I have not been here in a while but, it was th first place I thought of that might be able to help. My '02 Forester started running very rough, no power, will not idle. In last month I have changed the fuel filter, timing belts and pulleys, plugs and wires. In the last year, changed all wheel bearings and alternator. Limped the car home, used a 1/4 tank to get 30 miles, cat was cherry red. Have never messed with the cat on any car I have ever owned. Have not put a code reader on it yet, one is on the way. The car has

226k and until then ran like a top. I think the cat is bad, and have started pricing, just wanted to check here first. Thanks.

if the cat got that hot, it may now be bad. But the cause was likely the misfiring you experienced. too much unburned fuel going into it.

 

can you clear-up the sequence of events for us? I'm guessing you did some work some time ago, then the car had low power/missing, then the cat got red ?

 

or, did the issue with low power happen immediately after some work? what was done JUST before the problem started?

 

I'm confused

Edited May 22, 20187 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

Dealer only if you want it to last. Yes the cat is bad after that much misfireing abuse. The Check Engine flashing means pull over and don't drive it. 

 

That's not the problem though - just a result of the problem. You made it worse and killed the cat by driving it like that. 

 

You have a misfire condition - unburned fuel is going straight out the exhaust and being ignited in the cat. 

 

GD

+1 on your symptoms being a misfire, likely due to lack of spark. The one I saw that made the cat glow was a bad coil.

Edited May 22, 20187 yr by Numbchux

That all makes sense to me.