I noticed that you are all discussing the catalytic converter.

Over the last few months my 99 Sportage has been losing power. Seems like it takes three times as long for it to get up to speed and it has no pep at all.

yesterday, I hit a pothole and something in the sound of it changed. It was much louder. I drove about another 20 miles or so before it just completely lost power and stalled out on the side of the highway. After that it would not start again.

I'm thinking it's the catalytic converter and that the bump knocked something loose that then clogged it.

I'm bringing it home this afternoon and I'm not certain what to do.

I'm thinking that I could just take both cats off completely and run some straight pipe for the muffler.

Will this work? What am I missing?