Using Lacquer Thinner to Clean Cat Converter?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 15, 2006
Messages
6,156
Location
Buffalo, NY
Anyone ever done this?
eek.gif


Cause I'm about too...
 
Last edited:
Everyone posts about it, only a few have tried and claim it works. I've done the overnight dunk taking the cat off, that worked. For a while (30k)
 
Why not go find the temperatures at which sulfides of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium revert to metal.

If you had hot hydrogen in there, I'd believe it. I don't for this. Doubt the reversible sulfide phase is present in enough quantity to do anything real.

Clogged with soot? Maybe. But I doubt that the lacquer thinner is doing much (does it burn at a slower rate than gas, and thus send more HCs to the converter)? Not sure how this really differs from an Italian tune up with a fuel dump that let's it run rich.
 
JHZR2 - I looked into it a ways back. The theory behind it is heat. That lacquer thinner creates hotter combustion temps, so the exhaust emissions are hotter. Catalysts fouled with oil/carbon are unable to achieve temps that clean the cat properly to maintain efficiency. The downside is a internal fire or excess heat fracturing the catalyst. While that has not been attributed to this trick, its entirely possible.
 
Last edited:
I hear you, but degraded efficiency is one of two things - oily/soot buildup that excludes catalyst surface (catalysis is all about active surfaces upon which reactions can occur); or sulfidation of the catalyst.

So again, what are the conditions to auto reduce sulfides of the metals used in there?

If its just about heat, what is the thinner doing that is bad for the engine, that an Italian tune up wouldn't?
 
I'm extremely interested in this. My old safari has had the p0420 code since I got it at 140k miles. The cat is welded to the pipe so I can't remove it, and i'd like to try something.

I'd be willing to be a guinea pig if I know it won't damage anything else like the fuel pump in the tank or injectors.

Thoughts?
 
Last edited:
justinf89 - If you want to there would be high interest on here. Thank you. If that doesn't work cap the rear o2 off with a $6 AAP modded spark plug non-fouler. Poof, gone. The details of this are written on here. I put one on 100k ago. P0420 never came back.
 
Originally Posted By: matrass
did you do it yet ?


Not yet, maybe today or tomorrow once I get the gas down a little in the tank by running errands. I was planning on heading to Wal-Mart to get a gallon of name brand Lacquer Thinner, maybe some CRC Guaranteed To Pass, and G-oil (for the rebate).

*I'll keep all appraised of results...
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Why not go find the temperatures at which sulfides of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and iridium revert to metal.

If you had hot hydrogen in there, I'd believe it. I don't for this. Doubt the reversible sulfide phase is present in enough quantity to do anything real.

Clogged with soot? Maybe. But I doubt that the lacquer thinner is doing much (does it burn at a slower rate than gas, and thus send more HCs to the converter)? Not sure how this really differs from an Italian tune up with a fuel dump that let's it run rich.


I'm guessing there could be something with the combination of methanol and acetone that either heats up the cat a bit more or causes deposits of carbon to volatilize...and yes I will be doing some Italian tune-ups over the course of the 150 miles or so...

The car is a 1998 Mercury Mystique (Ford Contour) with a 2.5L 25v V6 "baby" Duratech. The cat has been giving me varying problems since I've owned it, but "check engine light" usually stays off for several hundred to several thousand miles before throwing the code again. I cleaned out the air-intake manifold and combustion chamber and since the light has come back on after about 50 miles and 120 miles after being reset twice...
 
There is another possibility. A lazy pre-cat o2 sensor could provide false readings to the ecu causing a rich calibration. Too rich can overwhelm the cat.
 
Originally Posted By: Nickdfresh
Originally Posted By: matrass
did you do it yet ?


Not yet, maybe today or tomorrow once I get the gas down a little in the tank by running errands. I was planning on heading to Wal-Mart to get a gallon of name brand Lacquer Thinner, maybe some CRC Guaranteed To Pass, and G-oil (for the rebate).

*I'll keep all appraised of results...


let us know how it goes. I am sure we have some interested people wanting to see what happens. good luck !
 
Last edited:
They were all replaced with newer Bosch sensors. I believe the car ran rich for a while due to an intermittently faulty cam position sensor (also replaced)...
 
I did this to my 2000 Toyota Tacoma 3.4L about a month ago. I was noticing a sulfur (rotten egg) smell from my exhaust. Fearing that my cat was going out I ran the 1 gallon lacquer thinner in a half tank of gas.

The result was that I no longer smell the strong sulfur odor. It is also starting and idling smoother when cold, which had been a little rough prior to the treatment.

As a side note, if you read the components of lacquer thinner as per the MSDS sheet, they seem very similar to Berrymans Chemtool B12.
 
Just poured it in the tank and am about to do an initial highway drive of about 30-50 miles. We'll see. FTR, I've also noticed the rotten-egg smell, but usually only while on the highway before the car is at optimal operating temp...


Originally Posted By: Vikas
G-Oil rebate is OVER; you have to wait for the next train!


Saw that. The local Wal-Mart looks like they still had the older formula jugs anyways...
 
Last edited:
After about 50 miles or highway driving - including several "Italian Tune-ups" - I think the car runs a tad smoother. But that could be just a placebo. After another 90 miles or so, I'm refilling and throwing in the CRC GTP (a high PEA fuel inj. cleaner) and zeroing out the computer. I'll post benchmarks and how long the check engine light stays off...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top