How can you tell if your Cat is bad? Mine kinda rattles a bit and i have some hesitation when i drive. Also if i'm in park and rev the engine i hear a noise from it, really loud like backpressure releasing, is that normal?

 

Sounds like it might be. Does the hesitation happen all the time?

 

the hesitation occurs really at any speed when i lightly touch the gas pedal, giving it a little gas. What about the backpressure noise? Is that the cat?

 

If you hear rattling inside of it, I'd definately pull it off, and it will cause hesitation, idle problems, car running warmer than usual, or it may glow.

 

A broken up cat once caused my car to overheat and blow steam out of my valve covers. My car experienced things like LOSING speed when floored on the highway, heavy knocking under acceleration, overheating. All this went away when I found out my cat broke up inside and was 90% clogged! I say do away with the cat or gut it. Gutting it gives a funny sound, so go with a straight pipe if you have no cat insection.

 

how long is a cat usually good for?

 

Depends on how the motor's running. If it's running rich, it won't last 20,000 miles, or it could last forever. It's just ne of those hings you gotta shrug your shoulders.

 

so the noise i hear when in park and revving my engine, the backpressure release noise from the cat, i could assume that it's bad?