The key to a long-lasting catalytic converter is keeping your engine healthy, thereby avoiding most of the problems that deal damage to a cat. If your converter has already become clogged up or somehow harmed, there’s a chance you’ll be able to clean or repair it. But unfortunately, most faulty cats need to be replaced. If you notice the following eight signs of a faltering converter, ask a technician at your local Dodge RAM dealer to take a look as soon as you can.
Your Check Engine Light Comes On
Malfunctioning cats often clog the outflow of air and emissions trying to escape your car. All the backed-up fumes eventually prevent fresh air from entering the engine, which causes the cylinders to become fuel-rich: too little oxygen and too much fuel.
In the combustion process, excess fuel leads to all kinds of engine problems. This will quickly be picked up by the computerized sensors, which will alert you by turning on the Check Engine light on your instrument panel.
Your Engine Loses Power
As the unbalanced fuel-air mixture fails to ignite as efficiently as it should, your engine will rapidly lose power. You might find it hard to gain a burst of speed when overtaking another vehicle. And your fuel economy is going to drop too.
You’re Idling Roughly
An excess of fuel inside combustion chambers creates a sooty carbon residue that coats the chamber walls and spark plugs. This soon leads to misfiring, which is easiest to notice when you slow your car or pause to rest in idle. Your engine will begin juddering and sputtering noisily, and it might also stall altogether.
You Feel Extreme Heat From Below
All the fumes blocked by a clogged-up cat begin to create an enormous amount of heat. You might even feel this heat from below you.
You See Black Smoke in the Mirror
Excess fuel tends to travel back into the exhaust pipes and eventually reach the cat. Here, the fuel might ignite in the tremendous heat that a blocked cat creates, destroying the cat and causing black smoke to pour from the tailpipe.
A Sulfury Stink Fills Your Car
One of the toxic emissions that a healthy cat cleans smells strongly of rotten eggs. If you pick up this sulfury smell, it probably means your cat has stopped doing its job. Open all the windows and pull over, as the gas you’re smelling is poisonous.
You Hear Rattling From the Cat
If the meshwork inside the cat breaks down because of age or deteriorating contamination, the loose parts of the mesh will start to rattle around. You’ll hear this rattling when you rev the engine and also sometimes when you corner while driving.
Your Dodge RAM Dealer Finds a Flaw
During your periodical servicing visits, the technician will check your engine and cat. If they find any developing problems with your cat, it’s best to act upon their advice, as you can see how many additional car problems a faulty cat can cause.
Have your cat repaired or replaced today at Longley Bros. We offer a fine inventory of Dodge and RAM vehicles and excellent customer service.
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