Can You Clean Your Catalytic Converter to Fix a P0420 Code?

Can You Clean Your Catalytic Converter to Fix a P0420 Code? | The Fixit shed

Рет қаралды 43,463

2 жыл бұрын

UPDATE: This does NOT appear to have worked for me, as my check engine light came back on. I will update more when I have more information.
I have a check engine light on my Toyota Matrix (Code P0420). Before I spend over $1000 to replace the catalytic converters (it has 2), I want to see if there is a way to remedy the problem less expensively. Scotty Kilmer has put up a controversial video about using Lacquer Thinner mixed into your gas to clean the catalytic converter. I trust his years of experience as a mechanic, so I am going to give it a try. If the catalytic converter is worn out or damaged, this won't help, but if it is just dirty, this may do the trick and get the light to go out.
_____________________________________________
Affiliate Links --- As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
CGSULIT OBD2 Scanner - amzn.to/3zsDHtE
Air Filter - amzn.to/3Sl6OYo
CRC Mass Air Flow Sensor Cleaner - amzn.to/3Jugzja
Klean-Strip GML170 LACQUER THINNER - amzn.to/3Sp7lsc
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
_____________________________________________

Пікірлер: 84

@starguard4122 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It was very useful and informative

@TheFixitShed 7 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! I wish it had worked.

@Wicked_He_Bad 29 күн бұрын

He had to drive it 550 miles

@john4x4drone Жыл бұрын

I was getting a P0430 code, I did a temp test on my cats, hotter on the engine side by 100F, could not pass California smog. I did 1 gallon liquor thinner in a half tank. Passed smog today. 2015 F150 v6 3.5 TT ecoboost. 100% worked for me.

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

Awesome! I am glad it was successful for you.

@godessofyouguess Жыл бұрын

Congrats!!! Thx for sharing

@Richardv24 9 ай бұрын

Did you feel a performance/ mpg gain? Also what’s the temperature now?

@MikeKollin 17 күн бұрын

How big is your tank? I have A 10.5 Gallon tank. So 1/2 a tank would be 5 1/4 gallons of gas. I am thinking of putting 3/4 gallon of Lacquer thinner in there.

@john4x4drone 16 күн бұрын

@@MikeKollin I think my tank is about 20 gallons. So 1 gallon on a pretty full tank would be about the same for you as I did. Under very certain traffic conditions (bumper to bumper) I got codes about 6 months after the adding the thinner. This has seemingly gone away over time with no other work on my exhaust system.

@peterk4134 2 ай бұрын

To protect the o-rings , the thinner has to be used up asap keeping revs.high at all times. Fill up and run out the residue thinner

@gimmesomesugar 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video! They make a converter cleaner additive now but it's pricey. I wonder if it has thinner in it.

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

The Scotty kilmer video mentions them, but he prefers the thinner. The Stanle Way videos compare how gas, thinner and cat cleaner all effect rubber o-rings. The cat cleaner and the thinner have similar results.

@richgorsuch7331 9 ай бұрын

I got a P420 code about two months ago. I reset it with my code reader tool. It never came back on. My vehicle just failed smog. I was hoping it was just a false code before but I guess it wasn’t even though it didn’t come back on. I’ll try cleaning the catalytic converter this time and see what happens.

@TheFixitShed 8 ай бұрын

Good luck. I am still battling with it.

@bowe1978 11 ай бұрын

you have to do a full drive cycle for the lite to see if it works or not.

@TheFixitShed 11 ай бұрын

Correct. It did come back on. I have taken it to Toyota and they say it is the cat in the pipe. I took it back to the shop where the exhaust was put on 3 years ago. The exhaust had a 5 year warranty, so the shop is going to replace it.

@peterkou2682 6 ай бұрын

I think the lacquer thinner should be all used up otherwise the rubber/ plastic parts would be damaged. It should also follow with an oil change

@dat-1959 6 ай бұрын

Thank you I got hope

@TheFixitShed 6 ай бұрын

I hope it works for you. It didn't help me. I ended up getting the cat replaced. On the bright side, it was under warrantee (5 year), so it didn't cost me anything.

@emadgrabel3444 Жыл бұрын

What I believe, If the car burns oil, then inside the catalytic will be full of carbon and soot. When you add thinner, all the carbon built on the valves and pistons will goes out and block the catalytic again because wont go through. Thinner might works if the engine doesn't burn oil. I have camry 07 over 333K and i know the cat is bad what I'm going to do is to take of o2 before cat and spray cans of carbon clean and keep it over night. Or I need to try plan B.

