Replacing the catalyst. Procedure for replacing the catalytic converter

Repairing, removing or replacing the catalyst is a procedure that owners of cars more than 5 years old often face.

Factors that reduce the life of the catalytic converter

Main breakdowns and signs of catalyst malfunctions

Diagnostics

DIY catalyst repair

Common options for replacing a catalytic converter Repair and replacement of the Suzuki SX4 1.6L catalyst with a flame arrester. Video:

Catalyst Removal: Pros and Cons

Reviews, comments

Purchase of catalysts: metal, ceramic, particulate filters - https://dragincat.ru/

Depending on the design of the exhaust system, the nature of the damage and the wishes of the car owner, the problem of a faulty catalytic converter can be solved in several ways. Read more about all aspects of repairing and replacing a faulty catalyst below.

There is a similar article on this topic - Pros and cons of replacing the catalyst with a flame arrester.

Functions of the catalytic converter

The catalyst or catalytic converter has been used in the automotive industry for over 30 years. Its main function is to reduce the emission of environmentally harmful substances contained in exhaust gases into the atmosphere. The catalytic converter, through chemical reactions, creates conditions in which exhaust gases burn out and are transformed into substances that are safer for the environment. Substances such as carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide), nitrogen oxides and other hydrocarbons are partially or completely neutralized.

From the point of view of environmental safety, the appearance of this part in the automotive industry is a real breakthrough, since the impact of harmful substances on the environment and people has been reduced to almost zero. Of course, you have to pay for everything: the catalytic converter is a very “delicate” unit, so replacing the converter is not a rare occurrence.

What is a flame arrester

Trunk automotive flame arrester made of stainless steel

In appearance, this device is very similar to a conventional resonator installed in the exhaust pipe, i.e. it is a metal sleeve with many holes in the side wall. However, the flame arrester has one feature. It reduces not only the noise level emitted by the engine. It can also lower the temperature of the exhaust gases. Depending on the installation location, flame arresters are:

• main (i.e. installed in the exhaust pipe);
• collector (they are installed directly on the engine manifold);

Schematic design of a car flame arrester

Catalytic converter device

The catalytic converter-neutralizer is a continuation of the exhaust pipe with a separate housing, in which the exhaust gas neutralization reaction takes place. The entire body of the neutralizer is filled with very small honeycombs, which are coated with precious metals - gold, platinum, palladium or rhodium. This may seem strange to some, but gold has been increasingly used lately due to its lower cost. These metals “help” create the necessary chemical reaction to burn harmful substances.

The honeycomb on most vehicles is made of ceramic, but more expensive exhaust system options have a metallic honeycomb. There is absolutely no difference in operation, but the metal is an order of magnitude stronger and more resistant to mechanical damage. Next, we will consider how to identify a malfunction and how to repair the catalyst.

Diagnostics

Even at home, you can check the catalyst and identify the problem in most cases. To do this, follow the simple instructions, choose those actions that are most suitable in a particular situation:

1. First of all, inspect the unit for damage or burnout of the housing. Also pay attention to the connections; if there is a black coating around them, then the insulating layer is damaged.
2. Start the engine and close the exhaust pipe opening with a gloved hand. If everything is normal, then the exhaust gases will push the hand away and break out. When there are problems, you can easily close the muffler.
3. Remove the catalyst. Despite its apparent simplicity, the work is complex and time-consuming, because the high temperature causes the bolts to stick strongly and it takes considerable effort to remove them. Sometimes you have to cut off the fasteners and install new bolts. It is best to carry out work from a pit or on an overpass to ensure safety.
4. After removal, turn the housing over in different directions - if powder and pieces of the matrix fall out of the holes, it is unlikely that it will be possible to restore the operation of the catalyst due to severe damage.
5. You can also use a flashlight. Shine it on one side - the light should shine through from the other side. If there are few or no rays, the ceramic element is clogged.
6. Use a pressure gauge, which should be connected through an adapter to the hole in the lambda probe located at the inlet to the housing. Start the engine and maintain the speed at 2500 for 15-20 seconds. If the indicator is higher than 0.3 kgf/cm², then there are problems that need to be solved.

