The catalytic converter is an integral part of your exhaust system. It removes poisonous gases from your engine and converts them into less harmful ones. Through this process, your converter reduces pollution. The converter can get damaged, and as your INFINITI dealer, we can repair or replace it if this happens. These are some of the signs that your converter has problems.
Signs You Need a New Catalytic Converter From Your INFINITI Dealer
Engine Misfiring
If your engine starts misfiring, this can be a sign that your converter is clogged. A converter becomes clogged when it’s exposed to too high temperatures for an extended period. Excessive heat passes across the converter as it exits the exhaust and can melt some of the internal structure. If enough of the structure of the converter has been melted, the resultant mass forms a blockage in the converter.
The blockage will prevent engine gases from exiting the exhaust. This creates back pressure, forcing the gases into your engine. These gases will alter the fuel-air mix in your engine and make it fuel-rich. If there’s too much fuel and not enough air in your engine, your spark plugs won’t ignite correctly. You’ll hear misfiring as spark plugs struggle to keep your engine running.
Poor Engine Performance
When you step on the gas, your INFINITI engine should accelerate smoothly and efficiently immediately. If you’re faced with barely average performance and your foot is on the gas, your engine is underperforming. There are several possible causes of this, but a major one is a blocked converter that severely restricts your engine.
As we saw above, a clogged converter will increase the fuel-air mix in the engine, reducing performance. The backflow of gases also creates additional pressure in your engine. Your engine has to work harder to overcome this pressure. You’ll notice that your gas consumption will increase. Some of the gas is wasted due to the poor fuel-air mix. Once we repair the converter, these problems should disappear.
Toxic Smoke
A damaged converter will belch out black smoke with a foul rotten egg smell. The smell is caused by hydrogen sulfide, a toxic chemical usually removed by the converter. If you smell this chemical, your converter is working. Under normal conditions, this hydrogen sulfide will be converted into less dangerous sulfur dioxide.
A converter can be damaged due to aging, or it can be damaged by receiving exhaust gases that are far too hot. The fuel-rich environment mentioned above could cause this damage. The misfiring of a cylinder due to the fuel-rich environment could result in a cylinder of extra-hot unburnt fuel being dumped out of the cylinder and into the converter. This will cause toxic smoke and seriously damage the converter.
Your converter doesn’t always have to be replaced. We can repair a converter if it hasn’t been seriously damaged. Call our service department at DARCARS INFINITI of Greenwich. Our experts will examine your converter and have the problem fixed ASAP.
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