A catalytic converter is an important component of modern cars, as it purifies your vehicle’s exhaust fumes and thus suits modern pollution standards. However, it is possible that it may become clogged or breakdown, in which case a change or cleaning is necessary. In this article we are going to look at how to clean a catalytic converter on Toyota Rav 4? To do this, first of all, we will explain the situations in which it might be interesting to clean the catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4, then, how to accomplish this cleaning to recover the overall performance of the catalytic converter of your car.
Why would you want to clean up the catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4?
In this first part we will explain why it might be significant to clean the catalyst of your Toyota Rav 4 . Indeed for some of you it might seem logical but most of you do not understand how it works and the consequences dirty catalytic converter .
Function and functioning of the catalytic converter of a Toyota Rav 4
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The catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4 has the function to get rid of harmful exhaust fumes related to the procedure of your engine. Indeed, it is one of the most important parts that fight against the pollution discharged by your Toyota Rav 4. It will transform these harmful gases into water or non-polluting fumes. In order to transform these gases, the catalyst of your Toyota Rav 4 a mesh of precious metals which, when the gases pass at high temperature, will break them down by chemical reaction . A catalytic converter can only work from 400°, it is therefore important to avoid clogging the catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4. If you are thinking of making sufficiently long travels to heat it up regularly (count more than 10 kilometres for the catalyst to reach the right temperature), this will enable you to optimise the life of this component and maintain ideal engine overall performance.
Outcomes of a dirty or faulty catalytic converter on Toyota Rav 4
We will now find out what can be the consequences of a dirty or failing catalytic converter on Toyota Rav 4 . This will enable you to establish the signs of illness that should inform you to a malfunction of your catalytic converter, here is the list of symptoms of a faulty catalytic converter:
- The catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4 is blocked: As we stated above, if you make too short journeys like 50% of people, it will not have the time to start working and the catalytic converter will clog up with exhaust fumes.
- Switching on the engine light: : Following a clogged catalytic converter, engine light of your Toyota Rav 4 may come on, do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to find out how to switch it off.
- A faulty lambda sensor : The catalyst works in close connection with the lambda sensors downstream and upstream of it, they will review the air flowing inside it, if it is clogged the sensors will often times also have complications.
- A metallic noise coming from the exhaust: In the event that the catalyst is dead you should hear this noise which means that the ceramic is damaged.
Why you should clean the catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4
Before we finish with the step you are almost certainly most enthusiastic about, how to clean the catalytic converter of a Toyota Rav 4? We will explain why it might be important for you to perform this cleaning. Indeed, a catalytic converter is a very expensive component (about 500 euros with the installation, the price can differ according to the engines). Furthermore to being no longer good for passing the technical control , you might be at risk of over-consumption of fuel . At last, the last benefit is that cleaning a catalytic converter is not that expensive and doing it regularly will save you quite a lot of money.
How do you clean the catalytic converter from its Toyota Rav 4?
Finally here is the stage that you are most certainly most enthusiastic about in this article, how to clean the catalytic converter of your Toyota Rav 4? Know that this procedure is very basic, and that there are two methods to do it:
- Scrubbing the catalytic converter from your Toyota Rav 4 frequently: This strategy is specifically effective for people who principally do short trips . To do this, nothing could be less difficult, from time to time, make a long trip (about 30 minutes to improve the efficiency of the process), thinking of making your engine go up in revs so that the temperature in the catalyst increases and it can be cleaned.
- To use a catalyst cleaner: You can find some in a car center for about 20 euros. All you have to do is add it to your fuel straight in your tank with about half a full tank. Afterwards you will have to drive on a long distance for at least 1 hour at mid-range by trying to go regularly at high rpm . If you can before and afterwards do an exhaust gas analysis to check that you have recovered healthier exhaust fumes after the process. You can perform this process every 15 000km.
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If you need more guides on the Toyota Rav 4, go to our Toyota Rav 4 category.
