On Dec 22, 1997 11:51pm, RICH WILLBANKS wrote to JOHN F DAVIS:
JFD>> But the reason for unleaded gas is that lead clogs the
JFD>> converters
 RW> You're wrong.  Unleaded gas was mandated to reduce the
 RW> amount of lead in the environment.  There were studies
 RW> that showed the soil near heavily traveled roadways had
 RW> a high lead content.  And we all know that kids and
 RW> soil tend to mix ok but kids and lead don't.
Actually the catalytic converter is a device in the exhaust system that is
incorporated between the exhaust manifold and muffler that removes pollutants
from the exhaust, through the use of small beads, coated with metals such as
palladium and platinum, that cause chemical reactions that change pollutants
like carbon monoxide and some hydrocarbons into less toxic substances like
water and carbon dioxide. The exhaust gases are passed over these beads and 
the
reactions occur.  Recently the EPA funded a study to determine how effective
these converters are and if when they begin to fail, if they discharge
quantities of the metals found on the beads.  The concern is when the
converters age, they too begin polluting with a heavy metal, similar in
toxicity to lead.  Kind of a interesting twist, eh?
I've got a friend who insists Cat converters were invented by Midas Muffler 
o
insure exhaust systems would rust out within a year :)
... Kendra.com - Internet for $14.95 a month
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/Wildcat5! v2.0
---------------