By the way!

If problems arise, first check that the sensors are working properly. This is done using computer diagnostics.

Causes of catalytic converter malfunction

There are many reasons that can cause catalytic converter failure, since the honeycomb can become clogged and destroyed under the influence of many factors. We list the main causes of catalyst failure:

• Mechanical damage. A collision with a curb or a stone “shot” from under the wheel can permanently damage this unit.
• Malfunctions in the ignition. Any misfire leaves the fuel-air mixture unburned, which can simply wash away precious metals from the surface of the honeycomb.
• Poor fuel quality. Various impurities in gasoline can also damage the components of the unit. For example, the lead contained in such fuel clogs the honeycombs and leaves no chance for the neutralizer.
• Wear of the cylinder-piston group and valves. Engine oil entering the catalytic converter housing will also clog the pores and cause malfunction.

Major catalytic converter failures

Most often, a ceramic-type matrix with honeycombs is installed inside the device. This type of catalyst occurs in more than 85% of cases, so it is worth considering its failures as the most common. Among the most common problems are:

1. Mechanical destruction or damage to the ceramic element due to strong impacts or deformation of the housing. Even a stone that gets into the catalyst can cause problems: ceramics can withstand high temperatures, but its mechanical resistance is low. You should not discount destruction due to long-term use or manufacturing defects, which are often found on budget cars, where they save on literally everything.
2. Melting of ceramics due to severe overheating and prolonged exposure to extremely high temperatures. In this case, both the channels in the honeycombs and the longitudinal cavities through which exhaust gases pass can be damaged.
3. Over time, the matrix can become dirty and clogged with soot and soot, which initially reduces the passage capacity of the channels, and then can completely prevent the normal passage of exhaust gases, causing problems with the engine. This is a particularly typical breakdown for cars that drive mainly around the city and do not operate under high loads. From time to time you need to go on the highway and accelerate to high speed so that the soot in the catalyst burns out and is removed by increasing the pressure.
4. The catalytic converter has exhausted its service life and the reduction and oxidation reactions in the cells stop, which over time inevitably leads to contamination of the system.
5. The stainless steel case is durable, but it can also burn out. Most often, such problems are observed on old machines that have been in use for a couple of decades or even more.
6. Heat-resistant gaskets, which are responsible for the reliable connection of the elements, are pressed through over time and exhaust gases pass through the joint. This not only worsens the environment, but also causes loud noise from the car.

By the way!

Sometimes several problems can coincide at once, especially if the driver ignored the signs of a faulty catalyst and drove for years with them.

Signs of a bad catalytic converter

To understand how to repair a car catalyst with your own hands, you first need to know the causes of the breakdown. In case of serious mechanical damage, the neutralizer fails immediately and cannot be restored. With mild mechanical damage, the catalyst may “live”, but the car’s power will probably be reduced, as will the service life of the catalytic converter. In all other cases, the malfunction does not occur instantly - the neutralizer cells fail gradually. It is very important to check the operation of the car engine as much as possible, since eliminating the causes will help save you a fairly large amount of money. The new neutralizer is not cheap even on the secondary market due to the presence of precious metals in it. In Lada Vesta cars, it is enough to connect a laptop or smartphone to the diagnostic connector - the error code P0363 will indicate a faulty catalyst.

Is it necessary to install a flame arrester?

Yes. If it is not possible to install a full-fledged catalyst, then it is necessary to install at least a flame arrester. If this is not done, the service life of the muffler is reduced several times, because it literally burns through. In addition, the car becomes very noisy without it.

It is quite possible to install a flame arrester yourself, but only if you have at least minimal skill in working with a welding machine. If you do not have such a skill, then the only way out is to contact a qualified welder. He will weld the electrodes in the right places, and the car owner can finish the rest himself.

How to replace the muffler corrugation and catalyst on a Ford Focus 2 with your own hands

Replacing the oil filter yourself

Catalytic converter Lada Vesta. Repair or replacement?

