Re: [DML] Catalytic converters

[William T Wilson <fluffy@xxxx>]

On Fri, 10 Nov 2000, Rob Hook wrote:

> In most states a car with a missing catalytic converter could have
> passed up until a few years ago, assuming the inspector didn't
> physically look for a catalytic converter. That's really no longer

It really varies from place to place. In Colorado, 1981 and older
vehicles get a *much* less thorough emissions test than more recent cars.
Most (if not all) states have some sort of age-related emissions exemption
- although just how old your car has to be, and what sort of a break you
get, varies from place to place.

On any car, simply replacing the catalytic converter with a piece of pipe
may or may not improve acceleration and will surely make it louder. It is
possible to make specially designed pipes which improve power with minimal
increase in noise, but I don't know of any available for the DeLorean.

The best solution, unless you have a good reason to do otherwise, is
simply to leave the original cat in place. The DeLorean exhaust and
manifold are restrictive enough that the cat is not a major obstruction by
itself. If you are planning on extensive exhaust reworking you might get
some benefit by removing the cat - but replacing it with a modern cat will
yield better-than-stock emissions and only 1 or 2 HP difference in power
vs. a straight through pipe.