The catalytic converter is designed to give you about 10 years of life. The converter will get clogged over time by the very carbons it removes from your vehicle’s exhaust. Unfortunately, a clogged catalytic converter must be replaced; there’s no way to repair it. We can replace your converter in one to four hours depending on the condition of the converter and its bolts. Here are signs that it is time to remove the old converter and replace it with a new one.
Check Engine Warning
One of the first things that may happen is the check engine warning light may come on. A faulty catalytic converter is one reason why this light turns on. The light will remain lit until you replace the converter and restore the exhaust flow out of the exhaust system.
Acceleration/Performance Lag
The converter is located behind the exhaust manifold so it can receive the exhaust from the manifold. If the converter is severely clogged, it will stop the flow of the exhaust. Consequently, the exhaust will build up in the combustion chamber and cause a lag in your engine’s performance.
Reduced Fuel Economy
Unfortunately, this problem only gets worse. The lagging engine will consume more fuel, and, as such, you will see a noticeable reduction in your fuel economy. This can make things hard for those on a tight budget. You never want to spend more money on fuel than you normally do.
Dark Engine Exhaust Smoke
The converter converts the dangerous carbons in your exhaust to safer carbons for the environment. If the exhaust system is clogged, you may end up with more fuel in the combustion chamber. This will create dark exhaust smoke that flows out of the tailpipe.
Burning Sulfur Odors
One of the carbon deposits that builds up inside the converter is sulfur. Unfortunately, sulfur releases a rotten egg odor when burning exhaust flows over it. As such, you may notice a sulfur odor in your exhaust and coming from underneath your car, truck, or utility vehicle.
Excessive Undercarriage Heat
Finally, the converter will start to get too hot when it is clogged and needs to be replaced. As such, you will have excessive heat underneath your automobile. As you learned in science class, heat rises. This heat can increase your engine’s overall temperature.
Bring your vehicle to our auto repair shop if you are having any of the problems discussed in this blog post. We will inspect the catalytic converter and replace it if it is clogged.
