With the onset of frost, motorists face many problems: freezing locks, thickening oil, falling battery charge. However, few people think about how low temperatures affect the exhaust gas neutralizer. This component is designed to operate at high temperatures, and frequent cold starts and short trips can significantly reduce its service life.
In winter, the neutralizing experiences increased loads, especially when used in urban mode. If your neutralizer has already worked for several seasons, you should carefully monitor its condition. If replacement is necessary, do not rush to throw away the old element the Autocatalyst service offers favorable conditions for handing over used devices to catalytic converters scrap. Considering the content of platinum and other precious metals in the design, you can get good compensation.
Main problems of the neutralizer in the cold season
The main threat to the neutralizer in winter is the formation of condensate. When the engine is cold started, the temperature in the exhaust system is insufficient for moisture to evaporate. This can cause several serious consequences:
- Disruption of chemical reactions due to sudden temperature changes, when the cold internal structure of the neutralizer is sharply heated by the flow of hot exhaust gases. This leads to microcracks in the ceramic block and gradual destruction of the active layer of platinum, palladium and rhodium, responsible for cleaning emissions.
- Corrosion of the metal housing and fasteners of the neutralizer occurs due to the constant presence of moisture and aggressive components in the exhaust gases. Over time, this leads to a violation of the tightness of the connections and premature failure of the entire system.
- Formation of ice plugs inside the channels of the neutralizer when the car is parked for a long time in the cold after a short trip. During the subsequent start, ice can damage the fragile honeycomb structure of the ceramic block, which will lead to a decrease in cleaning efficiency and an increase in the resistance of the exhaust system.
These factors act gradually, accumulating a destructive effect with each cold start.
How to protect the detailin winter
A few practical tips will help extend the life of your exhaust gas neutralizer in the cold season:
- Warm up the engine to operating temperature before driving. 5-7 minutes of idling is enough for the temperature in the exhaust system to reach the level necessary for the catalytic neutralizer to start working effectively.
- Avoid frequent short trips. If possible, combine several routes into one so that the engine and exhaust cleaning system have time to warm up to the optimum temperature.
- Use high-quality fuel with low sulfur content. Low-quality gasoline may contain impurities that, at low temperatures, have a particularly aggressive effect on the internal structure of the spare part.
- Regularly check the condition of the ignition system and injectors. Incomplete combustion of fuel leads to unburned gasoline getting into the neutralizer, which causes it to overheat and deteriorate.
Following these simple recommendations will help protect your exhaust gas cleaning system from premature wear and save significant money on repairs.
An attentive driver can notice the first signs of problems with the neutralizer even before serious breakdowns. The characteristic smell of sulfur from the exhaust pipe, increased fuel consumption and reduced acceleration dynamics all this may indicate damage received during operation in the cold season.
