Date: Sun, 1 Jul 2012 17:51:35 -0500
Reply-To: George Laubach <skiplaubach@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: George Laubach <skiplaubach@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: EPA and Vanagon Emissions-reducing Vanagon pollution.
In-Reply-To: <4FEF9E87.8000804@turbovans.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Thanks Scott for the informative narrative. Maybe I'll keep the Bosal cat for now. The "loose" flanges and "pressure lip" against the gaskets kind of bug me. Is this unique to Bosal? Is this an advantage or disadvantage?
Skip
'84 Westy
Sent from my iPad
On Jun 30, 2012, at 7:49 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM> wrote:
> Hi , my thoughts...
> you'll notice that many cats have an arrow on them for direction of
> exhaust flow through them.
> And often on a subaru conversion we might want to turn a cat around so
> that the 02 sensor hole is at the other end ..
> and so far.....I have never seen where it would matter which way exhaust
> is flowing through a regular cat like our vanagons use.
>
> re 'retricted exhasut ' ..
> you can have that of course, very much so, cat failing inside, and
> rarely..a muffler that is blocked or partially blocked inside.
> ( One time I kept pushing a car ( a 59 ID-19 Citroen ) up a hill as it
> was loosing power, just kept downshift and keeping my foot in it, trying
> to get over the top of the hill. Fially KA-BOOM ! ...and it took off
> like a rocket. The muffler had failed internally, like a baffle plate
> got loose, and the continued pressure going into it finally caused a
> huge hole to get blasted out of the side of the muffler. The metal was
> peeled back flush on the opening, so fierce was that pressure and
> realease. )
>
> A properly running 1.9 wbxr 84 vanagon with manual trans does not feel
> 'held back' by a stock exhaust system at all though.
> They'll rip right past redline in 1st and 2nd gear no problem. Very
> eager to rev.
> The one I'm getting going to sell right now.......it pulls strongly
> through 70 mph in top gear just fine. It has a stock muffler in decent
> shape. Bosal is a decent brand.
>
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
>
> On 6/30/2012 4:55 PM, George Laubach wrote:
>> I may very likely replace my brand new (cheap) Bosal. It "feels" like it's restricting flow....
>>
>> Question, on my '84, the O2 sensor is on the exhaust manifold, of course, and there is a plug on the Bosal cat for a later model O2 sensor get-up. I have the cat hooked up so that the plug is on the manifold side (not the muffler side) of things. Is this correct? Does it even matter what direction a cat is hooked up? Newbies want to know...thanks
>>
>> Skip
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On Jun 30, 2012, at 12:45 PM, Jeff <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>>
>>> Actually, the cat from Van Café is quite a bit better than the Emico brand.
>>> I've used both many times, and that one has more material, is better made,
>>> and performs better in the CA emissions test.
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>>> Dennis Haynes
>>> Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 5:15 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: EPA and Vanagon Emissions-reducing Vanagon pollution.
>>>
>>> The Emico brand cats are probably the better aftermarket options. Just take
>>> a look inside and compare the overall diameter (flow) and length (contact
>>> time) of the OEM and some aftermarket options. The Bosal and Walker are
>>> amongst the worse units. Some units can be restrictive enough to also affect
>>> performance. If everything is running right the cat should have very little
>>> to do to reduce CO and HC but is really needed to reduce NOx. Again this NOx
>>> reduction is what brought us the dyno emissions testing.
>>>
>>> Dennis
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>>> pickle vanagon
>>> Sent: Friday, June 29, 2012 6:01 PM
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: EPA and Vanagon Emissions-reducing Vanagon pollution.
>>>
>>> One middle ground option to consider on the cat (between cheapest and OEM)
>>> is the cali CARB approved cats.
>>>
>>> I don't want to start a flame war here about CARB but van-cafe does say on
>>> their page that they notice a "dramatic" improvement in emissions when
>>> installing them:
>>> http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1678_275/catalytic_converter_calif_wex
>>> tras.html
>>>
>>> Anyone with first-hand experience (testing before and after)?
>>>
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jun 29, 2012 at 12:37 AM, Dennis Haynes
>>> <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Proper maintenance, testing and operation is the key. The combustion
>>>> process has not changed over the years, only the tolerance of the
>>> controls.
>>>> Start with the fuel system. Make it is tight and that the vapor
>>>> recovery system works. This controls hydrocarbons being released into
>>>> the air from evaporating fuel.
>>>> Do not over advance the ignition timing or during rebuild consider
>>>> engine modifications such as cam-valve lift/timing or increasing
>>> compression.
>>>> These changes and maybe even some engine conversion increase the
>>>> production of NOx. Make sure the O2 sensor system is working properly
>>>> and at catalyst replacement time consider the big bucks of OEM. I have
>>>> yet to see a replacement cat have as much material as the original.
>>>> If you area has an emissions test program and you fail, get it fixed?
>>>> Working right it will pass any states-local requirements easily.
>>>> Failures for our years always mean something is wrong. No temporary
>>>> adjustments or magic chemicals should be needed.
>>>>
>>>> Then there is all there other stuff such as tires and alignment and
>>>> brakes not dragging. Slowing down can also make a huge difference. If
>>>> 30% more fuel is used at 70 vs. 55 not only do you make 30% more
>>>> greenhouse gasses/mile but the increased loading will further increase
>>>> the production of NOx which the Water boxer does not have EGR to help
>>>> control it. The three way cat and O2 sensor have to do it.
>>>>
>>>> Dennis
>>>>
>>>>
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