Hey guys my 06 legacy 2.5I has a clogged cat was told to run cat-a-clean before I try to find a replacement cat. And if I do have to replace it I was thinking of a custom exhaust what are your thoughts thanks in advance

Who said its clogged?

Do you have a P0420 code?

 

Cataclean will not fix a clogged cat. Waste of money and time.

^ ^ ^, what the man said

Yes I have the p0420 sorry I forgot to to add it to the post

06 that would be highly unusual.

What symptoms do you have

Has anyone put a vacume gauge on the car to see if it is a clogged exhaust system?

How many miles?

Yes I have the p0420 sorry I forgot to to add it to the post

 That doesnt mean a clogged cat, man oh man we are going to save you huge monies. 

I'm sitting right at 150k everything runs great it lags a little one acceleration but nothing big that and I'm on getting 17 to the gallon high way that and a flashing curse light with the CEL

Edited March 24, 201511 yr by legacy603

Well this is what the stealership told me when I went in for the.break line recall

Ok lets forget everything else.

 

Some more info please

 

Last time the car got a tuneupe

Last time the timing belt was changed

Timing at 100k due for new plugs I'm sure I just got her a month ago and the CEL just came on last week I've kinda been slacking my 97 has most of my time dealing with body work haven't had much time to post

Well lets start with a full tuneup, filters, pcv valve wires etc. 

 

Is there any way to confirm what had been replaced with the timing belt?

 

150K is about right for a O2 sensor or two to go bad. Bt really this is not a clogged catalytic converter. It is not a bad converter either. A clogged converter would affect engine performance. 

Well I can't say for sure on the timing. I've only pulled the driver side cover to make sure it had been done. as for the tune up just waiting on pay day I have a 400mile dive this weekend need to make sure she will make it

I can't believe I forgot to mention this I have another problem not sure if it's related but at idle I have a faint burning rubber smell I can't find it anywhere

Have you gone over this car with a fine tooth comb yet? Make sure the brakes are not draging, no CV boots leaking (usually near the cats)?

Check the belts and all the boots.

Check for ATF fluid leak at the radiator

 

I would pull clean and gap the plugs for now if possible.

Brakes are free first thing I checked and belts are 3days old I did them thinking that was it I'll check cvs and fluid the morning.could it be any timing components?

What Nipper said...

check the cv boots. If torn/leaking and splattering grease onto the cat, it makes an awful stink.

Are there any other visible leaks/drips on garage floor. My 05 just started weeping at the power steering pump, pooling ATF on the top of the engine (this one is an easy o-ring fix). These engines also exhibit external head gasket leaks and mine has a small oil seepage around the HG.

I have been running my 05 with the 0420 for the past 50K miles. Occasionally the code goes away by itself and for whatever reason. I have come to believe that the spec is too tight and the code gets thrown. I have been able to erase the code and reset the systems to pass emissions testing for the past 6 years. Car runs great.

Your gas mileage seems low so as others suggested, a tuneup should be the first order of business.

As far as cat cleaners, it's hard to believe that anything can survive an engine's combustion and still have any "soluble/dissolving" effect by the time it reaches the cat.

As is the case with many cures in a can, it will at the least clean out your wallet.

Alright so it's going up on the Jack I'll check for leaks and everything else.and that makes me feel better about the code. just have to live with out cruse I guess. thanks guys helped out a lot and saved me a good chunk of change thanks again

17 mpg on the highway? That's just plain awful.

 

More than likely needs a front O2 sensor.

You should not take the car on a 400 mile trip with it running that rich or you will need cats by the time you get back, IF you get back.

Take a different car or rent a car for the trip.

I'm going to give it the tune up before the trip I would love to take my 97but as it stands she's stuck in the drive way until she's finished the reason it's so important that I go is my daughter.needs to see a specialist but they are in Albany and I'm in New Hampshire

Like others, I don't think your cat converter is clogged. I had that occur on my old Audi, as the media inside the converter broke into pieces, and clogged the pipe. Exhaust flow was so restricted that the engine would only rev to about 2K rpm, so top speed was 45 mph. This happened on a Sunday afternoon, upon starting a 300 mile trip going back home. Drove most of the way on the berm of the road of an interstate with my 4 ways on,  dodging road kill, and road junk. Most miserable drive ever.

 

So if you can drive faster then 45 mph, then your cat is not clogged. Do a good tune up, and I think you will be fine.

bad knock sensor could be in the mix here too.