Jeep and Ford Catalytic Converters
Your vehicle's catalytic converter plays an essential role in
reducing harmful emissions. When your catalytic converter is
working properly it successfully changes auto emissions into
harmless water vapor. When your catalytic converter is
malfunctioning, the pollutants leaving your vehicle can
exacerbate local pollution levels.
There are four ways for you to determine whether your
catalytic converter needs replacing or not:
1. Busted or rusted out converter body or end tubes.
2. Small pieces of substrate in other areas of the exhaust
system.
3. No rattle in a pellitized converter (If the converter does
not rattle, the pellets may have melted together or fallen out).
4. A rattle in a monolithic converter (A rattle in this kind of
converter indicates the substrate has separated.)
If you are unable to determine failure your state, provincial,
or local vehicle inspection program will reveal that to you the
next time your car comes up for inspection. If your car fails
its inspection, you will have to replace your catalytic
converter before you car can be passed.
Replacement of your catalytic converter is a procedure that can
be done by professionals such as through your dealer's service
department, through a muffler shop, or by a local garage. If you
are handy, you can do the work yourself and save money on parts
as well as on labor costs.
Only purchase a catalytic converter that meets or exceeds your
vehicle's OEM specifications. Online retailers, including Car
Parts Stuff, carry a huge selection of Jeep and Ford catalytic
converters as well as converters for most other cars.
Almost all vehicles have come equipped with catalytic
converters, the exception being those vehicles made before 1975.
On all later model vehicles, you must have a catalytic converter
in place; otherwise you are breaking the law.
If you install an aftermarket exhaust system, only purchase
those that leave all emission control equipment in place. Again,
driving without a catalytic converter is illegal and the
potential harm you create to the atmosphere simply isn't worth
it.