Catalyst location for a car with headers

[Guest]

As you can see, my nice new ceramic header takes up the place of the catalyst.

Unfortunately the idea of putting the cat in the original place is out of the question as the header tubes are too long.

I've got some ideas as far as a new converter and a location, however I'd like to see if anyone else has come up with something. Any ideas for location or a specific model of catalytic converter?

 

[68Sprite]

Do you have emissions inspection in your state on a car that old. If not, don't worry about the CAT.

 

[regularman]

Eliminate it. A cat needs to get real hot to work.

 

[Guest]

It's a 79. The car originally had one. They will look to see if it is there.

 

[68Sprite]

You have to get a 79 tested in IL.?

 

[Guest]

NW Indiana.

I think I may have found one that I can get to fit close to the original location.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...0105521532&rd=1

 

[68Sprite]

Sorry about that. Here in GA. its a "rolling" 25 Years for emissions inspections. So 1982 and under are excempt.

 

[Morris]

I have that cat in my car. It's mounted in the axle well so it's probably useless. I have been thinking about wrapping my exhaust pipe all the way out to the cat to help keep things hotter in the pipe... and cooler in the cockpit.

 

[Guest]

They go back to '76 here in NW Indiana. There's only a few counties in Indiana that smog test. They do it here because the place is such a toxic dump, but yet they let corporate business slide, so the working guy gets hit with the responsability of pollution control, high property taxes..

..Ok, nuff social commentary..

They check for the cat (I actually had to show the guy where it was- and my mule truck has two), pressure test the gas cap and sniff the pipe.

A year ago I took the "Rednek Roadster" down to get it pollution tested. The thing hadn't ran in 11 years (funny how I keep getting a hold of stuff like that). I was pretty lucky with a truck that I got for free- all I had to do to get it started was put fuel in the thing and put a battery in it. The thing started right up.

The Rednek Roadster, getting better. Coolest mule truck I've ever had!

I took it down to get pollution tested with a dirty carburator, cam bearings so loud you would think the camshaft was gonna come through the valve cover, worn rotor and cap and plugs that hadn't been cleaned in over a decade. They didn't care about the uncorked Supertrapp, the vacuum leak and the fact that there was no air filter. They just wanted to see if the cat was there.

It passed well above the minimum.

 

[racingenglishcars]

I don't see a problem with keeping the catalytic converter. They only hurt performance if they are clogged, and they only get too hot if the mixture is off too much, which happens a lot with those stupid late model carbs. Then the problem is with the carb, not the cat.

The cat should be as close to the engine as possible. At the end of the headers is fine if there's space.

 

[jlaird]

Oh, a straight pipe through a cat would work just fine.

 

[Morris]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Oh, a straight pipe through a cat would work just fine.[/QUOTE]

Now why would you want to do that? A modern CAT does not tax performance. Why a) break the law and b) pollute the air that YOU breathe for nothing?

 

[Guest]

I went ahead and purchased the cat that I linked to in a previous thread. I'll post up on it when I get it mounted. By EPA guidelines, the cat should be as close to original location.

 

[jlaird]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]Oh, a straight pipe through a cat would work just fine.

Now why would you want to do that? A modern CAT does not tax performance. Why a) break the law and b) pollute the air that YOU breathe for nothing? [/QUOTE]

Cause the little my mileage will pollute is less than one cow and after all it is an Antique and has special rights.

 

[tony barnhill]

Putting a cat back on is like taking the header off! You don't need both...if you need the cat, sell the header to pay for it! I'D take a chance they don't ask...

 

[tosoutherncars]

Cause the little my mileage will pollute is less than one cow and after all I am an Antique and have special rights.

Hehehe, just kidding ya, Jack!! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif Sorry, couldn't resist!

I agree completely, I think we have to remember that most of the pollution, waste and energy use comes not from a car's use, but its manufacture. Keeping, maintaining and driving a 'classic car' is *always* more environmentally responsible than buying a new, fuel-efficient vehicle.

 

[racingenglishcars]

Absolutely true Duncan

 

[Morris]

What a great POV, Duncan. I love it!