Is my cat clogged?

Manifolds, flexpipe, catalytic converters, mufflers, hangers, piping, EGR etc.
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Topic author
pengyou
I finally get the smurf thing
Posts: 175
Joined: Sun Nov 09, 2008 5:20 pm

Is my cat clogged?

Post by pengyou »

My van passed Oregon's smog but I just found out that for that year they hook up the car to the computer - through the computer's harness and not at the tailpipe. If the cat is bad will it suck engine performance? gas mileage?
New owner of a 1996 Astro named "Plain Jane" - stock right now - with 200,000 miles on it and running like a champ

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

Re: Is my cat clogged?

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

If the cat is bad, it will definitely cause running issues and bad fuel economy. I would suspect your SES light to come on showing a code though. Mine did on a trailer towing trip. The cat came apart and partially plugged the exhaust and we had a hard time running the van the 200 miles home...towing a trailer!

To check for a bad cat, start the van up and take dead blow hammer or rubber mallet and tap the cat. You are listening for a ringing and for pieces rattling around.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
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