How The Most Hated Auto Part Changed The World

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  • Опубліковано 20 гру 2022
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    According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s estimates, in 2019, 7% of the light-duty vehicles in the United States did not comply with their mandated vehicle emission regulations. Even more astonishing, is the fact that one specific component on these vehicles accounts for about 68% of these compliance failures.
    HISTORY OF SMOG
    Though the catalytic converter has become the primary mechanism of the automobile industry for controlling exhaust emissions in internal combustion engines, its origin is a byproduct of industrialization as a whole. During the turn of the 20th century, the smog created in urban areas by factory smokestacks triggered the first concerns for air quality. As the automobile and the internal combustion engine became more abundant, their impact on air quality grew more worrisome., During the 1940s, In the United States the growing problem of urban smog, specifically in the Los Angeles area prompted the French mechanical engineer Eugene Houdry, to take interest in the problem. Houdry was an expert in catalytic oil refining and had developed techniques for catalytically refining heavy liquid tars into aviation gasoline.
    WHAT IS SMOG
    The exhaust of all internal combustion engines used on vehicles is composed primarily of three constituent gases, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. In lean operating modes of gasoline engines and in diesel engines, oxygen is also present. Diesel engines by design generally operate with excess air, which always results in exhausted oxygen, especially at low engine loads.
    The nitrogen and oxygen are primarily pass-throughs of atmospheric gases. While the carbon dioxide and water vapor are the direct products of the combustion process. Depending on the engine type and configuration, these harmless gases form 98-99% of an engine’s exhaust. However, the remaining 1-2% of combustion products comprise thousands of compounds, all of which to some degree, create air pollution.
    The primary components of these pollutants, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, are formed within the highly reactive, high-temperature flame zone of the combustion cycle. While unburned and partially oxidized hydrocarbons tend to form near the cylinder walls where the combustion flame is quenched. Particulate matter, especially in diesel engines, is also produced in the form of soot. In addition to this, engine exhaust also contains partially burned lubricating oil, and ash from metallic additives in the lubricating oil and wear metals.
    WHY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
    In 1970, the United States passed the Clean Air Act, which required all vehicles to cut its emissions by 75% in only five years and the removal of the antiknock agent, tetra-ethyl lead from most types of gasoline.
    THE FIRST CONVERTER
    Modern automotive catalytic converters are composed of a steel housing containing catalyst support called a substrate, that’s placed inline with an engine’s exhaust stream. Because the catalyst requires a temperature of over 450 degrees C to function, they’re generally placed as close to the engine as possible to promote rapid warm-up and heat retention.
    On early catalytic converters, the catalyst media was made of pellets, placed in a packed bed. These early designs were restrictive, sounded terrible, and wore out easily. During the 1980s, this design was superseded by a cubic ceramic-based honeycomb monolithic substrate, coated in a catalyst. These new cores offered better flow and because of their much larger surface area, exposed more catalyst material to the exhaust stream. The ceramic substrate used is primarily made of a synthetic mineral known as cordierite.
    TYPES OF CATS
    The first generation of automotive catalytic converters worked only by oxidation. These were known as two-way converters as they could only perform two simultaneous reactions - the oxidation of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and the oxidation of hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water.
    By 1981, "three-way" catalytic converters had superseded their two-way predecessor. Three-way catalytic converters induce chemical reactions that reduce nitrogen oxide to harmless nitrogen. This reaction can occur with either carbon monoxide, hydrogen, or hydrocarbons within the exhaust gas.
    While three-way catalytic converters are more efficient at removing pollutants, their effectiveness is highly sensitive to the air-fuel mixture ratio. For gasoline combustion, this ratio is between 14.6 and 14.8 parts air to one part fuel. Furthermore, they need to oscillate between lean and rich mixtures within this band in order to keep both reduction and oxidation reactions running. Because of this requirement, computer-controlled closed-loop electronic fuel injection is required for their effective use.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 745

  • @NewMind
    @NewMind  Рік тому +10

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    • @rajashashankgutta4334
      @rajashashankgutta4334 Рік тому +1

      Yours is first comment

    • @zh9664
      @zh9664 Рік тому

      PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEE New Mind make part 2 of the quantum programming video PLEASE it was soooo good PLEASEEE ♥♥♥♥♥

    • @jonslg240
      @jonslg240 Рік тому +1

      *The catalytic converter is a way to bring the entire cost of pollution onto the shoulders of the middle class, and even the impoverished.*
      It makes it so we do our part, but pay DEARLY for it, while other businesses do nothing.
      Even the DNC ignores pollution from huge companies, because those companies give them money via superpac's for their next election.. so they don't want to piss them off.
      We pay DEARLY for this, while the LARGEST polluters pay almost-NOTHING.
      *Leading to the obvious question: why should the middle and lower classes pay for EVERYTHING regarding pollution, while the companies that make BILLIONS do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING? Or at pretty close to nothing?*
      It's time to stop believing what you are told, and starting to do your own research instead.. *Because the truth is something neither party wants you to know.*

    • @thesilentone4024
      @thesilentone4024 Рік тому

      I would say lead is rong but small engine planes use lead like at 2.2 grams for every gallon where in 1970s was like 0.5 or 1.1 grams for every gallon.
      Can you talk about thirsty cement and how it can save millions to billions of tons of sand every year and how it can recharge groundwater levels reduce flooding too.

  • @wtice4632
    @wtice4632 Рік тому +782

    This isnt the most hated auto part. Diesel exhaust fluid systems are the most hated part.

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +114

      Yes, cats are fine nowadays (besides people stealing them). I supercharged my car and left the factory cat in there, no need to remove it and have a smelly car.
      Diesel particulate filters on the other hand, those have caused headache with non stop issues, and bank breaking damage to a person with some of these trucks having almost $10k exhaust systems. (Regular trucks for pulling a trailer, not an 18 wheeler). That is insane.

