You may not know this but your vehicle’s catalytic converter is made of precious palladium, platinum, and rhodium. Heath’s Auto Service advises that this is the reason why people take a metal saw and remove converters from underneath automobiles. If your vehicle was parked in a public place long enough for the theft to occur, you will have the following problems when you fire up the engine.
A Loud and Roaring Engine
You will be shocked at how loud your engine is when it starts. The catalytic is not a muffler, but it does absorb the sound of the exhaust being forced out of the exhaust manifold. The manifold pushes the exhaust into the converter so it can treat the harmful emissions. The converter is now gone, so the manifold pushes the exhaust into the open air. You’ll hear loud roaring as a result.
An Illuminated Check Engine Light
The check engine light or CEL is also going to turn on and remain lit until you replace the stolen converter. The exhaust system sensors will pick up numerous malfunctions with the catalytic converter missing. Consequently, the engine control unit – the main computer chip – will turn on the CEL. It cannot resolve the problem itself, so it will warn you of trouble with the CEL.
The Acceleration Is Jerking
If the above doesn’t deter you from driving your vehicle, which we hope it will, you will also have problems with your automobile’s acceleration if the catalytic converter has been stolen. Aside from the excess noise that the converter is not there to absorb, it is also not there to absorb the force with which the manifold expels the exhaust. Consequently, your acceleration will jerk.
Sputtering at Slow Speeds
The jerking will be violent and followed by sputtering at slow speeds. The missing catalytic converter affects the engine’s ability to produce torque – power – at slow speeds. The performance will smooth out at higher speeds, but you will have problems when driving slowly on the street.
Noticeable Exhaust Smells
Here is why we hope you won’t drive your automobile, however: You will be able to smell the exhaust. This means you will be inhaling the exhaust while you are driving your automobile. If this weren’t dangerous enough, the exhaust is filled with poisonous gases because the catalytic converter has not treated it. It’s much better to have your car, SUV, or truck towed to our shop.
Heath’s Auto Service in Flagstaff, AZ, would be happy to help, so call us today if your vehicle has had its catalytic converter stolen.
