90lum31v6euro Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 was out with m g/f tonite going crusing, and i was coming up over a hill when i suddenly lost power drastically. got back to her house, and checked undr the hood, no sensors were disconected. pulled the ecm fuse to reset the computer, that didnt work... i just installed a new knock sensor today, so it cant be the computer dialing back the spark i got no codes when i did the paper clip thing i then checked the cat as a last resort, and the back 1/2 of it was glowing red is this an immediate danger? i know this has happened before, the cat being clogged or whatever, and ive let the car sit for 2 days, and it cleared itself up.... what can i do to keep this from happening :?: btw, this is a whole new exhaust system from the manifold back. installed in or around october.... thanks for any help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91oldscutlass Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I would cut the cat off and replace it with a piece of pipe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I would cut the cat off and replace it with a piece of pipe. remember, some states have emissions testing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Does the cat rattle? Even though its new possibly the guts on the inside are lose and clogging it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91oldscutlass Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 I would cut the cat off and replace it with a piece of pipe. remember, some states have emissions testing We have that in 6 counties here...so the hell with emissions!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4spdz34 Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 either u are running way rich or your cat is plugged, prob the later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R Dubya Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Well sooner or later you aren't going to be able to go any faster than 5-8 mph. It happened on my TGP. I had the guts knocked out and it ran fine after that. The thing was so clogged that it was glowing red when it got hot. Either clear it out or replace it, cause it could do damage to your engine over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 If you clear it out, make sure you can't see any marks on it if you cut it open. It won't pass emissions in PA now if there is "tampering". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90lum31v6euro Posted May 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 i think ill do that straight pipe idea i have till oct for emissions in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Is it intermittent? I would bet that you are misfiring. The gas then leaves the cylinder and runs down to the cat where the other exhaust gases are hot enought to ignite it. Been there, done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFromColorado Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 a glowing cat can be signs of worse things happening, such as a stuck injector, a bad coil, bad spark plug, ba spark plug wire, faulty ignition module, hashed o2 sensor, burned exhaust valve, cam timing too far off or any number of things that could be wrong, removing the cat will be hiding the symptom to a problem that may be bigger then you'd expect. I would get a scan tool if you can, and watch what's happening in the computer rather then just cutting the cat off. --Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryptnix Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Seems similar to what I have ... I seem to be running rich with loss of power ... and a rattling sound in my cat ... Help me out here too!! It'd be nice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Are you sure this was a brand new cat. I've known some folks that guts out junk cars and take out the cat and resell it. Was this a reputable automotive shop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90lum31v6euro Posted May 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 it was completly new. my mechanic works out of his garage, and does excelent work. he bought the whole system and didnt chage me mark up or labor the job was $550 new system from the manifold back i tried to get the bolts loose on the u clamps at hte cat, but they wee too stuck, so scratch that idea i had all my coil packs and plugs/wires replaced about a month before i got the new exhaust system, so it cant be that if the o2 sensor was bad, wouldnt it throw a code? and im not picking up any codes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 Get yourself a 110v impact gun and mm and standard impact sockets. I got mine cheap at ebay. Works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 if the o2 sensor was bad, wouldnt it throw a code? and im not picking up any codes not always Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted May 8, 2004 Report Share Posted May 8, 2004 ...i had all my coil packs and plugs/wires replaced about a month before i got the new exhaust system, so it cant be that... WHOA! Never say that. When you neglect one possibility, it's sure to bite you in the ass. I don't care if you changed them yesterday. Trust me, I work in manufacturing. New stuff isn't always perfect. The guy putting your coils together could be getting ready to go on break, on Friday, while his old lady is bitching at him on his cell phone, while trying to get his light cig. out of his shirt pocket, all while "trying" to put together YOUR coil. You see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93CutlassSupreme Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 ...i had all my coil packs and plugs/wires replaced about a month before i got the new exhaust system, so it cant be that... WHOA! Never say that. When you neglect one possibility, it's sure to bite you in the ass. I don't care if you changed them yesterday. Trust me, I work in manufacturing. New stuff isn't always perfect. The guy putting your coils together could be getting ready to go on break, on Friday, while his old lady is bitching at him on his cell phone, while trying to get his