Catalytic converters, unfortunately, cannot be repaired. But there are many options not to buy an expensive original part. Replacing the catalyst with your own hands is done as follows: the old housing is cut out and a new universal one is welded in its place - this is a cheap method for such an action as replacing a VAZ catalyst. But such savings may have consequences - the car may simply “not accept” the new part, or may not produce enough power. Therefore, we do not recommend performing such an action, but purchasing a new original catalytic converter.

Repairing the catalyst with your own hands is still possible, but this is not really a repair, but rather removing the converter from the exhaust system circuit and installing a flame arrester in its place. This method can be called “barbaric”, because having done well for yourself, you completely forget about Mother Nature and the future of our children.

To neutralize toxic gases emitted from the internal combustion engine, the car is equipped with a catalytic converter installed at the outlet of the exhaust manifold. Although the service life of the element is about 150 thousand km, it is quite expensive to change it - the spare part is too expensive. A natural question arises whether it is possible to clean the catalyst and thus extend its service life. Answer: cleaning is acceptable, but there is no guarantee of a positive result. The problem is common and deserves more detailed consideration.

The difference between a neutralizer and a flame arrester

On the vast majority of cars, the catalyst is a stainless steel tank installed at the beginning of the exhaust tract. Inside the barrel there are ceramic partitions in the form of small cells through which exhaust gases pass.

Cross-section of the catalyst

Reference. Conventional exhaust contains remnants of unburned fuel in the form of toxic substances - carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NO), which cause great harm to the environment. Getting rid of them is the main task of the neutralizer.

Scheme of operation of a neutralizer with afterburning of harmful gases

The principle of operation of the element is as follows: in the presence of catalytic substances, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide react with oxygen residues, the afterburning process occurs and almost no harmful substances remain at the exit. While the engine is running, the body of the unit becomes very hot, because the energy of the remaining fuel is converted into heat. Based on location, catalysts are divided into 2 types:

1. Collector. From the name it is easy to understand that these elements are installed in a vertical position immediately behind the exhaust manifold.
2. The main ones are installed horizontally on a straight section of pipe passing under the bottom of the car.

Collector type neutralizer

Due to their design and operating principle, neutralizers reduce the exhaust temperature and slightly muffle the sound. The problem is that during long-term operation, the ceramic cells become clogged with soot, the permeability of the element decreases and the exhaust gases have nowhere to go, the engine “chokes.” A failed part cannot be repaired, only replaced.

Diagram of an exhaust system with a main catalyst

The flame arrester is an ordinary stainless steel pipe with perforation, placed inside the same metal tank. The device does not burn out remaining fuel, but only cools the flue gases and reduces the noise level. According to the principle of operation, flame extinguishers are divided into 3 types:

1. Active. In them, a perforated pipe is surrounded by a padding made of non-flammable materials (basalt or asbestos fiber, thin metal wire), due to which sound is absorbed.
2. Passive. The velocity of gases and noise here are reduced by one or more diffusers with holes of smaller diameter. Partially reflected from the walls, combustion products dampen the speed of the main flow, causing the noise level to decrease.
3. Combined. Both previous methods are implemented here - active and passive.

Factory-made flame arrester

Note. As a rule, factory flame arresters offered in stores operate on a combined principle. Craftsmen prefer to make devices with active noise reduction due to their simpler design.

The difference between a catalyst and a flame arrester is that they solve different problems, although they are installed in the same place. But there are objective reasons why motorists change one for another.

Active type flame arrester circuit

When should you clean your neutralizer?

The unit, which looks similar to a resonator tank, is a container with two connecting pipes. Inside there are small ceramic honeycombs coated with a catalytic layer based on noble metals (hence the high price of the spare part). Exhaust flue gases clog the cells with soot and carbon deposits, gradually making the neutralizer impassable.

Cleaning or washing the catalyst will give a positive result and extend the life of the element in the following cases:

1. If the procedure is performed as a preventive measure, long before a problem occurs.
2. When the honeycomb is not damaged and is simply clogged with soot (the initial stage of element wear).
3. If the ceramic structure is not melted due to the use of leaded gasoline.

In other cases, the neutralizer in the car will have to be replaced with a new one or a cheaper flame arrester plus an emulator for the correct operation of the lambda probe installed.

