Bad catalytic converter stalling

The easiest way to spot catalytic converter problems is by paying close attention when the car accelerates. Watch for bucking or stuttering motions as the car or truck moves forward. The vehicle may hesitate to move for a moment when you press the gas pedal.

This is usually followed by a strong jolt as the vehicle jerks forward. A bad catalytic converter may cause the vehicle's engine to stall. It will usually start without trouble and otherwise seem fine but stall immediately when the gas pedal is pressed.

Look at the exhaust from your vehicle. This would normally be filtered by the catalytic converter. More smoke being emitted than usual points to problems with the catalytic converter. Some vehicles with catalytic converter problems emit black smoke. Smell the air behind the car. Exactly how much the job costs will depend on many factors, including the type of vehicle you have. Once again, exactly how much the part may cost will depend on many factors, including the type of vehicle you have.

The problem is, typically, those components have to be welded or clamped into place, and that makes replacement a lot more difficult. A better option?

Be diligent about preventive maintenance. Keep your exhaust system clean and well-maintained so you can avoid catalytic converter problems in the first place. Most bad catalytic converter symptoms do not affect the function of your vehicle. But if you have to face a fully plugged catalytic, keep driving your car is the thing you have to avoid. In some countries, it is illegal to drive a car with a damaged catalytic converter since smog from your car will cause many bad impacts on the environment.

Thus, getting your car a new catalytic converter is what you need to do in this case. How to tell if you need a new catalytic converter in your car? Check out this video. Driving Tips. Maintenance Tips. Car Review. Car Comparison. Industry knowledge. By Tsukasa Azuma. Last updated Dec 31, Engine Misfiring The catalytic converter can overheat and show signs of failing when the engine misfires.

Source: Spidersweb 2. Loss of Power When Accelerating Losing power during acceleration or going uphill is one of the most common clogged catalytic converter symptoms. Source: TVP infor You can be sure about this problem by applying a simple test. Degraded Performance An overall degradation in the engine performance is another sign. Source: Car Throttle 5. You may also notice engine performance issues like acceleration lag, higher or lower fuel consumption, and a misfiring engine.

Here is a more detailed list of the 8 most common symptoms of a bad catalytic converter. The check engine light , one of the most obvious indicators of a malfunction in your car, is also one of the indications of a bad catalytic converter. When checked by a compatible device, it gives a catalytic converter trouble code which must be decoded with the help of the operating manual. The most common trouble code when it comes to a bad catalytic converter is the P code.

If you observe delays when accelerating or notice that your car does not accelerate properly and loses power when driving in steep areas, while all other parts like spark plugs , filters etc. Mechanics usually misdiagnose the fault of the catalytic converter with other components that need to be replaced unnecessarily. You can also check this yourself. Keep your hand close to the exhaust pipe end and ask someone to push the acceleration pedal to increase your RPM to If you get a meager amount of exhausts coming out, it might be a bad catalytic converter.

Compare the flow to a similar car. High or low fuel economy is one of the symptoms of a poor catalytic converter. Due to improper combustion of the fuel, it reduces or increases the overall fuel efficiency of the car, resulting in increased costs. The most common reason is high fuel consumption due to the lower power of your car.

When catalytic converters clog, they restrict the airflow of exhaust gases so that the engine of your car runs on a rich air-fuel mixture. The combustion of this excessive mixture causes an odor like rotten eggs. This mixture then burns in the converter and melts its inner material, causing blockages. This clogging restricts gas flow through the converter and creates a back pressure that affects engine performance.

Thermal damage can also occur when hot converters contact the cold area, damaging their parts. If the catalytic converter is clogged, the engine gets too much fuel that the engine cannot burn. This excess fuel ignites in the exhaust, which causes the car to have difficulty starting. The catalytic converter can also be so clogged that the engine cant gets the emissions out of the engine, but the engine will most often start for seconds in this case.

The overall purpose of the catalytic converter is to remove emissions, so this is maybe pretty obvious. When the catalytic converter is clogged, it restricts the flow of oxygen in engines, and engines require a lot of oxygen for proper fuel combustion. This reduced air intake leads to overheating due to an excessive amount of unburned gases caused by spark plug misfiring.