Burned 2 cat. convertors in less than a year. Need help

[z06power]

Hi All,

I have an RKsport 4-2-1 header with 2.5inch custom piping, with an injen intake on my 98 Z24 2.4L. I am also running with a gerlic (aftermarket universal high-flow cat - not sure about the spelling) cat and have replaced it in the last 2 months, because the first cat (same kind) was burnt out after about 1 year. The car is beginning to stall while idling or having the tach bounce up and down. I just brought it to a mechanic and he says I have burned through this cat as well. What course of action would you take? I don't get any check engine lights or anything, but I know my performance is suffering as well as the car for running too rich.

Has anyone experienced a problem similar to this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[gofastmerc]

Gut the dam thing, and no more problems.

I mean... uhmmm....


You probably are running rich and fuel is burning in the cat.

[iceburns288]

You are running rich. This will overheat and kill teh catz0rz.

Which is unusual, because the only cars I'm familiar with tend to run a little lean with headers:dunno: .

[alloroc]

Check your coolant sensor and coolant level?

If your sensor is giving a faulty constant low temp signal you will consistantly run rich.

You aren't running a chip of any kind are you?

[The Cosworth]

Originally posted by iceburns288
You are running rich. This will overheat and kill teh catz0rz.

Which is unusual, because the only cars I'm familiar with tend to run a little lean with headers:dunno: .

I might be wrong, but I remember from my Stoick class that if you have too much fuel that it will run 'cooler', if its lean you will run hot because of excess oxygen.

I think it is because of you headers

[RickDaTuner]

Originally posted by brendankharris


I might be wrong, but I remember from my Stoic class that if you have too much fuel that it will run 'cooler', if its lean you will run hot because of excess oxygen.

I think it is because of you headers

the purpose of Catalytic converters is to burn any excess fuel in the cell substrate prior to the noxious gases being released into the atmosphere.
Thus an excess amount of unburnt fuel will generate a greater amount of heat as opposed to a vehicle running a stoic fuel mixture.
Since most catalytic converters use a very thin metal which reacts with the unburnt gases causing a chemical reactions in turn burning the said gases; it doesn't take much to fatigue and introduce and annealing effect to the substrate structure further resulting in the reduction of converter material.
this is typical of high flow Cats' found in higher horsepower cars

[z06power]

Originally posted by alloroc
Check your coolant sensor and coolant level?

If your sensor is giving a faulty constant low temp signal you will consistantly run rich.

You aren't running a chip of any kind are you?

No, I am not running a chip. I am considering installing the hptuners chip for the car - if the mechanics can not figure out how to get it going properly. I also heard installing an aftermarket fuel pressure regulator may help, but I don't plan to keep the car for more than one year, so I would prefer to not spend too much in getting it running.

P.S. thanks for the input

[ercchry]

just take it out your alowed to in alberta

[gofastmerc]

Originally posted by ercchry
just take it out your alowed to in alberta

Well, your not. But I have never heard of anyone getting a fine.

[Sharpie]

Originally posted by gofastmerc


Well, your not. But I have never heard of anyone getting a fine.
Sure you are there are no laws in alberta saying you can't.

[The Cosworth]

Originally posted by Sharpie

Sure you are there are no laws in alberta saying you can't.

try and get a car inspected that used to have a cat and was uninstalled passed

[962 kid]

Originally posted by ercchry
just take it out your alowed to in alberta


Originally posted by Sharpie

Sure you are there are no laws in alberta saying you can't.

lol!! You guys are funny


(4) The standards to be met by the exhaust system are as follows:

(a) no component of the exhaust system shall be missing, perforated, patched or insecurely mounted

(g) an exhaust system must not be shortened or modified from the original equipment so that it fails to direct the exhaust beyond the underbody of the occupant compartment

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

You could still straight pipe it... depends where exactly you get it inspected (unfortunately)... A straight pipe would pass most of that regulation, other than the "missing" part.