Im not a mechanic, so I needed help with my CC's since I had the code. I followed Scottys advice using 1 gallon of lacquer thinner in a half tank of gas. Then I ran it for 150 miles at high speeds. The red light went out after the first day never to return. This was performed on a 2004 Nissan Murano. It worked beautifully. I just wanted people to know that it worked for me.
@@craiglist308 I kept the car about another year before trading it in so I’m not sure how long it lasted, but at least for that year or so. I imagine it lasted much longer than a year though. I was so happy it worked because replacing the CC’s on the Murano was very costly (2400.00). Money that I didn’t have then.
I tried it after watching Scotty’s video. The light came on literally as I was driving to the Smog Check station. I was broke and desperate. I poured the lacquer thinner and drove about 100 miles as suggested. Clouds of white smoke blew out every now and then. At exactly 103 miles the light turned off. I’m forever grateful.
@@x.livelife2509it works because my 2008 Saturn Aura ( Malibu ) 3.5 V6 pushrod and my 2010 Honda Accord 3.5 V6 is proof it works thanks Scotty got mine from Walmart Kleen tools brand new $8 bucks a can or get the gallon can few bucks more best price there
Hello, I tried that & it worked 4 years ago with 1 gallon in a 1/2 tank & passed smog, it lasted for a year with no check engine light. Then check engine light one after another for a month P420, so I tried Scotty Kilmore's plan B, throw them in a bucket of soap & water overnight & no P420 for 3 years now. I followed his instructions exactly & it worked.
As with other comments here, I also tried Kilmer's suggestion, using 1 gallon to half a tank of gas. Drive 100 miles or so, and it worked. I also am in agreement with others that if you are going to "debunk" something, use the same conditions. You did not use enough and essentially diluted it to much to be effective.
This guy even says in his show notes that putting that stuff in the car didn't change driveability one bit. The car was still fine even if he didn't think it worked. So...why not try? The guy fixes cars and is trying to dissuade you about going to a mechanic to charge you $1K to fix stuff. This guy's suspect, man.
@@jasonbender2459 That must be a cheaper lacquer thinner because the one I've used in the past was 60-80% toluene: www.actequipment.com/msds/fsp2002.pdf
Worked great on my 2010 Subaru Forester. Thanks Scotty Kilmer. I followed his directions with a gallon of thinner into half a tank. I drove 100 miles. Light has yet to return.
I got a 2002 subaru outback 2.5 eh25 5spd I'm about to do this with. I think it may have a small vacuum leak tho but it has codes p0420 and p0301 1st cylinder misfire but can't notice the misfire but have faith this will work.
As a person who is 53 years old and has worked on engines since age 10, I thought the suggestion of lacquer thinner in my gas tank was crazy. Our 2005 Toyota Sienna had the check engine light on and had just failed the PA emissions test. The Toyota dealer wanted over $1300.00 to replace the 2 converters on our van. I was planning on doing the job myself but i read on the internet about cleaning them. The more I read about this working for a lot of people and after considering what chemicals are in intake cleaner, I decided to try it. I added 1 gallon of thinner to 10 gallons of gas and we ran that through. Light still on. I thought that the van ran the same with the thinner as normal so I tried the process a second time. Within 2 days, the light went out on its own. it had been on for 9 months straight before the thinner. Definitely, something positive has happened with the thinner. Moral of the story, always keep an open mind and follow directions. For $9.00 a gallon for the thinner, this was great.
I done different methods of cleaning cats and passing emission tests. My last emission test was on a 1988 Dodge Omni. I did everything from changing oil, plugs, air filter, vacuum leaks, etc. I could not make a spec I think it was the parts per million of Nox. A work mate recommended getting the car drunk. I could of used 100% vodka, but opted to used 4 litre of methyl hydrate. Ran that with 91 Octane gas. The exhaust was so clean smelling, took it to the garage for a emission check and blew really clean. It passed. Fast forward today. Got a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo 1.6, getting a P0420 code. Cat problems. I cleaned the Cat. Out because flow thru the holes was still good.. Made a flange to block one end of the Cat. Put Cat. Vertical and filled it with Muriatic Acid..This ate the crud inside. Let it sit for 3 days. Then washed it out with hot water and liquid soap (Dawn) let it dry. That was the end of the P0420 code.
It works! had a 97 Civic that failed high CO due to failed catalytic converter I dumped half the can of lacguer thinner in the tank w/ less than a 1/4 tank, ran it until it went to empty, took it back to the shop and passed. Had a 2001 Mazda 626 that failed because of the Cat, Took off the Cat left it in a bucket soaked full of lacquer thinner and carb cleaner (mix) for two days. Installed it, short term fuel trim went down,down stream O2 sensor improved, then it passed smog. Mechanic since 1991
@@khatabdh4028 get a 1 inch hole saw. At the rear of the converter cut a hole in the side. Then take an old big screwdriver and tear that stuff up. Get it all out that hole using a coat hanger and fingers. Then after u know its clean. Start the vehicle to make sure. Then weld a washer back over the hole.
Thats the dumbest idea I ever heard. On average they are worth 100 dollars the piece of pipe and clamps if you don't have a welder are 20 so you could have made 80 bucks for an hour of work
I can confirm that 4 litres of lacquer thinner in 50 litres in an Fj cruiser 2012 worked . The P0430 cat below efficiency error is gone now . You do have to use a gallon and it takes about 300klm . I used real time diagnostics on the o2 sensors and saw the change back to normal operation.
I had tried Kimer's method one day after the light came on indicating it was the converter. With about a half tank of gas and PURE lacquer thinner I drove a little over a 100 miles and the light turned off. Pass the smog test the next day.
+Dangerously Active Not yet in 22 months. My luck has been when I'm driving to the smog test outlet I'll get several codes all at once. So I won't no for sure until the day of tge next test which is 2 months from now
Craiglaca1 Long as my check engine light goes off and stays off.Im ok with that for the 1st 22months.Also I was told and this could be another video to myth bust if you will.people are saying Cata Clean solution. helps a lot and passes all test.
It works best if you add the lacquer thinner to 1/4 tank of fuel, drive 20-30 miles then fill up and drive as normal. Light usually goes out on it's own before you get back down to 1/4 tank. It also cleans the O2 sensors so they read more accurately. If the ceramic substrate starts breaking down, it will clog MECHANICALLY, NOT chemically and lacquer thinner won't work. I had THAT issue on my '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited and had to replace the converter.
1997 ford explorer bad catalytic converter just went to walmart bought a gallon of lacquer thinner poured into a half a tank of gas engine light went off the first 15 min of driving and power is restored absolutely amazing. Thank you Scotty!!!!!
Respectfully, this did in fact just work for me! My wife’s ‘08 Jeep Commander (152k miles) has had the check engine light on for nearly 3 years now. The Jeep Dealer quoted us between $2400 and $2800 to replace it. I said no, because the car’s performance didn’t seem injured, and that I would eventually do it myself (after market part about $400). That said, it’s no easy job, I’ve just never gotten around to it. Well, decided I was going to do the replacement. had seen your video previously but was very nervous about trying this. Well, after much online research, I decided to give it a shot before ordering parts. SO GLAD I DID!!! With a nervous tension, I poured a $13 can of Lacquer Thinner that I got in the paint section of Walmart, into the gas tank. Well, a can and a half actually (so, $26), as we had about 15 gallons of gas in the car, and the perceived ideal ratio is 1:10, lacquer to gas. Then we drove the car around for about 80 to 90 miles last night and tonight. Well, about 5 miles ago, BAM! Problem resolved. I ran the diagnostics again (I use the Bluetooth FIXD tool, although this one is cheap and I will eventually upgrade to something more functional), and the P0430 Catalyst engine error is now gone!!! Wow!!! Just WOW! I must admit I was scared about doing this, but...the science prevailed and I did it. So glad I did. Sorry it didn't work for you in your trial, but in my mind, Scotty is a GENIUS!!!!
Well, I dumped one full gal into my Silverado twice while on a 3800 Mile Rd trip out west. Not only did it get rid of that code but also fixed the fuel injector code on the # 5 cyinder! It's been over a year now.
Scotty's gal. Of lacquer thinner with half tank of gas worked for me in my 06 Corolla. Cleared my P0420 code in 70 miles. Keep up the good videos Eric.
You have to use an entire gallon of lacquer thinner with 1/2 tank of gas like Scotty kilmer instructs. I have done this with 3 vehicles and it worked like a charm every time. The cats were also severely clogged in my vehicles. The cars would only drive for 10 minutes before they would lose all power. Living in CA I sure as hell wasnt paying for a replacement cat. This has literally saved me $1000s of dollars.
I think you AND Scotty are both a priceless asset to TH-cam and the internet. I sure do appreciate all the time, effort, and sacrifice you both put into sharing your years of experience with the rest of the world.
Great video, as always! Scotty recommended one gallon of lacquer thinner in half a tank of gas. You put a quart of thinner in 2/3 of a tank. If the tanks are roughly the same size (granted, a big assumption), then Scotty's solution was over five times as concentrated as yours. That may have made the difference.
Eric, You are correct in if there is something wrong with the catalytic converter, such as the media comes lose, thinners are not going to fix it. Since this video is really old I'm sure you've resolved the issue with your converter but next time you test someone's recommendation, you should follow their advice. Scotty recommended 1 gallon per 1/2 tank or about 10%. You added 1 quarter of his recommended so it's no wonder it didn't work out for you. My check engine light came on about a week ago and codes indicated the converter was bad. I just did exactly what Scotty recommendeded, 1 gallon per 1/2 tank on a 2011 chevy equinox, drove it about 40 miles at highway speed. Check engine light went out. It does seem to work, if the catalytic converter is not damaged.
YOU PUT IN A MINISCULE AMOUNT.ARE YOU KIDDING ME MAN! USE A GALLON OF 100% LACQUER THINNER.i'VE DONE IT WITH 5 CARS JUST LIKE SCOTTY AND ALL DRIVE VERY WELL NOW. SCOTTY WAS ON THE MONEY!!!
I used Scotty's method on my 2005 4Runner and it worked for about 9+ months. Good enough to pass the test until the next year. It came off and on after the 9 month period.
My daughter's 2015 Honda Fit (88,800 mi.) had the CEL come on and it was throwing a P0420 code, so I added one gallon of lacquer thinner to ten gallons of gas and drove the car on the highway at 80mph for about three hours, and that CEL went off. It looks like many people are recommending a 1 to 5 ratio on LT to gas. I'm planning to do the same with my my 2011 Honda Odyssey now that I've deleted the VCM. (12/14/22)
hi. i did 2 gallons of lacquer lacquer thinner to 20 gallons of gas. the hack trick worked for me. no more p0420. maybe you needed more lacquer thinner than just one quart.
Nice ! As Myth busters do... They always Screw Up... Change / Weaken the Fix... So It Does Not Work. You Need 4 Times the Thinner. You were supposed to do 1 Gallon of Lacquer Thinner on a Half Tank (8 Gallons of Gas). You barely had any Thinner. But I used 2 Gallons of Lacquer Thinner with 13 Gallons of Gas in my 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD and Drove 190 Miles on Highway.... Till I was near empty.... And it worked. But hey, This Video is just an attempt to try and put down another Channel... small minds... small mission
I had a P0420 I couldn't get rid of, so I thought I'd try lacquer thinner - nothing to lose, right? 2001 Chevy Express 5.7 Vortec. I put one gallon of thinner in 1/4 tank, so approximately 10 gallons of gasoline. I drove it 100 miles, and I re-ran the test (using AutoTap Express). Bank 1 sensor 2 reading was now almost identical to bank 2 sensor 2, so I proceeded to the emissions test. It passed with no problem. I can see a couple of problems or oversights in this video. First, the proportion of thinner to gasoline is way too low as compared to what Kilmer recommended. Secondly, if you pay close attention to Kilmer's video, you're only trying to pick up that 1 or 2 percent of efficiency that drops you below the emissions testing threshold. Even Eric's readings seem to show at least that much gain. If you've got P0420 and you don't want to buy a cat, spending $20 on a gallon of lacquer thinner is not a bad gamble.
