Clogged CAT Question

[JinX]

I have a 95, 3.4. When I accelerate sometimes the motor winds up when I press on the gas, as it should, but the transmission doesn't seem to engage. If I ease off then press again it seems to engage smoother. It also seems to lack power.

I have only had the car about 3 weeks and it has always had a very noticable rattle in the exhaust. It's not the heat shield nor is the exhaust hitting the frame anywhere, which is what I thought when I bought it. It is definatly comming from inside the CAT. I think the honeycomb matrix inside might be breaking down.

Could a clogged CAT be causing the above problems, or do you think the problem is more likely in the transmission?

-JinX

[T-Punk]

it could be that you need to change your transmission fluid and clean the filter. i had the same kind of simptoms as you. do you notice it more when you are going easy or when you are punching it. mine was worse when i was easy on it. it could be the cat being clogged though, since you say you feel a loss in power. but i thought i felt the same thing but what was really happening was the tranny was having trouble because the filter was a little clogged up. good luck finding the problem though, sorry i can give you a definate answer.

[oil pan 4]

You could have low fluid in there.
Could be both.
How many miles do you have?
Cali gas causes problems all around from what I here.
As the mid 90's camaro age some cloged cats are becoming a regular problem for a lot of people.

[Craig Griffis]

I had the same problem with my '88 GrandAm. The transmission wasn't shifting right and it had low power at higher throttle.

I would suggest that before getting a new cat, punch a few holes in it and see how it runs...just to make sure.

Good luck.

[Ted]

Well if you "punch some holes" in the cat you will need a new cat regardless, lol. Punching a few holes in it won't necessarily fix a clogged cat either. There are a few ways cats can go out. On older models the honeycomb can just wear down after so long that it won't really clog anything there will just be nothing left, like on my friends '94 TA, on the other hand something might damage the cat like if you hit a rock or something, and leave a big chunk of it wedged in one end. Or it could all just be crumbled up in there but after a while the exhaust will try to push it out through the pipe. Now! If your cat is clogged the car will be very very hard to drive, I remember when my catco got hit, i couldn't get the car over 15mph and it wouldn't shift out of 1st gear. I too thought my tranny was done. If your cat is rattling then it probably is a good place to start at anyway. I'd say order a cat, try not to drive the car too much until you figure out the problem.

[JinX]

It seems to do it more when I punch it. Basically it winds really high before finally shifting.

Yeah punching holes in CAT's is a sure fire way to make it dead. [img]smile.gif[/img] I had a CAT go out in another car, but I was sure that's what it was that time.

I'll probably go ahead and flush the transmission, then go from there. If it fixes it great if not I'll try out the CAT. I am sure the transmission flush will be cheaper than the CAT.

Like I said before I have only had the car for a short time. I bought it from a private party for a pretty good price. The first thing I did when I got home was pull the plugs and wires. I noticed the plugs were well past their time, as were the wires. After driving the car for a while I noticed that it didn't get very hot. Like rarely moved past the 160 line. I figure someone put in a low temp thermostat at one point or another in the cars life. I think maybe the low temp is what wiped out the plugs, making it run so rich, and maybe the dead plugs is what wiped out the CAT. (If indeed it does need replacing) Ah well off to the transmission shop. [img]smile.gif[/img]

-JinX

[T-Punk]

a transmission flush wil run about 100-130 depending on the place you do it at. a new cat will run between like 40-150 depending on where and what brand. i would suggest a catco if you have to change out the cat, they flow a little better than stock and i think they run about 50 bucks. if its doing it more when you punch it i would guess its probably not the tranny, when you punch it more it will usually have more preasure and loosen up in the filter better alowing you to shift. mine only did it when i was going easy on it. sorry i cant give more info but i would guess the cat now over the tranny just due to when it is doing it but i cant be sure.

[JinX]

It's in for the tranny flush now. It needed to be done anyway. If it doesn't fix it then we move onto the CAT. And if all else fails I have a really big hammer. [img]smile.gif[/img]

-JinX

[JinX]

Didn't fix the problem, although the feel of the car is different.

Does anyone have any other ideas besides the CAT, as to what it might be??

-JinX

[wantmorepower]

Similar problem here Jinx. However, I dont have an automatic so i know it's not my transmission.

Noticable lack of power. Insane rattling under the passenger "suitcase". I am going to try and find a cat today. I remeber everyone saying they got theirs for under a $100 from CATCO. I just checked and the one they had listed was for $247. :eek:

I will definately be searching for cheaper. Good luck with yours.

[JinX]

Thanks. I am getting similar quotes on price. Please let me know what you find out.

-JinX