Clogging of the element's flow area is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the engine noticeably loses power, acceleration becomes sluggish;
• fuel consumption, on the contrary, is increasing;
• difficulty starting the engine;
• Unreasonable engine stop at idle.

In a car equipped with two lambda probes, the problem is indicated by the Check Engine indicator on the driver's dashboard. The electronics detects a decrease in the performance of the converter and generates a corresponding error.

To successfully clean the catalyst, it is important to catch the moment when the ceramic filling has not yet become unusable. Hence the recommendation - it is better to rinse the element in advance, without waiting for alarm signals. The procedure will require a minimum of effort and financial costs on the part of the car owner.

Using a flame arrester when tuning

When installing a tuning exhaust system of the direct-flow type, the sound requirements are somewhat different: you need a thoroughbred, loud sound with a predominance of low frequencies. If you are interested in high-quality video content with mature women, we advise you to visit our website and evaluate what exactly we have prepared for you. It’s not for nothing that there are videos here in which a mature woman gave doggy style https://zrelochki.com/doggystyle to her lover and allowed her to film it all on camera. You won’t find such videos on the Internet anymore, so we advise you to bookmark the link for the future. You'll definitely want to rewatch this. Therefore, the direct-flow flame arrester used for tuning can be simpler in design. It must be reliable, have a two-layer casing and a flow area corresponding to the motor power.

Catalytic converters compress the exhaust too much. When exhaust gases pass through the catalysts, there is a strong decrease in the throughput capabilities of the route. Flame arrestors are free from this drawback and allow you to normalize the average gas pressure.

The appearance of the flame arrester is also important. The ability to use different colors and types of paints allows you to tailor the design of the flame arrester to the style of the car.

Unfortunately, even well-known brands for the most part do not have direct-flow resonators with a two-layer casing, since in the West control over the purity of exhaust gases is much stricter. Therefore, low-resistance metal-based catalysts are popular there. They consider it acceptable to leave a standard catalyst behind the tuned manifold. Lack of interest in parts that can be used instead of a catalyst is considered the main reason why Western manufacturers do not produce any parts of this kind.

Cleaning methods and products used

Car enthusiasts and service station technicians practice 3 methods of cleaning the catalyst from oil deposits and soot:

1. Preventive cleaning with detergent is carried out at a mileage of 70–100 thousand km without removal from the car.
2. Mechanical cleaning.
3. Repeated washing.

The last 2 options involve dismantling and partial disassembling of the neutralizer.

For preventive maintenance of catalysts, special fluids such as Hi-Gear HG3270 are available for sale. The product is simply poured from the bottle into the fuel tank, and then the car is operated as before. The soot removed from the unit flies out along with the exhaust gases.

For mechanical cleaning, you need to have a compressor and prepare fine sandpaper. The method cannot be called successful, since only external contaminants are removed; part of the soot remains deep in the ceramic honeycomb.

If the catalyst is clogged, what to do to correct the situation?

What to do when the catalyst is clogged, but the ceramic honeycomb is intact. We clean it up. Experts recommend doing this procedure when the mileage is low. For example, if you put low-quality fuel into the fuel tank and suspect that the converter is faulty, you will have to clean it.

How to clean a clogged catalyst:

• we wash it using auto chemicals without disassembling the exhaust system;
• dismantle the neutralizer, and then wash and blow it out.

What to do if the catalyst is clogged, but you don’t want to remove the unit? You can clean it, as well as the particulate filter, without dismantling it. It is most convenient to do flushing if the neutralizer is located after the exhaust manifold.

Most importantly, the honeycombs should not be destroyed or melted. But you can check the integrity of the ceramic honeycomb yourself after you dismantle the clogged catalyst. The removed part is carefully inspected.

It doesn’t matter what kind of car you have, Hyundai Solaris or Lada Priora, when the catalyst is clogged, the cleaning procedure will be identical.

