Hi All! New member here. I acquired the above car a month or so ago. 135k miles, and while the body has a few minor issues, the engine is bone stock - not messed with at all. That made me happy

For the last month and 1000+ miles, it's been as expected. Decent acceleration, about 20 MPG, and no concerns. Last week I was driving up a mountain road, kinda steep, and didn't downshift (It's an auto). I smelled something burning, and noticed my temp gauge went from the usual 190 to about 240 or so. I was almost at my destination to I turned on the heater (yeah, that was fun) and finished the drive. The temp never went into the red, and I let the car cool down before I left.

Now I have significant power loss. Feels like it is "missing". I checked with a few friends and they all agreed that I smoked the catalytic converter. It idles a little rough, but not bad, but if I put my foot on the floor, it hesitates, vibrates, and just acts stupid. Top speed on I-64 is about 70. I also went to 14MPG. I thought maybe bad gas, but that was two tanks ago.

So this bright sunny Fathers' Day, I jacked and ramped it and grabbed my sawzall. The cat isn't gummed up - in fact, I can see through it. Its got a mesh type screen beginning and end, and I can see light through it.

My question is what else should I be looking for? My other vehicles are a Mercedes SLK that the better half drives and goes to the shop for everything and an old Ford F250 diesel.

Any and all opinions are welcome!

Thanks in advance, and I have to go weld a CAT back on now....

 

Afternoon update: The fuel filter is a little restrictive - not much. I can blow through it, but not as easily as I'd like. It's getting replaced.
The cap looks brand new - but the rotor button doesn't. And it was a PITA to get off. Almost had to break it. It looks like the PO changed the cap, but couldn't get the rotor button off and just left it. Delightful. That's getting replaced as well.
PCV was fine.
I'll likely change the plug wires, and I was going to check the plugs, but these look like a JOY to get to - so I'm going to search these forums and see what the collective have to say about it. There has got to be an easier way than just feeling for them...

If I've missed anything, feel free to chime in. Thanks!

 

Update - I've changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, PCV, and still have a miss-fire and power loss. Idles fine. Under acceleration is when it misses. Mileage dropped from about 20 to about 14. Any thoughts?

 

did you check the transmission fluid? make sure it's not burnt.

did you do a compression test ? make sure the head gasket(s) are not blown.

if your hear a "miss-fire" and you changed the plugs, cap, rotor & wires.. need to check the head gaskets.

You have something going on... a "miss" is sign of a problem and needs to be investigated properly rather than just throwing parts at it and hoping it will be fixed.

Check the engine oil... if it looks "milky" you found the problem: a blown head gasket..
Any white smoke coming out of the exhaust? a really bad leak you will have constant white exhaust smoke...

Hate to say after 135K that 305 may be due for a replacement. Just because it ran fine do not assume you know what the POs did to it.. more than likely they beat the snot out of it.


blown head gasket
burnt valves / rings

that's my guess based on what you describe.

edit... EFI car? Did you check to make sure injectors are firing? easy to see on a TBI car . not so much with a TPI car ANY TROUBLE CODES ? a fuel / emissions related issue will throw a trouble code.

if no codes... then it is a mechanical problem check the fluids & Do a compression test.