light cig. out of his shirt pocket, all while "trying" to put together YOUR coil. You see? sounds like a UAW worker to me...one of the many reasons our cars tend to fall apart much quicker than japanese cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90lum31v6euro Posted May 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 when i rocked the engine forward to replace the knock sensor, could i have dislodged something that would cause a rich condition i dont recall seeing any out of place hardware or whatnot, and it ran perfect for my up until i was on a hill 5 hours later..... a friend told me to get a acetylene/oxy torch and heat up the bolts to loosen them... im not so sure i want to take a 600+ degree flame near my gas tank..... but i do have a propane torch here at home i could use to loosen the bolts to get the cat off to rattle the shit out...... while idling today, there was moisture coming out of my muffler, and on further anaylasis, turned out to be raw fuel.... im at witts end here... cuz my truck is down too, and im out of a ride... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 everyone here is telling you to scratch the cat idea but you ignore them. Don't worry about taking it off. Look elsewhere for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveFromColorado Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 okay, so having raw fuel commin' out of the talepipe would tell me that it is NOT the catalytic converter, replacing the cat, or removing it will not fix the problem, it could actually make it MUCH worse, especially if it's a valve. you're runnin' WAY too rich if you've got raw fuel commin' outta the pipe like that, or to me, that'd say burned exhaust valve, that could be one of those "suddonly happened" things. Have you noticed a change in your exhaust tone at all? a burned exhaust valve or even a shorted plug wire or a bad coil will cause excessive fuel in the exhaust system, lack of power, and just poor performance. also you'll be looking at too much O2 in the exhaust (because it's not burning in a cylinder) leaning out the rest of the engine and causing a "lean" condition so the knock sensor will go crazy pulling back the timing and the engine temps will go up also leading to heating up the cat and the extra burning fuel in the cat will top it off enough to cause it to glow red. (I can't remember the temp they glow at, but I know it's extremely high, higher then most people think) I'd start off by saying do a comprssion check or a leakdown check (if you have the tools for a leak down) look at your plug wires for carbon tracking to see if you can find one that's shorted out, start the car when it's slightly dark out (while it's on ramps) and look at the whole wire, from the coil up to the plug to see if you can find any spark happening where it shouldn't be, little things like that - just check 'em out seriously, pulling the cat now is not needed, you need to find your other problems first. if your ignition module is faulting that could cause a missed spark thru all the cylinders which could cause all those problems too. start with the simple things, and like god910 said, new parts can be junk right off the assembly line. --Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slade901 Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 I would check your spark plugs to make sure they have not fouled out. Check your fuel pressure regulator vacuum hose. If it is wet of fuel, you got extra fuel going to the intake and making your engine run rich and not burn a whole lot and end up in the cat. CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor) bad, during initial start up of the engine the fuel injectors stays open longer and as the CTS tells the computer that the temperature is raising then the fuel injectors goes to its normal operation. If the CTS is bad and stuck giving false cold reading even though the engine has already reached the operating the temperature then the computer will tell the fuel injectors to open longer (extra fuel). Where the unburned fuels go? They get stuck in the Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90lum31v6euro Posted May 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Have you noticed a change in your exhaust tone at all? No. it almost sounds like the exhaust is coming out in bursts, and not as streamlined as smooth idle i also notice that the whole car vibrates, especially the exhaust system. I'd start off by saying do a comprssion check or a leakdown check (if you have the tools for a leak down) ive got only basic tools here at home... and not much at my schools tech shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
90lum31v6euro Posted May 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 Have you noticed a change in your exhaust tone at all? No. it almost sounds like the exhaust is coming out in bursts, and not as streamlined as smooth idle i also notice that the whole car vibrates, especially the exhaust system. I'd start off by saying do a comprssion check or a leakdown check (if you have the tools for a leak down) ive got only basic tools here at home... and not much at my schools tech shop if your ignition module is faulting that could cause a missed spark thru all the cylinders which could cause all those problems too. start with the simple things how do i check to a faulty ignition module? CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor) bad, during initial start up of the engine the fuel injectors stays open longer and as the CTS tells the computer that the temperature is raising then the fuel injectors goes to its normal operation. where is this guy at on my engine, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
god910 Posted May 9, 2004 Report Share Posted May 9, 2004 ICM can be checked by a shop (Auto Zone that I know of, others may be able to as well) The CTS is below the T-stat housing, in that block that the T-stat sits in. It's on the back side below a heater hose. (Or T/B coolant line, whichever way you want to look at it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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