    • @marvintpandroid2213
      @marvintpandroid2213 Рік тому +5

      @@volvo09 10K you say? source?

    • @RainOnThursday
      @RainOnThursday Рік тому +19

      @@marvintpandroid2213 yeah 10k is a little steep. I paid $2700 for dpf replacement and labor and I think an scr is only around a grand on top of that. Mostly what I find annoying about the whole thing is the manufacturer warranty only coving up to 50k miles and mine went out at 58k. Up to 10 yr 150k mile replacements would be more palatable to individuals who would rather delete and pay similar money to skirt the law in search of reliability. While I don’t feel the need for more power I also don’t relish another $3000 and downtime for repairs looming at some point in the future. I’ll probably trade in for a gas engine in the next few years solely because of that

    • @Hath.0
      @Hath.0 Рік тому +14

      @@volvo09 You supercharged your car before upgrading the exhaust system, AND think DPF on consumer diesel trucks cost 10k? Whew, Buddy do i have a deal for you 😏

    • @PistonAvatarGuy
      @PistonAvatarGuy Рік тому +29

      @@Hath.0 "...AND think DPF on consumer diesel trucks cost 10k"
      He said the whole exhaust system and that's probably not too far off when you consider the entire system and the complete SCR system, which is an entire electronic injection system by itself. Heck, with all of the piping, sensors, the SCR catalyst, the SCR injection system, the DPF and the DOC, I wouldn't be surprised if that were conservative.

  • @bohdanked
    @bohdanked Рік тому +300

    Finally after many years now I understand why Air-Fuel ratio oscillates. I was always perplexed why with todays electronics they don't try to run air fuel ratio as close to perfect as possible.

    • @FilipAus
      @FilipAus Рік тому +20

      Yeah same. I always thought it was the system hunting due to delays in the ecu and sensors. Now I know better!

    • @northernpatriot9078
      @northernpatriot9078 Рік тому +8

      they do it is pulse width modulated off of O2 signal and other inputs its pretty efficient

    • @northernpatriot9078
      @northernpatriot9078 Рік тому +6

      on older systems it was called lambda

    • @devilsoffspring5519
      @devilsoffspring5519 Рік тому +10

      @@northernpatriot9078 It's still lambda, the symbol for air-fuel ratio.

    • @Capitanvolume
      @Capitanvolume Рік тому +2

      Knock is also prevented with a richer mixture so engines often run rich under heavy load

  • @theo_korner
    @theo_korner Рік тому +353

    Most people dont hate having a cat, but getting it stolen

    • @devilsoffspring5519
      @devilsoffspring5519 Рік тому +72

      I don't like it when they hiss at me and scratch me either

    • @techman2553
      @techman2553 Рік тому +32

      There's nothing worse than cat burglars.

    • @catsaregovernmentspies
      @catsaregovernmentspies Рік тому +18

      Or having your cat snitch that you didn't pay your taxes

    • @AwesometownUSA
      @AwesometownUSA Рік тому +1

      @@catsaregovernmentspies this is dangerous misinformation, you’re clearly just a shill for the Big Dog industry & their lobbyists

    • @mikehunntt5338
      @mikehunntt5338 Рік тому +12

      or having it rob 200hp from your 1200 hp streetcar

  • @johncochran8497
    @johncochran8497 Рік тому +392

    Little known fact. The very name of the catalytic converter came from ignorance and fear.
    In a nutshell, it's a reactor that uses a catalyst to perform the chemical reactions to make the exhaust safer. So a reasonable name for the device is "catalytic reactor". But that word "reactor" caused too many people to think of "nuclear reactor" and the connotations of that, along with too many ignorant people thinking that the "catalytic reactor" would mean that it's radioactive. And that mistaken belief would cause the acceptance of the device problematic. So a different name was required. And since the device "converts" harmful emissions to safer emissions, the name selected was "catalytic converter."

    • @bohdanked
      @bohdanked Рік тому +63

      Similar to "microwave oven" instead of "electromagnetic radiation oven"

    • @jhoughjr1
      @jhoughjr1 Рік тому +36

      @@bohdanked except, the electromagnetic radiation is an oven IS microwaves.
      A traditional oven isnt an infra red radiation oven either.

    • @NoNameAtAll2
      @NoNameAtAll2 Рік тому +3

      reactor has been nailed to only nuclear ones
      everything else should be renamed

    • @zlac
      @zlac Рік тому +10

      Most of the world call this part "Catalyst".
      You had to add the extra word in USA, but you also call glasses "the eyeglasses", wheel is "the steering wheel" and many more.

    • @johncochran8497
      @johncochran8497 Рік тому

      @@zlac Oh, so what's that thing you fill with fluids such as water, milk, etc. that you drink from? And if you have several of them? As for "steering wheel", what's those things (usually 4) placed near the corners of a vehicle called?

  • @280zjammer
    @280zjammer Рік тому +55

    It wasn't the catalytic converter that was hated, it was the EGR valve. You might still argue that it's not something good even though the reliability issues caused by the EGR valve have been mostly fixed. The catalytic converter made cars stop stinking and deserves most of the credit for cleaner emissions from gasoline vehicles. In conjunction with fuel injection using O2 sensors, catalytic converters make the busy city much more bearable without really reducing power by anything significant. EGR valves, on the other hand, do things in the laboratory that don't reflect real operating conditions and at the end of the day, they do reduce power and efficiency while reducing engine life. I like road vehicles having catalytic converters but get rid of EGR valves already.

    • @madcat4563
      @madcat4563 Рік тому +5

      I was always against removing EGRs or blanking them. After enough digging, I found out long term they are a bad thing for a diesel car, especially if it has a turbo and intercooler.
      It clogs up the intercooler, throttlebody, and intake manifold.
      I always thought a catch can would solve the problem, but after digging, I found it made it even worse.