To obtain the same ratio of fuel to laquer thinner, (1 : 9), with 3/4 tank of fuel you'd have to add 1.5 gallons of the laquer thinner to the fuel tank. As several others have already pointed out, you can't "debunk" or "prove" anything if you're not willing to completely follow the directions provided by the previous experimenter! 18 *.75=13.5 gallons (fuel in the tank), 13.5 / 9=1.5 gallons (additive needed), for complete duplication of the previous "experiment". Even if the experiment was completely duplicated, "Scotty" makes no guarantee that it will work every time . . . . so, you might still have to remove the "cat's", and use a different cleaning method, or even replace them to obtain the desired results! 🙂
Not 32 ounces....128 ounces...1 GALLON of LT. Try again, major fail on your part...you can't disprove his theory without doing it as he does in his video.
Here is my take on the test, if you are going to claim that the other mechanic is wrong you must REPLICATE the test exactly as it was done by the other person. You have 3/4 of gas in the tank the other mechanic had 1/2 tank so your mixture was diluted by about 4 extra gallons of gasoline not good. It looks like you used 1 quart or 32oz of thinner, the other mechanic used 1 gallon or about 128oz, conclusion you DID NOT REPLICATED THE TEXT DOES MAKING YOUR CLAMIS FALSE the only way to discredit someones else test is by exactly replicating the original and that is not what you did.
@@aaronmatthewallen8470 ...that doesn't excuse what he did...or excuse him from saying Scotty and his methods were wrong. The false result implication made by him is "Still out there"...and its wrong. How can you excuse this ?
Thanks Eric for directing me to Scotty's much more useful video on the subject. Using Scotty's formula of 1 gal. lacquer thinner to 1/2 tank of gas then driving 150 consecutive miles at a consistent ~70 mph/3000 rpm immediately resolved the DTC P420 issue with my 2004 Honda Civic LX, and is still effective after driving another 50 miles at highway speeds the following day.
Scotty says in his video he has been, successfully, using LT for 30 years. If you're going to do a test to myth bust something you need to do their test, not your version of it. I've seen the actual Myth Busters do the same thing only to show their own ignorance. If you go look at Scotty's video the first 10 top posts with scores of upvotes are people that did it and cleared their cat codes. This is one video that would have been better had he actually done it the way it was intended to be, now the majority of peeps that sees only this video are going to assume it "just doesn't work" as if everything is as black and white as it works or it doesn't. You don't buy 1 quart of oil to change your oil when it takes 4 quarts. You get 4 quarts. If it takes 1 gallon for a half a tank of gas and 150-200 miles of driving to work, if he wanted to "be safe" and use 1 quart he'd have to drive 800 miles to get a full gallon worth, and even then it might not work because the ratio is key.
And I can tell you as a diagnostic tech and exhaust specialist I have made quite a bit of money from Mr. Kilmers little fantasy as I have seen more than my share of melted down converters from this idiotic trick. If its contaminated not much will fix that. That being said there is a chemical that WAS designed to help bring back converters that have carbon/oil consumption residue issues and possibly even antifreeze contamination. It is sold by Mr Gasket and is called Cataclean. It is marketed as a fuel system cleaner and catalytic converter "cleaner" and DOES work. The issues with lacquer thinner is there are several different "mixes" from the brands. The generic stuff Eric used is for cheap paints and varnishes and such NOT automotive paint which is considerably more sensitive to chemistry. I know from reading and such that a person found Cataclean, then tried the sniff test and may have even seen an MSDS sheet on it but got no specific concentrations of any chemicals involved. The theory of the lacquer thinner I have found came from back in the day of flat bed pellet converters and engines burning oil for what ever reason. Lacquer thinner made older engines run hotter on the exhaust mainly due to carbs not being designed to meter lacquer/gasoline mix AND newer gas has ethanol also. And the computers wont allow the exhaust to overheat as most OBD2 cars also monitor for EGR temp as many cars have plastic intakes/gaskets and high EGR temps may cause engine damage. You want to do it do so at your own risk because I have seen too many cars come in with melted down converters from the lacquer thinner trick and when a converter melts down, your talking at least $350+ to get a proper one. Yes Yes I know you can buy super cheap ones from Ebay, been there, done that and got P0420/P0430 codes and also had cars fail emissions when they go home. Heck some car can run as high as $1000 to replace converters parts alone as they have 4! Good luck if you try this , in my professional opinion as a 30+yr tech, hoax and I hope you dont trash your car.
I have 06 Altima which kept pulling P0420 showing bad cat. I watched Scotty's video and decided with 230,000 and a replacement cost of $1300 to replace cat I would give it a try. I followed the EXACT directions of Scotty (unlike you did on this video) and I put one full gallon of thinner into 10 gallons of gas. (a little less than 3/4 tank) I had to do a Dallas to Houston drive so it worked out perfect. I ran out the whole tank on I-45 going 75-80 mph. I added some 93 octane (which I read from other posters could help) I reset code and drove another 100 in the city before checking it again. No pending codes and passed inspection with flying colors. Maybe a coincident ? Maybe but I would say for the time being I am a believer. P.S. Cataclean is a good product too but it does not work 100% of the time. Follow directions accurately if you want to do a real test.
+Kevin Kleinhenz I have the same car. No P0420 Codes, but i have severe Loss of Power. I have this strong feeling my Cat is totally clogged. Although the o2 has thrown its code before, i replaced this o2. But the Car has terrible loss of Power. I believe this procedure you followed should Help.
+Allen Kingsley The after cat is bad about clogging up if the manifold cat goes bad. The after can is not monitored by the computer, so you can hollow it out without setting a light. You can find a manifold cat online pretty cheap, super easy to replace. Check back pressure with a gauge you can rent from O'reilly's.
+Kevin Kleinhenz I use the L.T. method on many of my customer's cars. I'd say about 60% of the time it works every time. Some have gone for years without the light returning, others have gone about 6 months, others didn't make it 6 days. There's many variables. It's good to have those variables in your favor though!
Cataclean smells like lacquer thinner. Maybe that's where Scotty got the idea from. Stuff is pretty pricey at $20 (for 16 oz, on sale). Would be interesting to know it's chemical makeup. Could make a lot of money selling 16 oz. bottles of lacquer thinner for $20 :)
Eric: Have to agree with many others here. If you're gonna try the lacquer thinner test as Scotty suggested, then you should use the mixture he recommended - 1 gallon lacquer thinner to 9 gals gasoline. This is a 10% solution. Your test used 1 quart thinner to approx 7 gallons fuel (28 quarts). So your mixture was only about 3%, not 10% as Scotty recommended. Please try it again if you can. I'd be interested in your results. Thanks! Love your channel.
07 fj cruiser Saw this a year ago and tried Eric’s ratio - it helped a little but not enough. Then while running at 2000 rpm was reading the comments and saw scotties ratio of 10% (9 gallons gas one gallon thinner). Did that and it worked. Now, how long did it work? 11 months/ 11,500 miles. And it’s back just in time for an annual smog. Haha Going for the one gallon can this time and we’ll see. I couldn’t remember which guy had it work so reading comments and remembered.
I re did it Scott's way...still failed...some Chinese guys were testing it...& I didn't know the new test laws...well up yours CALIF...IM MOVING OUTTA HERE ASAP!!!!!!!!
YUP...DIDLY SQUAT IS WHAT I GOT...LOL..POET & DONT KNOW IT...BUT MY FEET SHOW IT...I LATER PUT A GALLON IN AND RAN TGE CRAP OUT OF IT...CALIF HAS NEW SMOG (RIP OFF BAD) LAWS...NOW 2021 THE DEAL IS...ACCELERATE LIKE GETTING ON THE FREEWAY...BULL SHIT...TOTALLY UNFAIR...I HAVE A 5 SPEED...OF COURSE IT IS GOING TO EXCEED LIMITS...MY BLOOD IS REALLY RILED OVER THIS TOTALLY UNFAIR LAW...EVEN HIS PERSONAL CAR FAILED...GRRRRRR...I REFUSE TO BUY A NEW CATLYITIC CONVERTER EVERY TWO YEARS!!!!!! SCREW THOSE LAWS...MY CAR DOES NOT POLLUTE ANY MORE...IT PASSED WITH NEW PLUGS CLEANED MAF AND AIR FILTER & INJECTORS...DAMN LAWS...BUT I WILL FIX THIS BUKKSHIT !!!
Also, his car's catalytic converter initial tests show no clog (debris free). Only opt is replacement...but if a viewer does have a clogged catalytic converter, removing the debris with lacquer thinner quickly dissolves the clog & restores proper internal function negating expensive, and unnecessary replacement...but also..even after the clog is removed the catalytic converter NOX functionality restored..in many other instances, it's already gone and must be replaced..that's why virtually all auto shops simply remove/replace as certified repair solution.
Worked for me in an '06 Civic!!! 1 gallon in a little over half my fuel tank (6 gallons), it took 155 miles or so until the light just suddenly came off. Car drove really well with it in the tank too, over 40mpg. My RPM meter was between 2500-3400 almost all of those miles, a lot of which was 75-80+ mph and on the highway. Make sure to run it up a bit harder than normal.
Yea, me too ! As Myth busters do... They always Screw Up... Change / Weaken the Fix... So It Does Not Work. You Need 4 Times the Thinner. You were supposed to do 1 Gallon of Lacquer Thinner on a Half Tank (8 Gallons of Gas). You barely had any Thinner. But I used 2 Gallons of Lacquer Thinner with 13 Gallons of Gas in my 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD and Drove 190 Miles on Highway.... Till I was near empty.... And it worked. But hey, This Video is just an attempt to try and put down another Channel... small minds... small mission
@@jameschupp2230 that's close to the same ratio I used, I thought it might have been a bit high but it did the job. 1 year later and the light flicked on a couple of times after the fix, but it's STILL gone. If it happens again I'll do it again or take it off and wash it out
Scotty used a 1:9 ratio. You used (approx) 1:36 Your gas gauge said 3/4 full, you said you have a 13 gallon tank. You added 1 quart of thinner to about 9 gallons of gas.
Years ago I had a van with a clogged converter. With nothing to lose, I pulled the pre converter O2 sensor and squeezed a pint of dawn dish soap in the hole. I then adapted a garden hose on the o2 outlet and ran the hose for five minutes until it ran clear. Lots of carbon came out. I put it back together and started it. I ran for years without any trouble.
Joe Corbett Hi, Joe, I am thinking of using a similar method as yours. Can you please give more details? did u let your soapy water/rinse water run out of muffler? thanks
My 2013 Subby Outback was throwing a P4020 code intermittently. If I cleared the code, it would pop up a few weeks later. Sometimes the code would clear on its own. Tried the lacquer thinner (correctly) and code was clear when I started after my last fill up. Also feels like the engine may be running a bit smoother, but that is more subjective and slight.
I got an 02 subie outback 2.5 ej25 5spd 2ith a p0420 and p0301. Hope this works but I also think I got a intake gasket vacuum leak or some vacuum leak that's small causing the p0301. Ahh
Some people are saying they can't drive for that long on a highway at that speed to keep the high rev's but you can drive around for 2-3 hours anywhere down a gear or two EVEN if you have an automatic. You can take the gear selector out of "D" and put it into 1st or 2nd and keep the rev's above 2500. Then the lacquer thinner will do it's work to clean the Cat at the concentration Scotty said (not Eric's) ...1 gallon per half tank of gas (10 gallons of fuel) Also good for recharging your BATTERY (not the lacquer thinner - just the high revs). Mechanic once told me battery was dead after sitting in his lot for three weeks (Hyundai Sonata 2015 engine replacement at 210,000 km's - extended warranty - I had to ask for it). I asked if he drove around charging it once boosted and he said he used a trickle charger all weekend. HA! I got the shop to boost the battery which took 20 minutes and 5-6 tries - the battery really was down to zero) I literally just drove home (30 min drive in 1st and 2nd gear and the battery was completely back to normal. The ol' man taught me that. He wasn't completely useless. lol The same battery is still in play a year later.
been using kilmers method over 10years at about a 80% success rate!!! I too am a Master Certified Tech, and it DOES work!! Naturally, has to be done soon after the code first appears or soon after a misfire is fixed!!!
