Is the Engine Malfunction Light Indicating the Need to Clean the Three-Way Catalytic Converter?
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The engine malfunction light in a car may illuminate because the three-way catalytic converter requires timely cleaning, which is performed using an intravenous drip method. This method involves connecting a plastic hose to the engine's vacuum solenoid valve and utilizing the air pressure in the hollow tube to draw the cleaning agent from the infusion bottle into the engine. As the cleaning agent exits through the exhaust pipe, it cleans the three-way catalytic converter. Composition of the Three-Way Catalytic Converter: The three-way catalytic converter generally consists of four parts: the shell, damping layer, substrate, and catalyst coating. The shell is made of stainless steel to prevent oxide scale from detaching, which could clog the substrate. The damping layer is composed of padding or wire mesh padding, serving to seal, insulate, and secure the substrate. To protect the substrate from damage due to vibration, thermal deformation, and other factors, the padding is made of expanded mica and aluminum silicate fibers, bonded together with adhesive. The substrate is made of honeycomb-shaped ceramic material, though many are also made of metal (including stainless steel). The catalyst consists of precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium, sprayed onto the substrate to form the purifying agent. Lifespan of the Three-Way Catalytic Converter: The service life of a three-way catalytic converter ranges between 80,000 to 100,000 kilometers. The actual lifespan depends on the vehicle's usage conditions, as well as the quality of fuel used and the driving environment.
The engine malfunction light coming on is not necessarily a signal that the catalytic converter needs cleaning. When the light came on in my old car, my first reaction was to clean the converter. After spending money on cleaning, the light stubbornly remained on. Eventually, I took it to a repair shop and found out it was an oxygen sensor failure, wasting the cleaning cost for nothing. A clogged catalytic converter might cause the light to come on and affect emission efficiency, but other issues like air intake system leaks, clogged fuel injectors, or spark plug problems are equally common. If you clean it without checking first, you might mask the real issue. The best approach is to use an OBD scanner to read the fault codes and identify the root cause before taking action. Don’t act blindly like I did, wasting both money and repair time. Regular engine maintenance and using high-quality gasoline can help prevent catalytic converter clogging.
