Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 10:27:20 -0700
Reply-To: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Robert Keezer <warmerwagen@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Loss of Power and the CAT
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
My question to the list are:
1 Could my loss of power be related to the clog in the muffler?
YES
2 Could I have done any damage to the engine driving about 3 hours
on the highway?
NO- unless your engine coolant gauge was pegged on hot for this time
3 Will I be doing any damage if I drive with the CAT empty?
NO
The chunks of CAT substrate clogging the muffler creates back pressure which
limits the engines hp output. It can cause overheating if you put the engine
under severe load.
The more serious problem is if the CAT clogs, which can overheat and get red
hot.
There is no harm driving with a empty CAT. The CAT trades one pollutant for
another.
The remaining chunks of CAT substrate in your muffler may still be
restricting your exhaust limiting hp.
The pieces can rattle around and break down into smaller pices and
eventually blow out the tailpipe,
.However, if exhaust flow remains resticted, loss of hp and overheating of
the engine can occur.
Change both muffler and CAT to be safe. It's your option to reuse the empty
CAT, but a muffler shop is required to replace the CAT.
Robert K
1982 Westfalia
----Original Message Follows----
Hi,
I have been lurking here for awhile but this is my first try at
sending a question to the list. Hope this works OK, I really get allot of
good advice from reading members comments. I have an 83.5 Westy with a 1.9
engine
A few weeks ago I was coming back from camping at Nickerson SP on
Cape Cod and I noticed a definite loss of power at high speed. The engine
did not miss or anything and at low speed seems OK. Have been driving
around town ad do not notice any problems.
This week I noticed that the muffler strap was broken and
eventually had to remove the muffler to get at it. When I did this I
noticed some hard honey comb type material stuck in the inlet end of the
muffler. Since I put in a new exhaust system about 2 years ago, I new it
had not been there before. I broke it out of the muffler with a
screwdriver and got most of it out with some pieces still rattling around
inside. Inside of the CAT was empty except for some screening which
looked about half way in. I assume that the honeycomb material came from
the CAT.
My question to the list are:
1 Could my loss of power be related to the clog in the muffler?
2 Could I have done any damage to the engine driving about 3 hours
on the highway?
3 Will I be doing any damage if I drive with the CAT empty?
Any other comments will be welcome
Evans Waldron
83.5 Westy
Charlton, MA
Robert
1982 Westfalia 1987 Wolfsburg