You need to run it long enough if not it will rather end up clogging the converter by removing all the carbon in the engine and depositing on the converter. Another way I have found to work well is removing the top O2 sensor and using a pressure gun to feed the thinner. It’s fast and very effective. Doing that for 30seconds should be okay or you risk filling up your cylinders with thinner. Engine will eventually start even if it gets filled but don’t overdo it.
tricky! So forgive my ignorance, but you run the car parked at say 2500 rpm and feed the laquer thinner through the o2 port on the manifold? How much, how long?
@@breasonable4343 car needs to be off to be able to do this cos when car is on exhaust gas will come out of the port with pressure. Feed the port with little amounts of thinner to avoid it climbing back in the cylinder. Just to be sure you can spray it in for just 10 seconds then run the car you will see it come out of exhaust and then repeat the process till you are satisfied.
@@breasonable4343 good thing about thinner is it’s inflammable like petrol so if some gets into the cylinder the engine can burn it off but getting too much in there can hydro lock the engine and it’s not good for your cylinder walls as it will corrode the protective coating. So inject small amounts at a time and since it hits the converter directly it’s super effective. Saved me buying a new converter and possibly an engine cos when converter was clogged engine could barely accelerate and was suffocating.
A little more research into the type and proper proportions of lacquer thinner to gasoline should be in order here. Not all lacquer thinners are the same. They vary in formulation as much as gasoline does at different gas stations. To the best of my knowledge, the solvent Scotty used is PPG brand JT501 and its composition is different from the brand used in this test. Noted below are the compositions per their respective Safety Data Sheets. And if proportioned correctly I believe the JT501 would work better. But since I am in California, we aren't allowed to use real chemicals here and the California AQMD version of the same brand lacquer thinner you used is 95% acetone. And since acetone is what does most of the cleaning but is also what will eat your rubber seals in higher concentrations, I do not recommend anyone putting that stuff in their tank. The concentration is just too high. So locating something close to the JT501 formula is key. PPG JT501 Toluene 50-75% Methanol 20-30% Acetone 10-20% Ligroine 5-10% Klean Strip Toluene
Scotty's method worked for me. 1 gallon Lacquer thinner, 9 gallons gas. Drive on freeway for 150 miles. Run out the rest of tank, then fill up. Car was driving like it was on jet fuel after 100 miles on the freeway. The "choking" caused by the clogged cat was completely gone, and hasn't come back since. It works.
Scotties video says use 1 gallon for half a tank on the car he tested it was about 12 to 14 gallons and he i believe, ran it 120 miles. its designed to clean the honeycombs (carbon deposits?) that could be plugging it up, you could also remove the cats and put them in soapy water and let them soak for a day to loosen the ? the honeycombs are a straight forward non moving non electrical device, meaning they are plugged OR broken out inside, since there are so many combs you could have both problems.basically if its not plugged or broken IT WORKS. OH and laquer thinner can eat rubber hosing so if your car is old...and the rubber going bad like from the tank to the fuel line the 4 inch piece of rubber or the same on the other end of the fuel line, check it to see if its soft
I believe that Scotty said to put 1 or 2 gallons of lacquer cleaner per 1/2 tank of gasoline and then driving it 100-200 miles. The can of cleaner Eric put in looked to be one quart, which is a lot less than Scotty instructed. The results might have been limited by not using enough cleaner.
Robert Troxell Scotty recommends 1 gallon lacquer thinner per 3/4 tank gasoline. Did this on two different occasions and it worked. Did it last year and it did not work.
This worked for my friend. He did it on a Hyundai 2004 which was only driving 3 miles per hr at first. The Converter was clogged. So he decided try this method after watching this video from Val Kilmer.
Oh my God it works almost instantly. Absolutely amazing. I went from almost no airflow in my 3000GT and it was so slow now it's better than ever. I would swear by it the check engine light went off so there's no errors. I saved myself a couple hundred hours for under 15 bucks!!
My mechanic found the parts he needed for my SUV on eBay, and I paid for them. I paid $151 total for the front converters he said I would need. The labor cost was going to be approximately $500. But Scotty Kilmer's advice solved the problem. I spent $20 and saved about $650.
I've used thinner in the tank here in the Nazi state of California after I failed the emissions test. It cut my numbers in 1/2, and I ended up passing with flying colors. It's by no means the "right" way to do things, but it's allowed me to forego purchasing two cats!
Do a few tanks of fuel with the thinner in, give it some time. If it is just coated, running kinda lean, which is what adding light solvents does, may give the catalyst a chance ro "eat" through the buildup.
I just tried this, it worked! Using the correct thinner makes all the difference. BG products makes a product called 44K, main ingredient is High Flash Naptha. I found that Sherwin Williams has a thinner that has a huge amount of Naptha in it & they also sell pure High Flash Naptha. The stuff Eric has there in his hand has ZERO Naptha in it. HIgh Flash Naptha burns really hot and fast and clean. If the precious metals are not burned out of your cat, this should bring it back to life. No hesitation at takeoff, pulls giant hills like a champ now. Thank you Eric!
great answer. the naptha is the solvent "thinner" in lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner with naptha dissolves these carbon clogs in a catalytic converter...it's the danger to the human handling the product. Please read the safety precautions as handling, like woodworkers went water based polymer because of the harmful effects of lacquer thinners. Just make sure you wear a 3M R95 or N/P100 mask rated to remove naptha (above N95 particulate respirator) and wear personal protective equipment in well ventilated area.
I think Kilmer's point is that it may help not necessarily that it would. Why not try it, especially if one does not have the budget to support a new cat.
are you that fucking slow and stupid ass fan instead of a purist of information...SCOTTY DIDNT TELL YOUR SCIENTIFIC ASS HOW MANY GALONS WAS IN A HALF TANK WITH THE GALLON OF LACQUER DID HE? BUT YOU BRING YOUR ASS HERE AS IF YOUR BEING INTELLIGENT
@@bull5919 uhh scotty did clarify the ratio of thinner to gas in other videos and his blogs. But yet were the anti science who dont do their research...
Scotty Kilmer is king ,i put a gallon of thinner in half a tank of gas and it worked on my 2014 ford transit connect after driving more than 200miles. it passed the smog test too .i changed the spark plugs there after.I have put more than 12k miles and the light never came back.
I used Scotty’s instructions and it worked on my 2009 Nissan rogue. You added a quart to a 3/4 tank. Scotty suggested 1 gallon to half tank. In fairness, if you are going to “test” and reference his video, you should at least follow the instructions to get a result that holds weight.
Nissan Pathfinder 2014 SL check engine light came on yesterday (PO430). Yesterday evening brought a gallon of Lacquer Thinner. Today I applied the whole gallon to a little over half a tank of gas. Took a ride to Ventura Beach from the high desert. 134 miles. The Check engine light was still on. Pulled over to get some gas on the return trip. The gas tank showed a little over half. Pulled over in Lil Rock, Ca. at Auto Zone. Asked the employee how to reset the code. He advised me to disconnect the battery to reset it. My girl told me to wait until we got home. Started the car to finish up our trip home. To my surprise the check engine light was off. No need to reset anything the check engine light went off on its own. So, in short the 1 gallon Lacquer thinner to a half tank of gas worked for us. Our round trip was approximately 268. The check engine light cut off for us after driving around 220 miles instead of 150. 👍🏿😁💯.
Rev up your engines or stay dirty??? Both helped me a lot.Do your own research people, gather information make your own conclusion. Both of them have been a great help for all my car fixes and their vids are free!
2010, Nissan Sentra with over 247,000 miles. Nine months ago I started getting an underperforming cat code which I would erase and it would return with growing frequency. Bought 1 gallon laquer thiner at Walmart, put it in the gas tank, filled the gas tank, and went for a 7 hour round trip at highway speed. That's the last time I saw the cat code. The car seems to be running much better and has had no other problems.
He also mentioned when the code comes up it will do it when it's below 95%. lacquer thinner may not work very quickly on more severely clogged converters. It may take several treatments for more severe cases
0:20 Scotty Kilmer didn't say that it would "repair" the issue, he said it would "clean" and possibly eliminate the need for a new catalytic converter. For $20 it's worth a try before you dish-out $1000's for anew catyltic converter(s)/mufflers. You also did the test on a vehicle that did NOT have Check Engine light on, Scotty's intent was for a car that DOES have one on.
Also, this guy didn’t use a full gallon of lacquer thinner and he did it on a car with 2 catalytic converters instead of one…sounds like a set up to me.
I had come here and comment!! 10/09/2023 @Scotty Kilmer thank you so much .!!! for your time the value you give out to the world, for sharing your knowledge, I' needed it this fix, didn't believe, and was scared a little bit at first, for P0420, if your Cat, it's just staring to go, like Scotty says, it's worth to try, I did it today, 1 galon lacker thinner to a half a tank, drove my 96 tacoma 2.4, for 2 hours, went 3 hours total without turn it off, next check the monitors with a OBD scanner ( mine, blue driver ) total pass, took it to smog check, guy says.. truck's running super clean, have not seen that so often so good to hear, I don't know how long is it going to last, but the thing is, to pass the emissions, because, car overall runs very well, THANKS @Scotty kilmer
It does smell like lacquer thinner, I wonder what is on that Cataclean. They do work well, I put the whole bottle when my gas is in 1/4 and drive it normal until it's almost empty.
@@volksbugly My sister's car smelled like sulphur and gave a code, cataclean definitely fixed that. For 10 minutes, with cataclean, the car blew out so much black smoke that people had to stop and pull over while driving.
Thanks for the test. Your explanation toward the end of the video explaining different possible issues for a bad cat is something I hope everyone stayed around for. Pouring any solvent into a fuel system certainly won't "fix" a bad component. The idea is that it might clean the elements inside of a catalytic converter, thus get it to function more efficiently. You showed that adding a pretty dilute solution won't damage the vehicle, so that's more evidence to trying this. That it didn't clear your code suggests that perhaps the mixture wasn't optimal (it's certainly not 10:1, or even the 5:1 as some who have used two gallons to a half tank have done), or there is physical damage to the cats on this vehicle. The value in trying this is that whether it works or not, it's an attempt that costs less than $20 compared to new cats costing to over $3000 (in 2023, for CARB compliant OEM Subaru cats). No one who has tried this and shared video has destroyed an engine, on any make of vehicle. I suggest it's worth a try.
Worked for me as well. Was getting PO430 on my 2006 Pathfinder. Put one gallon in half a tank. I drove it normally and service engine soon went off next day.
I came all the way back to tell you guys what happened. I didn't wanna drive 100 miles so I divided everything by 10 and ended up putting just 1 pint in with 1/8 tank (about 2.5 gallons) I was gonna put 2 pints which would have been the correct proportions but the hardware store was closed and I had to go to work. its about a 10 mile drive. I poured it in, drove to work, felt some extra power, got those rpms up. then I went to the gas station by my work, revved it up for a while to try and burn it off, then I put some gas in the tank to dilute it so it wouldn't just be sitting. then I drove to work nearby and let it idle and revved some more to get it all out of the system. now when I turn the key, the car starts right up. before it had to wait about a second. I did this because after using seafoam in the intake I had power loss at high rpms. kind of like a preventive maintenance type of thing. my car runs quieter now. this shit works.. just do the math and put in the amount for the distance you want to drive.. I wasn't getting the cat code tho so if you have that maybe you do need to drive 100 miles. i might do it one more time in the future but for now im happy. i used klean strip brand lacquer thinner in my audi a6
I have a 2000 Lexus RX300. Tried to get a smog check and it wouldn’t pass. Kept showing code for the Catalytic Converter. Eventually I checked out videos and found Scotty Kilmer. Followed his advice exactly. Had 1/2 tank of gas and then poured in 1 gallon of Laquer Thinner. BOOM! 💥 NO MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRUCK FINALLY PASSED THE SMOG CHECK. Incredible!
