If a careless person were to disconnect one spark plug lead on a 4 cylinder engine to improve access for some maintenance work, and afterwards start the engine from cold and sit there thinking "hmm... that sounds a bit lumpy" for
30 seconds before realising their mistake and switching off, would that kill the catalytic convertor?If it hasn't definitely killed it, what's the best way to avoid further damage? Leave it overnight to allow the petrol to evaporate?
No because the cat won't have got anywhere near full temperature in that time and it's overheating due to the petrol burning inside them that kills them not the petrol itself.
Yes, it will kill the whole car immediately and you will need to buy a new one. If you want petrol to vanish, take the filler cap off or cut the pipes.
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