As the title suggests, my 97 EL ghia (with 220,000ks) over the past week has become sluggish. It just doesnt feel like it has its normal power at all and feels like it is laboring alot more. It stalls out on first start of the day, and is then fine the next go.

I thought this was because i was due for a service which i did on the weekend, but that hasnt really helped at all. (i changed plugs oil and filter).

I have noticed the car is louder however, and when i gave it a rev with my head out the window i could definitely hear a blow in the exhaust. Would this be creating said power loss? When i gave it 2 revs in a row it would stall or nearly stall...

Anyway im over driving it around feeling so tired! i want the peppy torquey six back! where shoudl i start?

cheers

Can get the exhaust checked, all sensors, clean air filter etc. All the little things. Worse case, sounds like a dying head gasket if it has never been replaced before.

what sensors should i be looking at? and if it is a hole in the exhaust, is it possible to just patch it?

You can buy patch kits, but it's just a temporary solution, best to get a new exhaust put in. O2 sensors, MAP sensor etc. Can always check your fuel filter, if it's blocked you're getting less fuel to engine = sluggish and can also contribute to your stalling issue after a couple of revs...but I am taking a guessing game here, could be a lot of things.

patching wont help the problem really, you will just have to fix it again later, check/ replace all the filters if they havent been done in a while, check that the fuel pump isnt really loud and vibrates wen it primes, because my fuel pump died slowly and it would stall when i tryed to start it i had a hole in my muffler(it was pretty big though) and when i replaced it i gained alot of power back, i was suprised how much difference it made

cool i have noticed the fuel pump becoming louder and i have no idea when the fuel filter was last done (car has no service history). Looks like i am going to have to extend my mechanical knowledge to changing the fuel filter and possibly pump.

Fuel filter is easy, best to use a plumbing spanner and not a standard open ended spanner...to reduce rounding the nut off. Also make sure fuel filter is fitted in the correct direction.

Fuel pump...major pain in the a*** to remove the black ring that holds the fuel pump assembly into the fuel tank. Not so bad if you have the special tool or make one up out of scrap metal/timber.