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

Interesting. let me know how it works out. My Matrix does not burn oil. 100k miles seems early for the cat to be going bad.

@tonybernheim8365 3 ай бұрын

Ok..Yes Oil burning entering exhaust/ O2/Cats will cause 420/430 codes..But if you have to legally smog the car to drive..and its too expensive to fix oil problems-Valve Seals-Guides-Rings..Do the One gallon Thinner to 5 gallons gas just to get through it..I understand high mileage cars and blue book values have to match for repairs.....

@electric8668 10 ай бұрын

Any suggestion for doing this but at idle? Rpms and for how long? For those of us who cannot drive 100 plus miles at 70mph?

@TheFixitShed 10 ай бұрын

Not really. I suspect temperature has an effect. Idling won't get the exhaust up to the same temp as driving at 70mph for 1.5 hrs. In the end, this didn't work for me, anyway.

@electric8668 10 ай бұрын

@@TheFixitShed Sorry When I stated idle I meant running the car at about 2500 rpms parked for a hour or more with fan in front to replicate moving.

@TheFixitShed 10 ай бұрын

@@electric8668 according to Scotty (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a8-Th9CKrtrbmXk.htmlsi=Yl541AmLule7ezjU) 30 minutes at 2500 rpm

@stevehuseby2826 Жыл бұрын

so did u end up trying the o2 sensors?

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

Not yet. My son has the car at school. Probably this summer.

@Theslotexpert 22 күн бұрын

Worked for me along side sea foam. I drove about 200 miles tho after first 100 miles I added another gal of it.

@TheFixitShed 22 күн бұрын

Glad to hear it worked out for you!

@markuscydrus7844 7 ай бұрын

My 2004 matrix has only 69k miles , i have p0420 any info what to do?

@TheFixitShed 7 ай бұрын

2 years later I am still fighting this battle. I think, the "new" cat went bad after 9 months. I have replaced O2 sensors with no change. Wth only 69k miles your cat shouldn't have gone bad, but there are many factors. If trying to clean it, as in the video, doesn't work, I don't have a cheap answer for you.

@rickdoolin9109 2 ай бұрын

Check engine light has been on since 2018 on my Kia Carnival. Still going strong.

@TheFixitShed 2 ай бұрын

Doesn't work like that where I live. If the check engine light is on, it doesn't pass inspection. Car is dead at that point, basically. Have to move or sell it to someone who lives where there is no emissions inspection.

@humble_king2922 4 ай бұрын

Just replace the o2 sensor, have the aame issue with my 7th gen civic when i took down the catalyst it was clean so i tried cleaning the o2 sensor and the code didnt come on till after a month r so and normally before i clean it the code would just come on each time i go over 120km so only thing left to do is just replace the 02 sensor and check my injectors cause am burnig gas real badly

@TheFixitShed 4 ай бұрын

Tried that. Didn't help. Ended up getting the cat replaced under warranty because it was defective.

@michellet_thatsme 2 жыл бұрын

How’s the car running?

@TheFixitShed 2 жыл бұрын

So far so good. It ran well on the long trip. I couldn't tell the difference with the thinner in there. I believe the check engine light is still off. My son drives it and he hasn't told me that it came back on yet. If the the cat is damaged or worn our, it won't fix those problems.

@frankbama3684 Жыл бұрын

The lacquer thinner hack did not work on my 2009 Acadia with the 420 and 430 codes. I followed instructions precisely.

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

It didn't work for me either. I am going to look at the O2 sensors next, when my son brings the car back.

@fabiolopes9090 Жыл бұрын

I have the same problem on my 2008 gmc acadia I'm in california And is $2500 Crazy And other states is $200

@bowe1978 11 ай бұрын

@@TheFixitShed you have to find the root cause why the Cat went/going bad else it will happen every drive cycle!

@tuckerbingo2491 11 ай бұрын

@@bowe1978exactly. Mine was pcv valve , they were blocked, adding oil into the air intake. Fixed that, cleaned throttle n replaced air filter and no more code, but I'm gonna do the thinner as a preventative measure anyway

@Wicked_He_Bad 29 күн бұрын

First test ur o2 sensor then u have to drive it 550 miles idiots

@MikeKollin 17 күн бұрын

My tank is 10 1/2 gallons. So 1/2 a tank is just over 5 gallons! I assume I would put 1/2 a gallon of lacquer thinner or just a little over.

