Catalytic Converter

[Dimik]

you know how mechanics always say watch it you'll kill your catalytic converter..? i wondered what actions should i take if it happens, is there a better catalytic converter that could handle more or..??

[JoeB]

Well, theoretically a high flow cat should be able to take more. The reason I guess that is, the cat is designed with a big pattern of metal plates. As exhaust crosses it, unburnt fuel deposits on those plates and because of the heat, is burnt off rather than just passed in the exhaust out the tail pipe. The tighter the weave of plates, the more restricting and potentially cleaner the air. A high flow cat might not catch as much fuel and therefore might last a little longer in a rich condition. That is just my guess.

The real way to make your cat last longer is to make sure your car is running propperly. If you run it so rich you would damage your cat, there are lots of other things you are effecting as well. That advice is usually a result of someone adding bigger injectors that aren't needed, increasing fuel pressure or doing something like that without using a system like a piggy-back EMS and getting the car tuned propperly. -JoeB

[PhreakdOut]

Well, theoretically a high flow cat should be able to take more. The reason I guess that is, the cat is designed with a big pattern of metal plates. As exhaust crosses it, unburnt fuel deposits on those plates and because of the heat, is burnt off rather than just passed in the exhaust out the tail pipe. The tighter the weave of plates, the more restricting and potentially cleaner the air. A high flow cat might not catch as much fuel and therefore might last a little longer in a rich condition. That is just my guess.

The real way to make your cat last longer is to make sure your car is running propperly. If you run it so rich you would damage your cat, there are lots of other things you are effecting as well. That advice is usually a result of someone adding bigger injectors that aren't needed, increasing fuel pressure or doing something like that without using a system like a piggy-back EMS and getting the car tuned propperly. -JoeB

Very well put Joe!

(To expand on this...) As mentioned in the second paragraph, the key is not to run rich. Even with a hi-flow (which is usually a 100 to 200 cpi - cells per inch), converter failure can start in one small portion of the substrate. The unburnt fuel actually smolders and eventually melts a portion of the ceramic honeycomb. (Causing tempuratures over 1000°F) Cracks result and spread quickly till the substrate becomes loose in the converter can and eventually breaks up into little slivers and chunks.