So, let’s figure out what to do if the upper catalyst on a Toyota Vitz with a gasoline engine is clogged:

• In the engine compartment we find the upper lambda probe and unscrew it.
• We use special automotive chemicals for washing: we attach a tube to the spray can, and place its second end in the hole of the oxygen sensor.
• Shake the can first for 60 seconds, begin to spray the product, moving the tube in a circle so that the liquid is evenly distributed over the honeycombs. Have you noticed that foam has formed on top? We wait a while, it should go down. Let's add more funds.
• We repeat these steps 2-3 times, after which we mount the lambda probe back. We wait a couple of minutes and start the engine.
• Press the gas pedal several times, and you will see black foam coming out of the muffler.

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This procedure will help the catalyst if it is clogged. However, when the neutralizer is “killed,” these actions will be ineffective. To extend the life of the catalytic converter, experts recommend regular cleaning, monitoring the condition of the engine, and undergoing a technical inspection of the car.

Using auto chemicals, you can clean the dismantled catalyst if it is clogged. After washing, the remaining foam is removed using compressed air.

Maintenance instructions

Preventative washing of the catalyst with Hi-Gear and the like is done by emptying the bottle directly into the gas tank immediately before refueling the car. No further action is required on the part of the motorist - while driving, the ceramic honeycombs of the element are cleaned independently, and dirt flies out through the exhaust tract.

To clean or rinse a clogged neutralizer with your own hands, you will have to dismantle it. Drive the car into an inspection ditch, turn off the lambda probes in the car and unscrew the clamps holding the unit to the exhaust pipe or exhaust manifold. Then follow this algorithm:

1. Thoroughly blow out the catalyst on both sides with a compressor, pumping up a pressure of 7–9 bar.
2. Fill the ceramic honeycomb with ABRO carburetor spray foam. Pour the product through both pipes.
3. Wrap the neutralizer with a rag and wait 20 minutes.
4. Thoroughly rinse the internal mesh of the element under hot water pressure and blow it with a compressor.
5. Repeat the operation again, dry the catalyst and make sure that the ceramic honeycomb is visible through. Reinstall the unit on the vehicle.

Note. In some car models, the lambda probe is installed directly in the body of the neutralizing element. Before washing, the sensors should be unscrewed and soot removed from them mechanically.

If you can't clean the catalytic converter with spray foam, you have nothing left to lose. Soak the element in kerosene or diesel fuel and leave for 12–24 hours. To be sure, diesel fuel can be diluted with a small amount of acetone or solvent 646 (ratio approximately 4:1). After a day, perform the cleaning procedure with an aerosol cleaner as described above.

Mechanical cleaning is carried out with fine sandpaper with periodic blowing with a compressor. The outer meshes are cleaned carefully, with slight pressure, so that the fragile ceramics do not crack. It will not be possible to remove carbon deposits from internal cavities using this method.

Often, instead of washing, car enthusiasts pierce contaminated honeycombs with a metal object to free the passage for flue gases. It is permissible to use such extreme measures only in one case - you have tried all flushing means and have not been successful.

Please note: driving with a broken catalyst not only harms the environment, but also costs you money: the lambda probe “sees” untreated exhaust gases, and the controller switches to emergency mode with increased fuel consumption. To solve the problem, you need to install a fake oxygen sensor, which leads to additional costs.

If, during the daily use of your car, you begin to notice that the engine has lost a little power, that during acceleration the former dynamics have disappeared, that the car flatly refuses to move at the speed of which it was capable before, and in general, periodically starts every other time - it is quite possible Even most likely there is a problem with the exhaust system. In fact, there may be other reasons, but now we will specifically discuss the repair of catalysts, which accounts for a good half of such breakdowns.

I was prompted to create this topic by Mich’s comment about the manufacture of a platinum catalyst for a catalytic heating pad, then GK. I will summarize in this topic my comments on this matter and, at the same time, remembering what I missed. And so most people know what their sea gas engines look like, but the principle of operation is the same for everyone, this is the oxidation of fuel vapors with air oxygen without flame. They also differ in the type of assembly of the packages, here I’ll go into a little more detail. The photos are not mine, stolen from the Internet. 1 type: flat glass wool base, mostly made in China

advantages: easy start, higher efficiency, disadvantages: the catalyst layer is too thin, poorly secured to the base, if you blow, the catalyst layer can disappear in an unknown direction, not protected, from mechanical influences type 2 mesh, under type A Familiar to everyone who has encountered with Soviet heating pad GK-1

