cooled down?

Something is telling me your cats are plugged!
Try dropping your mid section and firing up the car, yes its going to be loud bu just try it give it some gas and and see if all is ok.
Screeching noise is probly the exhaust trying to escape....
This is were I would start!

If the problem still persists please post more.....

I started it back up last night a few minutes after i turned it off, i started right up but it made the same sreeching noise, and was barely stay alive, I'm gonna start it back up tonight and see what happens, I'll update the thread accordingly.

Its gotta be your cats, drop the mid section and fire it up! Ill think about it more but for now thats my guess!

Hope all goes well, and good luck. :tup

X2 the stock fox catted pipes sometimes come apart and plug up. There was a recall on them years ago, where ford would give you a new h-pipe.

thanks to everyone who replied, I'll be cutting the cats off tomorrow as they are practically welded to the headers (22 years of grime and rust = awesome bonding power) and I'll update this thread!

Before cutting off just drop your entire mid section and then try it, or did you already?

I hope this works out for you.

what would be the easiest way to get the the bolts that connect the mid section to the headers? From under the car?

yes, from under the car.