What are the impacts if a car's three-way catalytic converter is missing?
2 Answers
There will definitely be impacts. A faulty three-way catalytic converter can affect many aspects of the vehicle, including annual inspections, fuel consumption, power, and exhaust emissions. Below is relevant information about the three-way catalytic converter: 1. Working principle: When high-temperature automotive exhaust passes through the purification device, the purifying agent in the three-way catalytic converter enhances the activity of CO, HC, and NOx gases, promoting certain oxidation-reduction chemical reactions. CO oxidizes at high temperatures into colorless, non-toxic carbon dioxide gas; HC compounds oxidize at high temperatures into water (H2O) and carbon dioxide; NOx is reduced into nitrogen and oxygen. These three harmful gases are transformed into harmless gases, thereby purifying the automotive exhaust. 2. Electronic fuel injection system: The electronic fuel injection system of a car engine generally consists of three major components: the fuel injection circuit, sensor group, and electronic control unit. If the injector is installed in the original carburetor position, meaning the entire engine has only one gasoline injection point, this is single-point fuel injection; if injectors are installed on the intake pipe of each cylinder, meaning gasoline is injected into the cylinders from multiple locations (at least one injection point per cylinder), this is multi-point fuel injection.
Last time my buddy removed the catalytic converter from his old car, and the fuel consumption shot up by 2 liters per 100km! The engine warning light on the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. The exhaust fumes were so pungent that electric car windows behind us at traffic lights would immediately roll up tight. The biggest headache came during the annual inspection - the emissions test showed levels over thirty times the legal limit. The mechanic said it was worse than a chemical plant's smokestack. Eventually, he had to spend a fortune reinstalling the OEM part before the car ran smoothly again. Seriously folks, while this metal box might reduce fuel efficiency when clogged, removing it isn't just illegal - the repair costs could cover three years' worth of gas money.