and under type B

the difference between them is not noticeable, but it is huge. Type A is a fiberglass catalyst wrapped in a metal mesh. Pros: cheaper, much more reliable than type 1, protected. Disadvantages: difficult to start, low efficiency, tends to get clogged with soot. Type B is a metal mesh with an woven or sputtered platinum (the first early models of GK-1 are rare) from modern ones, alas, I don’t know the advantages: easy to start, high efficiency, durable, withstands mechanical stress, not afraid of overheating above 550 degrees; below I’ll explain why. cons: the price is the same as that of a spacecraft, you need a constant flow of more or less clean air. type 3 average, among the above, fiberglass with compression and small protection from the heat exchanger, cartridge

Well, it’s clear who does it more often))) advantages: reasonable price, the catalyst, although not protected, more or less tolerates minor physical impacts, does not disappear when the wind blows like type 1, efficiency is average. cons: likes to become clogged with soot, due to protection ((all other types of such catalysts are a mixture of the above 3 types. We looked at everything, loved it, chose an acceptable option for ourselves. No?? strange, well then we make our own))) And so what do we we will need and we will need platinum foil or wire, sawdust, aerobatics, fine powder. BUT I will describe in more detail the process of making jewelry from wire with a thickness of 0.01 mm to 0.07 mm; jewelry will not work; more precisely, it will, but partially and here’s why. If jewelry platinum is used, then there may be a sea of ​​impurities from aluminum to palladium. If noble metals have not yet gone anywhere, such as silver, gold, palladium, then such as: aluminum, copper, etc. are not desirable, luminum is the saddest thing, copper is the lesser of evils. A platinum-copper catalyst can be used in an acetone catalyst; it will work even on pure copper. Platinum will increase efficiency. MINUSES acetone will oxidize to acetic acid and acetaldehyde; use outdoors in a chemical protective suit and a gas mask, otherwise chemical burns of the skin, when inhaled, burns of mucous membranes into the flesh to pulmonary edema, we get chemical bronchitis. and so we begin 1st, you need to check the quality of the wire, how can you check platinum for functionality? make a micro spiral from wire by winding 10-15 turns of a coil to a branch on the point of a needle, remove it and, without stretching, heat it to 500-700 degrees and place it over cotton wool or a drop of gasoline, you can in a stream of non-burning gas from a lighter, if it supports self-heating then will also work for the catalytic converter. checked everything works, then we begin to make a catalytic cartridge (head, package) whoever calls it, the guideline will be Type 2 B, and Type 2 A, they are the easiest to manufacture since the rest require knowledge of chemistry and electrolysis, and how to carry platinum to fiberglass/fiberglass, to be honest, I don’t know. We take such a wire and wrap it in a mesh from an electric razor in 1 layer of mesh, the more wire the better, with a wire diameter of no more than 0.07 mm. so the reaction will take place inside the mesh; the heat dissipator will be a mesh from an electric razor, the thickness of the mesh is acceptable. The method of winding the wire on a piece of fiberglass, and covering it with a grill from an electric razor, the winding density of turns to turns is the same as on small charging transformers for mobile phones. Why such density? 1e: let us remember the proverb: one log does not even burn in the oven, that is, one coil will heat the other. The second pair of fuel here is based on a highly volatile liquid such as binzin galoshes must come into contact with the wire, this will increase the efficiency, since the density of fibers in fiberglass is very high and the vapors somehow get stuck in the fibers where they oxidize. 3rd, what is the mesh for? Like a flywheel for engines, it will store some of the energy and give it to platinum when there is a shortage. All the same, 4e there must be more or less access to oxygen. There is another way to assemble a catalytic converter, but it is more expensive in terms of platinum consumption and the labor-intensive process, this is to make a platinum mesh/grid similar to the type of mesh from an electric razor in 2 layers. another way, remember how we tested platinum wire? make a micro spiral from wire by winding 10-15 turns of turns to a branch on the point of a needle; the advantages of such a heating pad on a spiral wire are commensurate with the standard catalyst of the factory KG; its enormous power is about 100 W or more with the heating of the body above 