Chugging/lost the get up and go!

[Kaitlyn Janay]

So I've just recently been having a lot of things go wrong with my 2009 g6 gt 3.5. Tie rods, control arms both replaced. Have to replace the struts still. Also have to replace bushings in the sway bar. But I can't seem to figure out why my car lost it's "power". Recently my oil pressure light was flickering and dinging on and off. Also driving down the highway, mainly accelerating or going uphill, it would chug or surge like it didn't have enough umph to go. Figured it was either the switch or the pump. We replaced the switch and did an oil change a few days ago. Solved that problem. But when I took it out for a test drive, the chugging was still happening. And at a dead stop, stepping on the accelerator, it felt like a slug. I literately had the pedal touching the floor and it was slowing speeding up. It has never done this. Stomping on the gas pedal used to throw me back in my seat.
Any ideas to what is causing it?

[dre256]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

Sounds like you have a bad cat. When you stomp on the gas and car does nothing its from too much back pressure from the cat. Also explain why surge and power drop also as for a moment the back pressure would free up then get jammed up again from the cat.

[Kaitlyn Janay]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

That's exactly what I was thinking it was. But researching similar problems other people have had, it seems like it could be many other things too. MAF sensor, spark plugs and wires, fuel filter/sensor, this sensor, that sensor. I hate dumping so much money in this car.. Especially when you think you know what's wrong with it, you replace it.. And wasted your money.
Thanks for your help though. I'll be fixing the cat in a couple days.. We'll see.

[GMManof3]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

Hi! Any more info on this? I'm curious as to what fixed it. Seeing that there is no more info on this, I'm going to assume that it was the cat converter. Which one though? The rear or front?

[JJT*90]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

If you think a cat it clogged you can measure your back pressure and make sure it's in spec.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[slowsedan]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

Get an infrared thermometer. A clogged cat will be hotter than the surface of the sun.

[ZoomThru]

Re: Chugging/lost the get up and go!

You let it run awhile and it should glow like the sun as well. Making figuring out which cat is clogged easy.

Unless the exhaust was damaged somehow. Or the car was driven in a way that would damage the cat. Like driving with a misfire, dead cylinder, or dead sensors.

The cat probably is not the cause. Unless the car is throwing O2 sensor codes, check engine light and such. I would look into new plugs, wires and a throttle body cleaning, before the cat.