How to Clean a Catalytic Converter

[@nickburbach5811]

Thank you very much. Just did this and the shear amount of black that came out was amazing. Last year the truck barely passed and I gotta test again so I'll keep yall posted.

[@writtenpieceopaper1]

How did it go,

[@nickburbach5811]

@@writtenpieceopaper1 It worked. Just got my emissions done today. Passed with flying colors where last year I barely passed.

[@nickburbach5811]

Update! It worked, did my emissions today and passed with flying colors where last year the truck barely passed. Had to drive it for a while before the smell of vinegar left the exhaust but it works.

[@writtenpieceopaper1]

@nickburbach5811 thank you so much for the update. I decided to replace them after all because I couldn't restore flow to one side (my jeep wrangler has 4 cats not 2). I left mine soaking in water and soap, water, and water with 5% bleach a day each. One side flowed water much better but the other side, I couldn't even push a shop vacuum air the same even with slight improvement. That side had thick white rust build up that may have been just the substrate falling apart/ melted (that cat did have some chunks missing). HOWEVER, I'm soaking the oxygen sensors since they were fouled by the silicone on the lower intake gasket rtv / coolant leak on one side (the melty side). A few hours and the white stuff was flaking off the inside too. I read that oxalic acid and citric acid restore up to 95% of catalytic converter. Vinegar is a weak ish acid right? So maybe that's why it works so well.

[@alanarmstrong9571]

U r welcome my friend.! Hey tha'ts what life is all about.! People helping people.! 👍

[@jd5179]

What i did, soak it up with acetone overnight, flush it with water - used my torch to heat it up and flush it with water - did that 4 times . Blow air using leaf blower . Voila - was able to unclog it

[@shuffleshuffleshuffle]

Did you reinstall them and no code or problems?

[@gerlandkent6377]

I, set the welder up on high and burn out the insides were I can see threw it. Works great now.

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Yes. That is also a Trucker Dave approved method.

[@gerlandkent6377]

Thank, you

[@gerlandkent6377]

Thank, you.👍

[@endurofan9854]

true, but then, good luck on its emission

[@pensiveintrovert4318]

Cats are not designed to trap particulates. They are designed to promote oxidation of fuel that is not burned by an engine, thus reducing pollution.

[@philtowle4683]

The large surface area once oil coated will trap particulates though.

[@harshabiliangady3211]

Well that was good. One Mechanic in Bharat washed the Catalytic Converter with Hydrogen peroxide and a popular brand of Hair Shampoo and let it soak for a few hours. Once the H2O2 started to bubble out came all the carbon and then he rinsed the Converter with 'Tap Water' and finally 1 liter of Diesel first and then 1liter of Petrol to wash out the Diesel and viola I guess the converter was as good as new. It changed from blocked to bright light visible at the end of the tunnel.

[@JesuslivesFE]

I capped one end. Poured lacquer in. Let soak a couple days. Poured out laquer. Filled with Dawn soap w water. Let soak one day. Rinse. And boy, they came out sparkling clean like brand new cats.

[@rickgaldo8889]

That sounds better than what this guy is doing.

[@joepearlzz8504]

Dont you have to use lacquer tinner with dilution with water. Can’t put it pure?

[@2bnax]

OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO KNOW IF IT WORKED TO RESOLVED ANY FUNCTIONAL ISSUES WITH THE CAR / TRUCK

[@alanarmstrong9571]

Try it again with lacquer thinner.!

[@nirved9336goyal]

you first use diesel and then petrol for cleaning then again use water finally use air pressure or leaf blower it will be completely new

[@camposvazquez]

I rinse well with water.. soak overnight in acetone... Rinse well with water... Dry with a blow dryer... Code went away.... 3 years ago.. still running strong and code free

[@abdullahbinabbas1706]

Did you try it or only you watched the video on youtube

[@carrytrainer.editor3321]

Cool, thanks for inlet/outlet and distilled water tips!

[@godslayer75gaming45]

Watch Mukesh Chandra gond video of cleaning cathlatic cleaning then u will understand how to clean it properly and make it 80% new

[@pedojoegottagoimmediately1068]

I'm gonna use a rod and a hammer 😅😅😅

[@MrDarangel]

Mukesh chandra

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

Considering how expensive cats are, especially in a state like California, it's worth a try! I am curious, would using a cheap pump to flush the liquid through help make the process more effective by more or less flowing liquid through, therefore helping to dislodge more crap that's inside there potentially blocking the honeycomb and reducing the efficiency of the cat? It's also nice you touched on the fact that yes some states don't do testing but it's still Federally required and unless you have an exemption, you can get into SERIOUS trouble running without a cat in your car. Let's say more than what it would cost to replace the one you had.

[@mattusapparatus5968]

Why not use the hose to pressure blast it out then just rinse it with distilled?

