Does Lacquer Thinner Clean Catalytic Converters? -EricTheCarGuy
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ต.ค. 2013
- Link to Scotty Kilmer's Video: • How to Clean Your Car'...
After watching Scotty's video I was curious if it would actually work. Since we know from my video on diagnosing catalytic converters that the catalytic converters in my Subaru were bad, I though it was a perfect opportunity to try out this theory. I used about 1 quart of lacquer thinner to about 7 gallons of gas. I drove a total of 200 miles and tested the converters. The testing showed a very slight improvement but nothing that I would call significant. It was worth a try. I can say that I did not notice any issues with drivability during or after the test. It may not have fixed the problem, but it didn't seem to cause any other problems either. I feel the check engine light that came on was just a coincidence and not the result of putting lacquer thinner in the gas tank. Here's some useful links for you.
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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
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?
@@WISEPREACH it's a type of paint remover. Just go to Walmart or any craft store should have some. If you want bulk like Scotty had, you can buy from internet
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.
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.
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 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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
There's a reason there are 4+ million views for this on Scotty Kilmer's video. I tried this last night on my '99 VW GTI Vr6. One gallon thinner to just over half a tank of gas (about 8-9 gallons). Drove at highway speeds until the gas tank had a gallon left (Approximately 160 miles or so). Filled with high octane gas, which my car requires. The moment after the fill-up and starting the car back up, light came off. Much better vehicle performance as well. At about 108k miles. We'll see how long this lasts. I do know it cleaned the crap out of it.
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?
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!
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
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.
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 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.
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!!!
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. 👍🏿😁💯.
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!
🙂
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.
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.
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 😊
lacquer thinner did change something! 8:42 It made your pony tail go away!
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.
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
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.
This worked for me! I have a 2005 Pontiac Vibe with over 125,000 miles. Service engine light came on, pulled the code, which was the one for catalytic converter issues. Bought a gallon of paint thinner and added it all to 1/2 tank of gas. Drove about 100 miles at 72 mph. Got out of the car to shop with the service engine light still on, turned the car off then came back about 30 mins later, turned the car on and the light was OFF on its own! It's been about 2 weeks since that time and so far, the light hasn't come back on. I've noticed the car accelerates better now and gas consumption has decreased quite a bit. The car idles better, too.
Scotty Kilmer never attack nobody. Not nice.
You too are my favorite mechanics.
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
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.
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.
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........
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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)
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 !!
I used a gallon with 6 gallons of gas, and it actually worked
Hello
lacquer thinner worked like a charm for me. I ran a full tank of gas with a gallon of thinner, extinguished the light and passed emissions. As you said, there are multiple reasons a cat can go bad but if its just dirty, the thinner works great.
Did the light stay off? How’s the vehicle running today?
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!
I was curious too and conducted the test yesterday and even uploaded it, so far so good,I'll give an update though.
It worked for me; ASM test in Texas showed a definite improvement & passed the test.
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.
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!
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.
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 :)
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.
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.
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
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
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 for posting the experiment! Other commenters are saying they got success with “Scotty’s” fix: 1 gal. Lacquer thinner to 10 gal. Gas! I have to clear codes every day. I can then drive without codes until I stop… if I restart, the CEL will trigger within a few miles. O2 sensors now have 181K miles, so planning to replace now… Code Reader Scan showed O2 heater passed, but O2 sensor failed.
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.
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
Both Eric and Scott are like the best out there to give best advice and help others with there repairs on cars 👍to both.
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.
Read carefully IT WORKED FOR ME.
May 12, 2020 my 2002 Honda Civic LX had this same code P0420 (“Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold ” ) for the last 2 years, now it’s time to renew the registration and smog check is required, previous owner had catalytic welded from the middle due to a crack (very common on this type of catalytic as I searched) also one of the pipes cracked from where it connects to the plate, I took it to welded hoping that doing so the code will be gone, but it didn’t happen, looking for another solution, I came across Scotty Kilmer’s video, on how to clean the catalytic converter with Lacquer Thinner, Also I was curious to see someone like “Eric the car guy” doing such experiment as well, I saw his video too (like probably you are doing right now hoping for a miracle solution) but I got really disappointed, to the point to not try it at all, I have to admit, at first I was skeptical, but after knowing how much my catalytic cost (I live in California and regulations here are different, making everything more expensive) I decided to give it a try after all, it was either paying $700+ for a new catalytic (which is not that much compared to other ones, but I can’t afford it at this moment due to “Coronavirus’ time”)
or pay $250 for a “Special smog check test” (Regular is $50)
or pay less than $20 for a gallon of Lacquer Thinner
Guess which one I chose?
I follow EXACTLY the instructions from Scotty Kilmer’s video, I poured 1 Gallon of Lacquer Thinner into a Half gas tank (6 gallons in my case) drove it for more than 150 miles and since my commute is 100 miles daily (95% freeway) it was easy for me to do this experiment. Now I can say the code is gone, my car passed the smog check with no problem at all and I can’t believed that I almost didn’t do it, I almost spend hundreds of $$ when I didn’t have to.
Lacquer Thinner Less than $20
Smog Check $50
Total less than $70
Knowing that it works priceless
This is for Eric and the rest of you who trying to replicate this, do EXACTLY AS IS INSTRUCTED TO DO nor less. (Very disappointed on you Eric the car guy)
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....
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
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.
Did pour a gal of lacquer thinner in my 01 Grand Am and to my surprise it did work.
Had a dirty catalytic converter code and tried a gal lacquer thinner.
