All of the exhaust system’s components are made to enhance the vehicles’ overall performance in one way or another except for one – the catalytic converter. This is a part that makes sure that the highly polluting particles aren’t released into the environment as such, by converting them to ones that are more environmentally friendly. The job that this part performs is rather complex, but finding the best type of catalytic converter for you based on the material that it’s made of is simple – just go for a stainless steel one. Since there are two types of materials that a catalytic converter can be made of, we are going to go over the benefits that the above-mentioned converter has over the ceramic one.
When it comes to withstanding certain negative mechanical impacts, stainless steel is the clear winner here which is why it is the more expensive option. A stainless catalytic converter is less prone to failure due to its strong structure which means it has higher chances to maintain its initial shape when put up against extreme physical pressure.
A stainless catalytic converter won’t be affected by issues related to the auto-ignition system. For example, if your vehicle is failing to start on a regular basis, then you are not running the risk of the honeycomb structure inside the converter exploding to pieces. This usually happens because there is unburned gasoline inside that has accumulated because of those failed starts.
When it comes to keeping heat under control, stainless converters are the way to go, even if you go for a smaller one. Since catalytic converters need high temperatures in order to perform efficiently, installing a stainless steel one will make sure that is the case since it offers a quicker light-off time and it heats up faster. You might be wondering if this isn’t a bit on the downside, but don’t worry – a stainless steel converter is also less prone to overheating and it has a higher resistance to heat stress. It also conducts heat way better.
The other important benefits of a stainless steel converter involve having higher catalytic power, being easier to recycle and giving you a wider choice of cell density ranging from 25 to 1200 CPSI (Cells per Square Inch). They have thinner substrate walls that are only 0.03mm wide rather than the 0.1mm you get with ceramic converters.