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Because all the minerals in tap water will reattach themselves to the Catalyst after you use the vinegar to remove them. It sounds weird but that's why. The tap water is full of minerals that will get hung up and stuck in the catalyst system. It doesn't seem like a big deal but it's just an extra step to keep extra particulates out of your Catalyst after you spent all that time cleaning it

[@Pallidus_Rider]

Long term fix is to use tap water. The hard Kansas water actually does a better job than the catalytic converter for cleaning exhaust gases

[@choochooman]

So the catalytic converter is another source for burning the exhaust coming from the car right? What other ways could this be accomplished without using the chemicals they use in the converters? Say maybe simple coils like what's in a toaster? Something that could produce enough heat to re-burn the exhaust? Maybe screening condensed enough to glow hot from the exhaust, to re-burn the exhaust?

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

They do that on diesel engines. The first generation emission systems just reburn the exhaust inside the catalyst. The problem with doing that is it just comes down to heat. If you tried doing that with a gas-powered car he'll most likely catch it on fire. I'm of the opinion that cleaner exhaust starts at the fuel end rather than the exhaust end. Cleaner fuel and a properly tuned engine will cut your exhaust output drastically. Story nobody likes to tell, it's back in the old days when I was a kid and we had emissions checks, and cars burning leaded gas, if you were to keep them properly tuned up you could blow cleaner than a new car today. The best way I have found to deal with emissions is to treat it at the source. Catalytic converters are designed to deal with the waste so if you cut the waist down drastically, you'll get a more efficient burn in the catalytic converter

[@endurofan9854]

yup, vwry well said sir, its much better to fixed the cause rather than just the after effect

[@woohoofromtexasharris4814]

Could electrolysis work?? 😁😁😁🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🚚 I just had a cat replaced on my Ford Transit 350. My fuel mileage went from 15 to over 18 mpg.

[@andretorben9995]

Remove the cat and with a bar or small pipe smash the core, if its a metal type it will just crunch up and you can knock it out, ceramic types will just crumble and fall out easily. Either type the case will not be damaged at all and you can re-install. Never again any problems. Best fix I ever did to my cars.

[@kymcnorton]

So i have a subaru and the cats are connected to some crazyyy long pipes...you think this will still work?

[@bichchan7268]

Does it work on semi truck

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Yes but it's just a band-aid. It'll give you a few more miles but it's not a permanent fix

[@ehz4641]

What about using a pressure washer ?

[@andrewwmacfadyen6958]

Destroys the matrix

[@deadingraves]

Like the cutlass, I've had several in my life, and three of them were '76 and '77. Such a fun and easy to work on car.

[@sethwilliamson3667]

Good video but it has me wondering about the converters cut out of the mustang straight piping illegal in all 50 states lol did we straight pipe the mustang? 🤣 I'm probably going to straight pipe mine very soon. 99 Silverado 4.8 I just cannot afford to have it done legally.

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Trust me, I understand.

[@antonettehill5337]

Question i scan my car and get this readinh code(P0420 TW catalyst sys-1 Ecm engine control) let me know which one of the oxygen sensor my catalytic i can see right through ot nothing is in it,i have a AD wagon 2012

[@rolandomarte7569]

Bank 1 sensor 1

[@knucklehednation]

Would it be possible to soak in vinegar then pressure wash the cats. Then soak in vinegar again and do a final rinse with boiling hot distilled water? Perhaps it would clean them even better and last longer than 20k to 30k.

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

I would suppose you could try it. There are many different ways to clean these. on our semi trucks we do have a process where we do boil them in a homemade solution of dawn dish soap and some other stuff I can't remember. A lot of guys also will bake these and then clean them out with compressed air. The purpose of the distilled water is to make sure there's no minerals or anything that would reattach itself to the metals inside the converter. I guess to break it down into simplest terms, using non-flammable cleaner and the cleanest nonmeneralized water you can get a hold of. I suppose if you had a Boiling Pot of distilled water, like a turkey fryer, I'm sure it would work fine but I'm not sure it would do any better than just rinsing. It would be interesting to find out though if it does

[@jadeshaw1867]

Petrol would work way better than vinegar. I have a spare egr body for my car. Anytime it gets clogged up just swap it for the spare and put the 1 iv took off in a tub of petrol. Let it soak for a day. Then 5mins in the ultrasonic cleaner to get any petrol residue off. Always comes up like new

[@christophertatem8790]

Lunch time? So we ARE cooking here

[@yaqoobansari738]

Is this laquied venigar safe for catalic converter????

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Yes but you have to rinse it thoroughly with distilled water

[@yaqoobansari738]

@@truckerdaveandred6731 what about patrol diesel and acid for cleaning catalytic converter????

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

@@yaqoobansari738 you should never use anything flammable because you will burn your car down

[@yaqoobansari738]

@@truckerdaveandred6731 that's really very helpful and great information for me. Thank you so much 🌹🌹🌹

[@TampasHotwheels]

Awesome video Dave👍❤👊😁😎 Tell Red & Kayla I said hello👋👋👋

[@louisriopel4606]

Helpful and funny vidéo. Thanks for your good work.

