Does Burning Oil Affect the Catalytic Converter?
3 Answers
Burning oil does affect the catalytic converter. When an engine burns oil, it can adhere to the mesh surface of the catalytic converter, reducing the effectiveness of catalytic materials such as palladium and rhodium, ultimately causing the converter to fail. The direct consequence is failing vehicle emission tests. In severe cases, it can clog the converter, leading to poor exhaust flow and difficulty in accelerating. Precautions for using the catalytic converter: 1. If the catalytic converter has mechanical damage, thermal sintering, exceeds 200,000 kilometers in mileage, or suffers from lead poisoning, cleaning may not be effective. 2. If the engine stalls during cleaning, immediately disconnect the hose connecting the engine to the equipment and close the flow valve. Restart the engine and only reconnect and adjust after the idle speed stabilizes. 3. Users should check whether the air-fuel mixture concentration is appropriate to ensure the liquid is drawn into the intake tract in a mist form. 4. Users should clean the catalytic converter after cleaning the throttle body, fuel injectors, and combustion chamber. 5. During cleaning, the idle speed should not be too high to avoid overheating the catalytic converter.
As a seasoned driver with decades of experience, I can personally attest to how much damage burning oil causes to the catalytic converter. When an engine burns oil, unburned oil particles enter the exhaust system and directly accumulate in the ceramic honeycomb structure of the catalytic converter. They form a thick layer of grime that coats the catalyst surface, clogging the tiny pores and preventing the converter from properly transforming harmful gases. Over time, the purification efficiency drops sharply, exhaust emissions exceed standards, and the engine may even lose power due to increased backpressure. I neglected this issue when I was younger, and the entire catalytic converter became completely clogged and failed, costing over two thousand to replace. Worse yet, it also damaged other components like the oxygen sensor. So, if you notice blue smoke from the exhaust or abnormal oil consumption, address the root causes—such as piston rings or valve seals—immediately to prevent premature catalytic converter failure. Regularly checking oil levels and color can help avoid such troubles.
I know this all too well! Last year, my friend's old car started burning oil, and he delayed fixing it. Before long, the catalytic converter was completely ruined. The unburned oil followed the exhaust flow into the pipe, clogging up the converter's interior with sticky residue, leaving no space for the catalyst to work. As a result, the purification efficiency plummeted, the exhaust stank terribly, and the car failed its annual inspection outright. During repairs, they found the converter completely blocked and useless, forcing an expensive replacement. I learned my lesson—now I keep an eye on my own car's oil consumption to avoid repeating the same mistake. Burning oil doesn't just harm the catalytic converter; the entire exhaust system can suffer, like when the oxygen sensor fails and triggers the check engine light. Addressing engine issues early saves major headaches and financial losses, making driving much more worry-free.
