Hi all

I was on my way to the mechanic's yesterday morning in my recently bought 740T (1989) - about 195K kms on the odometer - when, whilst going downhill, the engine suddenly started dying and came to a complete halt at a traffic light. Being 7:30am in the morning, and right smack in Sydney peak hour traffic, I must say that was one of my most interesting car-trouble moments yet.

Anyway, I tried cranking the engine but nothing happened. Called the local roadside assistance for help and they sent out a tow truck. Meanwhile, whilst strapped in my seat and watching all the obviously upset motorists go by (it was a fairly narrow two lane road way), an emergency tow truck appeared (the local road authorities run these to keep traffic going in peak hours) like a knight in white horse and towed me to the nearest petrol station. I was happy to be out of traffic, and in safety. Whilst waiting for the previously arranged tow truck to come fetch me to the garage, I tried the engine again and it started spluttering. I got it going to a point where the engine will start for a while and then shake very violently.

Well, the interesting thing was that the tow truck I had phoned for then came and promptly had a break down of it's tilt bed. Poor fella was absolutely apologetic that he couldn't get the hydraulics on the flat bed to work. He sent out acall for a substitute truck. Meanwhile, I kept trying to start the engine and got it to a point that it started up and sounded like 'normal', albeit with a slightly rough sound past 3000rpm coming from below my driver's seat. I thought it was the transmission giving way. Driving it just forwards and backwards a little, it just felt rather 'normal' so I decided to drive it back home about 4km away after cancelling the request for a replacement tow.

I eventually took a cab to the mechanic's whom I was heading to for a chat about my 850 T-5 which I had left there overnight. I told him my morning's hilarious experience with the 740T, and the funny sounds coming from below, and he suggested that it was likely that the inside of the cat converter was broken and had temporarily stuffed up the exhaust which led to the car stalling when I was going down hill.

The other thing is, about some weeks ago, I had a hard time starting the car after having jacked up the front for an oil change. Once again, the car spluttered, engine shook violently, died a few times, and became 'normal' only after a few attempts at starting.

What do you guys think? Can this be a catalytic converter issue?


Thanks

Lucast