Listees,

On the  road, as part of a  5,550-mile journey, 84 Westy, 168,000-miles
on speedometer,  started acting sluggishly, lost acceleration on
upgrades, and sounded "stuffy" and constricted at exhaust.
I reviewed Archives on topic, and I gained the prominent opinions that
causes, among others, could have been clogged fuel filter, or clogged
catalytic converter.  I changed out the 25,000-mile old fuel filter, as
it needed it anyway, and removed the CC.  Most of the interior ceramic
material was in small pieces, much as in a child's rattle. The remaining
large ceramic portion was in the form of a cooled, once- molten mass.
Part of the ceramic pieces collection had migrated into the muffler. I
used a very long screwdriver to shatter the balance of the ceramic mass
and removed it. I then replaced the voided CC.  Violative of  all
emission/ environmental laws, and avoiding the EPA police, I travel to
PA .  While I am there,  I will obtain a CC from Ron Salmon at
busdepot.com at WWW-quoted price, $99, less List discount, in comparison
to $400 at VW dealer.

Other than the fact either Bentley or Haynes suggests that the exchange
life of a CC is 60,000 to 100,000 miles,  and I don't know the history
of the present CC or vehicle, does anyone have any information/opinions
on the causes of CC /meltdown/clog/failure and how to avoid one?

Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia
on the road in Missouri, heading to Illinois