    • @patrickradcliffe3837
      @patrickradcliffe3837 Рік тому

      I would also say smog pumps are in the same category.

    • @Kj16V
      @Kj16V 4 місяці тому

      ​@@madcat4563 What did you read about catch cans?

  • @freedomandguns3231
    @freedomandguns3231 Рік тому +39

    This is not the most hated part. People LOVE catalytic converters. Havent you heard about the massive spike in cat converter theft?

  • @jaromirandel543
    @jaromirandel543 Рік тому +141

    No. The most hated is EGR, Stop-Start and "smart charging - recharging by high above gasification voltage". Those 3 things made car's lifespan much shorter than everything.

    • @kittyNya38
      @kittyNya38 Рік тому +9

      That’s why I purchased a module to disable the auto start-stop feature of my car.

    • @eggnogmonkey
      @eggnogmonkey Рік тому +18

      How does stop start reduce vehicle life? Vehicles equipped with it are either a hybrid and using the motor generator to start which is more than capable of the job or a normal ICE with a beefed up starter motor that can sustain repeated starts.

    • @jaromirandel543
      @jaromirandel543 Рік тому +30

      @@eggnogmonkey First of all, your engine is stopped when the turbo is very hot and still rotates. That means no lubrication while it still rotates. It can take up to one minute until the turbo fully stops. Second, the accumulator is much more often under high load. The diesel particulate filter (which is mandatory also for benzine cars in EU) don't like the stop-start system.

    • @jaromirandel543
      @jaromirandel543 Рік тому +9

      @@eggnogmonkey Also I don't like the "button" engine start. It mostly requires to press and hold the clutch pedal. That causes relatively high crankshaft bearing wear due to no oil pressure. The clutch mechanism makes pressure on crankshaft which creates high metal-metal friction at the non-lubed engine start.

    • @Hath.0
      @Hath.0 Рік тому +21

      True. I hate the start-stop systems, alot of unnecessary wear on critical components. But they are made to be a maintenance item now so manufacturers can profit on high value or rather high price items. Alot of the newer vehicles don't even want the owners to do maintenance on them. Most need specialty tools or proprietary fastners. Not much is made to last anymore.

  • @KenanTurkiye
    @KenanTurkiye Рік тому +120

    I wished they would invent a catalytic converter for the media too.

    • @MattyEngland
      @MattyEngland Рік тому

      We're the news now, only boomers and retards believe the mainstream media these days.

    • @bryanjk
      @bryanjk Рік тому

      y u so racist

    • @robtownsend150
      @robtownsend150 Рік тому +5

      That's a tough call, in my country Def (gov juice) is probably more hated.

    • @lorennicholls5901
      @lorennicholls5901 Рік тому +3

      They might overheat!!

    • @KenanTurkiye
      @KenanTurkiye Рік тому +2

      @@lorennicholls5901 lol good point.

  • @SmokeElectronics
    @SmokeElectronics Рік тому +15

    I remember the smell of the trailer park I lived in in the early 90s growing up. Not smelling car exhaust is definitely worth every cat on the road. EGR is what kills engine life especially diesels

  • @mrflamewars
    @mrflamewars Рік тому +28

    The downstream (post cat) oxygen sensor isn't just checking the level of oxygen in the exhaust - it's used to check that the oscillation between rich and lean is not visible behind the cat as the cat processes everything. Anyone who wants to watch their car working should get an ELM327 device and read the OBD2 Live Data with it.

    • @seymoarsalvage
      @seymoarsalvage Рік тому +6

      I just converted my truck to carb got rid of all that computer crap

    • @albubbles9232
      @albubbles9232 Рік тому

      @@seymoarsalvage. Neanderthal

    • @mrflamewars
      @mrflamewars Рік тому

      @@seymoarsalvage Well isn't that special. Congratulations on being a luddite I guess?

  • @GalileoAV
    @GalileoAV Рік тому +155

    I love it when safety technology is so ubiquitous that it can be almost forgotten about, blending into the background.

    • @mikemiller659
      @mikemiller659 Рік тому +20

      Until someone steals your cat converter

    • @dafalzonAUS
      @dafalzonAUS Рік тому +13

      Or if the engine check light comes on

    • @GodKing804
      @GodKing804 Рік тому +6

      Or Mod your car

    • @michaelmccarthy4615
      @michaelmccarthy4615 Рік тому +4

      Or costs so much money that it isn’t worth it…

    • @timault8209
      @timault8209 Рік тому +2

      Or the ECU gacks and the exhaust is carbon laden.

  • @bobbysenterprises3220
    @bobbysenterprises3220 Рік тому +41

    Cool video. It's quite rare for an OBD1 vehicle to have post cat o2 sensors. I was hoping that you would touch on the widely used scheme of pre cats and a second converter. Even my 2000 has two precats (split 3 & 3 cylinders) that are mounted very close to the engine right after the exhaust manifold. Then they funnel into one larger more traditional looking cat in the normal place.

    • @johnwalker194
      @johnwalker194 Рік тому +10

      Are pre-cats just oxidation converters ? Meaning they are as close as possible to the exhaust valves and glow white hot and burn any remaining hydrocarbons ? Sometimes they are just scrolls of stainless steel looking material ! I know from the car salvage industry that pre-cats are usually of little value when it comes to recycling the precious metals and the real value is in the main/secondary converter !

  • @hondaguy9153
    @hondaguy9153 Рік тому +8

    I hate how many people bitch about emissions controls because they vastly reduce emissions and hardly impact performance until you're trying to double or triple the output of the engine and if you're doing that you shouldn't be driving it on the road. The engines that have issues with EGR and DEF I get are frustrating but that's due to shitty designs, not the existence of that emissions control.

  • @branpod
    @branpod Рік тому +8

    At scale, I think most people appreciate the benefits of them. Most just get annoyed at having them stolen or having to pay a ton to have an inessential part replaced (in states that require them).

