Hi everybody. Just joined and sorry to ask for help right off the bat. I have a 2001 civic with only 28,000 miles. Just drove about 50 miles to see big Christmas display. Car ran good there but then we got in stop and go traffic for about a mile. Car jerked and almost cut off and the check engine light came on. Temp gauge was normal. Finally managed to pull onto side street and car had no power at all would only go about 20-25 mph. Pulled off the road and popped the hood. The exhaust manifold was cherry red. Engine did not seem abnormally hot. Called my brother to get my family home and will tow it home tomorrow. Won't know the codes until I get it home. Any suggestions on what it may be. Please give me some good news. I don't have much money because of Christmas. I am hoping something like a plug stopped firing or something simple=cheap. Thanks and Merry Christmas to all.

Ed

 

Check your timing, you maybe running too rich. Is the Cat glow red too?, I'm thinking it not, since it glow on exhaust mani before it reach to the cat. Let see what your CEL indicate.

 

More than likely you have a clogged catalytic converter. I've seen many a vehicle display the symptoms you described and that was the culprit.

Basically, the exhaust cant escape due to the cat being clogged up. Since it has nowhere to go it'll bind the engine up.

 

If it's not an EX, the cat converter is built into the manifold on the front of the engine and would glow red there like you said. If the cat melted and clogged, it would need to be replaced. Usually they melt down because of another problem that is letting too much unburned gas come out of the engine, such as misfiring or a stuck fuel injector.

 

Hi all and Merry Christmas,

Thanks for all the replies. I am still learning this car. It is a LX. When I said exhaust manifold It really is the cat and manifold in one unit. I reset the codes and pushed on the connector for the Cam position sensor and the car runs fine. The one code said cam signal intermittant and I think that is whats going on. I hate these kinds of problems because you don't know if you fixed it or not. I would rather it go ahead and break. Anyway it is running ok now no codes and I drove it last night and the cat did not glow but it was over 400 degrees(on the main body of the cat) with a heat gun check. I have a new sensor so I think I will go ahead and change it. Thanks again.

Ed