@TheFixitShed 17 күн бұрын

It is an imprecise ratio. My Matrix gas tank is 13.2 gallons and I used 1 gallon of LT at half a tank of gas.

@crazee6821 11 ай бұрын

I like the Matrix 👌

@TheFixitShed 11 ай бұрын

Thanks! Me too.

@jeffnoble9757 6 ай бұрын

When gas hit 5 dollars a gallon(thanks biden) I sold my truck and bought a matrix xr 95ooomi 37oodollar what a great car, I'm NEVER selling it

@petset77 Жыл бұрын

Well, you had to try. Did you eventually change the cat?

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

Not yet. The light did stay off long enough for me to get the car past inspection, but my son has the car at school so, maybe the summer

@Crysalis02010 Жыл бұрын

Update?

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

It did not fix my P0420 error code. It came back. I think I am going to look at O2 sensors next.

@Wicked_He_Bad 29 күн бұрын

U need to drive it some more a total of 550 miles until its off by it self

@jimborambo5866 19 күн бұрын

This video is over a year old so didn't the check engine light come back?

@TheFixitShed 19 күн бұрын

The CEL did come back on. the computer got into a weird state briefly where the code was "pending", so the computer had enough data, but the CEL hadn't come on yet, so it passed inspection. Then I did nothing for a few months. I took it to Toyota and asked them to identify the problem, and they said it was the cat in the pipe. I took it back to my repair shop and they said they could remove it and send it back to the manufacturer, but if they determined that it wasn't the cat, then they wouldn't honor the warrantee. I waited a few more months, and the exhaust systemm just rotted out (3 years after installation). This whole system was garbage. I don't blame my repair shop, they had a hard time finding one, as it was during the time of supply chain issues. So this was the only thing they could find. Anyway, they took the rotten system and sent it back to their supplier who honored the warrantee and sourced a new exhaust system from a different manufacturer (hopefully better). I just had to pay my shops labor to install it.

@miknwv 3 ай бұрын

My Volvo has two clogged cats. Luckily they unbolt so I’m just going to stand out the honeycomb and be done with it. I’m not running lacquer thinner through my engine.

@tonybernheim8365 3 ай бұрын

Lacquer Thinner is Acetone/Xylene/Toluene..All 110 octane racing additives..One gallon mix with 5 gallons gas is fine for Carb/ Injection/ Lines/ Pump...Just follow this mix..Dont gut out the Cats like everyone else...

@miknwv 3 ай бұрын

@@tonybernheim8365glad I gutted them. Cat 1 on the left side had already broken up and clogged cat 2

@mikeejimenez6452 3 ай бұрын

Has anyone tried this on a gen 2 Prius?

@TheFixitShed 3 ай бұрын

I haven't. If you do, please leave a comment letting us know how it went

@2bnax 3 ай бұрын

WHAT DID YOU FINALLY FIND WAS THE CAUSE OF THE P0420???

@TheFixitShed 3 ай бұрын

The exhaust rusted out after only 3 years and the whole system was replaced under warranty. With the new exhaust (including cat) I no longer get the error code. So I am guessing the cat went bad.

@jurrydailey5612 4 ай бұрын

What if the vehicle cant get to to highway speeds? Seriously not a joke!!!

@TheFixitShed 4 ай бұрын

If you are getting a P0420 and you cannot reach highway speeds, I would look for a blockage in the exhaust. I would suspect something is restricting the airflow.

@maxapollo1 Жыл бұрын

Mass air flow sensor has its own code

@CharlesLease-ei1ee Жыл бұрын

Wrong because the mass airflow sensor affects the transmission pattern. If it’s dirty, I had a calibration it’ll affect your fuel trims the air everything about that motor. If you have a transmission acting up, you need to clean the mass airflow sensor and look at the data and you may have to replace it .

@robertrose3068 Жыл бұрын

@@CharlesLease-ei1ee You are incorrect. P0420 comes from the exhaust. In my case, bad downstream sensor. MAF has nothing to do with exhaust flow. Research it.

@garageassembled4701 2 ай бұрын

Erasing the code doesn’t fix the problem it only prolongs the repair. Every time you erase code you turn off the computer monitors in the system and drive cycles are required to reset the monitors. Better to leave engine light on and allow the computer to turn off light on its own after the repair. The engine light helps guide you in what’s wrong.