Very interesting video. Maybe people should put the stuff into their gas tanks when the car is younger; to keep the converters clean. Like maybe once a year. That might keep them clean a longer time.
from what little I understand about the subject, cats get clogged mainly due to an engine burning oil. If the car is younger and not burning oil, then there is no point in doing this. However, if you keep an eye on your dip stick and notice that it is burning oil but the cat error codes haven't started yet then it may be a good idea to do it as a preventative as you say.
Eric I for one am happy that you challenge Scotty's claims. I like Scotty's videos and yours. To me it keeps you both honest and we all benefit from that. I would bet Scotty welcomes your checking his claims. Most of us DKS about working on Cars and I for one rely on auto guys like you and Scotty to help me understand my automotive problems. Keep Keeping on...
I agree. I've Googled "add solvent to gas tank", "lacquer thinner in gas tank", and others and it seems like only Scotty Kilmer and a bunch of Don't Knows are "successfully" using this method. I'm open to other experiments but this is the ONLY one I've found from a reputable mechanic. I don't have time to exchange one error code for another... Is this like prescrip meds? The pill cures your headache but gives you kidney failure instead??? If lacquer/ or Short Line Solvent cures one problem but causes another, it's just easier to replace the bad part, instead of trying to hide the symptoms.
My 03 dodge ram 1500 4.7 was throwing a cat code, I tried Scotty Kilmer's gallon of lacquer thinner method. IT WORKED!!! NO MORE po420 CODE! I tried seafoam first, with no luck! Scotty Kilmer's method did work!
Just gut or straight pipe the catalytic converter and use a spacer like a spark plug fouler for the downstream oxygen sensor who's only job it is is to check operation/efficiency of said cat converter. It is only looking for a change in O2 levels and backing the sensor out a little from the main exhaust stream "fools" the sensor as it causes a change enough for the sensor to think that the cat is there and working....this keeps it from throwing the code for the catalytic converter. The operation of the IMPORTANT UPSTREAM (above the cat converter) which is actually technically an air fuel sensor (AF sensor) not actually an oxygen sensor like it is often called is not effected in any way. An inline four has one upstream sensor and is either a narrow band or wideband air fuel sensor which directly dictates your fuel enrichment via the fuel tables in the ecm when it is heated up and car goes into closed loop operation......a V6 or V8 has bank one and bank 2 corresponding to the separate sides of the motor. Typically sensor 1 is the upstream AF sensor and sensor 2 in the downstream (after cat converter) oxygen sensor but check specifics for your vehicle to verify. Anyways.....the secondary, downstream O2 sensor does nothing but monitor operation of cat converter and if you live in a state or area without emissions testing then you can gut or yank bad cat converter and use spark plug fouler method OR actually plug in an electronic device that in place of downstream O2 sensor that also fools ecm into thinking cat is there and working. Just information for people. Being so many Assholes are stealing cat converters.....if you cannot afford the way over inflated prices to replace them and auto insurance is not helping then YES....if no Emissions check like a visual check then straight pipe it and fool ecm into thinking cats are there and working. Just info for those who may be looking at this situations. Especially since our pathetic government is fed, state and local are doing NOTHING to stop the sale of stolen cat converters to recyclers. Lots of ways to do it which would virtually STOP cat converter theft mostly as there would be little profit in it. Sure, some would recover the precious metals inside cats but many low level crooks just take the cut off, stolen cats to someone who buys them like that. Making it harder to profit from stolen cat converters would drastically reduce the huge issue with cat thefts. Rant over...../.....
I had the "low efficiency" code. Soaked the converters for 2 days in water with dawn dishwashing soap. Changed the solution a couple of times. Rinsed well and the code went away. But, this may be a special case. The head gasket blew and several gallons of coolant went thru the exhaust. A few months after the gasket was replaced the code appeared. The converter on that side (V6 engine) was covered with a white layer. The other converter looked fine. 230k miles, original converters. 3k miles since the cleaning. Downstream O2 sensors are giving a flat (expected) output. So, I can confirm that if the cause of the problem is coolant in the exhaust, soaking with dishwashing soap works.
I add a “gallon” of lacquer thinner to between 5-8 gallons of gasoline. Before oil changes is my rule of thumb , to keep the cats cleaner and clog free. I do it the smarter way. I put a 5 gallon can with fresh fuel in the trunk with the gallon of lacquer thinner. Then with a half tank or less I head to the interstate. At a rest stop or before entering the highway I pure that gallon of lacquer thinner into my gas tank with the engine at operating temperature. I drive with the overdrive “off” until the fuel is nearly depleted. I carry the 5 gallon can with me just in case I need it. I have done this a few times now, and I have not needed it. No sputtering, no hesitation with my engine, 4.6L Mustang 2007. All catalytic converters get dirty then they can get clogged. When they get clogged 2 things could happen; 1. The exhaust pressure could blow the clog out of the system. 2. The exhaust pressure blows the clog along with the internal catalyst materials out of the system. Causing a catastrophic failure.
Who is watching this vid straight after watching Scotty Kilmers vid regarding this subject?
Yesssss
Me
Me !
Yes came on by itself.
Scotty said 1 gallon of laquer thinner to half a tank of gas and 150 or so miles. Js. CAUSE I JUST WATCHED THAT KILMER VID. LEL. Funny stuff.
Im not a mechanic, so I needed help with my CC's since I had the code. I followed Scottys advice using 1 gallon of lacquer thinner in a half tank of gas. Then I ran it for 150 miles at high speeds. The red light went out after the first day never to return. This was performed on a 2004 Nissan Murano. It worked beautifully. I just wanted people to know that it worked for me.
how long did it work for
@@craiglist308 I kept the car about another year before trading it in so I’m not sure how long it lasted, but at least for that year or so. I imagine it lasted much longer than a year though. I was so happy it worked because replacing the CC’s on the Murano was very costly (2400.00).
Money that I didn’t have then.
Thank you
That same mix worked for me too it's been 3 years since I tried it on Honda Odyssey 2007 200k miles
I trust Scotty . So thanks for the feedback.
I tried it after watching Scotty’s video. The light came on literally as I was driving to the Smog Check station. I was broke and desperate. I poured the lacquer thinner and drove about 100 miles as suggested. Clouds of white smoke blew out every now and then. At exactly 103 miles the light turned off. I’m forever grateful.
Did your light stay off?
@@goldengirl5165 yes
Same here. The shuddering and idling stopped, the lights and codes went off, and fuel efficiency returned.
I want to try this but can’t get my car to start. It gradually just stoped starting
That's awesome to know
Scotty's Laquer thinner hack saved me $1800. It cleaned my cat, got rid of my P0420, and passed smog!
Really noway
@@x.livelife2509it works because my 2008 Saturn Aura ( Malibu ) 3.5 V6 pushrod and my 2010 Honda Accord 3.5 V6 is proof it works thanks Scotty got mine from Walmart Kleen tools brand new $8 bucks a can or get the gallon can few bucks more best price there
For how long?
Still good?
Hello, I tried that & it worked 4 years ago with 1 gallon in a 1/2 tank & passed smog, it lasted for a year with no check engine light. Then check engine light one after another for a month P420, so I tried Scotty Kilmore's plan B, throw them in a bucket of soap & water overnight & no P420 for 3 years now. I followed his instructions exactly & it worked.
Diane Damian where do I buy the stuff?
Lowes or home depot has it
Old style lacquer thinner contains acetone. That's good for burning out carbon deposits, eg blocked cat after using seafoam on a dirty engine.
AMAZING IF YOU DO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ---- IT DOES WORK BETTER.
Amazing what happens when you don't CHEAP out , and actually FOLLOW the Instructions ...
As with other comments here, I also tried Kilmer's suggestion, using 1 gallon to half a tank of gas. Drive 100 miles or so, and it worked. I also am in agreement with others that if you are going to "debunk" something, use the same conditions. You did not use enough and essentially diluted it to much to be effective.
He essentially use only a quart in a car that is actually 18 gallons lol. Nicely nearly the “right” ratio
This guy even says in his show notes that putting that stuff in the car didn't change driveability one bit. The car was still fine even if he didn't think it worked. So...why not try? The guy fixes cars and is trying to dissuade you about going to a mechanic to charge you $1K to fix stuff. This guy's suspect, man.
Any particular brand than can be better to use please
@@arielc.1435 They are all the same. I just went into local Walmart and bought the brand they had. Klean Strip with a K.
Eric looks like he pulls a lot of 420 codes.
Christoph Richter dying 🤣😭
Ericthehighguy
Christoph Richter Blaze it
😂🤣😤
Good one, whoa, check the time, its after a quarter past four, gotta go.
Lacquer thinner is typically 80% toluene, which is a very good cleaner for fuel systems.
@The Real VR so are u saying that he is lying
@@wildestcowboy2668 He's saying trinitrotoluene has triple the cleaning ability.
@@rustyATV thanks for the heads up, will it clean one on a Nissan exterra if it's stopped up sir?
@@rustyATV lol 😆
@@jasonbender2459 That must be a cheaper lacquer thinner because the one I've used in the past was 60-80% toluene: www.actequipment.com/msds/fsp2002.pdf
Worked great on my 2010 Subaru Forester. Thanks Scotty Kilmer. I followed his directions with a gallon of thinner into half a tank. I drove 100 miles. Light has yet to return.
I got a 2002 subaru outback 2.5 eh25 5spd I'm about to do this with. I think it may have a small vacuum leak tho but it has codes p0420 and p0301 1st cylinder misfire but can't notice the misfire but have faith this will work.
@@AssTroll so did it work?
@WV4LIFE Great result. Which lacquer thinner did you use? Thanks
hi I have 2010 2.5l impreza how much you think I should but thinner with gas ? thsnks
About to do the same on my 2010 Forester.
As a person who is 53 years old and has worked on engines since age 10, I thought the suggestion of lacquer thinner in my gas tank was crazy. Our 2005 Toyota Sienna had the check engine light on and had just failed the PA emissions test. The Toyota dealer wanted over $1300.00 to replace the 2 converters on our van. I was planning on doing the job myself but i read on the internet about cleaning them. The more I read about this working for a lot of people and after considering what chemicals are in intake cleaner, I decided to try it. I added 1 gallon of thinner to 10 gallons of gas and we ran that through. Light still on. I thought that the van ran the same with the thinner as normal so I tried the process a second time. Within 2 days, the light went out on its own. it had been on for 9 months straight before the thinner. Definitely, something positive has happened with the thinner. Moral of the story, always keep an open mind and follow directions. For $9.00 a gallon for the thinner, this was great.
Is it still running well
Did the light stay off? How’s the vehicle running?
Wow, about $17/gallon now 😆 but better to try than $1000+ for the new cat.
I done different methods of cleaning cats and passing emission tests.
My last emission test was on a 1988 Dodge Omni. I did everything from changing oil, plugs, air filter, vacuum leaks, etc.
I could not make a spec I think it was the parts per million of Nox.
A work mate recommended getting the car drunk. I could of used 100% vodka, but opted to used 4 litre of methyl hydrate.
Ran that with 91 Octane gas.
The exhaust was so clean smelling, took it to the garage for a emission check and blew really clean. It passed.
Fast forward today. Got a 2009 Chevrolet Aveo 1.6, getting a P0420 code.
Cat problems. I cleaned the Cat. Out because flow thru the holes was still good..
Made a flange to block one end of the Cat.
Put Cat. Vertical and filled it with Muriatic Acid..This ate the crud inside. Let it sit for 3 days. Then washed it out with hot water and liquid soap (Dawn) let it dry. That was the end of the P0420 code.
