Date:         Mon, 15 Oct 2001 09:35:33 -0400
Reply-To:     Gary Stearns <gstearns@OPTONLINE.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Gary Stearns <gstearns@OPTONLINE.NET>
Subject:      Re: Removal of cat converter
Content-type: multipart/alternative;

Depends on why you're asking.  If your cat is OK, it's unlikely you'll  see
additional power, just additional noise.  If your cat is plugged, take it
off, smash out the guts and reinstall it empty.  I know that this seems
anti-environmental, but get this:  VW delivered lots of Vanagons with empty
catalytic converters. Seems that they had designed the U.S. exhaust to
comply with California emissions specs. which required the cat.  The rest of
the country didn't need the cat to comply (something to do with
classification as a light truck).  Rather than redesign the exhaust and have
two systems, VW just installed empty cats on the Fed spec. Vanagons.  Ours
was one of those.  No sign of having been reamed out.  No guts were ever in
there!  If you get emission inspected where you are, just be sure that your
engine is in good tune.  The cat could make a poorly running engine look
clean to an exhaust gas analyser.

Gary
-------Original Message-------

From: Jermide
Date: Sunday, October 14, 2001 11:21:18 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Removal of cat converter

How many out there have removed their catalytic converter? Any major
disadvantage beyond environmental concerns?

Just curious.

Thanks,
Jeremy
85 GL

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