 How to know that the catalytic converter is shot?, How to be absolutely sure? |
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 Mar 10 2004, 12:49 PM
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Veteran Member  Group: Advanced Members Posts: 2,647 Joined: 23-December 03 From: Pittsburgh, PA Member No.: 14  |
My wife's car (1995 BMW 525i) has been slowly losing power and having reduced fuel economy over the last 18 months. I rarely drive the car. 2 years ago, it got about 32mpg on highway trips. Yesterday, I drove it for about 150 miles and only got 25-26mph.
It is down on power and very occasionally smells like a morning-after Guiness-fart. I am 90% sure that the cat is shot. I priced OEM replacement cats and every source I checked was in the $485-$500 range (yikes!). There is also the obvious choice of getting a universal cat and making it fit... How can I be absolutely sure that this cat is bad? I'd like to be completely sure before I commit the time and potential effort on this. Thanks |
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Mar 10 2004, 04:24 PM
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#2
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F-bodyless.... Group: Advanced Members Posts: 243 Joined: 31-December 03 From: Austin, TX Member No.: 77 |
When you floor it and you can't get past 3k in first. Or atlast thats how we figured it out in my friends T/A and my old Camaro when they went out. Normally they don't throw a code when they are backed up, but mine would throw a misfire everynow and then because of the backpressure im guessing. But normally when they go, they go much quicker than that so its hard to say. Whats the milage on the car, and are there any visable dents in the converter?
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Posts in this topic
KeithO How to know that the catalytic converter is shot? Mar 10 2004, 12:49 PM
KeithO Unfortunately for this situation, the car has vari... Mar 10 2004, 04:32 PM 231go Beings thats its been a slow process I would do a ... Mar 10 2004, 04:36 PM beuke23 When a cat is shot, does it restrict flow? What re... Mar 10 2004, 04:51 PM Lucas Black seafoam it? Mar 10 2004, 05:15 PM KeithO Yeah, I thought of the plugs and wires. I was pla... Mar 10 2004, 05:38 PM Lucas Black seafoam is...............seafoam. i believe i... Mar 10 2004, 05:54 PM 231go Never used the seafoam, always used the GM top eng... Mar 10 2004, 06:04 PM KeithO I thought you were pulling my leg talking about ... Mar 10 2004, 06:19 PM mitchntx How does one know if a catalytic convertor is shot... Mar 10 2004, 06:36 PM beuke23 QUOTE (mitchntx @ Mar 10 2004, 01:36 PM)How d... Mar 10 2004, 07:35 PM 231go QUOTE (mitchntx @ Mar 10 2004, 12:36 PM)How d... Mar 10 2004, 07:50 PM mitchntx I wish it were that easy. Keith, sorry for the hi-... Mar 10 2004, 08:22 PM 231go You can also do what we did w/ my friends T/A whic... Mar 10 2004, 08:32 PM robz71lm7 I know a procedure in one of my gm helm's manu... Mar 10 2004, 09:59 PM KeithO That makes some sense to me. I have the Bentley m... Mar 11 2004, 12:33 AM Sam Strano The smell could be a bad cat. or could be shitty ... Mar 11 2004, 05:31 PM 231go Not to mention it gives to a hollow "cow... Mar 11 2004, 05:43 PM y5e06 Yes, a bad converter can also cause a vehicle to r... Mar 11 2004, 08:56 PM rmackintosh ....could ALWAYS sell the BigMoneyWaste....
Two... Mar 11 2004, 10:59 PM mustbnutz I've been asking the same thing about my truck... Mar 12 2004, 12:46 AM bruecksteve I just did that to mine. It rattled for along time... Mar 12 2004, 10:37 PM
Bald54 When I had my 2000 SS the cat went bad. I tripped ... Mar 14 2004, 03:28 AM |
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