Can converter unlimited be cleaned

 

To neutralize toxic gases emitte from an internal combustion engine, a converter unlimited is installe in a car.

converter unlimited Is located at the outlet of the exhaust manifold. Although the service life of every  converter unlimited is about 150 thousand km, changing it is rather expensive. It is too expensive if you need to buy a new item.

A natural question arises whether it is possible to clean this car part and thus extend its resource. The answer is simple: cleaning is permissible, but there is no guarantee of a positive result. The problem is widespread and deserves more detailed consideration.

When should you clean your converter unlimited?

The unit, which looks like a resonator tank, is a container with two connecting pipes.

There are small ceramic honeycombs covere with a  converter unlimited layer base on precious metals (hence the high price of a spare part). Exhaust flue gases clog cells with soot and carbon deposits, gradually making catalyst impassable.

 

Cleaning or flushing the converter unlimited will give a positive result and extend the life of the element in such cases:

• If the procedure is performe as a preventive measure, long before the problem with it occurs.
• When the honeycomb is not damage and simply clogged with soot (the initial stage of the catalyst problem).
• If the ceramic structure is not melte due to the use of leade gasoline.

In other cases, a converter unlimited in a car will have to be changed to a new one or a cheaper flame arrester plus an emulator for the correct operation of the lambda sensor should be installed.

Clogging of the flow section of the converter unlimited is characterize by the following features:

• engine loses noticeably in power, acceleration becomes sluggish;
• fuel consumption due to the converter unlimited problem, on the contrary, increases;
• difficult starting of the motor;
• unreasonable stop of the engine at idle speed.

Cars equipped with two lambda sensors, show the problem indicating the Check Engine indicator on a driver’s dashboard. Electronics registers a decrease in efficiency and issues a corresponding error.

Regardless of the model of a car where it is installe, the  converter unlimited is quite expensive. For this reason, many drivers are wondering how to clean it without problems.

The option of converter unlimited cleaning without dismantling is a priority for vehicle owners because on many cars this part can be remove only by cutting it out of the exhaust system with a grinder.

Whether it is possible to clean the converter unlimited on a car will be described in detail to exclude all doubts on this matter.

When can self-cleaning be effective?

Before proceeding with active actions, it is necessary to find out in what cases the cleaning of a converter unlimited can be of any benefit.

Flushing the vehicle converter unlimited with special fluids can be most effective when:

• Implementation of preventive measures.
• Strong blockage of honeycombs with soot.
• If the catalytic converter has not yet faile, but a slight decrease in engine power and an increase in fuel consumption are already notice, then chemical cleaning is performe.

 

With strong blocking of honeycombs, but in the absence of melting, this method also allows you to significantly extend the life of a catalyst. And also increase engine power and reduce fuel consumption.

Car repair specialists practice the following options for cleaning:

• preventive cleaning with detergent;
• multiple flushing;
• mechanical  converter unlimited cleaning.

Preventive cleaning, as a rule, is carrie out with a mileage of 70 – 80 thousand km. This method allows you to improve the situation without dismantling the part.

Multiple flushing is use to clean a heavily soile converter unlimited. To clean it in this way, you will need to disassemble part of the vehicle’s exhaust system.

Mechanical cleaning is carrie out using a compressor and a brush. This type of cleaning is also performed on the dismantled section of the exhaust pipe.

The need for mechanical cleaning of  converter unlimited arises when it is not possible to remove contamination by flushing the part.

Professional cleaning liquid allows you not only to effectively remove carbon deposits on a catalyst of a car’s exhaust system but also to clean carburetor, fuel line and the tank of a car from deposits.

After using a liquid converter unlimited cleaner, the following positive changes are observe in various vehicle systems:

• carbon deposits are remove;
• engine power increases;
• reduced fuel consumption;
• reduced toxicity of exhaust gases;
• increased fuel knock is eliminate.

All these transformations are possible if the only original agent is use to clean the .converter unlimited

Cleaning with professional liquid will only be successful if the following conditions are followe:

1. Fill the gas tank 1/3 full.
2. Pour liquid cleaner into the gas tank.
3. Fill the tank up to 100%.
4. Operate machine until the full volume of fuel is used up.
5. One pack of liquid is enough to fill a fuel tank with a volume of 60 – 70 liters.
6. Fill a full tank with converter unlimited cleaning liquid.

For maximum effect, it is not recommended to refuel the vehicle while operating on fuel with an additive. Otherwise, the concentration of active substances will decrease, which will negatively affect the process of removing deposits formed on  converter unlimited cells.

Mechanical  converter unlimitedcleaning method

Can the converter unlimited be flushe if this part is heavily soile? In this case, it is better to use a mechanical method of cleaning.

This work is performe in the following sequence:

• The  converter unlimite is remove from a vehicle exhaust system.
• Contaminate honeycombs are gently cleane with fine sandpaper.
• The item is purge with compresse air.

The mechanical method has shown itself especially well for cleaning converter unlimited of diesel-powere machines. This part is heavily contaminate in such cars, therefore, with a careful approach, it is possible to restore the throughput of a product.

Work should be done very carefully so as not to damage the inside of a converter unlimited, which is made of special ceramics.

Tips & Tricks

If, after adding an additive to gasoline, it was not possible to restore the converter unlimited’s performance, then you cannot do without disassembling the exhaust system of a car.

If the method of mechanical catalyst cleaning with your own hands for one reason or another will not be possible, then use flushing with catalyst cleaning fluid.

It is not recommende to use gasoline, acetone, or other solvents for this purpose.

Before cleaning the converter unlimited make sure that its internal parts are not deforme. If, as a result of a check, significant areas with melte honeycombs are identifie, a complete replacement will be require.

Despite the recommendations of many garage craftsmen to completely remove the catalyst from the exhaust system of a car, this shoul not be done. The absence of a catalyst in a car significantly increases the toxicity of products resulting from the combustion of automobile fuel.