There is a catalytic converter in all modern vehicle exhaust systems. A catalytic converter will last for ten years or more on a routine basis if well maintained. The truth, however, is that they can become polluted, clogged, overheated, or physically damaged, resulting in slow engine output. Car engines need a lot of oxygen, which means that less air will enter the system if the exhaust flow is limited and efficiency suffers. If the engine responds sluggishly or stops after running for a while, it could trigger a clogged converter.
Because of excessive quantities of unburned gas caused by a misfiring spark plug or a leaky exhaust valve, catalytic converters may overheat. A malfunctioning oxygen sensor can also cause overheating. It may also be damaged by road debris or driving over a curb, like other parts of the exhaust system.
How a Catalytic Converter Works
The toxic gases created by the car’s engine pass through a catalytic converter after a vehicle is started. A honeycomb pattern composed of precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium consists of the catalytic converter’s internal structure.
The catalytic converter is usually built to operate at a high temperature of around 800 ° F. A chemical reaction occurs, resulting in safer components, such as oxygen, water, and carbon dioxide, coming from your mufflers.
Causes of a Bad Catalytic Converter
Most catalytic converters can last a vehicle’s lifetime, as described earlier. But a catalytic converter can go wrong in some situations and needs to be replaced.
Almost all catalytic converter issues are due to a problem with the engine. It is most frequently caused by excess fuel entering the exhaust system owing to an inaccurate air/fuel combination, bad spark plugs, wrong engine timing, failed oxygen sensor, or other problems where fuel exits the engine’s combustion chamber unburned.
The catalytic converter reaches a temperature that is too high when this occurs and starts melting the inside or tearing the honeycomb material apart. This will then make the catalytic converter from not working correctly.
Failed gaskets, lousy valve seals, or worn piston rings may also trigger oil or antifreeze to enter the exhaust system and coat thick carbon soot on the ceramic catalyst inside the converter.
If this is allowed to go on long enough, the catalytic converter would be clogged by these carbon deposits, so it can’t do its job. In this case, the exhaust flow is blocked entirely, and the backpressure builds back to the engine, which can cause overheating and other problems.
Lastly, there can be physical harm to the catalytic converter. Rocks, road debris, or potholes can get or break the outer shell of a catalytic converter or the hangers that protect it, but it’s not common.
Repairing a Bad Catalytic Converter
If you think you have a bad or clogged catalytic converter, you can remove the clog by adding a catalytic converter cleaner to your gas. More than one use might be appropriate. Removing the cat and soaking it in a citric acid solution for 6-8 hours is an alternative and very sturdy way of cleaning a catalytic converter. Using sodium hydroxide is another choice. If the catalytic converter is broken, including parts of the honeycomb breaking off inside, attempting some repair is not fee-sable, even though you can see some people claiming otherwise. Repairing it is your only choice in these situations.
How to Prevent the Catalytic Converter From Clogging
The chance of your catalytic converter failing before it’s due will be reduced by having your exhaust, emissions, and combustion systems in the right conditions. The critical problems of acid rain and smog are these extremely hazardous substances, especially in low-lying valleys and critical metropolitan areas.
If you travel short distances with your car regularly, the hydrocarbons will not be burnt away because the catalytic converter does not get the chance to get hot enough. Try driving your car on the highway now and then for about 10 to 15 minutes to minimize the chances of getting a clogged catalytic converter.
To effectively burn off these hydrocarbon deposits, the requisite heat will be produced inside the catalytic converter, so it needs to run as efficiently as possible.
Final Words
A vital component of your car that needs to be maintained is the catalytic converter. Once the catalytic converter of your car goes terrible, other parts of your vehicle will be affected. Some would say, however, that you can still drive while the catalytic converter is defective, but it is not advisable to do so. If well maintained, the catalytic converter lasts for a long time, but if you notice that your catalytic converter is wrong, fix it or get a new one to prevent other parts of your car from being damaged.