Help... car running awful

[Mike The Canadian]

Alright,

So the car has been running a bit weird for a while... you'd get a sort of metronome feel in the acceleration (the power is there, then it's not.... then it's there.... then it's not).

Well I haven't been able to find/correct any source of this problem.... today it evolved to a new level... The car is practically gutless and if you give it any real power it may go, it may fall flat on its face... Either way it has trouble..

In neutral it seems to rev just fine, doesn't miss or have trouble... under load is when it gets really bad... before you wouldn't even notice it unless on the highway or something trying to accelerate uphill....

I haven't got a clue what this is.....could it possibly be a bad CAT??? The car has been doing this for a long time and would freely rev up to wherever you want it to without issue. The car also seems louder under acceleration as well... I have no codes... 2001 Malibu 3100...

I'd appreciate any advice, pointers, tips etc... I know the horrible path going to a shop without codes and only symptoms can lead to...

You may have to listen more than you have to hear in these vids...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66331041@N05/7680830360/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66331041@N05/7680827182/in/photostream

http://www.flickr.com/photos/66331041@N05/7680825714/in/photostream

Much appreciated,

Mike

[xXManwhoreXx]

Transmission going out? They arent made for all yhe power your throwing at it..

[Redog]

After driving for a while, is the cat red?

[3500Alero]

Can you watch fuel trims on your scan guage?

[xXManwhoreXx]

Still dont think its the cat... Hope it is though.

[Nate's Alero]

Sounds like cat tbh. Is it hissing/sputtering out of the intake? It's doing eactly what my Alero was doing when my cat clogged. i chopped it off at the downpipe, took it for a test drive, and had instant power back

[mmorello82]

My Father-in-Law's 01 Malibu did the same thing and it ended up being a clogged CAT

[Mike The Canadian]

Can you watch fuel trims on your scan guage?

Yup they're way off.... they went wonkey about a month or two ago alongside the adv.

I looked under the the car and the CAT wasn't glowing yesterday...
The worst it got was after a bit of acceleration... there's also a sort of vac leak sound that I haven't been able to track down/find and am wondering if this is said his..

Also,
I have significant doubt that it's the transmission.... when this stuff is at it's worst... you don't have the car revving heavy and not accelerating.... the motor looses the power and goes a bit quiet, etc.. I mean it could still be the case but I'm not seeing it... (also hoping it isn't it).

I'll see if I can possibly get to a shop today... but I somehow doubt it..
Am I okay to drive this thing like this or do I risk any damage?

Thanks,

Mike

[a.graham52]

pull the upstream o2 sensor out of the exhast and see if you get your power back. thinks like "vac leak" could be exhaust pressure leaking around the manifold (if the cats clogged its gotta go somwhere). however the glowing cat could also be signs of a missfire (which could be caused by a clogged cat as well. pul lthe sensor and take it for a very quick spin. see how it acts.

[MMGT1]

pull the upstream o2 sensor out of the exhast and see if you get your power back. thinks like "vac leak" could be exhaust pressure leaking around the manifold (if the cats clogged its gotta go somwhere). however the glowing cat could also be signs of a missfire (which could be caused by a clogged cat as well. pul lthe sensor and take it for a very quick spin. see how it acts.

^^^ try this Mike....

[Mike The Canadian]

Okay cool... I'll see if I can grab the tool from somewhere tonight... I should unplug the O2s from the harness so the car runs in open loops as opposed to thinking there's a shit tonne of oxygen right?

Bloody car... just when I don't need it to run like shit.

[sleepyalero]

maybe its mad at you for not putting those slick wheels on there.... ;)

really though, hope you fix the problem soon!

[Mike The Canadian]

Haha...if shit goes bad it may never get those wheels on there!

Well... drove home tonight.. of course I worked late so everything is closed..
I did notice at idle my exhaust barely rattles (used to rattle like hell) anymore... also... the motor is louder than the exhaust (magnaflow) but both are pretty damn quiet at idle from in the car.

I got out and listened to the exhaust after I parked....very quiet.... before it would be burbling at the very least.... I didn't feel much air coming out of it but I'm not sure how much normally comes out at idle anyway...

Tomorrow I'm going to try take it to a shop... see what they say/do.. even a temp fix to drive it around until I can buy the CAT I want (if that is actually the issue) would be great....

[Redog]

In this heat, after a long drive, you shouldn't be able to hold your hand there for long, It would burn ;)

[zzyzzx]

I also suspect a clogged cat. A clogged cat is a serious problem!

http://mazda626.net/uploads/img-202908-1-img81.jpg

[Mike The Canadian]

Map sensor wires shorting out... unbelievable...
At least it was a cheap/easy fix..

[tw0123]

glad to hear you got it all fixed up Mike... now it's time to get those wheels on!!

[zzyzzx]

Did it give a code?

[Mike The Canadian]

Nope, and my psi readsings from the MAP were normal.... weird man

[zzyzzx]

Nope, and my psi readsings from the MAP were normal.... weird man

Then how did you find the problem?

[Mike The Canadian]

Took it to a shop, not sure how they found it... but the car was to the point of undrivable so I needed to do something...

[jawa]

they googled it prolly