Catalytic converters, also known as cats, clean most of the pollutants out of your car's emissions. As it sits between your engine and exhaust pipe, any problems with the cat can obstruct the vehicle's airflow, causing engine problems. It's also required by law to have a fully functioning cat at all times. So if you notice the following six signs of trouble, visit your local Ford dealer in Amsterdam for a catalytic converter inspection. Check Engine Light Comes On As with most car trouble, your first warning will usually be the dreaded check engine light blinking to life on your dashboard. This light should never be ignored, as it's always better to nip a problem in the bud before it develops into something more costly to repair. more Ask Your Ford Dealer to Diagnose the Problem When you notice the check engine light, you won't know for sure if the problem lies with your cat or something else. A technician can interface with your onboard computer system to isolate the cause. They can also run heat and pressure checks on your exhaust system to see if the issue lies with your cat. Sulfury Stench of Rotten Eggs A faulty cat is no longer converting dirty fumes into harmless gases. One of these dirty fumes, hydrogen sulfide, has a recognizable sulfury smell similar to that of rotten eggs. Without a healthy cat cleaning up this gas, you'll soon smell it. Clanging or Rattling Noises If a cat gets knocked loose in its brackets by a jolt, curb, rock, or pothole, you'll hear it clanging loosely around under your car. If something dents your cat, breaking the delicate internal meshwork, you'll hear a quieter sound of metal pieces rattling about inside the cat. Stalling Engine With a bad cat inhibiting the flow of air, your engine becomes oxygen-starved. It will soon start to falter. You'll feel it juddering, stuttering, and idling roughly when you stop at traffic lights. And it might even stall. Poor Acceleration While Driving You'll also find your car accelerating poorly like it simply doesn't have the power anymore. This can be dangerous when you need a quick burst of speed, such as when crossing an intersection or overtaking another vehicle. Black Smoke From Your Tailpipe With less air entering the engine, the fuel-air mixture inside the combustion chambers becomes unbalanced. The engine tries to compensate by injecting more fuel, a lot of which doesn't combust properly as the spark plugs become coated in soot. If it can make it through your catalytic converter, this excess unburned fuel eventually starts to escape in the form of thick black smoke from your tailpipe. Sometimes, it will even ignite and you'll see flames in the smoke. Visit Brown's Ford Amsterdam today to have your catalytic converter examined and repaired by experienced professionals. We pride ourselves on being Mohawk Valley's premier dealership for all things Ford. Schedule your test drive at Brown's Ford to inspect your catalytic converter in Amsterdam.
