The catalytic converter is an emissions device that converts the heat in exhaust gases into less harmful emissions. When your vehicle’s check engine light illuminates, it means there may be a problem with the catalytic converter and you need to get it checked out by a professional. This blog post will cover how to do just that.
When you get your check engine light on, there are a few reasons why. One of the most common reasons for this is that catalytic converter needs to be replaced or cleaned. Catalytic converters often go bad because they have been dirty from going too many miles without being changed. While it should be obvious to realize why one would want their car to run as cleanly as possible, you can also figure out a way around this problem if this particular problem has a bigger impact on your life than just not wanting to take your car into the shop.
What to do to bypass catalytic converter Check engine light
Determining type of catalytic converter
The first thing that you need to do is find out what type of catalytic converter your car uses. It’s relatively easy to see whether it’s two separate parts or joined together into one unit. If your catalytic converter is joined, then it should be much harder to bypass because you would have to somehow combine the exhaust and airflow back together without being caught. It’s usually safer to attempt to bypass two-piece converters.
room of your car
The second thing that you need to do is find out how much room your car leaves under your car for you to work with. If there isn’t enough room, then you might want to consider taking it in instead of bypassing it yourself if this causes significant problems for you.
Taking off panels
Now, take off what little exterior panels are necessary for access underneath the vehicle (typically these panels are found near or on of/below the rear tires). You would want to find the catalytic converter, which is typically located behind the muffler.
Further things to do
Now you need to look at how it’s connected to your car. There are two main types of connections: bolted and welded. Welded connections mean that your exhaust system has already been cut through in order for this piece to fit so you should be able to easily remove it by taking off some bolts. Bolted connections can be much trickier because they will not have any visible signs of being removable and you might not even see where the bolts could come from if they aren’t underneath or above where you’re looking. Sometimes, aftermarket things such as a high-flow cat converters use longer factory style bolts because the fit within the car is much tighter.
Once you have successfully removed, or bypassed, your catalytic converter, take your car for a drive to let all of the extra gas fumes escape. Then, replace or clean your cat according to what it needs.