  • @misterdeedeedee
    @misterdeedeedee Рік тому +12

    modern cats are surprisingly very good for government mandated emissions equipment. my first car I ran catless because you know 19 year old and while there was a little boost in power and throttle response (at least according to the butt dyno), the smell always sucked. when I eventually got rid of that one and got another car, I did a nice exhaust again but I put in high flow cats and it got me 95% the expected gains with 0% of the smell.

  • @UCs6ktlulE5BEeb3vBBOu6DQ
    @UCs6ktlulE5BEeb3vBBOu6DQ Рік тому +56

    As a tuner (megasquirt etc) that had many turbo cars, I ALWAYS loved cat converters. I dont care losing some power to it. Start a tuned car without one in a underground parking and you'll know why I love them.

    • @stevey500
      @stevey500 Рік тому +18

      I bought a truck that had hollowed catalytic converters and it was an awful experience starting that truck on a cold morning in a parking garage or any other partially enclosed space and it was just a 4L v6. I can't imagine the awful emissions from larger engines with chopped emissions systems. A agree that a properly dialed in emissions system is something to be highly thankful for.

    • @rickrutledge9363
      @rickrutledge9363 Рік тому +6

      They're heavy, they get too hot, and they cause back pressure. They suck.

    • @Meekmillan
      @Meekmillan Рік тому +1

      Yeahhh I ran catless bc POWA (marginal since I’m NA lmao) and it was awful at long stoplights, not to mention loud as shit lol
      Welded some new ones in my down pipes and all is well

    • @PURENT
      @PURENT Рік тому +3

      The stank of a cold start except all the time.

  • @timault8209
    @timault8209 Рік тому +6

    ALWAYS an excellent production from this guy. New Mind is a great product.

  • @edwinwise6751
    @edwinwise6751 Рік тому +10

    When I moved to San Jose in 1970 you couldn’t see the east foothills except after it rained.20 years later after cat conv.most of the smog had gone and hills retuned. Check out old reruns of dragnet on location street scenes , visibility is about 1 block

  • @davidg3283
    @davidg3283 Рік тому +72

    To anyone questioning modern pollution controls on cars I suggest you attend a classic car meet and stand close by at the end when all the old cars line up to leave. Take a good deep breath as they drive by.

    • @lorennicholls5901
      @lorennicholls5901 Рік тому +8

      As my eyes burn as well.....

    • @CaptainBlitz
      @CaptainBlitz Рік тому

      Then enjoy casually getting caner whilst bitching about pollution 💀

    • @dixiefire1337
      @dixiefire1337 Рік тому +8

      the people who sniffed exhaust fumes to tune a carb were the ones that put men on the moon but here we are worrying about smog in la

    • @gesamtszenario
      @gesamtszenario Рік тому +23

      @@dixiefire1337 The same generation of engineers who put men on the moon where the ones to worry about smog, and develop emissions control technology in the first place.

    • @TheCatOfAges
      @TheCatOfAges Рік тому +1

      Mmm, delicious

  • @video99couk
    @video99couk Рік тому +11

    My 1994 Toyota Celica is still passing the stringent MOT tests in the UK, with its original catalytic converter installed.

    • @johnwalker194
      @johnwalker194 Рік тому +3

      A thousand cat converter thieves want to know your location now ! Big money in those "Japanese" cats of that era ! 😉

  • @mereal250
    @mereal250 Рік тому +6

    My favorite fact from this video is that some diesel engines now run on Piss.

    • @wtice4632
      @wtice4632 Рік тому +3

      They dont run on piss. Theyre mandated to periodically burn piss in the exhaust.

  • @TheMadTube
    @TheMadTube Рік тому +20

    I was a master automotive technician for 15 years. Whilst I absolutely lament the problems newer diesel vehicles have with their catalyst and emissions systems, I feel it is the greatest single thing that made vehicles better. Just the smell that accumulates on my clothing after working around non-catalyst vehicles can make me nauseous, so it has saved countless lives by reducing harmful pollutants.
    But we are still burning dead dinosaurs, so there’s that.

    • @TheMadTube
      @TheMadTube Рік тому +3

      On average, engine oil is diluted with about 10-15% fuel and combustion material when you change it. That’s because no matter how good your piston rings are, some oil is lost in combustion. That works both ways, as fuel gets into the oil. For the most part, it balances out on good running engines where the fuel dilution is matched by amount of oil lost in combustion.
      As your oil gets more miles on it, it gets dirtier with wear and combustion products. That increased dirt is being cycled back into the combustion chamber to be burned, creating a small feedback loop. Fresh oil has less combustion products.

    • @andrewb8548
      @andrewb8548 Рік тому

      I was talking to a guy who was the Northeast US sales manager for a major equipment manufacturer and asked him which model I should buy for non-commercial use. He looked both ways and whispered, used pre-epa 3 years at the time (off road diesel engine this was like 2010). He went on to explain that the best that they or anyone else could do was assume the warranty rate would approach 100%, so they added $7000 to the msrp to pay for it twice during the warranty period. As I wasn't going to run it daily the warranty would expire before I took advantage of the 2 extra catalytic converters I'd already paid for, and once it went I'd be stuck paying $3500 because the computer would shut it down once the check engine light was on for several hours.

  • @ailtonjose3079
    @ailtonjose3079 Рік тому +108

    A piece that saved hundreds of thousands of people from suffering from respiratory illnesses.

