Catalytic Converters For Vintage Muscle Cars...

[RUNCHARGER]

Ehyeah, not going to happen on one of my Hot Rods. I guess I can see the reasons alright but I like these cars partly because they represent no rules to me. On the other hand I guess if your old car doesn't smell it will keep the Prius pussies from bioching about them.

[1 Wild R/T]

I understand your point but personally I like to take 3-500 mile drives & when I get to where I'm going I prefer not to smell like I curled up with the exhaust pipe....

[RUNCHARGER]

Ah: You convertible owners!

[anlauto]

It's funny....I was thinking about the "smell" yesterday.....I'm driving my new Ram in moderate traffic with the sunroof open and the rear slider open.....then a Classic 60's Ford Comet drives by and cuts in front.....I followed him for awhile and could not believe the smell of the un-burnt fuel  coming out of the thing.....I started imagining what it must have been like in the 60's -70's when EVERY car on the road smelt like that......   talk about a headache looking for a place to happen  

[tman]

Not convinced Cats will get rid of unburnt fuel smell.  They will add the rotten egg smell.  Cats job is to reduce Nox emissions.  Our carb motors just run richer than the new cars.  New cars run so much leaner is my understanding why they don't smell. 

[1 Wild R/T]

Not convinced Cats will get rid of unburnt fuel smell.  They will add the rotten egg smell.  Cats job is to reduce Nox emissions.  Our carb motors just run richer than the new cars.  New cars run so much leaner is my understanding why they don't smell.

Cats reducer NOX HC & CO......  But cats have their limits, if there's to much unburned fuel your gonna get a rotten egg smell... But if your running fuel injection that shouldn't be a problem.... & if it is your fuel injection isn't working right or the cat is on it's last leg....

[Fern]

I know this is an old thread, but was wondering if anyone did actually run any cats and if they did there job removing the smell.
Also, did they last and work properly?. Or horsepower lost?

[Dakota]

I just bought one of these cat converters to put in my car.  It had the smallest diameter that fit my exhaust pipe.   My plan is to add it after the break-in oil is out of the engine.  Assuming I can get the first one to fit, I'll buy the second. 

I can't offer you a prediction on timing beyond "soon."

[Brads70]

I'd caution anyone about buying a cat with ceramic honeycomb type guts. Years ago I built a pretty healthy Buick 455 /4 speed for my 1986 Buick and needed to run cats. I bought 2 Magnaflow cats  and they lasted maybe 1/2 hour. Car ran great , lots of power it was crazy! I get home turn the car off and hear a rattle in the exhaust? After banging the exhaust to find where it turned out to be the cat. I took it off and the guts had melted into a ball and was moving around inside the shell. At that point I simply smashed it out( which was pretty easy to do) and reinstallled them so it looked like I had them .
Global Emissions Systems  made a promising design but has stopped making them. They used a furnace brazed congregated guts that they claimed won't melt like ceramic ones can do. I'm not sure but Kooks header brand looks to be the same as the Global Emissions Systems cats marketed by Vibrant. I'd contact someone at Kooks to see what the guts are made of first before I bought one.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Vibrant-Performance-7830-GESI-UHO-Series-Catalytic-Converter/283803552376?hash=item4214028a78:g:2GMAAOSwlLReXrlC&vxp=mtr

https://kooksheaders.com/catalytic-converter1608

https://kooksheaders.com/catalytic-converter1606

[Brads70]

Looks like  Global Emissions Systems had a falling out with Vibrant Performance and have started there own marketing division. This is what I would get if I go thru with this idea.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/GESi-G-Sport-High-Output-EPA-Catalytic-Converter-2-5-Inlet-Outlet-4-0-Body-OD/223747763810?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D4bef63d3e75c44b48f63d47740d4b892%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D283803552376%26itm%3D223747763810%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWeb&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851


https://www.verociousmotorsports.com/Shop-by-Category/catalytic-converters/GESi-G-Sport-Ultra-High-Output-Catalytic-Converters

[Dakota]

I just bought one of these cat converters to put in my car.  It had the smallest diameter that fit my exhaust pipe.   My plan is to add it after the break-in oil is out of the engine.  Assuming I can get the first one to fit, I'll buy the second. 

I can't offer you a prediction on timing beyond "soon."

The converters have been installed.  I have dual exhaust on stock exhaust manifolds out of my 340 with mostly 2-1/4" pipe except for the tips.  The converter fit easily on the passenger side.   On the driver side, there's not much room between the converter and the torsion bar.   I'm going to add some heat shield wrap to the TB in hopes of protecting it.

I'm doing some other work on the exhaust system, then I'll get some photos posted.

I know these converters are likely going to foul over time given the additive package in the oil.   Whether they work out not.... I'll post whatever happens. 

[1972V21Cuda]

I've always loved the smell of an old muscle car. It's not healthy But, neither is a big greasy hamburger once and a while.

[Dmod1974]

Unless you're engine is very well tuned (for emissions), these will melt down and fail extremely quickly.  The engine has to be running at stoich or lean for most of the time or they'll get so hot they'll glow and melt because of excessive hydrocarbons in the exhaust.   Vacuum advance is probably going to be a requirement too.  Any of you guys running lumpy cams, forget about it.

[dodj]

Unless you're engine is very well tuned (for emissions), these will melt down and fail extremely quickly.  The engine has to be running at stoich or lean for most of the time or they'll get so hot they'll glow and melt because of excessive hydrocarbons in the exhaust.   Vacuum advance is probably going to be a requirement too.  Any of you guys running lumpy cams, forget about it.

Along with what WildR/T said.
Gonna need EFI..
or you need to be a top notch carb tuner.

Pretty sure my DIY, seat of the pants carb tuning wouldn't cut it with cats. Runs nice though.

[YellowThumper]

Yea I have no issue with their addons if it helped with the stench AND did not reduce performance.
Mine is currently down for this same reason. Went for a longer than usual drive several months ago and the wife almost got sick from it.
Old mufflers and pipes gotta go along with replacing trunk gasket. Soon.