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Your Honda Civics' catalytic converter is probably the most essential part of your vehicle, next to the engine. By providing an environment in which the toxic engine by-products can be converted into less harmful gases, the catalytic converter eliminates much of the environmentally harmful elements that internal combustion engines would normally release into the atmosphere. The use of catalytic converters has been mandatory by state law since the 1970's, and after all these years, vehicles come stocked with factory issued catalytic converters that are really good at what they do. But as good as your standard issue catalytic converter is at cleaning up your engine emissions, it is not very good at exhaust flow through, which means that your vehicle's engine performance is not all that it could be. The Problem with Standard Issue Cats Standard issued catalytic converters are better than most aftermarket cats at cleaning up your engine exhaust, but they are also the number one source of back-pressure in the exhaust system. More exhaust back-pressure equals less engine horsepower, so it is often the first thing to go when a performance minded Honda owner jumps on the vehicle mod bandwagon. The young newbie mod crowd tends to just toss the factory issue and let their vehicle go cat-less, but this is not a good option. It is illegal to drive a vehicle without a catalytic converter, and anyone who does so runs the risk of getting ticketed, having to pay huge fines, or ending up with their vehicle impounded. With a potential engine power increase of one horsepower, driving without a cat just isn't worth it. Many aftermarket catalytic converter companies claim that their cats reduce exhaust backpressure, creating better exhaust flow and better engine performance- but do they really do the job? Vehicle testing done on a 1999 Honda Civic proves that the answer is yes. High-flow aftermarket catalytic converters come in two basic types: ceramic and metallic. The ceramic cats are less expensive than their metallic counterparts, but cannot function in the high temperatures and rich air-fuel mixtures that the metallic cats can handle. During the testing, the 1999 Honda Civic was fitted with two Honda Civic Magnaflow catalytic converters, first a ceramic, and then a metallic model. The study found that the ceramic cat did up the engine performance by three horsepower and added two lb-ft of torque to the vehicle's front wheels. The metallic cat netted only one horsepower more engine power than the ceramic version, and no extra torque, showing that a more expensive part doesn't always equal a big gain in performance. The conclusion? Aftermarket cats do increase engine performance, but unless you need to run at high temps with a rich air-fuel mixture, a ceramic cat is probably all you need.
One thing you do want to watch out for is your vehicle's OBD compliance. Checking the emissions sticker under your hood will tell you if your vehicle is OBD I or OBD II compliant. Honda Civic Magnaflow catalytic converters come in both compliance ratings, so make sure you get the one you need. Use a cat with the wrong compliance and you'll fail your next smog test.
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Published in 2024-8-1 14:42:06
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