A catalytic converter is an important component of recent cars, as it purifies your vehicle’s exhaust fumes and thus meets modern pollution requirements. However, it is possible that it may turned out to be clogged or breakdown, in which case a replace or cleaning is necessary. In this article we are going to look at how to clean a catalytic converter on Volkswagen Golf 4? To get this done, first of all, we will show you the circumstances in which it may be interesting to clean the catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4, then, how to accomplish this cleaning to retrieve the overall performance of the catalytic converter of your car.
Why would you want to clean up the catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4?
In this first part we will teach you why it may be necessary to clean the catalyst of your Volkswagen Golf 4 . In fact for some of you it may seem obvious but most of you do not understand how it functions and the outcomes dirty catalytic converter .
Role and functioning of the catalytic converter of a Volkswagen Golf 4
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The catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4 has the task to get rid of harmful exhaust fumes related to the process of your engine. In fact, it is one of the most important elements that fight against the pollution discharged by your Volkswagen Golf 4. It will transform these harmful gases into water or non-polluting fumes. In order to transform these gases, the catalyst of your Volkswagen Golf 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 just work from 400°, it is consequently essential to avoid clogging the catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4. If you are thinking of making sufficiently long trips to heat it up repeatedly (count more than 10 kilometres for the catalyst to reach the right temperature), this will enable you to optimise the life of this part and preserve best engine efficiency.
Outcomes of a dirty or defective catalytic converter on Volkswagen Golf 4
We will now find out what can be the outcomes of a dirty or failing catalytic converter on Volkswagen Golf 4 . This will enable you to identify the manifestations that should notify you to a failure of your catalytic converter, here is the list of symptoms of a defective catalytic converter:
- The catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4 is blocked: As we said above, if you make too short travels 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 Volkswagen Golf 4 may come on, do not think twice to seek advice from our content page to identify how to switch it off.
- A defective lambda sensor : The catalyst functions in close connection with the lambda sensors downstream and upstream of it, they will analyze the air flowing inside it, if it is clogged the sensors will often also have problems.
- A metallic noise coming from the exhaust: In case the catalyst is dead you should hear this noise which results in that the ceramic is damaged.
Why you should clean the catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4
Before we accomplish with the step you are likely most keen on, how to clean the catalytic converter of a Volkswagen Golf 4? We will teach you why it may be important for you to carry out this cleaning. In fact, a catalytic converter is a very expensive component (about 500 euros with the set up, the price can vary according to the engines). In addition to being no longer good for passing the technical control , you may be at risk of over-consumption of fuel . At last, the last interest is that cleaning a catalytic converter is not that expensive and doing it repeatedly will save you a lot of money.
How do you clean the catalytic converter from its Volkswagen Golf 4?
Finally here is the stage that you are most likely most interested in in this guideline, how to clean the catalytic converter of your Volkswagen Golf 4? Know that this procedure is very simple, and that there are two techniques to do it:
- Scrubbing the catalytic converter from your Volkswagen Golf 4 regularly: This strategy is specifically effective for persons who principally do short trips . To do so, nothing could be simpler, from time to time, make a long trip (about 30 minutes to optimize 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 discover 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 repeatedly at high rpm . If you can before and later on do an exhaust gas analysis to verify that you have recovered healthier exhaust fumes after the procedure. You can carry out this procedure every 15 000km.
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If you wish more tutorials on the Volkswagen Golf 4, go to our Volkswagen Golf 4 category.
