How To Fix Catalytic Converter Clog (Unclog Catalytic Converter Hammer)

When a car owner suspects they have a clogged catalytic converter they are often put off by the cost of taking it to a professional to have it professionally cleaned. At times the cost to have it professionally cleaned can be as much as the price of a new catalytic converter. Luckily there is a simple, safe, and dependable way to unclog a catalytic converter the old-fashioned way. While it might sound strange, you can actually use baking soda and vinegar to unblock your catalytic converter.

In this article, we going to look at various ways on how to fix catalytic converter clog. The items to use to unclog catalytic converter hammer. So if you are looking for a solution on how to fix a clogged up catalytic converter, then you are just in the right place.

Here are some additional topics and questions people ask on catalytic converter clogs that I will discuss in this article: how to unclog catalytic converter hammer, how to fix a clogged up catalytic converter, how to fix a partially clogged catalytic converter, how do you unclog a catalytic converter using a vinegar, what can i use to unclog a catalytic converter and finally how do you unclog a catalytic converter without removing it

How To Fix Catalytic Converter Clog (Unclog Catalytic Converter Hammer)

Cat converters can be fixed via different methods on how to fix catalytic converter clogs or to, unclog a catalytic converter hammer. But whenever a cat converter loses parts inside or is clogged, a professional mechanics will normally change them instead of cleaning them. However, that might not the most cost-efficient method. You need to try other cat restoration methods first

Below are some of the steps you may need to take to unclog catalytic converter hammer before seeking the replacement route.

How To Fix Catalytic Converter Clog

If you want to fix a catalytic converter without removing it, just follow these few steps to get it done:

Step 1. Get Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner

One of the easy methods of cleaning a cat converter without removing it is by making use of a cat converter cleaning product such as Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner

With Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner, it doesn’t matter if you use petrol, diesel, or hybrid vehicle. Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner will help clean your cat converter, and will also clean your Oxygen sensors and the whole exhaust system.

But note that this cleaning product will not repair mechanical issues inside your cat converter if it’s cracked, broken, or too clogged. This product is just a cleaner for a cat converter that is slightly clogged.

Also, remember that you can still use other brands of catalytic cleaners, but this one has worked best for me and others.

Step 2. Add the Catalytic converter cleaner into your fuel tank.

Examine your cleaner’s manual and add the exact quantity of cleaner into the fuel tank as mentioned in your manual. Make sure that you’re using the required quantity for your vehicle type and engine, this is to ensure that you’re not using too much of the product. When you use too much, it can cause even more damage to your cat converter in some cases.

Step 3. Drive your car

You need to drive your car a while to observe if your car will run better than before. Make sure you drive your car at high RPMs of more than 3000 for a long distance to make the cat converter hot so that it can burn out the clog inside it.

Items To Use To Unclog Catalytic Converter Hammer

Do you want to know the items for unclogging your catalytic converter hammer? But first, you have to determine if it is damaged. After you must have checked that it’s not damaged, then the next step would be to take it off and clean it manually. The best way to clean it is using water and lacquer thinner.

Below are the items needed to unclog the catalytic converter hammer:

An oxygen sensor wrench
Car and truck jack stands
An automotive floor jack
A wrench with different socket sizes
water and lacquer thinner

How To Unclog Catalytic Converter Hammer

As you know, a clogged cat converter normally isn’t clean, it should be replaced. Whenever a cat converter is clogged, the exhaust system will superheat the catalysts inside, and this will melt/fuse them creating more blockage. So it should be replaced.

You might be asking; how do I unclog the catalytic converter hammer?

You can unclog your catalytic converter by cleaning it, which you can do with and without removing it. You can use Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner to unclog your cat without removing it.

Just pour Cataclean Catalytic Converter Cleaner into your fuel tank, and drive your vehicle a couple of miles to observe if your car will run better than before. Note that it doesn’t matter if you have petrol, diesel, or hybrid vehicle, it applies to all.

How To Fix A Clogged Up Catalytic Converter

To fix a clogged Cat converter, you can get it done by removing it. But you should only practice this method when you have tried the first method, and it didn’t work for you. Here are the tools you will need:

A large container
Some automotive degreaser
Some penetrating oil
A Floor jack
Jack stands
An impact wrench
A pressure washer

Here’s how you go about this method:

Allow the exhaust system to cool down so you don’t get burnt.
Next is to jack up the car and leave it suspended with jack stands
Remove the oxygen sensor(s)
Make sure to apply some penetrating oil before you loosen the bolts.
Check the cat converter after taking it off. In case you hear a loud rattle sound, then you should stop because the catalytic converter components are most likely in pieces. But if you don’t hear anything, then the process should be continued.
Now use the pressure washer to wash out the catalytic converter at low Then put the catalytic converter in hot water and degreaser.
You can now rinse the catalytic converter with the pressure washer at low pressure.
Now reinstall your cat converter after draining and drying it.
Then reinstall the O2 sensor(s) after the catalytic converter is back in its position

How To Fix A Partially Clogged Catalytic Converter

You can buy an additive cleaner like Solder-It Catalytic Converter Cleaner or Cataclean. They will help to remove every carbon deposit. Here are the steps needed:

Buy catalytic converter cleaner and get some fuel. Get some fuel in a can and buy Solder-It Catalytic Converter Cleaner, Cataclean, or any cleaner that’s compatible with your vehicle. But note that there are cleaners that only work with diesel or gasoline engines, and there are others that work with both.
Have the cleaner poured into your fuel tank. The instructions regarding the required quantity to pour into your fuel tank and how much fuel you should have in the vehicle can be found on the product’s label.
Take a drive. Once you have added the solution, start your engine and drive the car for a while. When you drive the car, it will circulate the cat cleaner to clean your exhaust system. How long that is needed to drive for the best results will be stated on the cleaner’s label.

