Can catalytic converter be cleaned? Tried antifouler no luck Cel code
 

Getting the cat efficiency code for my left side cat.

I tried a spark plug antifouler (without drilling it out larger) and now getting a different code for that 02 sensor slow reaction. Maybe I need to drill it out 1/2” and so the O2 sensor can be inserted more fully. It was giving a constant low voltage reading (about .2v) the way I had the spacer compared to the .7 that would be normal.

Anyways, weird idea popped into my head. Can I removed the manifold and soak it in mineral spirits or something...maybe run water through it...and maybe decarbon the honeycomb to restore performance of the cat?

Buying a used cat seems like it would give me problems again soon as this seems to be common. New cat is too expensive. Used cat sounds like no good because less precious metals.

I suppose if cats could be cleaned then this would be a common thing to be done and everyone would already be doing it... especially since they are so expensive.

Other option would be RoW tune but I don’t know anyone that can do it.

can't clean them.

have to be careful about buying used a used cat. Not because of the quality, but because it is actually illegal to sell them unless they are tested, pass standards, have a warranty and are labeled. Will anyone enforce it? No, but you dont want to be the test case either. lol

Finding one from a low mileage car would be best. FB market, CL, etc.

ROW tune could be a possibility but not sure how it would go with emission testing. Have seen people do it but never reported back if they actually had to do emission testing or not and if so, if it passed.

Believe it or not, my friend had good luck with this stuff in his Subaru. And they actually guarantee it.

https://rislone.com/product/fuel-exhaust-emissions-system-cleaner-4720/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6-SDBhCMARIsAGbI7UjS3gEO4ufCah7udvtorpjnZrzx3DAcQNc-sXQaTQTvVD9hgbpbeMkaAuVNEALw_wcB

Totally depends upon why the cat is acting up; if it is because of a sudden single contamination event, possibly; but if it is because of a longer term contamination problem, no.

I have a 1999 exhaust that suffered a single contamination event (blown head gasket putting lots of oil into the exhaust. I need to use one of the cats on another 99 i have but oil is running out of it. what would anyone suggest I use to clean the raw oil out of this cat while off of the car?

If you actually have a blown head gasket, it would be the first I have ever heard of. The head gaskets in these engines are multilayer steel, and actually stronger than either the head or the engine cases.

Realistically, if there is that much oil in it, it is toast.

Blown head gasket was just a guess the engine is toast it’s disassembled and being part it out I’m building a 2.7 as it’s replacement but since I have this extra exhaust laying around in the pipe going into the converter on my good 99 broke I just thought I might be able to clean this up and use it rather than buy a new one. I may not of stated that clearly in the original question. I was not asking about the engine but about the converter with oil in it that I don’t think Could’ve run for more than a few seconds after whatever caused the failure happened. I did not own the car when it happened I bought it in pieces as a roller but it came with everything. I’m probably going to shove a borescope in both ends of it and just take a look and maybe flush it out with some brake clean and let it dry for a couple days. I’ll keep you posted

If the cat honeycomb is soaked in oil, you can pretty much bet it is dead. The additive package in the oil reacts with the catalytic metals, killing their effectiveness, so just cleaning out the oil will not bring it back.