Anyone Added a Catalytic Converter to 71-74 Dodge Charger?

[slepr1]

I have high flow cats on my 2011 Camaro which was part of the Hennessey upgrade. Imo it didn't make that much of difference in 'smell'. I use high octane fuel (94) in it and it still stinks because this high octane always stinks. I personally wouldn't do it on any of my cars because I don't think it cuts the smell more than 20-30%.

 

[Cranky]

Imo, just running no lead gas makes a difference. That's the really bad stuff to breath but on an up side, your exhaust system lasts longer before the aluminize pipe etc came out.

 

[moparedtn]

Dear Lord, what have we created with these later generations - and what has the leftist
coast beat into their heads from birth?

I'm dang near 60 and let's just say I've seen my share of pre-cat cars in my life -
yes, starting with the Monaco station wagon when we were kids.
Yer DAMN RIGHT we fought over 3rd seat privileges - and when we could talk Pop
into it, DAMN RIGHT it was with the window down.
It was freaking AWESOME....and nobody died in the process, nor did we whine about it.
Just the opposite, it was a treat!

The only exhaust fumes I can ever recall making me nauseous were trips to downtown
Atlanta, where sitting in heavy traffic behind a MARTA bus would damn near make the sun
go away from diesel fumes when they took off.

Lookit:
Don't pipe the exhaust into the car- and if you're all that skeered, crack a window going down
the road. You'll be fine, the kids will be fine, the planet will be fine.
Kumbaya.

 

[Cranky]

No cat OR muffler on my 95 Dakota.....and the stink smells almost like the 60's!! Brings back great memories of what I can remember

 

[moparedtn]

No cat OR muffler on my 95 Dakota.....and the stink smells almost like the 60's!! Brings back great memories of what I can remember

You rebel, you.

 

[BDF6]

Just fry your tires when taking off. No one will notice nor complain about the exhaust fumes.

 

[Kern Dog]

I knew a guy that had a Maverick that would smoke when he started it. I told him to start it and peel out, nobody would notice the engine was smoking more than the tires!

 

[BSB67]

It's posts like this that make me a bit fearful for the future. There is such a large percent of the population that cannot use logic and deductive reasoning to formulate a sound conclusion. But instead they just follow what they are told.

I hate the word toxic. It is a completely meaningless word by itself. Everything is toxic, literally. All forms of water are toxic. Without the details of the specific material, and without the specifics regarding actual exposure frequency and rate, it is just silly talk to say something is toxic. The term is used all the time just for the dramatics.

So you could do a technical review of the toxicity of each component of your car's exhaust and then conduct a specific study of your car's passenger compartment to determine exposure rates and develop both short term and weighted averages to determine the actual doses, then use stastics to see what the likelyhood of any health effect.

Or, you can take a look at history. Everyone today that is 60 years old or older spent at least the first 15 years of their lives driving everywhere in every vehicle without converters, with carburetors, and with leaded gasoline. Yet here we are. My 90 year old relatives were exposed to these conditions for the first 45 years of their lives every single day. If you believe what you hear, none of us should have reached the age of 60.

Tune your car, don't stand next to the tailpipes for and extended period of time, and any real health effect will be zero. I promise that your cell phone is far more toxic than the normal fume exposure from your car.

 

[moparsaver]

 

[Cranky]

Heck, just the plastics of a new gas gassing off is enough to make ya sick. Whenever I bought a new car (and that wasn't very often), I'd drive and garage it with the windows down for a pretty good while. Just walking into the shop I could smell it after parking the 'newbie' inside over night and my garage/shop is nearly 1500 sq ft.

 

[forphorty]

Mopar exhaust fumes are good for you. Here's the proof:

 

[RJRENTON]

IMO....
WHY would you want to add a catalytic converter to your classic car? The catalytic converter is likely to be a major contributor to the cause of the global warming issue, that some finatics (the proponents of the green new deal..AOC and crew) attribute to high CO and CO2 in the atmosphere. The catalytic converter reaction is HC and gasoline in yield CO, CO2 and NOx output and how many cars hsve been burdened by the addition of the catalytic converter since 1975?....millions. Even my new leaf blower and weed eater (2 cycle engines) have a small converters on their exhaust.....a real break thru in the fight against air pollution and their conttibution to global warming.... soon, we will all be mandated to wear some type of breathing device to guard against too much CO2 inhilation. Perhaps the OP should sell his classic ride and buy an Electric Vehicle then just plug in and leave the air pollution issues to the electric generation supplier.....sorry for the rant.....
BOB RENTON

 

[Thrashingcows]

My wagon has good tight exhaust but still gets a bit of exhaust fumes in around the back gate and glass...old seals that are obsolete now. I find if I crack the back glass about an inch and then open one of the floor vents a tad it will pressurize the interior of the wagon and keep the fumes out. I've done 10K miles in vacationing with my wife and 2 daughters over the last decade or so and everyone is still doing fine.