[@starguard4122]

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of the Mechanics out there will clean their customers catalytic converters the same way they're being done in this video, weld them back in place, then charge them well over $1000 for a new one (plus labor) 🤨

[@JoseLopez-oj2ni]

I agree....your right. Mechanic or shop do that shit here in california 😂

[@romanbezensek7595]

I pour 5 liters of thinner into the tank and pour fuel. And I drive like that. 1 to 2x a year.

[@Markb8608]

I guess vinegar doesn't work on diesel cat?

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Carbon is carbon. It will work. I actually got this trick from a guy who worked at Cummings. You just have to make sure you use distilled water to flush it. He was very firm about that

[@runelund5600]

@@truckerdaveandred6731 You can not clean Carbon and oil with vinegar, the water in the bucket showed it, clean water 😃

[@tinaharvey356]

My car is making a lot of noise. But not using much oil .

[@sweaty_gamez5106]

Can u reuse those cats 🐈 you cleaned ?? U said u didn’t have no use for them but could you reassemble it back to a vehicle or is it because it’s off that mustang??

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

Yes, I can reuse them if I wish. I don't have anything I can use them on at the moment. These came off my brother's GT Mustang but if I need them on any dual exhaust setup, they would work. They're not car specific in their General application.

[@isrealperez9069]

Can cat out when you pull the second cat out something fell out of it which is no longer on your camera the other thing is because you live out in the country why couldn't you experiment the cats by adding carp cleaner or if you can find a bottle of carb cleaner why not just pour it in there or even brake clean import it in there

[@robertrose3068]

Carp cleaner sounds fishy

[@isrealperez9069]

@@robertrose3068 carb cleaner or any cleaning agency does it work for cleaning catalytic converters

[@herrlip72]

what about letting them soak in kerosine?

[@howardmiller4241]

Used cats are selling really high right now lol

[@panagiotisklaipelas]

Use vinegar is the best way to clean catalyc converter system.

[@tinaharvey356]

I don't think mine bolts on. It would be good . I'd go out of town and drop it.

[@rogeliorodriguez5427]

That ACDELCO creeper.

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

I like my creeper

[@arielescarza3288]

❤

[@LogITECH-jk1ss]

Usd boiling hot 🔥 water works way better

[@R2b_2]

Just use petrol or diesel ⛽😂😂😂 and shake well

[@roadway2peace]

rinse with lacq thinner. thats all

[@spicykingcamandriley2395]

Sell the old converter and with the money buy new one and have some change

[@brents3734]

I did the one with BOURBON not Vinegar It works for me Mmmmm , mmmmm

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

That's a big Tumblr. Put it in the freezer overnight and it'll be epic

[@spicykingcamandriley2395]

The money you make from them old converters will buy you new ones

[@1perveysage]

I cleaned mine by tossing them.

[@nitabrown68]

😂

[@WillCtheMechDrummer]

🤣🤣 done and done!

[@luciorocha9471]

Parabéns pelo excelente vídeo!

[@mazlanothman9994]

Vineger can faster rusty

[@hkdwee4200]

We not cooki'n

[@brettservin4395]

Parts cleaner sink

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

That'll destroy the precious metals inside the catalytic converter and probably cause a fire if not thoroughly rinsed.

[@brettservin4395]

@truckerdaveandred6731 can't find anything that would say it's unsafe. Never tried it. Figured it could be safe. I can see it being a hazard if it wasn't done properly. Right on, man. Thanks for the comment!

[@truckerdaveandred6731]

@@brettservin4395 there are a lot of different ways that it is done but most of these commercial places have the proper equipment to do it safely. Just doing it in your driveway like I'm doing, and like most everybody else, this is been the safest way I found to do it. And this why doesn't damage any of the internals, it just removes the carbon from the inside of the Catalyst and leave the clean surface

[@brettservin4395]

@@truckerdaveandred6731 cool man. I'll do that. Thanks.

[@johndelong5574]

Perchloric acid and vanadium will eat carbon but wildissolve the ceramic

[@tonybotz2144]

Cmon,,, the hard part is getting it out…. If this was the case I’d put a new one in…. How to clean it without removing it…. Then you have my attention other then that is all bull

[@bn8298]

Upstream o2 hole maybe ...

[@Snceday1]

AA meetings

[@danielfiore8865]

He said "microscopically" Please don't try that again.

[@nitabrown68]

That was lunch,🥃🥃🥃😂😂😂

[@خالدوحيد-ف8ث]

You talk a lot without doing. Work in silence

[@rickgaldo8889]

That’s garbage.

[@yellowtrain3161]

Can’t you just use parts cleaner?

[@hugoaguiar4400]

Buy a new catalytic converter