5 years ago $9 gal, it’s now $19.84
It works! had a 97 Civic that failed high CO due to failed catalytic converter I dumped half the can of lacguer thinner in the tank w/ less than a 1/4 tank, ran it until it went to empty, took it back to the shop and passed. Had a 2001 Mazda 626 that failed because of the Cat, Took off the Cat left it in a bucket soaked full of lacquer thinner and carb cleaner (mix) for two days. Installed it, short term fuel trim went down,down stream O2 sensor improved, then it passed smog. Mechanic since 1991
EXCELLANT MOVE!!!
Damn so there are ZERO negative effects of lacquer thinner in the tank?
So if i can't take my cats off just install the lacquer thinner in my gas tank 1/4 full?
I wanan come to ur shop with my lexus
@@Josh-ks4lx it ruined my AC I put some in and 30 minutes later .. one my car ran worse then my ac stopped blowing any air at all.. now car is at shop
I cleaned mine with a hammer and a large steel punch. Amazingly it worked! They flow as if there is nothing there!
Yo pls help me how to do it
@@khatabdh4028 get a 1 inch hole saw. At the rear of the converter cut a hole in the side. Then take an old big screwdriver and tear that stuff up. Get it all out that hole using a coat hanger and fingers. Then after u know its clean. Start the vehicle to make sure. Then weld a washer back over the hole.
*ha
@@khatabdh4028 ]
Thats the dumbest idea I ever heard. On average they are worth 100 dollars the piece of pipe and clamps if you don't have a welder are 20 so you could have made 80 bucks for an hour of work
I can confirm that 4 litres of lacquer thinner in 50 litres in an Fj cruiser 2012 worked . The P0430 cat below efficiency error is gone now . You do have to use a gallon and it takes about 300klm . I used real time diagnostics on the o2 sensors and saw the change back to normal operation.
Please tell if it worked or not. Thanks!
I had tried Kimer's method one day after the light came on indicating it was the converter. With about a half tank of gas and PURE lacquer thinner I drove a little over a 100 miles and the light turned off. Pass the smog test the next day.
im in this pickle as well.I have a 2004 Saturn ion. what yr,make and model of vehicle you have or had at the time?
It was an 2002 Nissan Altima. For the first 50 miles it let off some occasional white smoke. 100 miles later it was good as new.
Craiglaca1 ok ty
and still no cat problem....
+Dangerously Active Not yet in 22 months. My luck has been when I'm driving to the smog test outlet I'll get several codes all at once. So I won't no for sure until the day of tge next test which is 2 months from now
Craiglaca1 Long as my check engine light goes off and stays off.Im ok with that for the 1st 22months.Also I was told and this could be another video to myth bust if you will.people are saying Cata Clean solution. helps a lot and passes all test.
Yes it worked great for me but like the other comment said we used a full gallon like was instructed by Scotty. Following directions helps a lot
It works best if you add the lacquer thinner to 1/4 tank of fuel, drive 20-30 miles then fill up and drive as normal. Light usually goes out on it's own before you get back down to 1/4 tank. It also cleans the O2 sensors so they read more accurately. If the ceramic substrate starts breaking down, it will clog MECHANICALLY, NOT chemically and lacquer thinner won't work. I had THAT issue on my '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited and had to replace the converter.
VERY good comment my friend!.. I totally forgot that that could absolutely be the issue.
you need a 10:1 ratio. You cant go by 1/4 or 1/2 tank. what size tank? 13G? 36G? 18G? 25G? You need 10:1 1 gallon LT with 10 gallons of gasoline.
@@weskirkland5850this is super helpful thank you. Specifying 10:1 gallon ratio.
1997 ford explorer bad catalytic converter just went to walmart bought a gallon of lacquer thinner poured into a half a tank of gas engine light went off the first 15 min of driving and power is restored absolutely amazing. Thank you Scotty!!!!!
SCOTTIE SAYS IT LIKE IT IS ---- AND I TRUST HIS JUDGEMENT --- THANKS.
BINGO,,, me too worked for BOTH my 2007 kia and my wifes 2003 focus.. I will take scottys advice over this guy any day .
Does it clear the o2 sensor .my check engine comes on.
Possibly the best test subject anyone could find...now THIS is evidence Thanks
Respectfully, this did in fact just work for me! My wife’s ‘08 Jeep Commander (152k miles) has had the check engine light on for nearly 3 years now. The Jeep Dealer quoted us between $2400 and $2800 to replace it. I said no, because the car’s performance didn’t seem injured, and that I would eventually do it myself (after market part about $400). That said, it’s no easy job, I’ve just never gotten around to it. Well, decided I was going to do the replacement. had seen your video previously but was very nervous about trying this. Well, after much online research, I decided to give it a shot before ordering parts. SO GLAD I DID!!! With a nervous tension, I poured a $13 can of Lacquer Thinner that I got in the paint section of Walmart, into the gas tank. Well, a can and a half actually (so, $26), as we had about 15 gallons of gas in the car, and the perceived ideal ratio is 1:10, lacquer to gas. Then we drove the car around for about 80 to 90 miles last night and tonight. Well, about 5 miles ago, BAM! Problem resolved. I ran the diagnostics again (I use the Bluetooth FIXD tool, although this one is cheap and I will eventually upgrade to something more functional), and the P0430 Catalyst engine error is now gone!!! Wow!!! Just WOW! I must admit I was scared about doing this, but...the science prevailed and I did it. So glad I did. Sorry it didn't work for you in your trial, but in my mind, Scotty is a GENIUS!!!!
not just in your mind, Scotty IS a genious.. This worked for me on 2 different cars.
Well, I dumped one full gal into my Silverado twice while on a 3800 Mile Rd trip out west. Not only did it get rid of that code but also fixed the fuel injector code on the # 5 cyinder! It's been over a year now.
Scotty's gal. Of lacquer thinner with half tank of gas worked for me in my 06 Corolla. Cleared my P0420 code in 70 miles. Keep up the good videos Eric.
Have a headhache...... doc told me to take 2 tylenols so I took 1/3 of a tylenol and I still have a headhache.......???????
Who cares fuck off
don't forget to take your pills !!!!!!
***** old fart r&c moron !!!!!
+e.g. Smith stfu tosser have a fuvking cry
I think you miss something........
You have to use an entire gallon of lacquer thinner with 1/2 tank of gas like Scotty kilmer instructs. I have done this with 3 vehicles and it worked like a charm every time. The cats were also severely clogged in my vehicles. The cars would only drive for 10 minutes before they would lose all power. Living in CA I sure as hell wasnt paying for a replacement cat. This has literally saved me $1000s of dollars.
what kind of lacquer thinner do you use?
Crystal Trottier did you have any issues after pouring the lacquer thinner?? any check engine lights?
David Rey I did it with klear something brand and it worked great no problems. I didn't do a gallon. only 1 pint in 2.5 gallons of gas.
I dont remember the name but it was the blue and gold can at Home depot.
No problems. It was even a bit fun to drive with as it is like putting rocket fuel in your car.
I think you AND Scotty are both a priceless asset to TH-cam and the internet. I sure do appreciate all the time, effort, and sacrifice you both put into sharing your years of experience with the rest of the world.
who is this scotty guy? i need that extra resource.
Scotty gets paid well pal .....
@@sumlatinkid Scotty Kilmer
ChrisFix is usefull also
@@Subjohny no he is not
Great video, as always! Scotty recommended one gallon of lacquer thinner in half a tank of gas. You put a quart of thinner in 2/3 of a tank. If the tanks are roughly the same size (granted, a big assumption), then Scotty's solution was over five times as concentrated as yours. That may have made the difference.
Yep
i thought the same...LOL it's like water down lacquer thinner
Awesome note!
My thoughts exactly. He was hoping to bust Scotty as a hack and failed
Lost respect for him as a result.
Nooooo..... He DID say he might not have had the portioning right and clearly stated that he was speaking for himself. Don't hate.
I believe Scotty said 1 gallon not 1 quart at half a tank
I thought it was half a gallon and a quarter tank. Of course that would be the same ratio to a half tank.
Youre right 1 gal @ half tank.
@@noconsentgiven it worked for my son’s truck!👍
Scott said 1 gallon of thinner to 9 gallons of gas.
I agree, he didn't follow the instructions exactly.
Eric, You are correct in if there is something wrong with the catalytic converter, such as the media comes lose, thinners are not going to fix it. Since this video is really old I'm sure you've resolved the issue with your converter but next time you test someone's recommendation, you should follow their advice. Scotty recommended 1 gallon per 1/2 tank or about 10%. You added 1 quarter of his recommended so it's no wonder it didn't work out for you.
My check engine light came on about a week ago and codes indicated the converter was bad. I just did exactly what Scotty recommendeded, 1 gallon per 1/2 tank on a 2011 chevy equinox, drove it about 40 miles at highway speed. Check engine light went out. It does seem to work, if the catalytic converter is not damaged.
YOU PUT IN A MINISCULE AMOUNT.ARE YOU KIDDING ME MAN!
USE A GALLON OF 100% LACQUER THINNER.i'VE DONE IT WITH 5 CARS JUST LIKE SCOTTY AND ALL DRIVE VERY WELL NOW.
SCOTTY WAS ON THE MONEY!!!
I used Scotty's method on my 2005 4Runner and it worked for about 9+ months. Good enough to pass the test until the next year. It came off and on after the 9 month period.
Good know it.
I used a gallon with 6 gallons of gas, and it actually worked
Hello
He said a gallon
Also said pure
😂😂😂
@@alonzo5.040 one gallon works
Yup... he said a gallon and a half tank of gas. Eric used ¾ tank and less thinners
Typical Mythbusters style:
-Test the experiment completely wrong
-Declare it "DEBUNKED!"
You said pour whole quart of laquor thinner into gas that is 3/4s full tank. Scotty said to use a gallon at half gas tank.
Ninjamaag iiNet
lmao this guy's a nut case
Never trust scotty hes a nut case
@Cristopher Reeves stop being🧂😂
@@jstardhami9958 youre an idiot...Scotty knows his stuff.
My daughter's 2015 Honda Fit (88,800 mi.) had the CEL come on and it was throwing a P0420 code, so I added one gallon of lacquer thinner to ten gallons of gas and drove the car on the highway at 80mph for about three hours, and that CEL went off. It looks like many people are recommending a 1 to 5 ratio on LT to gas. I'm planning to do the same with my my 2011 Honda Odyssey now that I've deleted the VCM. (12/14/22)
lacquer thinner did change something! 8:42 It made your pony tail go away!
hi. i did 2 gallons of lacquer lacquer thinner to 20 gallons of gas. the hack trick worked for me. no more p0420. maybe you needed more lacquer thinner than just one quart.
Nice !
As Myth busters do... They always Screw Up... Change / Weaken the Fix... So It Does Not Work. You Need 4 Times the Thinner.
You were supposed to do 1 Gallon of Lacquer Thinner on a Half Tank (8 Gallons of Gas). You barely had any Thinner.
But I used 2 Gallons of Lacquer Thinner with 13 Gallons of Gas in my 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD and Drove 190 Miles on Highway.... Till I was near empty.... And it worked.
But hey, This Video is just an attempt to try and put down another Channel... small minds... small mission
I had a P0420 I couldn't get rid of, so I thought I'd try lacquer thinner - nothing to lose, right? 2001 Chevy Express 5.7 Vortec. I put one gallon of thinner in 1/4 tank, so approximately 10 gallons of gasoline. I drove it 100 miles, and I re-ran the test (using AutoTap Express). Bank 1 sensor 2 reading was now almost identical to bank 2 sensor 2, so I proceeded to the emissions test. It passed with no problem.
I can see a couple of problems or oversights in this video. First, the proportion of thinner to gasoline is way too low as compared to what Kilmer recommended. Secondly, if you pay close attention to Kilmer's video, you're only trying to pick up that 1 or 2 percent of efficiency that drops you below the emissions testing threshold. Even Eric's readings seem to show at least that much gain.
If you've got P0420 and you don't want to buy a cat, spending $20 on a gallon of lacquer thinner is not a bad gamble.
