Please HElp

okay here we go again
1988 Lesabre 3800 with 118500miles on her shes geen good to me now she wants to be a witch
1) lastnight car was very jerky slow put pedal to floor car had no power
my neighbor took it upon himself without my knowing and sprayed the mass air flow with carb cleaner no help
2) replaced mass air flow sensor car seemed fine drove about 10 miles parked car went to start it wont stay started punched the gas after few times car was erratic and shakey but started okay now the cart convertor and pipes are flame red
3) do I need to replace the cat. I think they gummed it up with the spray
SOrry t bother but single mom with no job and little money needs advice fast only car I have and can afford.
alos car backfires if i rev it up not out tail pipe im engine comp

Ok I straight piped the d*** thing and and it wont stay started it sounds like Sh*t it wont run unless you keep foot on gas and it stalls as soon as you let go when you strp on gas it blows Black smoke and smells very bad idle is very very rough and not right at all. had no problem lastnight until I parked it then went to start it about 1/2hr later and it did not want to stay started(wont) where else could it be clogged any help please. Someone mentioned coolant temp. sensor

I can tell you this. You technically don't need a catalytic converter. I mean for the environment you do but you can just stick a straight pipe in place of the converter if you are trying to save coin. You just need to find a garage that will do that. They are not really allowed to do this. But many will if you ask.

I'm not an expert but from the brief description I'd say that your exhaust is being plugged from somewhere. could be your catalytic converter but it could also be elsewhere on the pipe.

I hope an expert lets you know better than I did. Again I am not an expert. So listen to others before you spend money based on my opinion.

How many miles is on the car? If more than 60,000. The first thing I would do is check O2 sensor. It could allow the computer to send bad signals to the fuel injectors. Alot of people forget all about the O2 !!

[QUOTE=conan7]I can tell you this. You technically don't need a catalytic converter. I mean for the environment you do but you can just stick a straight pipe in place of the converter if you are trying to save coin. You just need to find a garage that will do that. They are not really allowed to do this. But many will if you ask.


I believe it is federal law that you can't tamper with a catalytic converter. Certain states have strict emission laws regarding this. In my state (NY) they just enacted stricter emission guidelines for state inspections. Now they hook up your vehicle (post 1996 OBD II) to a computer to read if any codes are present. Pre 1996 vehicles are checked for a "service engine soon/check engine light" to be on. The exhaust repair shops in our area will refuse to work on vehicles that are missing the cat. conv. and many repair facilities have received heavy fines for removing or rendering a cat. conv. useless. I'd check with state law pertaining to your own state first to avoid any problems later on.