Is it safe to clean your catalytic converter by pouring some lacquer thinner in your gas tank and running the engine for about 150 miles as Scotty Kilmer suggests in this video? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icTmYItwiE The p0420 code came on about a month ago, and it goes off and on intermittentl…

aivlast, Run that tank of gas down and refill a couple of tanks to get back to normal fuel. Then have a good mechanic check the signals coming from the O2 sensors with a graphing scan tool or scope. Don’t just blindly change parts. http://www.obd-codes.com/p0420 http://engine-codes.com/p0420.html

A GALLON of lacquer thinner? Folks, do NOT do this at home!

"But, I am told there is a problem on state inspection, not sure if that is state wide. But, you are, or are not, it’s not clear, allowed one readiness failure whatever that means." I live in an outlying area around Fort Worth, where we have OBD inspections. My inspector told me my 99 Cavalier …

circuitsmith , Thanks for the advise. I will do as you say.

Aivlast, Hopefully your report of this acetone treatment of your Xterra, and the (predictable) failure will help convince other people who see this thread in the future to not try this act of vehicle abuse. You might be lucky, and only your O2 sensors are fouled/bad at this time. Hopefully you ha…

Ditto to what Bladecutter said. Unfortunately, it’s entirely possible that the acetone treatment cost you some parts in addition to the original problem. It’s entirely possible that the actone poisoned the platinum-palladium in your cat converter. Perhaps it never really sufficiently burned and pas…

i just ordered a bottle of cataclean for $28 it says to put it in with a 1/4 tank of gas once the coverter is warm and drive for 30 miles so kinda the same thing huh/

i just ordered a bottle of cataclean for $28 it says to put it in with a 1/4 tank of gas once the coverter is warm and drive for 30 miles so kinda the same thing huh/ Yea…it’s WORTHLESS…you just wasted $28

So, since the P0420 code can mean either a bad cat on bank 1, or a bad rear sensor, can I do the following to determine which one it is? I have two banks (Chevy Suburban) so can I swap the two rear sensors and then see what error code comes up? If it is still a P0420 it would seem to be a bad cat …

Mike, it isn’t TOTALLY worthless…someone made $28 bucks off of it. Unfortunately, it won’t solve any problems. And may even create some.

Lacquer Thinner and Catalytic Converter

Maintenance/Repairs

autopia February 16, 2012, 2:58am 31

I have a question. Why not remove the cat and soak it in the lacquer thinner? It’s a bit stronger than dish soap and it would avoid running the thinner through your fuel system.

Topic		Replies	Views
Catalytic Converter Maintenance/Repairs	28	16238	July 31, 2011
Another look at P0420 cat efficiency General Discussion	12	9439	August 2, 2013
Lacquer thinner General Discussion	18	5559	January 18, 2015
None Maintenance/Repairs	47	3955	March 12, 2012
08 check Malibu catalytic converter issues Maintenance/Repairs	27	15056	October 2, 2017

Lacquer Thinner and Catalytic Converter

Related topics