Can you unclog a catalytic converter

If you have too much fuel in your tank the cat converter fluid is going to become diluted and will be a lot less effective. If you have too little fuel in your tank, the cat converter fluid may be too rich and that could cause a whole host of other issues as well.

Read the instructions on the bottle before you mix the two together, though. If it tells you to use a different amount of gas try to hit that level for sure. The next piece of the puzzle is to simply empty the entire bottle of catalytic converter cleaner directly into the gas tank. The whole process start to finish might take 30 seconds or so.

You want to be sure that the cat cleaner fluid is flushed throughout the system, dissolving and breaking down any of the deposits that are clogging it up. You want to be sure that you keep a close eye on your temperature gauge, though. If you start to see the engine temperatures climb you have to shut things down or at the very least slow things down quite a bit. The only thing left to do now is to let your vehicle sit for an hour or so before you fire it up again and go for another minute drive.

After that, you can check your cat, check your exhaust, and see if you have any check engine lights left on your dashboard. If the catalytic converter can clean itself it will be unclogged by the time you run through this process! Thank you for reading this article. I hope it helps you find the most recent and accurate technical and repair information for your car. But in all honesty, these are the exact tools that I use and recommend to everyone, even my own family.

To see all my of most up-to-date recommendations, check out this resource that I made for you! Jeff is an automotive technician, technical writer, and Managing Editor. He has held a lifelong passion for cars, with a particular interest in cars like the Buick Reatta.

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Then use a pressure washer to force any contaminants or debris out of the cat-con. Prepare a solution of hot water and degreaser inside a container large enough to house the cat-con. Place the cat-con inside the container for approximately 45 minutes. After taking the catalytic converter out of the container, give it enough time to dry off completely before re-install it, use a towel to dry if necessary. You may want to rinse it off as well, if you do, use the power washer.

As now we are done with all the steps, we can safely put the catalytic converter back where it belongs. At this point, you can be very hopeful that it has been unclogged successfully.

You can go for a drive after completing this to check if the code does show again. However, if you still get the code and the engine light, the matter has slipped beyond your reach, and it may have become inevitable to avoid the help of a mechanic or totally replace it. As we saw, cleaning your catalytic converters is not rocket science and rushing to mechanics, spending your precious money is not the only way out.

Except for the worst-scenarios however. Once you decide to do it on your own, using a cleaner has to be the first take at unclogging but in the case of failure we should try taking the cat-con out and treat it however as we learned. This is all you could have done being a home mechanic.

Rest is fate! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Catalytic converters are an integral part of the exhaust system of a vehicle.

Too Clogged b. You tap it into your fuel tank, and it does not matter if you have petrol, diesel, or hybrid car. This will help clean the catalytic converter; it will also clean your O2 sensors and the whole exhaust system. This is a cleaner for a slightly clogged catalytic converter that lost its power due to time. Of course, you can also use other brands of catalytic cleaners, but this one has worked best for me so far. Ensure that you are using the required amount for your car type and engine, so you are not using too much of the product — this can cause even more damage to your catalytic converter in some cases.

Drive your car a couple of miles to see if your car runs better than before. Always keep an eye on the coolant temperature though to make sure that you are not overheating the car. If you tried the Oxicat catalytic converter cleaner , but the problem still persists, there is not much more to do than removing the catalytic converter to inspect it and to make sure it looks okay.

Remember that there can be other causes of the P trouble code like faulty O2 sensors or exhaust leaks and the problem may not be in your catalytic converter. Removing the catalytic converter is often quite easy on most cars if you can get the rusty bolts loose.

In some cars, the catalytic converters are installed directly on the turbocharger, and in these cases, the removal of the catalytic converter may be more difficult.

If you still think that your catalytic converter is clogged and looks okay while inspecting it, you can try to clean it in a bath with water and lacquer thinner. This does sometimes work, and it may save you some money.

If you tried both the Oxicat cleaner and lacquer thinner, and you can not see any visual signs of damages, but the problem still insists — There is no option other than replacing the catalytic converter. You should also check for other problems — it might not be the catalytic converter causing your problem.

Catalytic converters are often expensive, and this is because there are noble metals inside them that cost a lot to produce.

Ask any car question in our new community! Magnus is the owner and main author of MechanicBase. He has been working as a mechanic for over 10 years, and the majority of them specialized in advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting. Certified Automotive Diagnostic Technician. I have 07 mit. Eclipse 4cyl manual that had timing belt go out and had replace engine valves, afterwards now will make 3rd exhaust manifold gasket having to replace. Believe Cadillac converter may be causing this to happen.

Any advice greatly appreciated. I have a Ford Expedition and I just replaced the motor. The truck was running fine before the motor went out,now after the new motor is in the truck seems to lack power and I'm thinking that the catalytic converters are clogged due to seeing lil chunks that look like wood laying behind by the tail pipe. What can I do?

Hey bud.. Can you still drive with a bad catalytic converter? I don't want to put my kids in danger. Can I try oxicat if i don't know if the cat. I have an 09 Honda Accord and the check engine just came out with a p how can I tell is catalytic converter or just a sensor.

Hello, We have a Hyundai Santa Fe - live in south Florida - and it has been running rough on start up. It was taken to a repair shop yesterday and we were told the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. However, I found your information on Oxicat and we would like to try it.

Is one use of it recommended, or is it something that should be added every time we fill our car with gas? Is the entire can used at one time? O have a 04 ford Taurus and changed the fuel filter,egr vale,egr valve sensor but the plastic egr sensor and 2 little hoses keep melting. I took it to get it tested and thats all pops up on the test. I don't know why it keeps melting them things.