Hard start won't stay running at idle.

[93TransAm]

This problem just showed the first sign the other morning when I started it and walked away and the car died. But it started right back up and ran fine. This Morning I turn the key and the starter tries but it won't start. So i go back out 10 mins later to mess with it and it starts then stalls. Then it wouldn't start again, so i floor it and it starts but won't idle it'll just die. Also if i hold the rpms up it surges the rpms drop and it tries to stall. driving down the road it'll do the same thing and throw you forward in your seat when it does this somtimes keep going or completely die. If you try to let the rpms go to idle it dies again and doesn't want to start. in the engine bay theres a sound of vacuum leak, but i sprayed starter fluid over the bay in the short time it idles and no leaks. Also it sounds like a pulley is struggling/whining. fuel pump is priming(sound),I'm thinking it could possibly be the fuel filter. But I'm also thinking it could be the IAC or a bad air fuel mixture (O2 sensor or otherwise) and the exhaust smells very rich. I don't really want to drive to get diagnostic because its a little unpractical to keep stalling in the middle of the road and sitting there trying to get it started. Where do you think i should start? oh yea, 93 lt1 speed density not maf.

[93TransAm]

well, figured it out. finally got it to run a little so drove it to work. got there smelled somthing funny. followed the scent to a glowing red hot catalytic converter. time to gut it.

[93TransAm]

oh yea and for anyone who wants more power and better sound, hogging the cat is like an hour project. Just don't decide to rebuild the motor right after, then it seems like a huuuge waste of time. lol

[5.0THIS]

I had an offroad pipe on my car for a whole single day. I decided a few (literally) more hp on the top end was nowhere near worth the tradeoffs of having no cat. My car smelled horrible, I got tired of smelling it at every stoplight. Also, it was incredibly loud, and not in a good way. It was raspy and lost some of its signature LTx sound. Very hollow sound.