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I have a Mazda 6 2004 the check engine came on for a bad cata and the performance would be amazing one then next day car feels like it’s getting held back on power. does the bad cata effect the performance ? Should I get this repair asap ? The guy at autozone told me try the stp cata cleaner so I did but didn’t work, should I try another cata cleaner before getting it replace
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What code? P0420 or something else? If a P0420, odds are you do need to replace your 13YO cat.
Cat cleaners rarely help.
A clogged cat will definitely impact performance. You can test for that by measuring intake vacuum.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-test-a-catalytic-converter
http://www.aa1car.com/library/converter.htmWhen I got it check at autozone, they said it was dirty so they recommended trying the stp cleaner. They didn’t tell me the code at all. Should I go back to autozone an get it check and ask for the code ? I wanna get this fix before it gets bad
Yes, get the code(s). If you bought that snake oil “cat cleaner” from them and haven’t yet opened it, return that crap.
You can get your own OBD scanner on eBay for like $20 or less.
Alright I will. It was the stp complete fuel system cleaner then he said if that don’t work try the cataclean brand one but I wanted to make sure if I should just fix the problem instead wasting extra money on a product that might not work and thanks I’ll look on eBay
Fuel system cleaners can be great, I use Techron regularly. Keeps my old in-tank module alive. They won’t help a bad cat. Neither will “cat cleaner”, most likely.
Nice and so getting it replaced is the best offer ? And ima get back to you tomorrow with the codes see what best of and thanks for your help and time
Sounds like the first cat on bank 2 may be bad, or could be the O2 sensor just after it. An infrared thermometer will tell you if the cat is operating; a manifold vacuum gauge will tell you if it’s clogged. If you’re having intermittent performance problems, I’m inclined to suspect the sensor. Live data via Torque Pro or another decent scan tool will help diagnose that.
I should just bring it to my mechanic to get check out ? I don’t get paid till next Friday will it hurt anything within the time? The light recently turned on. How much is it usually to get fix
The timing is probably not critical.
To DIY or to pay a professional is a personal decision. There are many factors, but perhaps the most important one is, do you enjoy learning about and doing diagnosis and repair.
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