  • @crazypete3759
    @crazypete3759 Рік тому +12

    The problem is the EPA turns this into a compliance issue instead of a measure of pollutants. They make it a crime to modify any emissions components, regardless of the outcome. If someone installs a high performance catalytic converter, that improves performance and emissions reduction, the EPA still considers that illegal! Even if you take it to an emissions testing place and show that the new system functions better, the EPA still says that is illegal! They don't care about complying with emissions standards, they only care about complying with their definitions and requirements so they can keep all the emissions companies making billions and billions of dollars! In commiefornia a stolen catalytic converter from a Toyota Prius can cost over $3000 to replace since you are required to use OEM parts, in other, more normal places, it would only cost $300-$500 since you can use any generic catalytic converter, and it works just the same, emissions results are the same. They need to stop focusing on compliance and bring back real testing!

    • @PURENT
      @PURENT Рік тому +3

      "High performance" catalytic converters increase emissions in exchange for performance. There is no way you're getting a catalytic converter that gives you better flow AND less than or equal emissions as stock.
      Most aftermarket ones are inadequate because they do cost cutting, the price in these things is all rare metals and if you're getting them for cheap you're not getting nearly as much rare metals in them.

    • @PURENT
      @PURENT Рік тому +1

      @Flux Yeah if everyone used those cheap cats. The smog would be less than the 70s but more than now.
      It would also be noticeably smellier.

    • @JohnS-il1dr
      @JohnS-il1dr Рік тому +3

      You pay a thousand bucks to have that CA Compliant emblem stamped on a generic CAT that goes for 200 dollars in the other 47 states.

    • @crazypete3759
      @crazypete3759 Рік тому

      @@JohnS-il1dr it's all a big cash grab!

    • @smd-tech
      @smd-tech Рік тому

      ​@@PURENTlarger surface area cat can give better flow while still retaining conversion efficiency, at the cost of being more expensive as there is more material in it and being harder to fit in the available space. But yes a lot of the cats marketed as performance cats are not as efficient.

  • @marvintpandroid2213
    @marvintpandroid2213 Рік тому +59

    How quickly we forget what big city air was like in the 1970s

    • @downstream0114
      @downstream0114 Рік тому +12

      Look at China before bitching about catalytic converters.

    • @marvintpandroid2213
      @marvintpandroid2213 Рік тому +4

      @@downstream0114 Any point you want to make rather than just shout CYNA ?

    • @jhoughjr1
      @jhoughjr1 Рік тому +3

      any time I went to the country from st Louis, I was all "Man U digging this air?" the difference is amazing.

    • @jhoughjr1
      @jhoughjr1 Рік тому

      @@marvintpandroid2213 U wanna actually look at the places he is talking about? China has basically zero environmental protections.

    • @berrigo2
      @berrigo2 Рік тому +1

      @@marvintpandroid2213 China currently has rampant air pollution due to lack of environmental regulation. It's literally the point. Look at Chinese cities they are buried in a cloud of smog

  • @JUSTENization
    @JUSTENization Рік тому

    As always, awesome illustrations and explanations. Thank you.

  • @eds6889
    @eds6889 Рік тому

    Excellent explanation and video. Thanks for your hard work. You have me as a new subscriber.

  • @alexrogers777
    @alexrogers777 Рік тому +13

    Good video, wouldn't have minded a more in depth explaination of how the reduction and oxidation reactions work, like the chemistry of them

  • @rickintexas1584
    @rickintexas1584 Рік тому +11

    I remember the first time I went to Los Angeles in the late 80s. The air quality was horrible. Catalytic converters definitely played a part in making LA a little better.

  • @xeonthemechdragon
    @xeonthemechdragon Рік тому +13

    Such a simple component that does so much for emissions

  • @nolanmitchell7319
    @nolanmitchell7319 Рік тому +3

    The egr and dpf systems are over in the corner like hold by beer, they literally caused an entirely new market for deleting diesel's cause they were so hated by consumers.

  • @merevial
    @merevial Рік тому +1

    I needed this today.

  • @Likeomgitznich
    @Likeomgitznich Рік тому +6

    Not to be “that guy” but a catalytic converter doesn’t cause check engine lights, the emission sensors do.

    • @devilsoffspring5519
      @devilsoffspring5519 Рік тому +2

      That's right, the converter itself has no signal output of any kind that the ECU can detect and process. It's the O2 sensors themselves that detect the emissions fault condition and not the cat.

  • @extremerc76
    @extremerc76 Рік тому +2

    My cat got stolen, insurance wouldn’t cover it… $2k, to replace cats on a $3k truck, now I’m straight piped! Lol

    • @JohnS-il1dr
      @JohnS-il1dr Рік тому +1

      Lucky you don't live in Cali. That's a huge fine if you get caught here.

  • @punditgi
    @punditgi Рік тому

    Excellent video!

  • @ryanle1293
    @ryanle1293 Рік тому +2

    I think the one sparkplug that just had to be behind literally every other part that's been seized for god knows how long is my most hated car part

  • @user-zx8de8op9l
    @user-zx8de8op9l 2 місяці тому

    Very well done, your video should be used in auto shop class.

  • @DustyTheDog
    @DustyTheDog Рік тому +1

    I got lucky and didn't have to pay to replace my CC. There was a federal recall on the CC in my vehicle. So, at around 130k miles I went and got a new one for free. It was nice 👍👍👍👍

  • @neddyladdy
    @neddyladdy Рік тому +1

    Wow, I never knew there were surveys about car parts. and hate.

  • @ricepony33
    @ricepony33 Рік тому +1

    Pre heating cats with a simple fuel/spark combo similar to a garage rocket heater would work extremely well.
    It would also save engines wear and tear from cold start high rpm running.

    • @stevey500
      @stevey500 Рік тому

      I believe diesel emissions control systems do something similar to this. Some of them have a fuel injector in the exhaust system.

    • @SGTECH-di9df
      @SGTECH-di9df Рік тому +5

      Toyota has a strange system on their vehicle that routes coolant lines around the outlet of the CAT that helps warm the engine faster so the engine can warm the CAT up in this way instead. It also had a switch that was physically moved by the temperature change to turn on/off the system automatically, really different thinking on that one. As an added benefit the engine now operates more often in it's normal operating temperature and has less internal "wear and tear"!

