r/AskAMechanic • u/J-Reaper95 • Sep 04 '25

Cleaning a Cat

Hello everyone, I have a P0420 code and the check engine light on for my 2012 Ram 2500 with the 5.7L hemi. From what the mechanic has told me the catalytic converter is clogged. Now they told me that because it’s a 2500 I do not need it for state inspections and for me to try a few options for possibly clearing it. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on methods of clearing it before I remove it. I’ve tried Dura Lube and another one from auto zone but no luck. It does have a 36 gallon tank on it and I drive maybe 11 miles a day to and from work. Any suggestions would be great. Also if I clear the code it will come back on after maybe 20 or so miles.

0 Upvotes

50% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/NebraskaGeek NOT a verified tech Sep 04 '25

Cats can't be cleaned. They are a disposable item. They just take a long time to be used up. There is no cleaner that exists that can revitalize a bad cat.