Exhausted

Heh, a pun. No really the volvo needs a new exhaust very badly. It sounds a bit like a cement truck with a loose rock rattling around inside. That is the death rattle of the catalytic converter as the ceramic honey comb inside it that converts Hydrocarbons and NOx to H2O and CO2 (see left) disintegrated about two weeks ago. This has the dual negative effect of being a pollution monster and it plugs up the exhaust going out. So the engine has to work harder and it uses more gas. That in turn produces more pollution. Its a vicious cycle.

On the plus side, I really needed a new system when I bought the car, and that was 17 months and 13k miles ago. And I don't have to worry about being careful removing anything because it is all being replaced. Does any one have a grinder wheel?