How to properly remove the catalyst from the car? Advantages and disadvantages

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Every car has an exhaust system. It includes several structural elements. The main ones are the collector, resonator and muffler. In addition, the system can use a corrugation that reduces vibrations. But also a mandatory element in cars with Euro-3 and higher standards is a catalyst. What is it, and do I need to remove the catalyst? We will discuss in our today's article.

Characteristic

Catalyst is an integral element of the exhaust part of the car, which is designed to purify gases from harmful metals and oxides. Externally, the item is a kind of jar with a metal case.

Inside it is a ceramic filler. The latter has numerous honeycombs, passing through which the gases are purified. To speed up the reactions in the element, special substances-catalysts are used. These are, as a rule, expensive metals:palladium, rhodium and so on. It is they who turn harmful substances into harmless oxides.

About this resource

There is no specific resource or regulation for replacing this element. And yes, the numbers vary greatly. For some car owners, the catalyst goes up to 150 thousand, others face problems after 60. What is the reason? The fact is that the resource and condition of the catalyst depends on many factors. This is the serviceability of the ignition system, fuel quality, vehicle operating conditions. Therefore, the malfunction of the element should be judged by characteristic features. We list them below.

How to identify a catalytic converter failure?

The first symptom indicating a malfunction is the yellow "Check Engine" lamp on the instrument panel. Why is she on fire? It's simple: in the car, the condition of the filter is monitored by oxygen sensors (usually there are two of them). The first is up to the catalyst, the second is behind it. And if the sensors detect deviations from the norm in toxicity (more precisely, in terms of the residual oxygen), the signal is transmitted to the electronic engine control unit, and then the yellow lamp lights up.

The next sign is a decrease in power and acceleration dynamics. It is known that the fewer parts prevent the release of gases, the better the scavenging of the cylinders. If the catalytic converter is clogged, it is more difficult for the exhaust to escape. Accordingly, the motor will be "strangled" by its own gases. The driver will immediately feel this by the uncharacteristic behavior of the car. The machine becomes weak and underpowered.

This problem may be accompanied byincreased fuel consumption. Since other information is received from the sensors, the ECU changes the composition of the fuel mixture. In addition, the driver automatically presses the gas harder than usual (after all, the car picks up speed weaker). This increases consumption by 5-10 percent.

Experts do not advise delaying the elimination of this problem. This is especially true in cases where part of the filler has broken off, and the driver hears a characteristic ringing. This is dangerous because ceramic dust can get into the engine (especially if the catalyst is close to the cylinders - it is welded directly into the exhaust manifold).

Can the catalyst be removed?

There are only two solutions to this situation. This is the replacement of the catalyst with a new one or its removal. Nobody uses the first option. After all, the price of a new filter will be from 30 thousand rubles. It is much cheaper to remove it, thereby freeing yourself from periodic replacement. Indeed, in this case, the owner will no longer think about the issue of buying a new catalyst after 60 thousand kilometers. Therefore, when asked whether it is possible to remove the catalyst, experts give only a positive answer.

Benefits

What will change if you remove the catalyst? Among the positive aspects, first of all, it is worth noting the savings in money. After all, the procedure for removing a catalyst costs no more than 15 thousand, while a new catalyst costs from 30. This operation also allows you to tune the exhaust system (for example, installing a sports exhaust manifold). Another plus is the increaseICE resource. After all, ceramic dust in the event of wear of the filler will no longer be able to enter the cylinder cavity and damage them in any way.

Now about the issues of increasing power and reducing consumption. Will this be true if it is planned to remove the catalyst? Reviews of those who did this procedure indicate the following. If we compare the indicators that were on the clogged catalyst before and after removal, there will definitely be an increase in power. But it is insignificant - only 3-5 percent, and even then because the gases previously could not normally release the cylinder chamber. Thus, the power of the car will not be higher than the factory values. The same applies to fuel consumption. If you remove the catalyst that was previously clogged, in any case, there will be a decrease in consumption.

Flaws

Among the minuses, it is worth noting the increase in exhaust toxicity. Since there is no filter in the system, the smell of gases will be more pungent. Also, if removed incorrectly, the exhaust sound may change. It will get a little louder. To prevent this, instead of a simple pipe, a flame arrester is welded in place of the catalyst. It has a porous structure inside and partially dampens vibrations. As a result, the exhaust sound remains factory.

What else will happen if you remove the catalyst? The next disadvantage is that after removal, you need to install a snag, or flash the ECU to the Euro-2 standard. This must be taken into account if you plan to remove the catalyst yourself on the VAZ-2114. According to reviews, the easiest way is to buy a ready-made blende andinstall it in the standard hole of the oxygen sensor. At the end of the article, we will talk more about the varieties of these elements.

How to remove the catalyst with your own hands?

Technology is quite simple. It consists in removing the ceramic packing of the catalyst. To do this, the car is driven into an inspection hole, and the catalyst is removed from it. How to remove the catalyst? Usually it has standard bolt-on fasteners. Next, with the help of a grinder, a part of the body is cut. Such a slot is made so that it is convenient to get to the insides. Then, with the help of a hammer and a chisel, the ceramic filler is knocked out mechanically.

After that, the cover is welded by the welding machine, and the device is installed back. But since the oxygen sensor will knock out an error (with a corresponding lamp on the instrument panel), a mechanical blende should be installed in advance. After that, the car will be ready for full operation.

Technology for removal at service stations

The service usually removes the catalyst and then replaces it with a flame arrester. This is a more correct solution. In this case, we get not only a quieter and more pleasant exhaust (without ringing, which may be in the previous version), but also less heating of the exhaust elements themselves. In other words, from a lower temperature, the muffler, which is the final link in the chain, will serve us longer.

How to remove the VAZ catalyst? The removal procedure is as followsway. The car is installed on a lift, then the specialists mechanically cut out the catalyst. After that, the distance between the pipes is measured, and a flame arrester of the required length is selected according to these dimensions. It is important to know that the diameter of the exhaust can also be different. When the part is selected in accordance with the dimensions, the master welds the flame arrester by argon arc welding. Next, the machine descends from the lift, and the master flashes the electronic unit. A new firmware is “poured” through the diagnostic connector, which complies with the Euro-2 standard. It does not have a catalyst, so the check engine light will not light up.

Varieties of snags

The snag itself is a mechanical spacer. It is installed in front of the second lambda probe and allows you to adjust the values so that the computer does not display an error when the internal combustion engine is running without a catalyst. There are three types of tricks:

• Empty. It is a tube with a thin hole at the end. On the other hand, an oxygen sensor is screwed to it. The system works simply: a small amount of gases passes through the tube, so the sensor does not detect excesses, and the lamp on the instrument panel does not light up.
• With ceramic filling. In the blende itself there are small cells that purify part of the gases to fix the normal values by the sensor.
• Angular. They can be both empty and filled. Used in cases where the installation of a conventional snag is problematic due to lack of space.

Whatregarding the price of the device, depending on the type and design, it can be purchased for 1-4 thousand rubles.

Summing up

So we figured out if the catalyst needs to be removed. Over time, this element fails (clogs). Therefore, each car owner will sooner or later remove the catalyst. As practice shows, the most successful option is to replace it with a flame arrester, followed by the installation of a blende or with a flashing of the electronic unit. But it is worth noting that the ECU firmware is a rather responsible process, and only qualified specialists should be trusted with this business. If you plan to remove the catalyst yourself, the safest option is to install a snag.