To obtain the same ratio of fuel to laquer thinner, (1 : 9), with 3/4 tank of fuel you'd have to add 1.5 gallons of the laquer thinner to the fuel tank. As several others have already pointed out, you can't "debunk" or "prove" anything if you're not willing to completely follow the directions provided by the previous experimenter! 18 *.75=13.5 gallons (fuel in the tank), 13.5 / 9=1.5 gallons (additive needed), for complete duplication of the previous "experiment". Even if the experiment was completely duplicated, "Scotty" makes no guarantee that it will work every time . . . . so, you might still have to remove the "cat's", and use a different cleaning method, or even replace them to obtain the desired results!
🙂
kilmer said a gallon, you put in a pint.
Well... a quart.
shit it wouldn't work any way. lol
ArcolaBridge it worked for me
worked for me too, just did this on a 2007 kia.
@@ArcolaBridge Shit, what do you base that on? Your superior reading and comprehension skills?
Putz
Not 32 ounces....128 ounces...1 GALLON of LT. Try again, major fail on your part...you can't disprove his theory without doing it as he does in his video.
Here is my take on the test, if you are going to claim that the other mechanic is wrong you must REPLICATE the test exactly as it was done by the other person. You have 3/4
of gas in the tank the other mechanic had 1/2 tank so your mixture was diluted by about 4 extra gallons of gasoline not good. It looks like you used 1 quart or 32oz of thinner, the other mechanic used 1 gallon or about 128oz, conclusion you DID NOT REPLICATED THE TEXT DOES MAKING YOUR CLAMIS FALSE the only way to discredit someones else test is by exactly replicating the original and that is not what you did.
Thank you, that’s what I came here to say.
Thats what I said.
he did say he wasn't sure if the mixture amounts were the same when the video started.
@@aaronmatthewallen8470 Well next time he has a wank he can leave the cam off.
@@aaronmatthewallen8470 ...that doesn't excuse what he did...or excuse him from saying Scotty and his methods were wrong. The false result implication made by him is "Still out there"...and its wrong. How can you excuse this ?
Thanks Eric for directing me to Scotty's much more useful video on the subject. Using Scotty's formula of 1 gal. lacquer thinner to 1/2 tank of gas then driving 150 consecutive miles at a consistent ~70 mph/3000 rpm immediately resolved the DTC P420 issue with my 2004 Honda Civic LX, and is still effective after driving another 50 miles at highway speeds the following day.
is it still good now?
Steve Crum dude we're all wondering...
Soooooo?
Is it still good after a year?
@@glowiever is it still good after a year?
As I recall, Kilmer used 1-gallon of lacquer thinner, to 1/2 tank of fuel. Your proportions were only 1/4 as concentrated as he recommended.
chris credit
Thus being significantly safer. Proves nothing but Eric's sanity.
Yeah, you're probably bright. I decided to replace my cat. Should've replaced my O2 sensors when the idiot light indicated.
chris credit
Scotty says in his video he has been, successfully, using LT for 30 years. If you're going to do a test to myth bust something you need to do their test, not your version of it. I've seen the actual Myth Busters do the same thing only to show their own ignorance. If you go look at Scotty's video the first 10 top posts with scores of upvotes are people that did it and cleared their cat codes. This is one video that would have been better had he actually done it the way it was intended to be, now the majority of peeps that sees only this video are going to assume it "just doesn't work" as if everything is as black and white as it works or it doesn't. You don't buy 1 quart of oil to change your oil when it takes 4 quarts. You get 4 quarts. If it takes 1 gallon for a half a tank of gas and 150-200 miles of driving to work, if he wanted to "be safe" and use 1 quart he'd have to drive 800 miles to get a full gallon worth, and even then it might not work because the ratio is key.
And I can tell you as a diagnostic tech and exhaust specialist I have made quite a bit of money from Mr. Kilmers little fantasy as I have seen more than my share of melted down converters from this idiotic trick. If its contaminated not much will fix that. That being said there is a chemical that WAS designed to help bring back converters that have carbon/oil consumption residue issues and possibly even antifreeze contamination. It is sold by Mr Gasket and is called Cataclean. It is marketed as a fuel system cleaner and catalytic converter "cleaner" and DOES work. The issues with lacquer thinner is there are several different "mixes" from the brands. The generic stuff Eric used is for cheap paints and varnishes and such NOT automotive paint which is considerably more sensitive to chemistry. I know from reading and such that a person found Cataclean, then tried the sniff test and may have even seen an MSDS sheet on it but got no specific concentrations of any chemicals involved.
The theory of the lacquer thinner I have found came from back in the day of flat bed pellet converters and engines burning oil for what ever reason. Lacquer thinner made older engines run hotter on the exhaust mainly due to carbs not being designed to meter lacquer/gasoline mix AND newer gas has ethanol also.
And the computers wont allow the exhaust to overheat as most OBD2 cars also monitor for EGR temp as many cars have plastic intakes/gaskets and high EGR temps may cause engine damage.
You want to do it do so at your own risk because I have seen too many cars come in with melted down converters from the lacquer thinner trick and when a converter melts down, your talking at least $350+ to get a proper one. Yes Yes I know you can buy super cheap ones from Ebay, been there, done that and got P0420/P0430 codes and also had cars fail emissions when they go home. Heck some car can run as high as $1000 to replace converters parts alone as they have 4!
Good luck if you try this , in my professional opinion as a 30+yr tech, hoax and I hope you dont trash your car.
I have 06 Altima which kept pulling P0420 showing bad cat. I watched Scotty's video and decided with 230,000 and a replacement cost of $1300 to replace cat I would give it a try. I followed the EXACT directions of Scotty (unlike you did on this video) and I put one full gallon of thinner into 10 gallons of gas. (a little less than 3/4 tank) I had to do a Dallas to Houston drive so it worked out perfect. I ran out the whole tank on I-45 going 75-80 mph. I added some 93 octane (which I read from other posters could help) I reset code and drove another 100 in the city before checking it again. No pending codes and passed inspection with flying colors. Maybe a coincident ? Maybe but I would say for the time being I am a believer. P.S. Cataclean is a good product too but it does not work 100% of the time. Follow directions accurately if you want to do a real test.
+Kevin Kleinhenz
I have the same car. No P0420 Codes, but i have severe Loss of Power. I have this strong feeling my Cat is totally clogged. Although the o2 has thrown its code before, i replaced this o2. But the Car has terrible loss of Power. I believe this procedure you followed should Help.
+Allen Kingsley The after cat is bad about clogging up if the manifold cat goes bad. The after can is not monitored by the computer, so you can hollow it out without setting a light. You can find a manifold cat online pretty cheap, super easy to replace. Check back pressure with a gauge you can rent from O'reilly's.
+Kevin Kleinhenz I use the L.T. method on many of my customer's cars. I'd say about 60% of the time it works every time. Some have gone for years without the light returning, others have gone about 6 months, others didn't make it 6 days. There's many variables. It's good to have those variables in your favor though!
When you say you added lacquer thinner to 3/4s of a tank, and then added 93 octane, you are telling us you did not follow Scotty's directions exactly?
Cataclean smells like lacquer thinner. Maybe that's where Scotty got the idea from. Stuff is pretty pricey at $20 (for 16 oz, on sale). Would be interesting to know it's chemical makeup. Could make a lot of money selling 16 oz. bottles of lacquer thinner for $20 :)
Eric: Have to agree with many others here. If you're gonna try the lacquer thinner test as Scotty suggested, then you should use the mixture he recommended - 1 gallon lacquer thinner to 9 gals gasoline. This is a 10% solution.
Your test used 1 quart thinner to approx 7 gallons fuel (28 quarts). So your mixture was only about 3%, not 10% as Scotty recommended. Please try it again if you can. I'd be interested in your results. Thanks! Love your channel.
Yeah definitely an incorrect ratio. Scotty's car probably had a 15Gal tank, so half that plus a gallon(not a litre) of thinner.
07 fj cruiser
Saw this a year ago and tried Eric’s ratio - it helped a little but not enough. Then while running at 2000 rpm was reading the comments and saw scotties ratio of 10% (9 gallons gas one gallon thinner). Did that and it worked.
Now, how long did it work? 11 months/ 11,500 miles. And it’s back just in time for an annual smog. Haha
Going for the one gallon can this time and we’ll see.
I couldn’t remember which guy had it work so reading comments and remembered.
Is there a specific brand that is more pure I heard acetone containing thinner can dissolve seals and gaskets
It worked for me too. On a 2018 Dodge journey. I drove 100 miles light went off. It may depend how bad they get or are.
I have the same exact vehicle and year just put some in mine and the light still on ...so now I'm bout to gas up..to see what happens 🤦
Thank you for this, was slightly concerned about newer vehicles working with this.
You need to rewatch Scotty's video - he says to use 1-gallon of lacquer thinner in 1/2-tank of gas or less... your 1-quart in 3/4 tank will do didly.
I re did it Scott's way...still failed...some Chinese guys were testing it...& I didn't know the new test laws...well up yours CALIF...IM MOVING OUTTA HERE ASAP!!!!!!!!
I have also heard 2 quarts for half tank. I did this (18gal tank) and it disappeared but error code returned later.
YUP...DIDLY SQUAT IS WHAT I GOT...LOL..POET & DONT KNOW IT...BUT MY FEET SHOW IT...I LATER PUT A GALLON IN AND RAN TGE CRAP OUT OF IT...CALIF HAS NEW SMOG (RIP OFF BAD) LAWS...NOW 2021 THE DEAL IS...ACCELERATE LIKE GETTING ON THE FREEWAY...BULL SHIT...TOTALLY UNFAIR...I HAVE A 5 SPEED...OF COURSE IT IS GOING TO EXCEED LIMITS...MY BLOOD IS REALLY RILED OVER THIS TOTALLY UNFAIR LAW...EVEN HIS PERSONAL CAR FAILED...GRRRRRR...I REFUSE TO BUY A NEW CATLYITIC CONVERTER EVERY TWO YEARS!!!!!! SCREW THOSE LAWS...MY CAR DOES NOT POLLUTE ANY MORE...IT PASSED WITH NEW PLUGS CLEANED MAF AND AIR FILTER & INJECTORS...DAMN LAWS...BUT I WILL FIX THIS BUKKSHIT !!!
@@bigsparky8888 worked for me!
Also, his car's catalytic converter initial tests show no clog (debris free). Only opt is replacement...but if a viewer does have a clogged catalytic converter, removing the debris with lacquer thinner quickly dissolves the clog & restores proper internal function negating expensive, and unnecessary replacement...but also..even after the clog is removed the catalytic converter NOX functionality restored..in many other instances, it's already gone and must be replaced..that's why virtually all auto shops simply remove/replace as certified repair solution.
I just used the lacquer method with the 1 gallon lacquer thinner to 10 gallons and it worked. I'm in Calif. and it pasted smog the second time....
Worked for me in an '06 Civic!!! 1 gallon in a little over half my fuel tank (6 gallons), it took 155 miles or so until the light just suddenly came off. Car drove really well with it in the tank too, over 40mpg. My RPM meter was between 2500-3400 almost all of those miles, a lot of which was 75-80+ mph and on the highway. Make sure to run it up a bit harder than normal.
Yea, me too !
As Myth busters do... They always Screw Up... Change / Weaken the Fix... So It Does Not Work. You Need 4 Times the Thinner.
You were supposed to do 1 Gallon of Lacquer Thinner on a Half Tank (8 Gallons of Gas). You barely had any Thinner.
But I used 2 Gallons of Lacquer Thinner with 13 Gallons of Gas in my 2013 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD and Drove 190 Miles on Highway.... Till I was near empty.... And it worked.
But hey, This Video is just an attempt to try and put down another Channel... small minds... small mission
@@jameschupp2230 that's close to the same ratio I used, I thought it might have been a bit high but it did the job. 1 year later and the light flicked on a couple of times after the fix, but it's STILL gone.
If it happens again I'll do it again or take it off and wash it out
@@escapetherace1943 Yes I agree !!
