More Info on Catalytic Converters
Nowadays, as the world gets busier, more vehicles are taking drifts on the road. This implies that with more cars, the more pollution we could get. Cities around the world especially here in the U.S. are doing numerous campaigns and other projects in order to save the environment from pollution caused by the toxic emissions of motor vehicles and other smoke-generating industries. Maybe we could not completely get rid of the pollution caused by vehicles but we could lessen the harmful effects that we and our environment suffer from. Moreover, laws on minimizing toxic emissions produced by vehicles are strictly imposed.
Most vehicle manufacturers of today have their own way of reducing these harmful effects. They now included additional components on the car's engine and fuel system to do this. One of the devices developed by auto manufacturers that control the emission of pollutant in the internal combustion engine is the catalytic converter. A catalytic converter reduces the toxicity produced. It is located between the fuel system and the exhaust system of conventional vehicles.
Most modern cars that you can find out in the market today are already equipped with a catalytic converter that contains three?way system. The three-way system performs three different processes. The first process of the three-way catalytic converter is the reduction catalyst. In the reduction catalyst stage, it reduces the amount of nitrous oxide produced by the engine and converts it to much safer chemicals, like nitrogen and oxygen.
Next process is the oxidation catalyst that performs oxidation of carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. The third and last process is the control system. Control system performs the last and the most significant task of a catalytic converter which is the oxidation of unburned hydrocarbons and then turns it into carbon dioxide and water.
The three processes performed by a catalytic converter occur before the actual emission of the exhaust. Catalytic converters contain several parts. The core, which is found in modern catalytic converters, is a ceramic or stainless steel honeycomb that supports the catalyst in performing oxidation. Another component is the washcoat. The washcoat is a mixture of silicon and aluminum, which is added to the core and forms a hard, rough surface. The washcoat was developed by car manufacturers to make the catalytic converter more efficient.
There are bunches of different catalytic converter brands you can find today like the Nissan Sentra catalytic converters, Ford catalytic converters, and other Nissan parts.
Top Ten Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs for 2006
Regardless of whether your mode of transportation is a Schwinn, a Hummer H1, or a pair of worn-out Nikes, fuel-prices are hitting your wallet just like the rest of us. Fact is, a rise in the cost of a barrel of crude means a jump in the cost of gas, which in turn means higher transport costs, which in turn means your local grocer is paying more for a load of produce and you're paying more for a head of lettuce, and your plumber is charging more to cover his increased overhead, not to mention the extra funds he needs to feed his family and put clothes on his kids' backs. When gas prices rise, everything else gets more expensive, and when cars start selling like hotcakes in rapidly expanding markets like China and India, demand usually dictates more pain at the pump. This is especially painful for drivers who need a spacious and roomy vehicle such as SUVs, a ride that is typically unkind in its unquenchable thirst for petrol. Indeed, there are times when a Toyota Prius or a bus pass won't do, so we've compiled a list of ten fuel-efficient, 2006 SUVs that are currently available, all boasting respectable EPA-rated fuel economy figures and more utility than a Little Red Wagon. Each model on the list achieves at least 24 mpg in mixed driving when mated to an automatic transmission ? the transmission type most consumer choose ? and is ranked according to our editors' recommendations and personal choices. According to the EPA, nine of the vehicles get 25 mpg combined or better, so to make this a proper Top 10 list, we voted in our favorite member of the 24-mpg club to round things out. All EPA data is current as of April 2006. 1st PlaceIf the name RAV4 brings to mind a small, awkwardly-designed, underpowered cute 'ute, it's time to visit your Toyota dealer to reboot your impression of this capable SUV. Redesigned for 2006, the RAV4 still falls to the feminine side of the gender scale, but it presents a more upscale look compared to the 2005 model and makes the impressive original look like a shop-class experiment. Behind the sleek sheetmetal is a spacious cabin with seating for up to seven passengers, front- or all-wheel-drive capability, and a choice of powertrains. Base models, starting at a smidge below $22,000, are equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine pushing 166 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque that's mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. In front-wheel-drive guise, this fuel-efficient version returns an EPA-estimated 24 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined; add four-wheel drive and those figures change to 23 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. In addition, the base price rises by $1,400 with 4WD. If that was the end of the story, the 2006 Toyota RAV4 would appear as a competent SUV with impressive fuel efficiency, though a little light on power for some tastes. However, there's more to this little 'ute, like an available 3.5-liter V6 pushing 269 horsepower and 246 lb.-ft. of torque through a five-speed automatic transmission. Best of all, fuel economy closely mirrors that of the four-cylinder. With power going only to the front wheels, a RAV4 with the V6 is rated at 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined; four-wheel-drive models are rated at 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. The base price of a four-wheel-drive Limited model with the six-cylinder engine is about $26,000, which makes the RAV4 about similar in price and economy to the Honda CR-V despite more than 100 extra horsepower. 2nd Place - Honda CR-V 3rd Place - Honda's Element 4th Place - Subaru Outback 5th Place - Ford Escape Hybrid 6th Place - Subaru Forester 7th Place - Lexus RX 400h8th Place - Mercury Mariner Hybrid 9th Place - Toyota Highlander Hybrid10th Place - Chevrolet HHR
Kevin Hobbs is an team member of Auto-by-tel , a leading automotive resource for new and used car pricing and auto reviews.
The New Mitsubishi Colt Coupé-Cabriolet, Now On Sale
Crossing dozens of miles from the English Channel, the new Mitsubishi Colt Coupéƒabriolet finally arrived and is currently on sale this week in our country. The new coupe from Mitsubishi is said to be the third and final model of the award winning Colt family series developed by Mitsubishi Motors. The Colt CZC model was developed based on the Colt 5 door platform. Other two model grades of the Mitsubishi Colt Coupe-Cabriolet that is on sale this month includes the 1.5L CZC INVITE and the superior 1.5L CZC Turbo. For the Colt CZC, price starts at ?25,499 excluding other additional charges.
The Mitsubishi Colt CZC is relatively identical to Ford's Focus Coupe-Cabriolet. Like the Ford Focus coupe, the Mitsubishi Colt CZC also combines the tactical ingenuity of Mitsubishi engineers and the elegant Italian style made by Pininfarina S.p.A., an Italian coachbuilder and vehicle specialty maker based in Turin, Italy.
The new Mitsubishi Colt CZC features an advanced two-piece semi-automatic retractable hard top. With just a single switch of a button, it silently and effortlessly stuffs the retracted roof in the rear making it completely hidden as if it does not exist. After retracting, the roof can be placed back to its normal position in just seconds. Drivers and passengers will surely enjoy the different riding conditions using this new coupe from Mitsubishi.
The engine system consists of an inter-cooled turbo charger, along with the high-performance 1468CC four-cylinder engine developed by Mitsubishi Motors Japan that features low-friction pistons, hollow camshafts, more robust engine mountings, and a performance enhancing cylinder baffle plate offers a stunning 150BHP at 6000RPM.
Watch out for the release of the new Mitsubishi Colt CZC in the U.S. and try to browse the newest vehicles developed by Mitsubishi Motors. In addition, try also to have an update on Mitsubishi parts and other accessories.
