CATACLEAN product. Does it work to clean your cats? Or will it kill them.

[Jeff Jot]

2004 Jeep Liberty driver here.
Can anyone please share your experiences using the product CataClean for the dreaded Check Engine light and P0420, P0430 Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshhold codes.
Videos are all over Youtube about it.
A new catalytic converter cost around $500-$600 apiece (L and R) just for the parts let alone labor. Some estimates go into the thousands.
I do not have this money. If I had the money, I'd buy a new car.

OK. There are literally at least a hundred people who have posted online, who have used this product and said it cleared their dirty cat codes and dirty O2 sensor codes, and corrected the problem, "saving me thousands".
Well of course, I need to save thousands. Because I don't even have thousands to save.
And of course as always, there a few horror stories just so you aren't comfortable trying it.

In my situation I do have the codes, and the Check Engine light blinking for the first 3-4 minutes after starting the engine. Then it runs OK, but with the light on.

Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshhold Bank 2
Random- Multiple Misfire Detected
Evaporative Emission System Incorrect Purge Flow
Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshhold Bank 1
Oxygen Sensor Circuit Low Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 2

These, from my understanding, are codes related to a dirty cat.
But... it runs. The Jeep is currently running.
And lord knows, I need it to run. I am under the gun needing the vehicle for work I need to get done just to pay the bills this month.
I KNOW I NEED TO FIX IT. I am under extreme duress due to needing the income from work, and there is no one to lend me a car. I have about two weeks of urgent work at least to get done that requires use of vehicle before I am able to even suffer it being in the shop.
So an unenviable position to be in to be sure.

I looked at the reviews of using this product. 75% of them said it fixed their P0420/430 codes and cleaned their cat.
But then there's a post from a guy who said he poured this stuff in, and after driving about 10 miles his engine started chugging, he dashed to a gas station to dilute it, and claimed it wrecked his cat.

THEN there are stories of people also spraying something like Sea Foam in the 02 sensor socket at the same time, to make sure it actually cleans.
OKAY then.
So what are people's thoughts on this?
Should I give it a try.
It seems like a really hard decision.
All I can say is I feel like my problems started happening after using Berryman's B12 engine cleaner. But I also had a bad water pump, which I have replaced. I have also replaced my engine coils, my serpentine belt, and all my spark plugs.
I have also heard mention of a PCV valve that may need replaced----
does this make sense to anyone.

So how to tell if more cleaning will fix it, or more will make it worse?
Thoughts, Liberty drivers, before I risk everything??

 

[Jeff Jot]

The ongoing theory I'm afraid of is since my vehicle has 90K miles.... PERHAPS adding CataClean will release a lot of built up gunk from the engine into the system, and block the cats entirely.
So as that theory goes, CataClean works great with new cars where the light just popped on, but old arthritic vehicles like mine it can cause a stroke.
Is this logical?
Or do I instead need to get that CataClean in today, because driving the car without it will cause it to have a stroke.
Thanks for thoughts and opinions. Yes I wish I was richer. Working on that work thing.

 

[derekj]

Did you try blocking off the evap purge valve like I told you too? Did it help with the misfiring on startup?

 

[ikuo78]

I think the normal catalyst failure process is as follows.

・The O2 sensor is damaged.
・The air-fuel ratio is out of order.
・Soot increases.
・The catalyst is clogged.

So did you replace the O2 sensor?

Even if you clean the catalyst with soot coming out, it will not last long.

 

[Warpc0il]

A dirty cat can't cause a misfire, but causes of misfires can also cause poor combustion, so even a good cat gets overwhelmed.
You need to sort the misfire first.
Might be ignition (coil, lead, plugs) or it could be fuel injector.
Misfire on my 3.7 was caused by pinhole in radiator, spraying coolant at fuel injector connector.

 

[Jeff Jot]

Did you try blocking off the evap purge valve like I told you too? Did it help with the misfiring on startup?

Sorry I'm a bit overwhelmed with problems right now and under a lot of time pressure having work to get done (worst possible time for vehicle problems)

Here is a review of what I have done:
- Replaced serpentine belt and pulley
- Put in new water pump
- Replaced all spark plugs
- Replaced all ignition coils
- Patched leak found in radiator. It was in upper right, the plastic shoulder. I patched it with JB Weld Marine and it is holding and not leaking. I HAVE ordered a new radiator, and will replace that when it comes in.
- I have been checking codes endlessly and there were codes indicating the Catalytic Converter needs cleaning. Of course between a rock and a hard place, I was forced to try CataClean last night as I was smelling some exhaust fumes during engine blinking light episodes which were happening frequently.
I followed directions, ran it about 45 minutes on a quarter tank, and everything seemed to run ok after that.