Scotty used a 1:9 ratio. You used (approx) 1:36
Your gas gauge said 3/4 full, you said you have a 13 gallon tank.
You added 1 quart of thinner to about 9 gallons of gas.
Years ago I had a van with a clogged converter. With nothing to lose, I pulled the pre converter O2 sensor and squeezed a pint of dawn dish soap in the hole. I then adapted a garden hose on the o2 outlet and ran the hose for five minutes until it ran clear. Lots of carbon came out. I put it back together and started it. I ran for years without any trouble.
Joe Corbett Hi, Joe, I am thinking of using a similar method as yours. Can you please give more details? did u let your soapy water/rinse water run out of muffler? thanks
Joe you are awesome!
+Hw Yes I did this with the engine off.
Great idea!
I was just wondering about doing the same thing Joe.
Scotty Kilmer never attack nobody. Not nice.
You too are my favorite mechanics.
My 2013 Subby Outback was throwing a P4020 code intermittently. If I cleared the code, it would pop up a few weeks later. Sometimes the code would clear on its own. Tried the lacquer thinner (correctly) and code was clear when I started after my last fill up. Also feels like the engine may be running a bit smoother, but that is more subjective and slight.
I got an 02 subie outback 2.5 ej25 5spd 2ith a p0420 and p0301. Hope this works but I also think I got a intake gasket vacuum leak or some vacuum leak that's small causing the p0301. Ahh
Some people are saying they can't drive for that long on a highway at that speed to keep the high rev's but you can drive around for 2-3 hours anywhere down a gear or two EVEN if you have an automatic. You can take the gear selector out of "D" and put it into 1st or 2nd and keep the rev's above 2500. Then the lacquer thinner will do it's work to clean the Cat at the concentration Scotty said (not Eric's) ...1 gallon per half tank of gas (10 gallons of fuel)
Also good for recharging your BATTERY (not the lacquer thinner - just the high revs). Mechanic once told me battery was dead after sitting in his lot for three weeks (Hyundai Sonata 2015 engine replacement at 210,000 km's - extended warranty - I had to ask for it). I asked if he drove around charging it once boosted and he said he used a trickle charger all weekend. HA! I got the shop to boost the battery which took 20 minutes and 5-6 tries - the battery really was down to zero) I literally just drove home (30 min drive in 1st and 2nd gear and the battery was completely back to normal. The ol' man taught me that. He wasn't completely useless. lol The same battery is still in play a year later.
been using kilmers method over 10years at about a 80% success rate!!! I too am a Master Certified Tech, and it DOES work!! Naturally, has to be done soon after the code first appears or soon after a misfire is fixed!!!
What is his method?
@@MR82ad just pour laquer thinner in the tank, its what this video was based on
After putting 1 gallon of thinner.. got a misfire on my odyssey
@@sak1320 Then you have other problems! A gallon of acetone isn't going to cause a miss!
i realise this is an old video but i was wondering why if the subaru had 2 bad cats the check engine light was not on before the thinner was used
He didn't follow what the other guy said to do anyway.
It worked for me; ASM test in Texas showed a definite improvement & passed the test.
You need to run it long enough if not it will rather end up clogging the converter by removing all the carbon in the engine and depositing on the converter. Another way I have found to work well is removing the top O2 sensor and using a pressure gun to feed the thinner. It’s fast and very effective. Doing that for 30seconds should be okay or you risk filling up your cylinders with thinner. Engine will eventually start even if it gets filled but don’t overdo it.
tricky! So forgive my ignorance, but you run the car parked at say 2500 rpm and feed the laquer thinner through the o2 port on the manifold? How much, how long?
@@breasonable4343 car needs to be off to be able to do this cos when car is on exhaust gas will come out of the port with pressure. Feed the port with little amounts of thinner to avoid it climbing back in the cylinder. Just to be sure you can spray it in for just 10 seconds then run the car you will see it come out of exhaust and then repeat the process till you are satisfied.
@@breasonable4343 good thing about thinner is it’s inflammable like petrol so if some gets into the cylinder the engine can burn it off but getting too much in there can hydro lock the engine and it’s not good for your cylinder walls as it will corrode the protective coating. So inject small amounts at a time and since it hits the converter directly it’s super effective. Saved me buying a new converter and possibly an engine cos when converter was clogged engine could barely accelerate and was suffocating.
@@everythingtrendingworldwide Thanks for the info!
Hey Eric, Scotty said 1gallon per 1/2 tank of gas bud
A little more research into the type and proper proportions of lacquer thinner to gasoline should be in order here. Not all lacquer thinners are the same. They vary in formulation as much as gasoline does at different gas stations. To the best of my knowledge, the solvent Scotty used is PPG brand JT501 and its composition is different from the brand used in this test. Noted below are the compositions per their respective Safety Data Sheets. And if proportioned correctly I believe the JT501 would work better. But since I am in California, we aren't allowed to use real chemicals here and the California AQMD version of the same brand lacquer thinner you used is 95% acetone. And since acetone is what does most of the cleaning but is also what will eat your rubber seals in higher concentrations, I do not recommend anyone putting that stuff in their tank. The concentration is just too high.
So locating something close to the JT501 formula is key.
PPG JT501
Toluene 50-75%
Methanol 20-30%
Acetone 10-20%
Ligroine 5-10%
Klean Strip
Toluene
Hello my brother very good information ! I am in CA. Did you try any of the above products with your vehicle?
Well done. Exactly what I was thinking.
Now THIS was exactly what I needed to see. I had a feeling higher levels of Toulene was the answer.
I'm made mistake on My 2005silverado 4.3 l engine with baryman B12 and see this cleaner eat the plastic and still can't believe
@@hajrudinkavazovic2231 what plastic did the berrymans eat up?
Scotty's method worked for me. 1 gallon Lacquer thinner, 9 gallons gas. Drive on freeway for 150 miles. Run out the rest of tank, then fill up. Car was driving like it was on jet fuel after 100 miles on the freeway. The "choking" caused by the clogged cat was completely gone, and hasn't come back since. It works.
Scotties video says use 1 gallon for half a tank on the car he tested it was about 12 to 14 gallons and he i believe, ran it 120 miles. its designed to clean the honeycombs (carbon deposits?) that could be plugging it up, you could also remove the cats and put them in soapy water and let them soak for a day to loosen the ? the honeycombs are a straight forward non moving non electrical device, meaning they are plugged OR broken out inside, since there are so many combs you could have both problems.basically if its not plugged or broken IT WORKS. OH and laquer thinner can eat rubber hosing so if your car is old...and the rubber going bad like from the tank to the fuel line the 4 inch piece of rubber or the same on the other end of the fuel line, check it to see if its soft
Kilmer is King! Long live Scotty Kilmer!
Eric IS THE MAN HIMSELF!!!!
@@bigsparky8888 nah
@@temuulensukhbaatar4052 ????
Chris needs another 20 years of experience to be able to carry Scotty's tool bag
I believe that Scotty said to put 1 or 2 gallons of lacquer cleaner per 1/2 tank of gasoline and then driving it 100-200 miles. The can of cleaner Eric put in looked to be one quart, which is a lot less than Scotty instructed. The results might have been limited by not using enough cleaner.
Robert Troxell Scotty recommends 1 gallon lacquer thinner per 3/4 tank gasoline. Did this on two different occasions and it worked. Did it last year and it did not work.
This worked for my friend. He did it on a Hyundai 2004 which was only driving 3 miles per hr at first. The Converter was clogged. So he decided try this method after watching this video from Val Kilmer.
Hahahha Val Kilmer
Oh my God it works almost instantly. Absolutely amazing. I went from almost no airflow in my 3000GT and it was so slow now it's better than ever. I would swear by it the check engine light went off so there's no errors. I saved myself a couple hundred hours for under 15 bucks!!
Hi Jacqueline, you said $15 is that for Shopline JT501, wondering where you bought it?
How's your car running now? Any better?
couple hundreds? To replace that part would be $1500
My mechanic found the parts he needed for my SUV on eBay, and I paid for them. I paid $151 total for the front converters he said I would need. The labor cost was going to be approximately $500. But Scotty Kilmer's advice solved the problem. I spent $20 and saved about $650.
I'm about to buy a vr4. Thanks 😊
I've used thinner in the tank here in the Nazi state of California after I failed the emissions test. It cut my numbers in 1/2, and I ended up passing with flying colors. It's by no means the "right" way to do things, but it's allowed me to forego purchasing two cats!
+Balto D Did it say your CC was bad?
+shawn brown No. NoX and I think CO2 were too high. the thinner cut them almost in half.
why did you refer to California as a 'nazi state"?
Because it is a single party, overly regulated state.
How often do you have to go throug emission control in California?
You didn't do the test the same. It was 1 gallon of pure lacquer at 1/2 tank dilution. You only used 1 quart. Invalid comparison
What ratio do you think you had. One quart is not exactly 128 ounces. It is 32 ounces. Not a good test. Invalid.
Do a few tanks of fuel with the thinner in, give it some time. If it is just coated, running kinda lean, which is what adding light solvents does, may give the catalyst a chance ro "eat" through the buildup.
I just tried this, it worked! Using the correct thinner makes all the difference. BG products makes a product called 44K, main ingredient is High Flash Naptha. I found that Sherwin Williams has a thinner that has a huge amount of Naptha in it & they also sell pure High Flash Naptha. The stuff Eric has there in his hand has ZERO Naptha in it. HIgh Flash Naptha burns really hot and fast and clean. If the precious metals are not burned out of your cat, this should bring it back to life. No hesitation at takeoff, pulls giant hills like a champ now. Thank you Eric!
great answer. the naptha is the solvent "thinner" in lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner with naptha dissolves these carbon clogs in a catalytic converter...it's the danger to the human handling the product. Please read the safety precautions as handling, like woodworkers went water based polymer because of the harmful effects of lacquer thinners. Just make sure you wear a 3M R95 or N/P100 mask rated to remove naptha (above N95 particulate respirator) and wear personal protective equipment in well ventilated area.
I think Kilmer's point is that it may help not necessarily that it would. Why not try it, especially if one does not have the budget to support a new cat.
Exactly, he even recommends cleaning the catalytic converter with soap if the thinner method doesn't work.
Jim Buford nnnnnnyyyg
The guy didn’t want this to work. He did not follow the directions. Used Scottie’s formula exactly and it worked for me on an 02 Mazda van.
are you that fucking slow and stupid ass fan instead of a purist of information...SCOTTY DIDNT TELL YOUR SCIENTIFIC ASS HOW MANY GALONS WAS IN A HALF TANK WITH THE GALLON OF LACQUER DID HE? BUT YOU BRING YOUR ASS HERE AS IF YOUR BEING INTELLIGENT
@@bull5919 uhh scotty did clarify the ratio of thinner to gas in other videos and his blogs. But yet were the anti science who dont do their research...
@@coinbounty3347 no he did not in the video i saw could you please post link
@@bull5919 you can see the car in the video is a accord or civic so just google the gas tank on that car dumbass
@@coinbounty3347 could you tell me the ratio?
Scotty Kilmer is king ,i put a gallon of thinner in half a tank of gas and it worked on my 2014 ford transit connect after driving more than 200miles. it passed the smog test too .i changed the spark plugs there after.I have put more than 12k miles and the light never came back.
I used Scotty’s instructions and it worked on my 2009 Nissan rogue. You added a quart to a 3/4 tank. Scotty suggested 1 gallon to half tank. In fairness, if you are going to “test” and reference his video, you should at least follow the instructions to get a result that holds weight.