How Do You Unclog A Catalytic Converter Using A Vinegar

Vinegar happens to be an acidic product that can dissolve lots of salts, including carbon buildup. So whenever your cat converter is been removed from your vehicle, you can fully immerse it inside a vinegar solution and leave it there for a few hours. You can still try to agitate the converter for few times to make sure that the vinegar penetrates through the converter’s interior.

Now take off the converter from the solution, and leave the vinegar to evaporate.
Next is to use a pressure washer to clean it up further, then dry the converter and then reinstall it back.
Now examine any error code clearance, check the inlet and outlet temperatures.
After doing this, check the readings from the O2 sensors to see if this method helped.

What Can I Use To Unclog A Catalytic Converter?

The first way to unclog a cat converter isn’t by taking it off, it can be unclogged using a liquid solution. Note that this method also helps in cleaning the exhaust system, as well as the vehicle’s fuel system and oxygen sensors. Below are what to use to unclog a catalytic converter.

1. The Hi-Gear EZ Emissions Pass and Cat Converter Cleaner

This is a fuel additive that can help you to scrub and clean the inside of your cat converter by removing all the deposits that prevent the catalytic from working perfectly. When you use this solution as directed, it can unclog your oxygen sensors, ensuring that they’re reading perfectly.

Note that you can pour this directly into a running engine’s carburetor, especially in older vehicles. This will allow it to work even better and faster than it would when diluted in a fuel tank.

Features of the Product:

It helps stop rotten egg smell
It helps to clean up oxygen sensors
It works well with all catalyst types

2. The DURA LUBE Severe Catalytic and Exhaust Treatment

This is a cat converter treatment that’s meant to clean up your clogged catalytic converter from oil poisons and debris. It can help to clean the entire system, which means that it will take off buildups and contamination that caused the cat to lose efficiency.

Features of the product:

It last longer
It protects the cat from long-term poisoning from phosphorous and zinc
It helps clear engine codes

3. CRC Guaranteed to Pass Emissions Test Formula

The CRC Guaranteed to Pass Emissions Test Formula has the potential to get rid of every carbon buildup in the cat converter. This type of contamination and debris is what causes the cat to be clogged, which can’t be removed even after fixing the other issues in the engine. There will be no need to replace the cat converter, you can just use CRC Guaranteed to Pass Emissions Test Formula to help get that carbon out.

Features of the Product:

It removes cat converter’s carbon buildup
It cleans cylinder head and fuel injectors
It reduces emissions

These catalytic converter cleaning solutions work by taking off all build-up of carbon in the engine exhaust system. When they are used as regular cleaning maintenance, they can help prolong the catalytic converter lifespan.

How Do You Unclog A Catalytic Converter Without Removing It?

The best way to clean a dirty converter isn’t by taking it off, it can be cleaned with a liquid solution. This method also helps in cleaning the exhaust system, as well as the vehicle’s fuel system and oxygen sensors. So if you intend to unclog a catalytic converter without removing it, then below is how to use catalytic converter cleaner.

Take off the seal from the bottle. You will need to empty the container into your gas tank.
Now drive the car for a minimum of 15 minutes to allow the cleaner to get into every part of your car.
In case you have error codes via your onboard computer (OBDII), then you need to clear them after you’ve driven the vehicle for a while.
Note that you need to have 1/3 of gas in your tank to enable the cleaner to mix very well with your fuel.
But in case your vehicle displays fault codes, then it should be taken for a ride for a minimum of 30 minutes to reset the OBDII.

You should carefully monitor and observe the above steps, and when done, you should clean the catalytic converter. Bear it in your mind that sometimes it may take a while for the cleaning solution to thoroughly pass through the catalytic converter.
This may take approximately about 30 minutes to drive for the cleaner solution to circulate to every part of the vehicle after pouring it into the gas tank. Just make sure you take a ride for a minimum of a mile to aid successful operation.

Conclusion

The cat converter happens to be an important component of your vehicle’s exhaust system. If your cat converter is maintained very well, it’s supposed to last for approximately 100,000 miles or more. But once it gets clogged up or faulty, it should be replaced.

But because catalytic converters are often expensive to replace, you can still clean them when they’re clogged. Cat converters are expensive because there are noble metals inside them that cost a lot to produce. So whenever your cat gets clogged, you can clean it using a cleaning solution to take off most of the unburned fuel.

I hope this post on how to fix catalytic converter clog with items to use to unclog catalytic converter hammer was helpful to you. how do you unclog a catalytic converter using a veniger? I am sure you know how that now following the steps above. Share this post if you find it to be helpful.