    • @stevey500
      @stevey500 Рік тому +1

      @@SGTECH-di9df that’s quite wild. Cool to know! Thanks!

  • @ericjennings853
    @ericjennings853 Рік тому +2

    Its amazing the difference in the air quality when i travel to a 3rd world country walking around on the street the emissions are really bad from passing buses and trucks, also their gas stations have no vapor recovery systems on the fuel pump nozzles. My lady friend in the philippines and her sisters seem to all have athsma.

    • @h.d.h
      @h.d.h Рік тому

      I ride motorcycles. So many bikers take off the cat and I wonder if they've ever traveled to a country where they don't have cats. Foolish assholes.

  • @fjshdf
    @fjshdf Рік тому +12

    I'm told by my mother an asian marketplace near me was actually a front for a catalytic converter theft organization. Apparently the guy who ran one of the restaurants with really good rice got his house raided and they found like four pallets worth of stolen converters. Wild.
    I mean, they're not gonna lose my business, it's really good rice and I can't find those spicy shrimp chimps anywhere else in town, but still crazy.

  • @that_hoser_143
    @that_hoser_143 Рік тому +1

    I like how you release this video the day that I broke my sensor

  • @jaredkennedy6576
    @jaredkennedy6576 Рік тому +2

    I don't think I've ever seen an OBD 1 system that had catalyst monitoring. This was mandated with OBDII, and car manufacturers are loathe to do anything without being required to. The monitoring is pretty basic, too, usually it's just the computer watching for the rich-lean swing of both upstream and downstream sensors, and if the downstream one moves too much it'll set a P0420/P0430 code.

    • @SGTECH-di9df
      @SGTECH-di9df Рік тому +1

      The CAT monitoring system is simple in concept but does a great job. The O2 sensors are actually one of the main systems used to monitor how the engine is operating in general and gives a lot of information when trying to find what is causing the sensors to read out of spec measurements for normal operation. The CAT monitoring system is not just monitoring rich to lean movements though, its making a calculation of how much of the pollutants are being converted and comparing those reading against all the other sensors on the car and the PCM crunches the numbers and if they dance than the CAT monitor on your car passes another day.

  • @mcspikesky
    @mcspikesky Рік тому +1

    PPF and DPF seems like a good topic but you're surely on it!

  • @TBrady
    @TBrady Рік тому +3

    This isn't the most hated part, EGR coolers are.

  • @ThatOneGuyWithTheEye
    @ThatOneGuyWithTheEye Рік тому +29

    They are ridiculously expensive in CA taxed into oblivion I got the same cat replacement shipped to Arizona for like $150 for my silverado and it passed perfectly the same exact cat that was "CA compliant" and able to be shipped to California cost over 1k

    • @wolfmantroy6601
      @wolfmantroy6601 Рік тому

      Move outa that shjt hole

    • @alb12345672
      @alb12345672 Рік тому +2

      The cats are probably the same because people may take a carb car out of CA with OBD checks, and there are states that have similar requirements BUT the CARB kosher symbol cost a fortune.

    • @dallynsr
      @dallynsr Рік тому +9

      Easy solution is to stop voting Democrat,
      And of course then move out of California.
      And absolutely in that order.

    • @Look_What_I_Did
      @Look_What_I_Did Рік тому

      @@dallynsr Every body move to where dick head Dave lives. Turn it blue.

  • @WarmWeatherGuy
    @WarmWeatherGuy Рік тому +1

    What is the frequency of the oscillation between lean and rich mixtures? Once per day? 100 times per second?

  • @HaloWolf102
    @HaloWolf102 Рік тому +1

    This is the most comprehensive video I've seen on catalytic converters, and the exhaust system in general I've seen. Amazing work, and thanks for the free education.

  • @charleshines8523
    @charleshines8523 Рік тому +1

    I only hate catalytic converters because many people get them stolen from their vehicles. I live in the styx somewhere and thus it is extremely rare to have a thing like that happen out here, especially when you have the vehicle in a garage. Perhaps it is one of the reasons some insurance companies have discounts for keeping a vehicle in a garage. It would only make sense since a vehicle in a garage would be less likely to be damaged in bad weather, vandalized, stolen or broken into by thieves looking for cash and valuables. Also my garage doors have locks that can slide into the side rails and make it just about impossible to open them. These also take a fair bit of force to operate so I seriously doubt a coat hanger would easily move them. They are good to have if you had a power outage and had to leave the house. You would use the emergence red handle to unlock it from the opener and manually open it then manually close it once the vehicle is out. You would just have to use the locks mentioned earlier to keep the doors from being opened. I like to unplug the opener so I don't mistakenly try to open the door while the locks are in use because it will not damage the door but it can make it really hard to undo the locks. I just use the front door to get back in whenever such a rare occurrence of a power outage happens with me needing to go some place.

  • @Anon-.-
    @Anon-.- Рік тому

    Genuinely amazing content on automotive engineering. Why are you focusing on soon to be redundant technology? Battery science and edu engineering is fascinating!

  • @paul_109
    @paul_109 Рік тому +1

    The most hated part is easily the EGR, not only does it nothing to improve the performance, it actually shortens your engine's lifespan and costs you a metric shitton of money

  • @CrazyBear65
    @CrazyBear65 5 місяців тому

    I had a 78 Nova with one of those restrictive pellet-type cats on it. I took it off, emptied all the little bbs out of it so that it was just an empty can, and then put it back on the exhaust. Any restriction Big Brother can think up to oppress the people with can be defeated by a smart individual. Long live classic American musclecars!

  • @microdesigns2000
    @microdesigns2000 Рік тому +6

    When I was a child, cars were stinky and the exhaust made me choke all the time. I did not understand catalytic converters were the reason that problem went away. This is the best video I've seen on the subject.
    Over the years I realized I can tell brands of cars from each other by the smell from the exhaust. GM smells different than Toyota, than Chrysler than Ford. Probably this is variation on the catalyst used.

