The catalytic converter is part of your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s exhaust system. It takes harmful emissions and converts them into safe ones so they can be released through the exhaust. The average lifespan of a catalytic converter is 10 years. If you drive an older automobile, Meadows Automotive advises that is possible that your catalytic converter will go bad. One thing you will notice is a difference in your engine’s performance. Your engine will sputter and struggle to maintain speed. This is just one sign that your catalytic converter is faulty. Here are other signs.
Acceleration Lag
Your vehicle’s acceleration will also lag if the catalytic converter is malfunctioning. The most common reason for this is a clogged catalytic converter. This prevents the exhaust from flowing through the converter and out of the tailpipe. Rather, the exhaust backs up into the combustion chamber and causes combustion problems. This is the reason why your engine performance and acceleration are lagging.
Dark Exhaust Smoke
Another sign that your catalytic converter is faulty is if you have dark exhaust smoke flowing out of your tailpipe. If the exhaust has not been treated properly before it is released through the exhaust system, it will be black. This is also an indication that the exhaust backup in the combustion chamber is causing an imbalance of air and fuel in the combustion chamber. Both of these things can be attributed to a faulty catalytic converter that is unable to do its job.
Rotten Egg Odors
If your vehicle’s exhaust smells like rotten eggs, or if you smell rotten eggs coming from the engine bay and underneath the vehicle, this is an indication that the catalytic converter is going bad. You will continue to smell this unpleasant odor until you have the catalytic converter replaced. The only other thing that will smell like rotten eggs in your automobile is a battery leak, so if you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, it’s a safe bet that it’s the catalytic converter.
Too Much Heat
Finally, a faulty catalytic converter will generate too much heat underneath your automobile. You will be able to smell something hot as you are driving. As the heat makes its way into the engine bay, your engine’s temperature will increase steadily. Eventually, your engine will overheat. This will happen every time you drive your automobile until you replace the catalytic converter.
We can do that here at Meadows Automotive in Waterford Township, MI, so give us a call today.
