Hi all,
Has anyone had any experience with catalytic converter cleaner. If so can you tell me if it works or not.

 

Most are worthless snake oil. Why do you believe you need to do this? Did you fail a state emissions test?

 

No, we don’t have inspections here in MN.
recently I was driving my 2002 Ford Escape 3.0 when it suddenly lost power.
I was only able to get it up to a lot 20 mph and that was floored. I replaced the rear catalytic converter and it was full of crap.
I took it for a test run and got it up to 55 mph and it suddenly dropped down to 20 mph again. Some one told me that I had to clean the pre-cats and someone else told me to put some of the catalytic converter cleaner instead of going through the pains of trying to take the pre-cats off.
I have a lot of muscle and bone issues but being on disability income I can’t really afford s mechanic so I will have to do it myself

 

The so-called "cleaners" are not going to do anything with a converter that has already crumbled except waste your money.

 

Ok, thank you for your help. I will try to whack the pre cats around and see if that will help

 

Whatever is causing the converters to load up is the real issue. Even if a product were available that would clean them out, it would not remedy the underlying fault and you'll soon be right back where you started. See if you can pull some codes, that might get you pointed in the right direction. Some engine defect is causing those cats to plug up. That needs fixed, even without the cats installed.

 

You can always try whumping on the Cats with a rubber mallet in hopes that it will break up the ceramic honeycomb inside sufficiently to blow the guts out the tail pipe but in all likelihood you'll just plug up the muffler. Since you live in a state that doesn't have emissions inspections you could have a muffler shop cut the Cats out and replace them with a piece of exhaust tubing. Shouldn't cost too much.

 

Thank you for the info, I found a code that said there was a misfire in cylinder #6. I’m sure with that misfire, it could have caused the cats to plug up. I will handle that first and then tap on the cats and loosen them up

 

Hmmm might be more involved than you think given the cats are integral with the manifolds. Once the manifolds are out its certainly easier to just remove the cat guts I’d think.