Nailed it. Exactly.
also I noticed he is using lacquer thinner from auto body paint shop. might matter. higher quality stuff there. 😅 very flammable 🔥🔥
Nissan Pathfinder 2014 SL check engine light came on yesterday (PO430). Yesterday evening brought a gallon of Lacquer Thinner. Today I applied the whole gallon to a little over half a tank of gas. Took a ride to Ventura Beach from the high desert. 134 miles. The Check engine light was still on. Pulled over to get some gas on the return trip. The gas tank showed a little over half. Pulled over in Lil Rock, Ca. at Auto Zone. Asked the employee how to reset the code. He advised me to disconnect the battery to reset it. My girl told me to wait until we got home. Started the car to finish up our trip home. To my surprise the check engine light was off. No need to reset anything the check engine light went off on its own. So, in short the 1 gallon Lacquer thinner to a half tank of gas worked for us. Our round trip was approximately 268. The check engine light cut off for us after driving around 220 miles instead of 150. 👍🏿😁💯.
Rev up your engines or stay dirty???
Both helped me a lot.Do your own research people, gather information make your own conclusion.
Both of them have been a great help for all my car fixes and their vids are free!
2010, Nissan Sentra with over 247,000 miles. Nine months ago I started getting an underperforming cat code which I would erase and it would return with growing frequency. Bought 1 gallon laquer thiner at Walmart, put it in the gas tank, filled the gas tank, and went for a 7 hour round trip at highway speed. That's the last time I saw the cat code. The car seems to be running much better and has had no other problems.
He also mentioned when the code comes up it will do it when it's below 95%. lacquer thinner may not work very quickly on more severely clogged converters. It may take several treatments for more severe cases
I couldn't stop staring at the Elvis dancing clock on the top left at 6 min +
DrGamble28 - okay, at least I wasn’t the only one that did the same, lol..
LOL me too #ADD
0:20 Scotty Kilmer didn't say that it would "repair" the issue, he said it would "clean" and possibly eliminate the need for a new catalytic converter. For $20 it's worth a try before you dish-out $1000's for anew catyltic converter(s)/mufflers.
You also did the test on a vehicle that did NOT have Check Engine light on, Scotty's intent was for a car that DOES have one on.
If you have a link to Scotty's video can you post it here? This is an older video and I don't know what I'm going to type into TH-cam to find it.
Never mind I found it by accident
th-cam.com/video/5icTmYItwiE/w-d-xo.html
Also, this guy didn’t use a full gallon of lacquer thinner and he did it on a car with 2 catalytic converters instead of one…sounds like a set up to me.
I had come here and comment!!
10/09/2023
@Scotty Kilmer
thank you so much .!!!
for your time the value you give out to the world, for sharing your knowledge,
I' needed it this fix, didn't believe, and was scared a little bit at first,
for P0420, if your Cat, it's just staring to go, like Scotty says, it's worth to try, I did it today, 1 galon lacker thinner to a half a tank, drove my 96 tacoma 2.4, for 2 hours, went 3 hours total without turn it off, next check the monitors with a OBD scanner ( mine, blue driver ) total pass,
took it to smog check,
guy says.. truck's running super clean, have not seen that so often
so good to hear, I don't know how long is it going to last, but the thing is, to pass the emissions, because, car overall runs very well,
THANKS @Scotty kilmer
Scotty actually said it MAY fix the problem, depending on how clogged it is.
Test not complete: Should be 1 gal lacquer thinner to 1/2 tank of gas.
Should be 0 gal. This car didn't start off with a code, just a supposition.
Exactly he is so fucking wrong. He didn’t watch Kilmer video
I just went bought some cataclean put it in and realized it smells EXACTLY like paint thinner.
It does smell like lacquer thinner, I wonder what is on that Cataclean. They do work well, I put the whole bottle when my gas is in 1/4 and drive it normal until it's almost empty.
@@3grimlock not sure but I just followed the directions (I don't remember what they were) and it worked and I passed emissions. :D
@@volksbugly My sister's car smelled like sulphur and gave a code, cataclean definitely fixed that. For 10 minutes, with cataclean, the car blew out so much black smoke that people had to stop and pull over while driving.
@@3grimlock cataclean is xylene, acetone and isopropyl alcohol mostly, lacquer thinner can be acetone
Thanks for the test. Your explanation toward the end of the video explaining different possible issues for a bad cat is something I hope everyone stayed around for. Pouring any solvent into a fuel system certainly won't "fix" a bad component. The idea is that it might clean the elements inside of a catalytic converter, thus get it to function more efficiently. You showed that adding a pretty dilute solution won't damage the vehicle, so that's more evidence to trying this. That it didn't clear your code suggests that perhaps the mixture wasn't optimal (it's certainly not 10:1, or even the 5:1 as some who have used two gallons to a half tank have done), or there is physical damage to the cats on this vehicle. The value in trying this is that whether it works or not, it's an attempt that costs less than $20 compared to new cats costing to over $3000 (in 2023, for CARB compliant OEM Subaru cats). No one who has tried this and shared video has destroyed an engine, on any make of vehicle. I suggest it's worth a try.
Eric if the honey comb is broken in pieces then this test won't work just like Scotty said only clogged cats
Worked for me as well. Was getting PO430 on my 2006 Pathfinder. Put one gallon in half a tank. I drove it normally and service engine soon went off next day.
Another thing to try, pour the lacquer thinner all over the engine and light on fire, call insurance company once vehicle is no longer on fire 🚒🚒🚒🚒🚒🔥
That works ?? Wow
I wonder if doing this as a preventative before the light comes on would be a better option.
I think Scotty said one gallon per half tank of gas. One gallon would have been a great deal more per gallon.
Yes, between 3.5 to 7 times more. Scotty's other video said one gallon thinner to 5 or 10 gallons of gas.
Scotty also said while driving with the lacquer in the tank to go around at slightly higher than normal speed.
I came all the way back to tell you guys what happened. I didn't wanna drive 100 miles so I divided everything by 10 and ended up putting just 1 pint in with 1/8 tank (about 2.5 gallons) I was gonna put 2 pints which would have been the correct proportions but the hardware store was closed and I had to go to work. its about a 10 mile drive. I poured it in, drove to work, felt some extra power, got those rpms up. then I went to the gas station by my work, revved it up for a while to try and burn it off, then I put some gas in the tank to dilute it so it wouldn't just be sitting. then I drove to work nearby and let it idle and revved some more to get it all out of the system. now when I turn the key, the car starts right up. before it had to wait about a second. I did this because after using seafoam in the intake I had power loss at high rpms. kind of like a preventive maintenance type of thing. my car runs quieter now. this shit works.. just do the math and put in the amount for the distance you want to drive.. I wasn't getting the cat code tho so if you have that maybe you do need to drive 100 miles. i might do it one more time in the future but for now im happy. i used klean strip brand lacquer thinner in my audi a6
I have a 2000 Lexus RX300. Tried to get a smog check and it wouldn’t pass. Kept showing code for the Catalytic Converter. Eventually I checked out videos and found Scotty Kilmer. Followed his advice exactly. Had 1/2 tank of gas and then poured in 1 gallon of Laquer Thinner. BOOM! 💥 NO MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE TRUCK FINALLY PASSED THE SMOG CHECK. Incredible!
Very interesting video. Maybe people should put the stuff into their gas tanks when the car is younger; to keep the converters clean. Like maybe once a year. That might keep them clean a longer time.
from what little I understand about the subject, cats get clogged mainly due to an engine burning oil. If the car is younger and not burning oil, then there is no point in doing this. However, if you keep an eye on your dip stick and notice that it is burning oil but the cat error codes haven't started yet then it may be a good idea to do it as a preventative as you say.
@@greasystrangler3703 Thanks for this...I know my car burns oil, no leaks on the ground...
@@greasystrangler3703 burning oil? Or burnin fuel?
1 quart vs 1 gallon makes a 3 quarts short difference test.
Eric I for one am happy that you challenge Scotty's claims. I like Scotty's videos and yours. To me it keeps you both honest and we all benefit from that. I would bet Scotty welcomes your checking his claims. Most of us DKS about working on Cars and I for one rely on auto guys like you and Scotty to help me understand my automotive problems. Keep Keeping on...
I agree. I've Googled "add solvent to gas tank", "lacquer thinner in gas tank", and others and it seems like only Scotty Kilmer and a bunch of Don't Knows are "successfully" using this method. I'm open to other experiments but this is the ONLY one I've found from a reputable mechanic. I don't have time to exchange one error code for another... Is this like prescrip meds? The pill cures your headache but gives you kidney failure instead??? If lacquer/ or Short Line Solvent cures one problem but causes another, it's just easier to replace the bad part, instead of trying to hide the symptoms.
My 03 dodge ram 1500 4.7 was throwing a cat code, I tried Scotty Kilmer's gallon of lacquer thinner method. IT WORKED!!! NO MORE po420 CODE! I tried seafoam first, with no luck! Scotty Kilmer's method did work!
Just gut or straight pipe the catalytic converter and use a spacer like a spark plug fouler for the downstream oxygen sensor who's only job it is is to check operation/efficiency of said cat converter. It is only looking for a change in O2 levels and backing the sensor out a little from the main exhaust stream "fools" the sensor as it causes a change enough for the sensor to think that the cat is there and working....this keeps it from throwing the code for the catalytic converter. The operation of the IMPORTANT UPSTREAM (above the cat converter) which is actually technically an air fuel sensor (AF sensor) not actually an oxygen sensor like it is often called is not effected in any way. An inline four has one upstream sensor and is either a narrow band or wideband air fuel sensor which directly dictates your fuel enrichment via the fuel tables in the ecm when it is heated up and car goes into closed loop operation......a V6 or V8 has bank one and bank 2 corresponding to the separate sides of the motor. Typically sensor 1 is the upstream AF sensor and sensor 2 in the downstream (after cat converter) oxygen sensor but check specifics for your vehicle to verify.
Anyways.....the secondary, downstream O2 sensor does nothing but monitor operation of cat converter and if you live in a state or area without emissions testing then you can gut or yank bad cat converter and use spark plug fouler method OR actually plug in an electronic device that in place of downstream O2 sensor that also fools ecm into thinking cat is there and working. Just information for people. Being so many Assholes are stealing cat converters.....if you cannot afford the way over inflated prices to replace them and auto insurance is not helping then YES....if no Emissions check like a visual check then straight pipe it and fool ecm into thinking cats are there and working. Just info for those who may be looking at this situations.
Especially since our pathetic government is fed, state and local are doing NOTHING to stop the sale of stolen cat converters to recyclers. Lots of ways to do it which would virtually STOP cat converter theft mostly as there would be little profit in it.
Sure, some would recover the precious metals inside cats but many low level crooks just take the cut off, stolen cats to someone who buys them like that. Making it harder to profit from stolen cat converters would drastically reduce the huge issue with cat thefts. Rant over...../.....
I had the "low efficiency" code. Soaked the converters for 2 days in water with dawn dishwashing soap. Changed the solution a couple of times. Rinsed well and the code went away. But, this may be a special case.
The head gasket blew and several gallons of coolant went thru the exhaust. A few months after the gasket was replaced the code appeared. The converter on that side (V6 engine) was covered with a white layer. The other converter looked fine.
230k miles, original converters. 3k miles since the cleaning. Downstream O2 sensors are giving a flat (expected) output.
So, I can confirm that if the cause of the problem is coolant in the exhaust, soaking with dishwashing soap works.
Both Eric and Scott are like the best out there to give best advice and help others with there repairs on cars 👍to both.
I add a “gallon” of lacquer thinner to between 5-8 gallons of gasoline. Before oil changes is my rule of thumb , to keep the cats cleaner and clog free.
I do it the smarter way. I put a 5 gallon can with fresh fuel in the trunk with the gallon of lacquer thinner. Then with a half tank or less I head to the interstate. At a rest stop or before entering the highway I pure that gallon of lacquer thinner into my gas tank with the engine at operating temperature.
I drive with the overdrive “off” until the fuel is nearly depleted. I carry the 5 gallon can with me just in case I need it. I have done this a few times now, and I have not needed it. No sputtering, no hesitation with my engine, 4.6L Mustang 2007.
All catalytic converters get dirty then they can get clogged. When they get clogged 2 things could happen;
1. The exhaust pressure could blow the clog out of the system.
2. The exhaust pressure blows the clog along with the internal catalyst materials out of the system. Causing a catastrophic failure.