Mend > Cars

How can I tell if my catalytic converter is plugged?

When I start mycar for the days first start it starts rather funny. When I go to drive the car it lacks power for awhile then it seems to get alittle bit better.Sometimes it will die and not start for about 10-15 mins. I was told it could be a plugged converter or my mass air sensor. Oh yea I guess I had better tell you what kind of car we are talking about. It is a 1995 mercury mystique 2.5 ltre. V6 engine.

Patrick Paterson
June 2005

Mercury Mercury Mystique Vehicles, Cars Days Drive Car

Usually when the convertor is clogged after you drive a bit it will slow down and sometimes stall......if your problem happens all the time you can try taking out the o2 sensor and this gives the exhaust a way out before the convertor and problem won`t happen ...otherwise disconnect exhaust ahead of convertor and drive ...LOUD.....thou ...........
Alot of times when problem happens if you look under car the convertor will be glowing red from heat ....good luck

bg
November 2005

Hi!

I just happen to have exactly the same car.

And I also had similar problems.

First the car would lack power especially when cold and it would even die (sometimes when driving at 20-30 Mph)

I changed the spark plug cables and spark plugs and it got better for about a month. So I decided to replace the O. E. cables with NOLOGY cables ( A fortune! ) and Silverstone spark plugs ( Go see: Nology.com ) And it worked!...

A second problem I had, months later, was no power at all. The engine would start but if it hadn't been for the slope to the mechanic's, I would have never made it.

He took apart all the air intake system ( The grey, pipe-like,metallic things on top of the engine ) and cleaned it thoroughly; and the injectors as well. 100 000 miles and that had never been done!
Since then the car the car has worked beautifully!

Michel Malavialle
July 2005