What are the effects of removing the catalytic converter?
2 Answers
Removing the catalytic converter will result in reduced exhaust gas purification function, exceeding emission standards, increased exhaust back pressure, higher fuel consumption, decreased power, and high-temperature sintering blockage. As the most critical component in the gasoline vehicle emission purification system, the catalytic converter is responsible for the catalytic reduction of harmful gases in the exhaust, such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Composition of the catalytic converter: The catalytic converter generally consists of four parts: the shell, damping layer, substrate, and catalyst coating. Shell: Made of stainless steel to prevent oxide scale from falling off and causing substrate blockage; Damping layer: Composed of gaskets or wire mesh pads, which serve to seal, insulate, and secure the substrate. To protect the substrate from damage due to vibration or thermal deformation, the gasket is made of expanded mica and aluminum silicate fibers, bonded with adhesive; Substrate: Made of honeycomb-shaped ceramic materials, though many also use metal (including stainless steel) materials; Catalyst: Composed of precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium, sprayed onto the substrate to form the purification agent.
Removing the catalytic converter has serious consequences. I've personally seen a friend get into big trouble after doing this. Without this component, the vehicle directly emits a large amount of harmful gases, with carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides exceeding standards to an extreme degree. You can even smell strange odors inside the car while driving, which is particularly harmful to health, especially for children and the elderly with weaker immune systems who are more susceptible. More importantly, environmental laws are now strictly enforced. If the police stop your car for inspection, they'll detect the issue immediately, resulting in fines of thousands of yuan or even license suspension. The annual inspection will definitely fail. A repair shop owner told me that many car owners are forced to reinstall it, wasting money. Additionally, the engine system was designed with the catalytic converter integrated. Removing it frequently triggers false alarms from the oxygen sensors, causing the engine light to stay on and potentially damaging the exhaust pipe. In the long run, it's completely not worth it.
