Question 1

What is a Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

A honeycomb-like ceramic housing that purifies the exhaust and transforms the harmful carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and hydrocarbons into nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapors to keep the environment clean.
The catalytic converter is a two-chamber honeycomb-shaped ceramic material. The chambers consist of a little amount of platinum, palladium, and rhodium.

These precious metals react with harmful gases and break down to a less harmful substance like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water vapors to protect the environment from being toxic.

People like to call it a 'cat'.

Question 2

Where the Catalytic Converter is Located?

Accepted Answer

The catalytic converter is located in the middle of your exhaust pipe between the engine manifold and the muffler.

When you drive the vehicle, some unburnt fuel or hydrocarbon is discharged from the combustion through the exhaust, incomplete combustion creates toxic carbon monoxide, also oxygen with nitrogen at high temperature in the combustion chamber creates nitrogen oxide. All these gases are harmful to both human health and the environment.

To purify these toxic materials and keep the environment healthy to breathe, catalytic converters are placed between the exhaust manifold and the muffler (aka silencer).

Question 3

How Long Catalytic Converter Last?

Accepted Answer

Catalytic converters last 15 years or 150,000 miles on average. However, you may experience lower or higher durability with your cat because of other correlated things.

A perfectly functional car without any problem won't make the cat bad unless you damage it physically. As there are no mechanical moving parts or similar things in the converter, it remains in good shape unless corroborated with some other problems in your vehicle.

Question 4

What are the Symptoms of a Bad Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

Catalytic converters can go bad because of getting old, contaminated exhaust, or physical damage to the converter due to driving on rough terrain, etc.

A bad catalytic converter can generate multiple types of symptoms, some of which can lead you to a costly repair. Most common symptoms of the bad catalytic converter are-
1. Check Engine Light
2. Vehicle Won't Accelerate
3. Unusually Excessive Heat Under the Vehicle
4. Dark or Gray Exhaust
5. Unusual Smell From Exhaust
6. Rattling Noise Under the Vehicle

Question 5

How to Diagnose Catalytic Converter Problems?

Accepted Answer

There are hundreds of ways by which you can diagnose problems relating to the cat. However, we are sharing with you only the easy steps. That we feel most people would be happy to do without consulting any mechanic. So, let's get started-
1. Age of the Catalytic Converter
2. Exhaust Leak
3. Check Entire Cooling System
4. Is there any problem with the Engine
5. Is There Any Problem in Muffler
6. The temperature of the Catalytic Converter
7. Check Pressure
8. Use a Gas Analyzer to Check Emissions

Question 6

What to Do if my Catalytic Converter is Bad?

Accepted Answer

The first thing to check is the age of the catalytic converter. If your vehicle is comparatively new, has less than 80000 miles in it, or less than 8 years (whichever comes first), you are covered by federal catalytic converter warranty.

You can get a free cat for free without spending on this.

However, the federal warranty covers other emission control parts as well for 2 years or 20,000 miles.

If your car is older or has more than 80000 miles, you need to replace or repair the failed catalytic converter.

Question 7

How to Replace a Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

Replacing catalytic converter is an easy task when you have some common hand tools. Cats are generally installed with bolts and the replacement process only requires you to purchase a new catalyst, remove the old one from the exhaust, and install the new converter.

However, if your vehicle has a welded converter, then you need to cut loose the old one from the exhaust and weld the new one to the exhaust pipe.

Question 8

What happens I Don't Replace My Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

Catalytic converters prevent harmful emissions. If you have a bad catalytic converter, your vehicle won't pass the emissions test due to the presence of toxic pollutants.

Apart from these issues, you will experience reduced acceleration, lower fuel economy, dark exhaust smoke, and reduced engine performance, etc.

Engine failure is the worst that can happen due to catalytic converter failure. This can happen because of the back pressure build-up on the engine due to a clogged up catalytic converter.

Question 9

How Long Can You Drive with a Bad Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

Removing a bad catalytic converter from the exhaust pipe will keep your vehicle functioning normally if any other problem does not arise in the meantime.

However, driving with a clogged catalytic converter can result in poor acceleration, engine problems, engine components failure, reduced vehicle performance, and Importantly, will reduce engine power.

Before these symptoms start appearing and damage the vehicle, you may get around 50 miles of free ride. However, we don't recommend driving with a failed cat. If symptoms appear outside of your house, slow down your vehicle and reach your home ASAP.

Question 10

Can You Repair a Catalytic Converter?

Accepted Answer

No, bad or damaged catalytic converters are not repairable. Because there are no electrical components or any machinery at all, you can't even attempt to repair the converter.

However, if the problem is only a clogged up catalytic converter. Then you can try to unclog the pores with thinner, detergent, and pressure washer combination.

Question 11

How to Fix Catalytic Converter Without Replacing?

Accepted Answer

A catalytic converter is a combination of two chunks of honeycomb-shaped ceramic. Failed catalytic converters with physical damage are irreparable.

However, you can unclog a clogged cat by removing it from the chamber and soaking into detergent mixed water overnight. Here is the process to follow-

1. Remove the catalytic converter from the exhaust pipe by unbolting with a wrench. You may need to spray degreaser on the bolt to make things easy to remove.

2. Prepare a bucket full of water. Pour powerful detergents in it and mix perfectly so that they dissolve into the water.

3. Soak the cat in the bucket and leave it there for at least 12 hours. Allow the cat to absorb the detergents into it.

4. Contaminants should start breaking down within 4 hours and can take up to 24 hours to be clear fully. After the contaminants break down, use a pressure washer to eliminate the particles from the converter.

However, this process won't work in case you have a broken cat or the catalytic is too contaminated that the composites are not breaking down.

But repairing catalytic converter is worth a try because of the money you need to spend on a new catalytic converter replacement.

Question 12

How to Keep a Catalytic Converter in Good Shape?

Accepted Answer

Here are some key steps to follow for keeping your ceramic catalyst in good shape for an extended period- 1. Bad fuel burns bad, causing emissions of harmful substances. For protecting the converter, make sure to use the right kind of fuel the manufacturer recommends you to use. 2. The catalytic converter is brittle. So, be cautious when driving on bumpy roads, speed breakers, etc. Drive carefully so that the catalytic converter does not get physically damaged by contact with heavy road elements. 3. Misfire in the engine causes unburnt fuel to reach the exhaust. But the catalytic converter prevents the unburnt fuel from escaping and sometimes, the fuel can burn inside the catalyst ceramic due to the heat and damage the internals. 4. As you already know that the catalytic converters heat up pretty well. Getting in touch with water abruptly can cause the internals to cool down suddenly resulting in a cracked catalyst. So, avoid puddles and roads that mimic a similar situation. 5. Inspect the exhaust components regularly and see if any problems appearing or not. Finding a malfunction in the exhaust or engine before damaging the catalytic converter will save you from spending hundreds on a new converter.

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