Q: can a clogged catalytic converter blow out your valve gasket and make it not want to drive at all while in gear no matter how hard?
my car was driving just fine and then as soon as i got on the highway it starts losing power and then wouldnt go at all, i could start it and it idles fine but rough. when i put it in gear it either stalls out or drives for 100 yards and dies again. the front valve gasket blew when it did it, plus i knew it had to be the converters but i wasnt sure. have you seen this before?
My car has 180000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
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A clogged catalytic converter can cause the pressure inside the exhaust system to build high enough to burn exhaust valves and cause the engine to stall as it cannot get any air out. Failed valve stem seals along with high pressure may cause an already leaking valve cover gasket to get worse. Typically, if the catalytic converter is clogged it will glow bright red due to the chemical reaction inside burning the fuel getting stuck inside. Consider hiring an experienced technician like one from YourMechanic who can come out and take a closer look at your loss of power and run a few tests to offer a more personal diagnosis.
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