Hi all...So tonight I headed down to the strip with some of my friends for $#!T$ and giggles...I was racing my friend who has an 01 eclipse gt (I've beat him multiple times) and he beat me...I thought I had screwed up because I ran a 16.1...1.4 seconds slower than usual...so I figured I would try again...the second time I ran worse! A 16.3...I felt like I was losing a little power but figured it might be time to change my plugs or something but that much power wasn't expected...Then I was on my way back home when my CEL came on...Now I'm getting really worried...Anyone have this sudden loss in power? Anyone know what's going on? Thanks guys..

UPDATE: I took the 8 around the block a few times and had a look under the car when I parked it...And what-do-ya-know, the cat is glowing red and sounds like its sizzling...does that mean its running rich and there's raw fuel getting to it? Or does it mean its clogged? Or both?

UPDATE 2: Took the car into Mazda today and they said my engine codes have been cleared...so they didn't even check the Cat...So now I'm stuck with an $85 bill and no answer or fix...I can't even get the check engine light to come back on...What now?

OH! And I don't know how I ended up in the "Aftermarket Performance Modifications" section when I went to post in "Trouble Shooting"...Ah well I got my answer...

 

Info about the car...year, mileage, mods, and CEL code. You can get your CEL read for free at any Autozone stores.

 

04, 65000 miles, completely stock, and the woman at Advance said it could be my cat or an o2 sensor? I tried to edit my post to put that in there but it wouldn't let me sorry...

 

Check your cat. You should have an 80k mile warranty on the CAT.
If your noticing a significant loss in power and a CEL flash on WOT, it's most likely your cat.
Just look under your car after a hard drive, check your cat and see if it glows red. If so it's done.
Get it checked before it's too late, my dealership screwed me over, the bad cat constricted airflow and caused premature wear to my engine and I had to end up buying a used CAT on the forums since my warranty on it just ended.. and I had to have my engine replaced.

 

You still should get you engine codes read. But, I'm wild *** guessing a clogged cat.

 

Clogged cat.

 

Again, clogged cat. Same symptoms lots of people, including myself, have had.

 

Thanks a lot guys...Should I contact Mazda about this or the dealership I bought the car from?

 

you should still be under the 8year/80k mile cat warranty. Check with your dealership

 

there must be at least a dozen threads on this subject, how to handle it, and what to watch out for if going to the dealership if you had just bothered to use the Search function first ... classic n00b fail

 

Will do

What's the point in telling me that? I use the search function for a lot of things but I was worried about this and wanted to get a direct answer ASAP...If everyone used the search function you wouldn't have anything to do! You couldn't sit on a website all night and say the same thing everyone else says on every post, "Use Search NOW or ELSE!" Answer the question or don't no big deal...no need for that crap...

 

sure, if you're a selfish and only care about your immediate want over anything else as long as you don't have to make any effort acquiring it then there probably is no need for that crap

or five years from now when you see the same question for the one hundredth time that already has also been addressed numerous times you might feel that there is no need for that crap too


.

 

this is my favorite quote ever for so many reasons on so many levels

 

Can't tell you how many times I've felt like this in the interior/electronics forum.

 

Well I apologize for initially being rude about it and have edited my post in an effort to reform from my past ways of saying things so bluntly ....

 

Love this thread just because...lol

 

 

 

I don't understand how its being selfish if it doesn't effect you at all? I mean if I was hurting someone every time I did something I would stop doing it...but this doesn't effect you at all...All you have to do is hit the back button and read the next post...

And there's ALWAYS going to be people who don't search...no matter how many times you tell them they're going to be so concerned about something that they want an immediate answer that they know pertains to their problem...There are thousands of forums out there for everything and new people are constantly joining...no one will ever stop 'not searching'...but I guess no one will ever stop saying "SEARCH"

Back on topic...Took the car into Mazda today and they said my engine codes have been cleared...so they didn't even check the Cat...So now I'm stuck with an $85 bill and no answer or fix...I can't even get the check engine light to come back on...What now?

 

well it looks like your gonna need to replace your cat, or you might need a new engine down the road?

 

I had this exact problem a few months back and the heat went back into the engine and damaged the plugs and coils so it cost me $800 to get them replace at the stealership (after going to 3 other garages who all told me they wouldn't touch it). They did however replace the CAT on the second visit. First time they said it was fine and 2 miles down the road I got the check engine light on so they replaced it.
Do not drive your car when it is like that as you may kill the engine, either drive it straight to the dealership or get it towed.
A $50 tow is cheaper then a new engine

 

well here we go again ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9q2jNjOPdk

 

But how do I convince them there's something wrong when the check engine light isn't on? If I can't drive it I can't get the check engine light to come on...If I can't get the check engine light to come on I can't get a new cat...which means I'm screwed no matter what...ugh...

I think we've all seen that "hilarious" video before forum "master"...There's no point in arguing over an internet forum about "teh internet rulez"...You're beating a dead horse...

Back on topic please...

 

pull it down and visually inspect the cat. If it's bad...

edit: on the "SEARCH" topic, you understand it, so don't become the problem. Problem solved

 

I will tomorrow when I get the car back from the stealership...I'm hoping on my drive home my CEL comes on and they can take it from there...but that's another $85 down the drain...

I've been reading up on some stuff and I'm thinking I need to replace my plugs, wires, and coils...I'm not sure when the last time they've been replaced because I've owned the car for 2,000 miles...not sure what happened the last 62,000...My dad knows the guy who previously owned the car and he doesn't seem like the type of guy who would know anything about it...Hell, for all I know he might have never replaced anything...

I want to drive someones 8 who takes care of it and feel the difference...I'm not sure if I've just gotten used to driving a crappy running car or what...

OH! And guess how I found all this stuff out about the plugs, wires, and coils! I searched! (And its not the first time if that's what you're thinking...)