Having said that I agree with the others, just keep a good tune on your motor, make sure you have no exhaust leaks, check to make sure all your body plugs are in place, no rusty quarter panels or trunk floor, and a good solid board behind the rear seat and under the package tray.

 

[niteshift70]

Catalytic converters reduce nitrogen oxides only. They do nothing to reduce sulfur oxides or carbon oxides. The only surefire ways to reduce (not eliminate) those type of emissions is to maintain the vehicle with a perfect tune up, buy only quality fuel, and minimize operation of the vehicle. For reducing fume within the car, keep a leak free exhaust system, maintain the interior seals to the cabin, and minimize the time sitting still at idle.

 

[RJRENTON]

Catalytic converters reduce nitrogen oxides only. They do nothing to reduce sulfur oxides or carbon oxides. The only surefire ways to reduce (not eliminate) those type of emissions is to maintain the vehicle with a perfect tune up, buy only quality fuel, and minimize operation of the vehicle. For reducing fume within the car, keep a leak free exhaust system, maintain the interior seals to the cabin, and minimize the time sitting still at idle.

WRONG.....
Catalytic converters are two function devices....the first conversion reaction is hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide conversion (CO) to carbon dioxide conversion (CO2) an oxidation reaction over a platinium/palladium catalyst substrate AND for Oxides of Nitrogen (N20 and NO2) conversion over a rhodium coated substrate (a reduction reaction) further enhanced thru the use of EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) to reduce the combustion chamber temps to less than 1600°F
Almost all new vehicles use gasoline direct injected engines (fuel added directly to the combustion chamber), with variable valve timing (to maximize combustion chamber pressures and minimize NOx), to enhance the combustion process yielding more horsepower produced with lower emission levels using O2 sensors before and after the converter to maximize the conversion efficiencies.
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions are more applicable to diesel engines and some manufacturers use EGR and particulate filters to reduce/eliminate SO2 plus the use of low sulfur fuel. Just my opinion of course.
BOB RENTON

 

[BSB67]

WRONG.....
Catalytic converters are two function devices....the first conversion reaction is hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide conversion (CO) to carbon dioxide conversion (CO2) an oxidation reaction over a platinium/palladium catalyst substrate AND for Oxides of Nitrogen (N20 and NO2) conversion over a rhodium coated substrate (a reduction reaction) further enhanced thru the use of EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) to reduce the combustion chamber temps to less than 1600°F
Almost all new vehicles use gasoline direct injected engines (fuel added directly to the combustion chamber), with variable valve timing (to maximize combustion chamber pressures and minimize NOx), to enhance the combustion process yielding more horsepower produced with lower emission levels using O2 sensors before and after the converter to maximize the conversion efficiencies.
.
BOB RENTON

Correct.

But older converters, ones like the OP would use, did not have the reduction reaction capabilities for NOx like today's converters. Even if you put an oxidation/reduction converter on an older car, it still would not reduce NOX because the carburetor can not control in a narrow enough stoichiometric range.

 

[Sonny Black]

 

[MoparDanMan]

I have 74 Dodge Charger with a killer 440 engine, I want to reduce the emissions. I have young kids and I want to take them for a ride without worrying I am exposing them to toxic fumes. Should add a Catalytic converter? I am not worried about loosing power as I already have WAY TOO Much. I found this one from the UK costs around $260 to get to me with shipping:

https://jetex.co.uk/classic-car-converters/

Any thoughts?

It didn't come with a converter, I wouldn't put one on.

 

[joemish]

I have 74 Dodge Charger with a killer 440 engine, I want to reduce the emissions. I have young kids and I want to take them for a ride without worrying I am exposing them to toxic fumes. Should add a Catalytic converter? I am not worried about loosing power as I already have WAY TOO Much. I found this one from the UK costs around $260 to get to me with shipping:

https://jetex.co.uk/classic-car-converters/sell your car to someone appreciates it and by a Prius for your kids.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cranky]

Have always had trouble getting my 95 Dakota to pass emissions because nox numbers was high. The higher no pass numbers didn't start happening until it was about 5 years old and a new converter didn't help but what did help was going in with a cooler engine (lower T-stat) and no air filter (did a good bit of research on what causes high nox back then). Yes, the air filter element raised NOX numbers and driving two miles to the inspection station helped keeping the engine cooler. Hot engines generate higher nox numbers. One time they let it warm up more but it still passed but barely. Doing maintenance to the EGR helped but not that much. Now that it's 25+ years old I don't have to worry about that crap anymore!