|  How to know that the catalytic converter is shot?, How to be absolutely sure? | 
| 
 | ||||
|  How to know that the catalytic converter is shot?, How to be absolutely sure? | 
|  Mar 10 2004, 12:49 PM 
				 Post
					#1
					
				
			 | |
| 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 | 
|  | |
 KeithO   How to know that the catalytic converter is shot?   Mar 10 2004, 12:49 PM
 KeithO   How to know that the catalytic converter is shot?   Mar 10 2004, 12:49 PM 
  231go   When you floor it and you can't get past 3k in...   Mar 10 2004, 04:24 PM
 231go   When you floor it and you can't get past 3k in...   Mar 10 2004, 04:24 PM 
  KeithO   Unfortunately for this situation, the car has vari...   Mar 10 2004, 04:32 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 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
 Bald54   When I had my 2000 SS the cat went bad. I tripped ...   Mar 14 2004, 03:28 AM|   | 
| Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 31st October 2025 - 11:31 PM |