100 degrees. And if you don’t mind the wire and you’re a maniac, and even decide to heat up stew or cook a bowl of soup on a heating pad, then make a spiral turn to turn from a spiral that is made from a spiral, this is how spirals are made in incandescent lamps at 8x magnification, it’s clearly visible, I don’t know how much it will turn out power and how quickly it will gobble up gasoline, but on the body the water will definitely boil calmly, but you can only handle it with pliers or a squeegee. Why doesn’t the heater start, even the factory one? there may be several reasons, 1st the catalyst fell out 2nd its contamination 3rd underheating We dance with a tambourine around it, but it doesn’t work and that’s it And so the 3rd reason leads to the second reason and now the second, coupled with the third, leads to the first, yeah, stupid themselves shake it out from there while we dance)))))))) And how can it become contaminated there if it is underheated??? someone writes that it is sulfur and it stops working, alas no)) This is stupid soot, ordinary worthless soot. This disease affects Type 3 and Type 2A catalytic cartridges, but others are also susceptible to this. Why is she such a harmful infection? 1e it prevents fuel vapors and air from interacting with the wire 2e it increases the porosity of the catalyst 3e since the porosity is high, it begins to condense fuel vapors 4e after all, oiling begins on the catalyst due to incomplete oxidation of the fuel and a non-simple oxidation reaction begins to take place, and a synthesis reaction from reaction products. As a result of an uncontrolled synthesis reaction, anything can happen, from the release of CO to the production of some synthetic oils, bitumen, and so on. 5e we get a completely non-working catalyst, that’s all, the manufacturers give up with obscenities. How to deal with this disease? There are many options here, some are acceptable, others are not so much, on the contrary, they are harmful, so what to do? Warm up, rinse or throw away? I don’t recommend pure heating, since the oil film will swell like sugar on the stove, and who knows if there is oil or bitumen or whatever benzene can do, heating will only give a short-term effect. That is, we will only roll back to the 2nd point of pollution, only even more persistent. Washing, purely washing the galoshes in gasoline will give us an effect up to the 3rd point, which is also temporary. And what should we do then?? 1 first, remove the oily film with acetone, carefully soak and do not shake out the catalyst, that is, dip, wait for 10-15 minutes, lift, it flows around for about 5 minutes and soak again repeat several times DON’T SHAKE DON’T CLEAN MECHANICALLY LIKE A TOOTHBRUSH EVEN WITH A BRUSH AND DON’T POKING YOUR FINGER INTO THE CATALYST ( another reason for its contamination) IT HAS FAT. We dry the 2nd point without heating until it dries completely, otherwise a catalytic reaction of acetone oxidation will occur!!! The 3rd point is calcination, if the base of the catalyst is made of fiberglass, glass wool or fiberglass, then it is important to maintain a temperature of no higher than 550 degrees for 5-15 minutes, but for Type 2B and even with what I described, how to make it from foil and wire on a bore The main thing is that the temperature does not melt the platinum. soot without an oil base will begin to evaporate and burn already at 350 degrees. Why are fiberglass so soft? Heating fiberglass catalysts above 550 is fraught with complete failure of the catalyst due to sintering of the fiberglass into a monolithic glass mass. If you sinter it, then even the manufacturer will not help it with extraction agents. For example, high-level nuclear waste is vitrified.

Few state laws

According to world, European, and now Russian standards, the level of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere should not exceed the standards established by GOST for each type of engine. For example, for gasoline engines GOST R 52033-2003 is provided, and for engines with diesel fuel GOST R 52160-2003. Simply put, motorists in our country now (since 2003) live according to Euro-3 standards, where the total mass of CO2 emissions should not exceed 2.3 gkm, and according to Euro-4 standards, where CO emissions up to 1.0 gkm are also not must be exceeded - otherwise there will be a fine, and in the future the impossibility of undergoing maintenance and obtaining a diagnostic card that replaces technical inspection coupons

Is it worth replacing: the pros and cons of the solution

As mentioned above, the issue is controversial. And he is surrounded by a huge number of the most controversial rumors and speculations circulating in the car enthusiast community. Here are the most popular ones:

