Catalytic Converter questions

[stiiixy]

Hypthetical;

If I were to run straight through to the muffler without a CC, what would happen?

Would I gain power?
Would I gain fuel efficiency?
How would either of them come about? Exhaust flow rates, sensor based computer control, magic faerie dust?
Will there be any damage to the engine?
Will running CC-less instantly void your car for rego/roadworthy in any of the Aussie states
Can you possibly still pass env without a CC, through mechanical genius, magical faerie dust, or using ethanol fuel?
Will we ever get a decent Prime Minister?

There a lot of questions I have about CC's, and their effects on the environment. From what I have heard....rumour and hearsay mostly...they at least USED to kill xx% of your power while saving the environment from car AIDS...which to me means chewing more fuel to get the same power/distance etc. But at what ratio. Seems a little re-active than pro-active but that's an opinion based based on the hear-say and old at that. But the example drives home the point of me wanting to find and reaffirm the facts.

I'm after cold hard facts ;) Citable evidence if possible (ie a link to real numbers from studies and not jsut govvie/corporate nonsense). I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this forkin thing and hopefully help a few souls too. To many govvie regs nowadays based on spurious evidence.

And thanks in advance, guys. I'm trying to get some research done on this now but not having access to a decent mechanical workshop kind of makes it a purely academic affair for now.

[H.G.]

Id actually like to know thier purpose too.. I had a look at some HI FLOW cats the other day and all they look like to me are a tube with a honeycomb screen at one end.. which to me would be like thinking fly screens stop the wind from coming inside your house....
might be a spastic question to many.. but I wasnt born a genius like most :P

[stiiixy]

Well, from what I can tell, that honeycomb is the optimal design which allows maximum surface area for the exhaust gases to make contact with its surface whilst providing considerable air-flow as well with the ultimate goal of converting (through catalytic chemical processes) the exhaust in to safer materials like water and carbon dioxide.

Reading this both crosses your eyes and opens them up a bit too =D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

It's a good start and, as the piece mentions, when you get to the Negative part there's a good indication that the cat-con's purpose is still debatable. At least to wikipedia's contributors =P There are hopefully links below citing such evidence for either argument, but I haven't checked them yet.

This piece might also be of interest to other's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylcyclopentadienyl_manganese_tricarbonyl

It's the active ingredient (MMT) in our fuel giving it the higher octane rating; and possibly eventually clamming up out your cat which reduces efficiency and again making it pointless. Taking in to consideration the general ignorance amongst us consumers regarding CC's and the number of people who likely never have one changed in the life-time of their vehicle.

Again, this is just all hear-say =D Gonna find the answer!

Edit; I keep re-editting to make myself more clear =P It's getting late!

[justjeeps]

no cat is a big fine in nsw if not from police from epa and is not roadworthy in any state in australia.

[Tassie Jeeper]

most people i know just bash the guts out and unless u bought your vehicle new they cant prove u knew it was like it and generly just make u replace it if they find out if it is however removed your vehicle will be defected and ull coff up serious cash:shock:

[Jeeps]

When my factory cat died after a backfire, i had a cat back system fitted with a high flow aluminium cat. The jeep had been suffering a real lack of power and fuel economy. After the new cat & exhaust was fitted, it made lots of noise and felt kind of better but still lacked power. I then changed the o2 sensors and after about 2 tanks the computer had re-mapped and bang she had the power back, plus the 400+klm/tank.

cheers

[Tassie Jeeper]

When my factory cat died after a backfire, i had a cat back system fitted with a high flow aluminium cat. The jeep had been suffering a real lack of power and fuel economy. After the new cat & exhaust was fitted, it made lots of noise and felt kind of better but still lacked power. I then changed the o2 sensors and after about 2 tanks the computer had re-mapped and bang she had the power back, plus the 400+klm/tank.

cheers

cheers jeeps might be on the cards later on first she needs new rings. and some new bearings in the gearbox:wall:

[stiiixy]

most people i know just bash the guts out and unless u bought your vehicle new they cant prove u knew it was like it and generly just make u replace it if they find out if it is however removed your vehicle will be defected and ull coff up serious cash:shock:

I had actually intended on doing just this to see what would happen when I figured mine was rooted, but then found out the pipes were sealed. I had no idea how to gut it without affecting the muffler (more research on that bit,m to I guess!).