HOWEVER.

This morning, when driving, I am frequently having episodes where I have low torque, and then a sort of 'vroom!' where it picks up again.
What could this possibly be?
My mechanically unskilled mind thinks it is something like a clogged fuel injector, but then I have used Berryman's and now CataClean, these should have cleaned them.
I don't know whether to try more cleaning, or if this is making things worse.
I had some codes indicating a bad crankshaft sensor, but I was unable to pull this out right now, it appears to be rusted in. I don't dare to risk breaking it, or my vehicle will be stranded completely.

Can you elaborate again on the purge valve? I will try anything of course.
My regular mechanic is backed up all week, and everyone he can refer is backed up also. I'm under as I said urgent time pressure to use the vehicle but of course don't want to NOT do anything and have it break down.

Thanks again to anyone who can give advice, much appreciated.

 

[Jeff Jot]

Alright I cleared codes, started engine and drove around block.
Came back and got these new codes:

P0158 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0300 Multiple Random Misfire
P0152 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0157 Oxygen Sensor Circuit Low Bank 2 Sensor 2

 

[Jeremy-WI]

I would see about replacing the 02 sensor on the passenger side between the engine and the catalytic converter.

 

[ikuo78]

You may notice a change if you unplug the O2 sensor connector to prevent the faulty O2 sensor from sending incorrect commands to the ECU.
If there is no change, suspect the injector and its control harness.

 

[Jeff Jot]

This is exactly my question----- I am wondering (and hoping) this is a fault with either the upstream or downstream passenger side O2 sensors.
I did risk running the CataClean. It ran good the night I ran it through, but now it is worse than ever :/
I could not even let it idle yesterday, it would shake and engine almost go dead.
However all codes have vanished so far except these repeatedly:

P0158 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0300 Multiple Random Misfire
P0152 Oxygen Sensor Circuit High Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0157 Oxygen Sensor Circuit Low Bank 2 Sensor 2

It makes sense to me that faulty O2 sensor(s) would be messing up the fuel mixture causing it to be too rich, and also screwing with the idling. And as you can see, the codes are entirely Oxygen Sensors.
Unfortunately for me, I've found the O2 sensors passenger side are rusted in solid, even with repeated PB Blaster and tapping. I'm of course afraid to try too ******* that and cause damage.

So my question is.... can I unplug both passenger side O2 sensors and start engine, and see if this alone can tell me anything? Is this safe to try
I checked the ohm resistance on the two white (heat) wires for both sensors unplugged, and got around 4.9.
Unfortunately my new downstream O2 sensor I have here that I can't put in because I can't get the other one out...... I can't seem to get any reading on it to compare.
What is it supposed to be?

Also- on one page it mentioned using a fuel cleaner like STP AFTER running CataClean, because sometimes CataClean detergents will gum up the injectors.
Does this make sense? Or will trying that make things worse. I can't tell

 

[Jeremy-WI]

I would expect an O2 sensor with a fault to be ignored and the fuel system to run in open loop. My 2006 was throwing the drivers side cat code not long after I bought it, the cat isn't clogged but it isn't doing anything as the pre cat and post cat O2s have similar voltage readings. I have 200 miles on the cataclean and have noticed no changes at all

 

[ikuo78]

It's okay to run in that condition to see what happens.
Be careful not to burn the connector.

Unplugging is a fault diagnosis method, so
If you have a new sensor, it might be better to focus on replacing it.
If you cannot remove it, you may be able to remove it by heating it with a heat gun or burner.

If you are interested, observe the voltage waveform with an oscilloscope while it is attached to the vehicle.

There is a high possibility that the O2 sensor's power generation element is physically damaged, so there is almost no chance of it being repaired by cleaning.
Washing with water is strictly prohibited as it will be destroyed by moisture.

Since the misfires are random, if there is no change, the fuel pump may also be suspected.

 

[Johnny O]

Cat Cleaners are a scam. The claimed chemistry doesn't check out. As others have stated, the issue is in the engine fuel system...which may have damaged the cats.
Just as likely to get the same result from Techron or Sea Foam.

A