• after installing a flame arrester, the service life of the muffler is significantly reduced;
• the car becomes noisier;
• the car engine wears out much faster;
• It will be impossible to drive a car with a fire extinguisher installed, since the driver and passengers risk getting burned right in the cabin;
• a car with a flame arrester causes more harm to the environment;

These are all subjective judgments of individuals. Perhaps only the last point is fair: the flame arrester is really not able to clean exhaust gases the way a catalyst does. The conclusion is simple: for the vast majority of drivers in our country, the decisive issue is price. If a car service center offers you to pay about a third of the cost of your car for a new catalyst, then the issue in favor of installing a flame arrester can be considered resolved. The low cost of the flame arrester is the only, but very serious plus that can outweigh all the myths associated with this device.

How and why catalysts break down

Before discussing repairing the catalyst yourself, you need to understand why the hell it breaks down and what leads to breakdowns. We jointly found out one reason - this is the low quality of the fuel, which emits tetraethyl lead, which has a powerful effect on the oxidation device, which is what any catalyst is. Our roads can easily be called the second executioner of catalysts - or rather, again, their quality is amazing in every sense. And indeed, only on our roads can the shock be so strong that it’s strange why the catalyst doesn’t immediately fall out.

Replacing the insides of the block

Modern car stores have a variety of internal parts for catalysts, and their prices are quite reasonable. They need to be inserted directly inside the old case. This restoration method is considered the most optimal in terms of environmental impact. The cost of replacement work is affordable for many car owners.

It turns out that there are various ways to restore the catalyst. Any driver has the opportunity to analyze existing information and choose the option that will be most optimal for him.

Repair or replacement

Ideally, no one repairs catalysts, because the honeycomb ceramic component of this device simply cannot be repaired. There are several options for solving the problem, but only a couple of them are actually worthy of attention and consideration. If we take into account that world manufacturers (except domestic ones) set the bar for replacing the catalyst after 100 thousand kilometers, then by Russian standards this distance can be reduced to 60-80 thousand kilometers, taking into account the quality of fuel and roads, especially since on domestically produced cars in general catalysts were not installed until 2000.

And yet, let's return to our sheep, that is, to replacement and other possible options for action in the event of the death of the catalyst.

1. One way to solve the problem is to completely remove the burnt or broken catalyst. But get ready to change the exhaust system literally every 20 thousand km.
2. You can knock out the honeycomb of the catalyst, but this threatens the entry of ceramic dust into the cylinder block, and therefore the imminent death of the entire engine.
3. A complete replacement with an original analogue, but it’s not cheap at all and no one can guarantee that after 50 thousand km it won’t burn to hell again or crash.
4. The most common, cheapest and more or less reliable, from a technical point of view, remains the option of replacing the catalyst with a flame arrester.

With it you can even pass MOT, especially since you can change it yourself and there are almost no complaints from the authorities.

Advantages and disadvantages

Most often, car enthusiasts decide to install a homemade flame arrester instead of a catalyst due to the high cost of the latter. For a domestic car, the price of this element is about 30 thousand, and for a foreign car it is estimated at 50 - 100 thousand. However, it should be remembered that replacing the catalyst with a flame arrester entails several negative consequences:

• the amount of toxic exhaust increases significantly, which does not meet modern environmental standards;
• the service life of the muffler and resonator is reduced;
• In order for the power plant to work well, you will have to make adjustments to the oxygen sensor settings or reprogram the controller.

Car enthusiasts should remember that the electronic unit controls the process of creating the air-fuel mixture, based on the readings of several sensors, including oxygen. If you make a flame arrester with your own hands from a catalyst, then due to incorrect information the controller will prepare a poor-quality mixture and this will lead to a significant increase in fuel consumption.

However, making a stronger with your own hands and its subsequent installation on the car can give the car enthusiast several bonuses:

• the flame arrester creates less resistance to smoke upon exit, which will save fuel and somewhat improve the operating conditions of the power plant;
• motor power can increase by about 5 - 7%;
• If you drive into an area overgrown with dry vegetation in the summer, the risk of a fire will be minimal.