@TheFixitShed 2 ай бұрын

ok, but I don't see how it prolongs the repair in this case. I had to drive through a half tank of gas either way. If I don't clear the code, how will I know if the computer has enough data to clear it? If the light doesn't go out, is it beacuse it didn't work or because it hasn't accumulated sufficient data, yet? If I clear the code, I can see after driving for a while that all the modules have sufficient data, and I know if the light didn't come back on it was fixed. if it comes back on, then it didn't work.

@MrWang-tu7nm Жыл бұрын

My car lexus rx 2004 with 168K miles. I poured in a gallon of lacquer at 1/4 of the tank. Did not work. I poured in another gallon at 1/2 tank. I drove 500 miles in total. Did not work.

@TheFixitShed Жыл бұрын

me neither

@CharlesLease-ei1ee Жыл бұрын

It didn’t work because you have other problems clean the cat but you have other issues causing if you could have a misfire code. You could have a vacuum leak there’s a number of things that are caused the same code. Do you have to diagnose it and it will drive you up a wall this code if anything it’s just a little bit out of whack, it will throw this code

@tuckerbingo2491 11 ай бұрын

@@CharlesLease-ei1eeagreed, mine was clogged pcv valves pushing oil into air intake. Replaced pcv valves, replaced filter and wammo... doing the thinner for preventative measures soon...

@robertrose3068 Жыл бұрын

Mine was the downstream sensor was bad. MAF is not PO420 Scotty Kilmer is nuts. I'd never put thinner in it.

@mdashiqurrahman39 2 жыл бұрын

I had tried but it didn't work. My scanner graph 📉 was showing me my B#1S#2 all over my screen. It came back anyway. I ended up changing my catalytic converter. My mechanic gave me back my old one and he told me the honeycomb inside got cracked a lil bit and also made a rattling noise at 3500 rpm . Raise your rpm around 3500Rpm for 2-3 seconds and release and try to listen if there's any rattling type noise coming from the engine bay or where the catalytic converter is. A damaged catalytic converter makes noise. Chances are very low that lacquer thinner will fix P0420. Wishing you good luck 🤞

@TheFixitShed 2 жыл бұрын

Correct. If the cat is damaged or worn out, this will not fix it. If it is dirty, it might help. Mine does not rattle, and it only has 94k miles. Keeping my fingers crossed

@mdashiqurrahman39 2 жыл бұрын

@@TheFixitShed my 2016 Mazda CX-5 had only 39700 miles when it got damaged. I realized I could get a federal emission warranty after I had spent $1700. So a catalytic converter can get damaged at any time 😌

@CharlesLease-ei1ee Жыл бұрын

Yeah, if it’s cracked or fully plugged or melted down it won’t fix it that’s what a lot of people don’t understand. Do you have to fix the main problem if you got other codes in the system you have to fix those first all these people just want oh it works no matter if you got 30 different codes for driver building issues, you got a fix so first you gotta go down the line, troubleshoot it fix it it’s not a magic trick just just me Cuz you have that code doesn’t mean that is the main problem you could have a exhaust leak do you have an intake leak and a number of things

@eugski8498 5 ай бұрын

It is possible that a jelly is formed and it needs to be dissolved before you start replacing anything this heplen in my Big rig mechanich ask 15 yr before 2500 but cost me only day clening / now posible is same problems with fiul pump and code po420 to . W.lewam do tabnku seefoom and cleen cat > ?? winter winter can made big problems

@TheFixitShed 5 ай бұрын

This was a problem for 2 or 3 years, so not a winter issue. I took it to Toyota and they said it was the cat in the pipe, but wanted $2500 to put a new exhaust system on the car. Took it back to my mechanic. The 2 year old exhaust had a 5 year warrantee on it, but they would have to remove it and send it back to the company who would inspect it to see if it was, in fact, the cat. They noticed an inconsistency with the O2 sensors, so we tried changing those, which worked long enough to get it to pass inspection. Finally, 2 months ago, the cheap after-market exhaust rusted through, and my mechanic pulled the whole system out and sent it back. The company honored the warrantee and the new exhaust was free (though I did have to pay for installation). It has been a couple months and the P0420 code has not come back. So it does appear that it was a bad aftermarket cat. Seafoam is good for cleaning carbon deposits inside the engine. It won't disolve the oily residue that generally clogs catalytic converters.