The other day my car began running rough after getting warm. It started to smell of sulfer then stalled out. I got it started back up and drove it around the block. It still smelled and lacked power. It idled but very rough. I have since replaced the coil, and had the Ignition Module tested. The SES light isn't on. I am trying to get a reader to check the code, but haven't had any luck yet. The plugs are all dry and smell of fuel. The car no longer smells of sulfur after cooling off but is still running rough.

I was told that after the car cooled off it should run ok if it were the cat. How true this is i don't know.

Can you folks help?

Drop your exhaust at the rear manifold. Start your car. Report your findings

I'll bet your cat is clogged.

How much an SOB will those bolts be to get at without a lift?

Not too bad. Get it on ramps if you can, but if you can't just put it on jackstands. Two bolts hold it to the manifold. Soak them real good with PB Blaster, let them soak for an hour or so.

Welcome to BonnevilleCLub

I am not to far from you here in the Midland area. If you need any help with the car, let me know, I would be glad to help out


also, it does sound to me like the cat is plugged up, and I have never heard that if the car cools down it would be ok. I have had two cars ( '95 Monte Carlo Z 34 and '91 Saturn SC-2 ) that had the cat plugged up on them and they both would hardly run, didn't matter if they sat overnight or were already running, they had no power.

Have you been hearing any rattling noises from under the car lately? When you lift up the car ( make sure it is on jackstands, of course ) kick the cat and see if it rattles. If it does, that is a dead giveaway that it is junk and will save you some time from taking the exhast off of the manifold. If it doesn't make any noise, I still would suspect the cat though.

On a side note, I recently swapped my exhaust with my parts car ( 1993 SSEi ) and I actually found it easier to get at the bolts from the top of the engine with a couple of wrenches. But, if you have a swivel for your ratchet and some extensions, that would probably be the easier way to go.




*EDIT*

after reading your first post carefully a second time, what exactly do you mean by running rough? Do you mean that it just has no power, or it is actually running rough like misfiring?

When was the last time you did a full tune up on the car or at least plugs and wires? As far as the ignition control module being tested, people here have had bad ones test out good and good ones test out bad so the test isn't %100 reliable.

I only have a small jack and I am a fat man so without ramps I cannot climb under the car
I spoke to a mechanic friend of mine and he (although hasn't been over) thinks it is in the vac system that perhaps its running rich or lean. The wires were new last year from AutoValue. As were the plugs. PCV valve is clean. WTF is the EGR valve on these? The car does run, and doesn't run smooth(sounds almost a miss) when its idling or reving. It has no power when I am trying to drive it. I have heard a rattle, tho I thought it was the heat sheild came loose. Also, odd issue, perhaps unrelated. When driving in Saginaw on the deep tire grooved city streets in the rain the car used to sound like the exhaust was missing. Only when the rain was splashing under the car. I assume the springs contracted and it seperated.
If you have any other thoughts please let me know. I haven't had the chance to get ramps to check this out and now the rain is here to stay for the week.:(

Took the car for a ride.

I would say it has 1/2 the power it normall has. It in general is just running rough like there is a miss. I can't hear any vac leaks. If I kick the car up to 2k then it runs smooth, anything much over, or at an idle it runs rough. Plugs all looked fine but I didn't test them. I didn't test the wires because they are only a year old.

Still think its the cat?

will it run over 2K?

Does the car seem to only have 1/2 the power as normal at wide open throttle, or half power even during "normal" acceleration? When you get the car running at 2K, does it have power at that RPM?

Not %100 sure if this applies here, but just in case..... 1992 EGR-less engines and burnt valves found that in the Techinfo section.

I will see about getting a gearhead in here and see what they think. They are much better then I at diagnosis over the net.

If nothing else, maybe we could meet up this weekend and I could check it out.... I can tell alot better in person

Satuday morning my mechanic friend is running dianostics on it. He thinks it is something simple like the crank sensor. It is running rich with fuel, you can smell it.

Runs at all RPM'* just rough. Will keep everyone updated.

THANKS!


This is a low mileage car so I hope the valves arent burnt up yet.

well, hopefully it is something simple like that