Hey guys... Hopefully y'all can help me out. I previously posted about this same issue. Car is hesitating thru all gears but first. Going on the highway is next to impossible as I have to feather the car up to speed. Punching it? Forget it... Just bogs down. Anyway, took it to a local mechanic who preformed a fuel pressure test. Don't remember the numbers but he basically said car was getting like 50% of fuel it needed. I could be saying it wrong but the bottom line was car was starving. First thing I did was change gas filter, plugs and wires... Still nothing... Said it was fuel pump... Changed it. Nothing... Same issue. Someone suggested it was possibly my cat conv clogged. When I rev car up basically you feel very little pressure at the tail pipes. There is no rotten egg smell but car does smell like it's burning. If you think it's related, car is tapping like crazy until it comes up to temp. Already sunk about a grand into this fix so I'm asking you guys for your best possible fix. From what I understand, cats are very expensive to replace. Was also suggested that it could be cleaned??? Any help would REALLY be appreciated.

It's a 03 SSHS with 118k. PLEASE HELP! Thanks guys...

 

Just read on forum about someone who posted about hesitation. Somebody answered and asked if car has issues with shifting in and or out of first. That's exactly my problem except will bog in any gear with normal acceleration demand. Said in that case should look under car for the cat glowing red... Where is it? Up front? Will it be obvious?

 

My cat went bad on my 3.4 engine. It also had to be nursed up to speed like yours. It didn't have any strange smell but when I would try to accelerate I could hear a whistling sound from the back pressure from it being clogged. I also could not feel much exhaust coming from the tailpipe. I think it was around 540 to get it replaced.

 

Thanks man... I'm hearing prices around a grand to replace. Yieks!

 

You could always get a cheaper high-flow installed and if the code gets thrown, shoot me a PM and I can tune it out for you for $125

 

Wish I had gone that route before. My replacement cat (out of warranty of course) trips the check engine light because it's not up to the super sensitive GM standards for the 3.4 engine. Still runs just fine though.

 

Hey guys, just FYI.. I had to replace my catalytic converter on my 2003 SS 3.8 @ about 85,000k miles. Was kinda doing the hesitation thing and conking out. When
they ran the codes, it was saying the MAF sensor was malfunctioning. Turned out the cat. conv. was the root cause. Took it to Midas and they hooked me up with
a new cat. conv. for about $350 out the door. On top of that the MAF was about $140 w/ your core return. So for the whole job it was around about $500 bucks I
could of used elsewhere.. Good luck man.

 

Since he's in Philly I know it would be really easy to just drive up and meet me so I threw the offer out there haha

 

Hey boss! Not knowing to much about exhaust work.. What exactly is a "high flow"? Yes, I'm in Philly... Where could I get it done? I'd love to fix this issue ASAP! Damn near almost wrecked merging onto 95 yesterday... Thank you!

 

Ok.... Just saw high flow cats online from company's like Flowmaster etc. for around a couple hundred... So then it would be just a matter of swapping out the old with one of them? Could you recommend a replacemt? Sure would be nice to have some extra rumble... I also plan on putting on a cat back system this summer... Assuming this repair doesn't break me!