I noticed on the first run that it felt like the gas pedal was hard to push as I tried to push the car harder.

As the night went on my times went way up and my m.p.h. went way down.

I noticed on the way home that the intake seems a bit louder than normal, like the car is straining under normal acceleration. The harder I push the gas, the harder it seems that it is for the car to go.

I also noticed that when I let off on the gas the rpms drop to about 900, then pause for a few seconds, then drop to just above 600, where it usually idles. It never did that before!

I am thinking that either I have a bad sensor, or my cat is finally melting down and blocking up the flow.

Any ideas?

It was a long frustrated drive home.

 

Check your intake sytem for leaks

 

Sounds like an exhaust or intake leak.


Dave

 

This may be coincidence, but when I was following you to go eat after the track, I did smell a rotten egg like catalytic converter smell that was really strong. It may not have been your car though, it could have been another, but I distinctly remember that smell.

 

Well..I am 99% sure thats the cause, its getting even worse now, and I have noticed that the exhaust is strangely quiet compared to how it was. The intake on the other hand gets very loud! It strains almost at the slightest increase in throttle now.

I am taking it to the shop first thing Monday morning and having the cat pulled and replaced with a high flow. Funny thing is that I almost had it changed with the exhaust, but at the time my stock unit was ok. Guess the mods and racing did it in.

After that I have to go and race one more time while its somewhat cool! But I don't know if I will go to Steele on a Firday night again. Bad crowd.

 

I really doubt it's your cat. If your cat really did melt, then you've got much worse problems with your engine. The only guys that have problems with thier cats are the ones that are running NOS. I've never heard anyone say their NA Maxima melted their cat.


Dave

 

Well..I had a cat melt in a CRX..same symptoms. I will know on Monday morning for sure.

 

I agree on the Friday night crowd. I wont be back on a Friday night as well. Last Sunday was ideal though. I think I'll bring my new "used" car out this upcoming Sunday to see if its in the 14s stock.

 

I had the same problem in my Maxima...I also got a professional intake and FI cleaning done for $50. Both the R/T cat and the I/FI cleaning gave me my power back