What are Catalytic Converters?
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE A HONEY-COMB LIKE STRUCTURE IN YOUR EXHAUST THAT LOOKS LIKE A FILTER, AND THEY HELP TO CONVERT TOXIC GASSES INTO MANAGABLE POLUTANTS.
CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE STANDARD IN PASSENGER CARS STARTING IN THE 70S, AND THEY HAVE EVOLED MANY TIME TIMES OVER THE YEARS, BUT THE BASICS ARE THE SAME.
HOW THEY WORK:
AS YOUR ENGINE IS RUNNING, ALL OF THE CYCLES WILL BE IMPERFECT BURNS AND THERE WILL BE LEFT OVER FUEL GOING INTO THE EXHAUST.
THIS HOT MIXTURE OF BURNT AND UNBURNT FUEL PASSES THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS MESH UNTIL THE MESH IS HOT ENOUGH TO IGNITE THE REMAINING FUEL.
THIS ADDITIONAL BURNING WHILE IN THE PRESSENCE OF THE RARE METALS INSIDE CAUSE DIFFERENT CHEMICAL REACTIONS THAT ELIMINATE MANY TOXIC GASSES SUCH AS NOx EMIISIONS.
TO FURTHER REDUCE THESE NOx EMMISION THE ENGINE COMPUTER RUNS THE ENGINE SLIGHTLY RICHER, THUS WORKING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MORE.
Old or Clogged Catalytic Converters
OLDER CATALYTIC CONVERTERS CAN BE CLOGGED WITH AGE AND BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIGNS THEY LIMIT POWER OF THE ENGINE AND ARE REDUCED IN EFFICIENCY.
IF YOU SMELL A ROTTEN EGG SMELL FROM YOUR EXHAUST WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, YOU HAVE A BAD CATALYTIC CONVERER AND NEED TO GET IT REPLACED.
NEWER MODERN CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE DESIGNED WITH BETTER STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS WHICH PREVENT THEM FROM CLOGGING AND INCREASE THEIR CLEANING EFFICIENCY.
IS MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER HURTING MY POWER?
FOR MOST CARS WITH LIGHT MODIFICATIONS THAT PRODUCE 10% MORE POWER AND TUNED CORRECTLY WILL NOT NOTICE A SIGNIFICANT GAIN FROM REMOVING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
IF YOU ARE HEAVILY MODIFIED AND MAKING 20% OR MORE ADDITIONAL POWER, YOU MAY NEED TO SWITCH TO HIGH FLOW CATS OR REMOVE THEM TO NOTICE ADDITIONAL GAINS.
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