  • @totallyrandomuser5760
    @totallyrandomuser5760 Рік тому +1

    Cats would be the only exhaust part I'd keep from original if I were to straight pipe

  • @arpankoley5245
    @arpankoley5245 Рік тому +4

    Why are you not in Nebula, my friend?
    You have been making extremely informative videos.
    I genuinely suggest you to have a look on curiosity stream+ nebula package.

  • @billrowan1957
    @billrowan1957 Рік тому +1

    I think registration and mandatory insurance is the most hated auto part...

  • @rock-uu7qr
    @rock-uu7qr Рік тому +2

    Egr dpf and def are the much more hated components

  • @zacharytuttle5618
    @zacharytuttle5618 Рік тому +9

    My cat went bad in my lexus gs350 and that error code causes the traction control to turn off until its resolved. That's ridiculous.

    • @MaakaSakuranbo
      @MaakaSakuranbo Рік тому +3

      I mean, if it doesn't, people will just going to ignore it. "eh, it works!"

    • @marvintpandroid2213
      @marvintpandroid2213 Рік тому +1

      Your whole car should shut off.

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +5

      The interconnectivity of the systems in modern cars is crazy. One engine "related" fault and all interconnected systems are disabled. Traction control, stability control, cruise, remote start, it all depends on the brand, and how new the car is. The newer the vehicle, the worse it is.
      On some GM vehicles the AC is disabled.

    • @wtice4632
      @wtice4632 Рік тому

      O2 sensor faults cause my VSC and traction to turn off too. Any engine code does for some reason

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому

      @@MaakaSakuranbo that's up to the states to enforce. That's why you have annual inspections. Can't pass with a bad cat.

  • @bledlbledlbledl
    @bledlbledlbledl Рік тому

    (thumbnail-pic) no wonder the cat goes bad; those cranberries are gonna spoil after a while :P

  • @ThunderSims
    @ThunderSims Рік тому

    The thumbnail for this video made me want maraschino cherries

  • @sunnohh
    @sunnohh Рік тому +2

    Cats are cool, plus they don’t really hurt performance anymore

  • @hankkingsley9300
    @hankkingsley9300 Рік тому +1

    Thank God I live where there are no inspections whatsoever

  • @gradypicinich2404
    @gradypicinich2404 Рік тому +1

    Ugh don't even get me started on blinker fluid

  • @khysor1832
    @khysor1832 Рік тому +4

    I always remove them. Better to have them safe in my house rather than being stolen 😂

    • @volodumurkalunyak4651
      @volodumurkalunyak4651 Рік тому +2

      Insane decision. Catalytic converter inside your house is as userfull as stolen one. Furthermore you have to spend money upfront (NOT later or NEVER) removing one and making cars computer accepting that.

    • @khysor1832
      @khysor1832 Рік тому +3

      @@volodumurkalunyak4651 been running solid for a catless downpipe for $200.

    • @volodumurkalunyak4651
      @volodumurkalunyak4651 Рік тому

      @@khysor1832 $200 down the drain. Even more if you value you'r lungs.

    • @khysor1832
      @khysor1832 Рік тому +2

      @@volodumurkalunyak4651 car goes vroom 🏎️

    • @volodumurkalunyak4651
      @volodumurkalunyak4651 Рік тому +1

      @@khysor1832 no, it doesn't. It isnt a F1 car therefore it doesn't do wroom.
      Only Formula1 can go vroom.😎😁😁

  • @who2u333
    @who2u333 Рік тому +3

    If you want to experience pre-catalytic converter air quality, spend a few days in Havana. It's an interesting experience.

    • @devilsoffspring5519
      @devilsoffspring5519 Рік тому

      The hallucinations from inhaling the air are interesting? ;)

    • @gregorymalchuk272
      @gregorymalchuk272 Рік тому

      Apparently the original American gasoline engines on those old cars have long since worn out and have been replaced by Soviet diesel engines.

  • @jonathankidwell6889
    @jonathankidwell6889 Рік тому +6

    Very interesting. Definitely expanded my knowledge on the subject. I've heard that the the net manufacturing foot print of catalytic converters approaches canceling out the benefit. But it's something I take with a grain of salt, although I'm sure the footprint of mining the precious metals and manufacturing the converters must be substantial. It would have been interesting to hear something about their footprint as well.

    • @ct1762
      @ct1762 Рік тому +1

      right but its nothing compared to BEV's. of course the real polluter isnt emissions. it hasnt been for over a decade as gasoline cars are so clean, its a non-issue. the big polluter is actually the toxic rubber in tires. EV's are much heavier, thus requiring replacement tires much more frequently, and wearing out roads much faster.

    • @epixtille7069
      @epixtille7069 Рік тому

      @@ct1762 that's the dumbest take I've ever heard

  • @keitha.9788
    @keitha.9788 Рік тому

    I grew up in southern California during the 1950's, 1960's, and early 1970's.. In the 1950's the smog seemed to burn my eyes and throat. By the end of the 60's, smog had changed. Although still quite visible, it didn't seem to burn my eyes and throat nearly as badly as years earlier in the 1950's.....

  • @boowiebear
    @boowiebear Рік тому +2

    Many people are doing cat deletes…unfortunately not of their own choice.

  • @lr937
    @lr937 Рік тому +1

    Only one benefiting from it is the thieves going around stealing them

  • @HelloKittyFanMan.
    @HelloKittyFanMan. Рік тому

    "Myriad" isn't correctly used in "A myriad of of trace compounds are also present."
    FFR, it would be "Myriad trace compounds are also present."

