| Before 1975 no U.S. vehicle came equipped | | | | functioning catalytic converter is essential |
| with a catalytic converter. Changes in | | | | toward preserving air quality standards. |
| environmental policy -- started with the | | | | |
| formation of the Environmental Protection | | | | There are four telltale signs that indicate a |
| Agency [EPA] by the Nixon Administration - | | | | catalytic converter will soon fail: |
| soon changed all of that. Now, with very few | | | | |
| exceptions, all vehicles must come outfitted | | | | · Rusted or broken converter body or end |
| with a catalytic converter. So, what does a | | | | tubes. |
| catalytic converter do exactly? Good | | | | |
| question...we will answer that query in this | | | | · Bits of substrate in other sections of |
| article. | | | | the exhaust system. |
| | | | |
| When your engine burns fuel it produces gases | | | | · No rattle detected in a pellitized |
| that are harmful to the environment. If not | | | | converter (If the converter doesn't rattle, |
| handled properly, these same gases will exit | | | | the pellets may have melted together or |
| through your vehicle's exhaust and work to do | | | | fallen out). |
| harm on the environment. The EPA, which was | | | | |
| established in 1970, mandated that starting | | | | · A rattle detected in a monolithic |
| in 1975 vehicles were to come equipped with | | | | converter (A rattle in this kind of converter |
| an apparatus to reduce dangerous emissions. | | | | indicates the substrate has separated.) |
| The particular piece of equipment created to | | | | |
| accomplish this task was the catalytic | | | | If you see evidence of any of these signs, |
| converter. | | | | then you must replace your catalytic |
| | | | converter right away. If you don't, you risk |
| The catalytic converter in your vehicle is | | | | receiving a ticket from a police officer and |
| installed in the exhaust line between the | | | | you may automatically fail your next motor |
| exhaust manifold and the muffler. Pellets | | | | vehicle inspection. |
| inside the converter work to transform | | | | |
| detrimental gases into harmless gases before | | | | You can install a new catalytic converter |
| they exit the tailpipe and go out into the | | | | yourself and save money on parts and labor. |
| open air. As you might guess, a properly | | | | Shop online for the best deals going. |