What are the Symptoms of a Bad Catalytic Converter?

Automotives such as cars, trucks, and buses facilitate transportation but have also proven to be harmful because of the smoke they emit, violating the clean air act. A catalytic converter is a pollution-reducing unit found in some modern automotive that turns pollutants into harmless gases, including steam. It's installed inside the exhaust system of your vehicle or truck with a chemical catalyst, either Palladium or Platinum mixtures. The chemicals are responsible for converting detrimental emissions into eco-friendly gases. The following are some of the symptoms that will show your vehicle's catalytic converter is faulty.

Poor Engine Performance
When your engine is not operating efficiently, one of the reasons for its performance failure might be a defective catalytic converter. If it's clogged, the catalytic converter will reduce the engine's performance by reducing its acceleration, power, and fuel levels. In case your engine starts to malfunction, you should consider calling a mechanic from a reliable automotive shop to identify the problem and fix it immediately.

Sulfur Smell
A catalytic converter working at its peak transforms hydrogen sulfide into harmless and odorless sulfur dioxide. However, sometimes you can notice a sulfur smell, that resembles the odor of a rotten egg, from the exhaust system. It implies that the catalytic converter is faulty, making the sulfuric acid not convert to an odorless gas. The exhaust pipe can even emit dark smoke, an indicator that your catalytic converter is damaged, and needs a check-up from a professional mechanic.

Noise
Another symptom to look out for is rattling noises coming from under your vehicle. The noise can occur due to the wear and tear of the catalytic converter because of damaging fuel mixtures. The rich fuels can make the converter collapse and break down, triggering a rattling sound. Without immediate repairs by an experienced mechanic, the noises worsen with time every time you start your vehicle, and you may have to incur more expenses to restore your car to peak performance.

Contact us
The catalytic converter is an essential part of your vehicle because it reduces noise and environmental pollution that can be harmful to human and animal health. To promote a healthy environment, you should make sure it is working with optimal efficiency.

If you need catalytic converter repair, give our auto repair shop a call today!

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