I replaced the cats in my 2006 2.5i 2 1/2 years ago, summer of 2015. Back then I had the P0420 code, even though the car ran fine, and after replacing plugs, wires, A/F, and O2 sensors, it was still there. Replacing the cats (Eastern Catalytic front, Walker rear) resolved the code, and an autopsy showed that there was very little left of the OEM cats--in fact, the rear cat was emptied out.
Last month the car died suddenly and dramatically. In a matter of miles it went from a slight underpower (I was making a mental note to run a tank of gas with Techron) to being unable to pull itself uphill with the accelerator on the floor. No codes (until it actually died), no prior issues, nothing. I had it towed, and the diagnosis came back that both catalytic converters were plugged. I replaced them, and it runs beautifully.
Here's my question: what would cause the kind of fouling I see in the pictures below in such a relatively short time? The car uses about a quart of oil every 1,500 miles. The head gaskets were redone at about 114k miles, and I'm sitting at 148k now; I've had to add a very small amount of coolant here and there, but nothing consistent or alarming.
The first picture is the front cat via the A/F sensor port--note the greyish-white gunk clogging it. The second is a camera shot of the media inside the front cat. The third is a shot of the rear cat from the front. Any suggestions are appreciated. I'd really like to track this down before having to do it again in a couple of years--or sooner.
Last month the car died suddenly and dramatically. In a matter of miles it went from a slight underpower (I was making a mental note to run a tank of gas with Techron) to being unable to pull itself uphill with the accelerator on the floor. No codes (until it actually died), no prior issues, nothing. I had it towed, and the diagnosis came back that both catalytic converters were plugged. I replaced them, and it runs beautifully.
Here's my question: what would cause the kind of fouling I see in the pictures below in such a relatively short time? The car uses about a quart of oil every 1,500 miles. The head gaskets were redone at about 114k miles, and I'm sitting at 148k now; I've had to add a very small amount of coolant here and there, but nothing consistent or alarming.
The first picture is the front cat via the A/F sensor port--note the greyish-white gunk clogging it. The second is a camera shot of the media inside the front cat. The third is a shot of the rear cat from the front. Any suggestions are appreciated. I'd really like to track this down before having to do it again in a couple of years--or sooner.
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