Miata Mailing List: September 1993, Message #136
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   From: 
Subject: Re: Catalytic Converter Failure
   Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1993 10:07:36 -0400

On Fri, 17 Sep 1993 MANSON@fsd.com wrote:
> On 15 Sept Andy Poling wrote:
> "...my family lost two catalytic converters, apparently because of Shell gas."
> 
> This sounds like the old scare distributed when the changeover to unleaded
> fuel was being introduced.  I recall that the story was that if you burned
> leaded fuel in a vehicle with a Cat conv., it would clog the converter.  I
> assume that the threat was real, although I have no personal experience or
> (as yet) know of anyone who has.  I can imagine very easily though a gas
> station attendant or even a manager putting the wrong gas in the wrong tank.
> The users were prevented from misapplication by the difference in the size of
> the fuel pump nozzles, although I also seem to remember devices put on the
> market to defeat this difference by means of a nozzle adapter.
> 
> Any chance this was the cause Andy?

Unlikely.  The mechanic who replaced it said he'd never seen anything like
it - it was like a goo.  On both cars (happened about 3 months apart). 
Was the weirdest thing.  I probably wouldn't have minded as much if cat
converters didn't cost so damn much money.

I thought the problem with leaded gas was that it would "de-activate" the
catalysts that make the converter work.  It's been a while since I've
had to think about it though - even my bike has catalytic converters.

-Andy

Andy Poling                              Internet: andy@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu
UNIX Systems Programmer                  Bitnet: ANDY@JHUNIX
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