  • @chevyboyforlife4234
    @chevyboyforlife4234 Рік тому +1

    It robs power ...Im glad I live in Florida you don't have to have them on you car

  • @josron6088
    @josron6088 Рік тому

    I've been working on my own car since I was 16 im 52. The problem some catalytic converters (if bad) there hard to get to, difficult to take off. Bolts and nuts fuse into place and break off. Expensive to pay a shop to do the work for you.

  • @wannabeetiger
    @wannabeetiger Рік тому +2

    Actually the Catalytic converter is definitely not the most hated part , cuz when I'm ready to scrap my car that's the first thing I'm going to cash in on. Besides, most people aren't trying to go race their car and have all the power they need, so they do not care if it's on there anyway. This is where government care and control with the EPA takes over.

  • @MrMaelstrom07
    @MrMaelstrom07 Рік тому +3

    The Answers with Joe on leaded fuel was fascinating. I don't remember what it was called, something like the man who killed millions.

  • @mikeydude750
    @mikeydude750 5 місяців тому

    The EPA is absolutely lying about those health outcomes.

  • @Akac3sh
    @Akac3sh Рік тому

    I just hate how expensive they are. Especially primary cats. Had to pay 3000 to get them repaired

  • @markst.germain9286
    @markst.germain9286 Рік тому

    Love the Smell of a car without one.

  • @alg003
    @alg003 Рік тому +4

    And yet enormous ships burn millions of barrels of crude oil, instead of using safe, proven nuclear power, there are no restrictions for the US military vehicles, and it's being blamed on the average consumer, and we're told to pay 6 figures for an electric car with horrid ranges, reliability, and repairablility.

    • @lorennicholls5901
      @lorennicholls5901 Рік тому +1

      And they spray pollutants in the air all the time

    • @homuraakemi9556
      @homuraakemi9556 Рік тому

      Technically they burn marine diesel fuel, but I'm with you

  • @circusitch
    @circusitch Рік тому

    Great title.

  • @Pseudopstupid
    @Pseudopstupid Рік тому

    Very nice

  • @shangri-la-la-la
    @shangri-la-la-la Рік тому +1

    Spark plug defowlers are not just for spark plugs. Try them the next time you have a 420 code.

    • @P_RO_
      @P_RO_ Рік тому

      Just one downstream...

  • @GUSftw
    @GUSftw Рік тому +1

    now let's compare automobile emissions to barge ships at sea.

  • @LectronCircuits
    @LectronCircuits Рік тому

    As always, it's better to have gas than to have a gas problem. Audience is completely exhausted. Cheers!

  • @Altezza1999
    @Altezza1999 Рік тому

    I'm pretty sure that title belongs to lane keep assist and in the future those alcohol level checkers and speed limiters that will forcefully slow the car down.

    • @piedpiper1172
      @piedpiper1172 Рік тому

      Buddy, why do you hate alcohol checkers?
      You do that much drunk driving?

  • @HiatusMobs
    @HiatusMobs Рік тому +1

    EGR’s for sure the most hated.

  • @regularpit1508
    @regularpit1508 Рік тому +1

    Where we live there's no emissions tests and I can assure you my car and many of our others do not pass. So that statistics is probably right on what they surveyed but I would say it's much higher. Also vehicle 25 and older I think it is can get away without a catalytic converter.

    • @P_RO_
      @P_RO_ Рік тому +1

      No inspections in SC and probably never will be. We lose some Fed hwy funding because of that. Far nicer to not have the Governmnet's nose in our business and well worth the small cost 😁

  • @blackpantherjon9709
    @blackpantherjon9709 Рік тому

    my 1997 jeep had one cat, pushed it to 92mph and the cat blew up 😂. took it off and straight piped it to the muffler, since vehicles older than 25 years old don’t need a cat in VA. doesn’t smell great but somehow better than it did before it blew.

  • @heyitsfranklynn168
    @heyitsfranklynn168 Рік тому

    Why does the repair bill top out at $2700? 🤣

  • @foracal5608
    @foracal5608 Рік тому

    100,000 live? I think it's more than that. But huh I knew it was on the fly chemically changing the bad stuff but now I know more about it.

  • @shmookins
    @shmookins Рік тому

    Why is it hated? I never think about it and it isn't one of those parts that fail and need replacements enough times for most people to even know what it is.

    • @fartpluswetone8077
      @fartpluswetone8077 Рік тому

      Only problem is, when they do fail, they render the car effectively inoperable (because it won't pass inspection in pretty much all states and thus can't be registered) and are very expensive to replace all for one part.

  • @jimmyhuesandthehouserocker1069

    When I was a kid, I told everybody when I grew up, I was going to be a scientist-chemist. I never made it, mostly because my dad Herb demanded I work for a living in factories, the way he had to do. He was jealous of college people because they had an easier life and more money than her did. Yeah, but I've still always been interested in the kinds of things like this video, science 'n applied chemistry

  • @joshuayammer1994
    @joshuayammer1994 Рік тому

    My cat : nonexistent

  • @UQRXD
    @UQRXD Рік тому

    Is the stuff inside a catalytic converter toxic?
    Indeed, every modern car equipped with autocatalysts may release toxic heavy metals during engine operation. This fact hasn't been widely discussed and remains underestimated. Jan 14, 2016

  • @james10739
    @james10739 Рік тому

    Wait did you say 40% less co2 I thought it did nothing with co2 and if so what does it turn that into

  • @circusmaximus72060
    @circusmaximus72060 Рік тому

    Pffft the most hated emission equipment is the SCR systems on diesel trucks.

  • @workinprogress3942
    @workinprogress3942 Рік тому

    Trick question. Could be the converter or def or ecm or paint or tires. Seems like the most hated part would be the one your fighting against.

  • @rjgallman4916
    @rjgallman4916 Рік тому

    Send this to every UA-camr removing their cat converter on their motorcycle. Lol

  • @duo317
    @duo317 Рік тому

    Now I know what that thing I steal does