I have been researching and just generally reading for some time now about long tube headers and hi flow cats.This includes one thread recently that had a debate about placement of the x-pipe in the system.

One train of thought is that the x-pipe should be as close to the collectors as possible,for utilizing it's maximum potential.By doing this,however,you are moving the cats so far back that they are rendered inneffective,because they don't get hot enough to light off all the unburnt fuel.
Reversing this setup allows you to burn the gasses,but then you render your x-pipe basically inneffective or at least diminished effectiveness?

It seems that even with older stock systems(According to my smog tech),it is recommended you drive long enough to get the cats real hot at emissions time, before testing for the same reason.

OK,so here is the question:
What if..........someone designed cats that are electric in nature that are self heating?I can see them glowing in my minds eye,kinda like a hair dryer....

Would that not allow placement anywhere in the system(Notwithstanding gov. regulations)and allow them to still be effective at what they do?

Any thoughts on this idea??
Oh ya,I know about the ARH system,so we don't need that in this thread.This is just a general question...

I am anxious to hear your thoughts

 

as cool as x pipes are they give you little or no horsepower...sorry but they do sound a lot better

personaly i love the snapping and pooping sounds of no xpipe/crosspipe...just dual exhaust! woohoo!

 

I like it too,and it really doesn't stop the pop anyways

While I have always felt that too,there is another member on here very adamant that there is quite a bit of power there when up close to the collectors.I am not really sure I buy that,but that aside,what about electrical cats?

I mean I hear these hi-flow cats can burn out fairly early.Think there might be something to it,or just a dumb thought?

Edit: BTW,this is a LT+ hi-flow cat question,not just an x-pipe thought......I wasn't real clear on that I see..

 

ok guys,

humor me

 

it is the constant thinking that goes on in the minds of hotroders like yourself that produces the improvements we have today, dont know if it will work or not but sounds feasible to me...

 

Hi flynbya2 -

Interesting idea.

You probably know that the 02 and later Z06 had a bi-element cat that had a "quick light off" catalyst element for cold start emissions.

I am not sure how long it takes the "regular" catalyst to start catalyzing, but it cannot be too long given the heat that comes out of the exhaust ports.

It takes a lot of watts to heat something up (like a hair dryer or space heater) and those devices are dedicated, whereas the catalyst material probably would consume a lot more energy to heat it up electrically.

I am interested to hear what someone who knows what they are talking about has to say on the idea though (as opposed to my backyard mechanic experience lol...)

best regards -

mqqn

 

Yes,it would take a lot of energy to have them actually glow as I stated earlier,but that was more of a mental image than what I think it would take to get the job done.I mean the exhaust itself gets pretty darned hot all the way back to the exhaust tips.

Apparantly,not enough to consume unburnt fumes however.
So,this idea is intended to "boost" the cats efficiency,rather than change the way it functions completely.How much extra heat would it take to burn these gasses that squeek by in this scenario?

And I am interested in theories on this subject,as it sounds like it may be doable

Haha.........forced ignition

 

Thanks man...

I can think up all kinds of crap that won't work

 

i would have to agree about the horsepower gain, also
I thought X-pipes/H-pipe crossovers where just used to eliminate
resonance in side the car.

I read an article in Motor Age magazine that there is a manufacturer
research and developing a new catalyst system that uses a fuel
injector in the converter to help burn off even more emissions.

flynbya2
Also great idea but some one has a patent on it found this link when i
was trying to find where I read about the Catalyst system using a
fuel injector in it.
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/57...scription.html

 

There goes my retirement!