Being an environmentalist and driver, some things are just hard to deal with. Sometimes, It feels like I don’t want to push the gas pedal down because of the exhaust that will be released behind my crossover. However, I often realize how responsible I am with maintaining the condition of my auto systems especially the exhaust system.
Among the most important part of my crossover that makes me proud is the catalytic converter. Would you believe that my car is of almost zero-emissions, making it environment- friendly.
So what makes my catalytic converter that clean? If you would look a little closer on my crossover’s exhaust, you will notice a significant substance that converts harmful gases to less harmful ones. Such substance is called catalyst.
Catalysts are definitely vital elements in our environmentally conscious society. These substances work by accelerating the chemical reaction in the catalytic converter.
In cars, exhaust fumes are fed through a matrux of ceramic honeycomb lined with precious metals. When these metals heat up, the gases flowing through them will react and will be changed into less harmful substances.
In a two-way diesel catalyst, carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and partially burnt fuel into carbon dioxide of water. In a three-way catalyst used in modern petrol engines, nitrogen oxide is converted into nitrogen and oxygen, carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water.
Catalysts typically die if there are unburnt fuel entering. The same thing may happen when a catalyst is used while it is cool. You should therefore avoid jump starting your vehicle with a catalyst. If possible, avoid short journeys as well.
You can analyze if there are power gains from a sports or high flow cat and compare these with the removal of the catalyst together. A sports catalyst or sports cat has a much greater flow rate than a standard cat. This is constructed of the same materials but the chamber size and smoothness may give way to the exhaust gases, which will be released quickly out of the pipe.
Regarding the efficiency, they will have the same effect as a standard cat on your vehicle emissions. These generate less turbulence than a standard cat, having a finer matrix and therefore a greater internal surface area.
Another important consideration is the weight. A sports cat is basically of lesser weight than a standard catalyst. Most sports cats are a drop replacement although some have wider bore capacity so would better suit a car that has had a sports exhaust upgrade.
Power gains on smaller engines can somewhat be unnoticeable. Larger engines, on the other hand, may have power gains that fall between 4 and 10 bhp. Generally, the more power the car is generating, the greater the benefit will be from a sports cat.
The de-cat pipe is one of the most popular cat choices today. This has replaced the catalyst causing the exhaust fumes to flow freely. A de-cat is a cheap option but there are some drawbacks. In some cars with oxygen sensors, you will create anomalies with the ECU. This can lead to running in a fail safe limp home mode. Engine can however decide out of the amount of unburnt oxygen, while using less fuel. This may cause the engine to run lean.
Some cars have the Lambda or oxygen sensor before the catalyst so it will run harmoniously with a de-cat pipe. Nonetheless, this is an illegal modification in some countries, where mandatory carbon dioxide reduction systems are legally required.
Catalyst designs have indeed gone far today as most modern cars take advantage on power gain and emission reduction. In case you catalyst need replacing, you can take the benefits of a sports catalyst. The prices of an original catalyst and a sports catalyst are almost the same. But I’ll tell you, sports cat would be a wise choice. It guarantees you with high performance and less expenses on maintenance.
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