My slightly rough idle disappeared and did pass MO emissions to renew my tags.
Will be pouring a gal in my 08 Caliber soon.
Eric man thank you for your videos they're very helpful, lots of respect for you & for scottie kilmer just as well.
2 THUMBS UP FOR ERIC & SCOTTY!!!👍🇺🇲💪
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.
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.
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
Scotty Kilmer is a god.
Nick Herrera does this stuff seriously work??
Yes it does.
scotty kilmer is indeed a god...love him, his energy, his presention and voice.
Nick Herrera could you explain how did you do it?
NAW
My expectations are so low, I am not often disappointed.
Thanks Eric, very good video I did the same about a year ago with the same results as you on someone else's car, different way I did w/my old car, after taking it for smog it didn't pass and I had checked by a friend but still didn't pass knowing that the car is a 1996 figured that it must be closing up I took the car to the freeway and overspeed to 110 mph and wala, when I got home I put the tester and the green mark showed up that was in Dec 2019 now I put the tester again and still green light
Hi Eric hello from Australia long time I'm watching Yours videos ,my compliments .... You have big knowledge and passion. You mate one of the best.
You haven't myth busted anything! If you're going to debunk something, you have to do it precisely. Scotty used a GALLON, not a quart in a HALF a tank, not over a have tank! So you're using LESS thinner in MORE has and trying to debunk? I debunk you!
Exactly. He didn't follow it correctly.
+datsyhoehoe He didn't declare it debunked. He even said he might not have the correct proportions. But at no time in the video did he say he busted a myth. I debunk you!
+Neil Smith Who's to say which is correct? Scotty recommended a gallon in half a tank, which is sometimes 9 gallons in some cars. I think you're just splitting hairs.
+Phillip Watson you're grasping at straws to have a comment. If you set out to disprove somebody, you have to do it to the letter or it ceases to be that person you are debunking!!! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know this. I DEBUNK YOU! INFINITY!
+datsyhoehoe ouuuuuuuu
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!"
Thank you for your patience and diligence. 👍
I was getting a P0430 code, I did a temp test on my cats, hotter on the engine side by 100F, could not pass California smog. I did 1 gallon liquor thinner in a half tank. Passed smog today. 2015 F150 v6 3.5 TT ecoboost. 100% worked for me.
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.
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
Good video. The Lacquer Thinner in Scotty's video was used to fix a clogged Catalytic Converter, it won't work if there's something else wrong with the Cat.
Eric Hey brother, I really dig this channell.
I have a 2002 Mitsubishi Mirage DE 1.5 purchased three years ago online w 119,000 miles.
The car on the orig engine did California to Maine & back twice + 2 trips down to Miami & back trouble free cold A/C instant start up every time the key is turned, etc. I am an automotive graphic artist/ designer
for Goodyear 21 years as of 2019. Since owning this car I have learned more about cars in 3 years than
in 18 years flying & using rentals w 500 mi hehe. I did have to do an eng. replacement this last November 2019 Goodyear holiday trip. found an exact matching motor w just 75,000 orig mi.
Doing new front end incl struts this Mo. Stay cool & srat in touch.
Alex
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'm Disappointed
You TRIED To Dis.
Scottie
Scottie Is The Man!!!
love the Elvis shaky leg clock on the wall behind you!
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...../.....
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
What ratio do you think you had. One quart is not exactly 128 ounces. It is 32 ounces. Not a good test. Invalid.
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.
Excellent video as always. Even seven years later.
Scotty's method works if done right depending on how bad the cat it. I would recommend you try both methods. Have done it personally and it worked on a cat on a dodge charger that gave me hell. So I took it off, soaked it in a bucked of water and dawn soap for 3 hours, rinsed it thoroughly (making sure I got all or most of the suds out), blew it with compressed air, put it back on and drove for 20 min to make sure it dried... The p0420 initally came back on so I let the car cool overnight and went on to the next method. I put a gallon of laquer thinner in at the time I filled up to a half of a tank. Immediately I took it on the highway under a load of at least 65 for about 30 min. Within 10 or 15 minutes I literally felt the car no longer was bogging down like it did before. So I check the readings on my scanner and saw that my 02 sensors were functioning properly this time. Also my cat monitor readiness had been set without any p0420, which previously would have came up way before the monitor have been set. It has only been several days since the with no p0420 but I have put over 500 miles and the car drives better and gets a hell of a lot more fuel economy. Also, all of my monitors are now ready without any single code. Based on all of the above I would say that the methods work. However it has to be done correctly and it may depend on the condition of your cat. Lastly, I would add that you have no exaust leaks interfering with your o2 sensors, as this might affect results. A new cat on this would have cost me $450 plus labor had I not done it myself. The dawn, laquer thinner and half tank us gas cost me 40 bucks.
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!
From what I've gathered I have seen an option where this gentleman took out the O2 sensor and installed a properly sized/threaded hose which is hooked up to a small container with a cleaning solution that gets pressurized somewhere near 60lbs and so when u start the car yes the O2 sensor is out but you run that cleaning solution through while the car is running. This way no chemicals or solutions are going through the motor. Only the tailpipe. Logically if you don't want 2 take the exhaust apart that may be your best bet. Thankfully I recently picked up a welder so I can do just that when a code pops up for any of my vehicles in the future.
While you are quite the mechanic, I will add that if SCOTTY KILMER suggests something I’d adhere. He’s been in business for many decades and he really knows what he’s talking about for sure😊