The coating acts as a catalyst and causes the undesirable
carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to be converted Into
harmless carbon dioxide and water vapor. The converter Is
designed to last the life of the vehicle under normal usage
and service. It does, however, require the use of unleaded
fuel. Use of leaded fuel, which is prohibited by Federal law,
will render the catalyst inettective and result in substantially
higher emissions.
If the catalyst has been contaminated by the use of leaded
fuels, it may be necessary to have the coated beads replaced
(pellet type), or to replace the entire catalytic converter (mon
olithic type). The combination of catalytic converter and un
leaded fuel helps you enjoy low emission levels and reduced
maintenance.
Catalytic Convertera: Some Cautions
• Keep your engine properly tuned (see pages 84-85)
and the exhaust system in good shape.
• An out-of-tune engine or certain carburetion or ignition
malfunctions could cause the converter to get too hot,
possibly damaging it or your vehicle. Don't continue to
drive your vehicle
if
the engine regularly misfires, stalls or
quits. Get the problem diagnosed and fixed promptly.
• The following warning signs wlll let you know if your
converter is getting too hot. First, you will notice a pun
gent odor-"like something is burning." Second, and
more critical,
you
may notice some light smoke. Either
warning means your engine may be out of tune or mal
functioning and require immediate service correction.
• Be careful where you drive or park. As with any exhaust
system, catalytic converter temperatures can get quite
high and under certain conditions might ignite com
bustible materials such as dry grass, leaves or brush.
• If
your vehicle has a manual transmission, don't push or
tow it for extended periods to get it started. Unburned
fuel mixture could enter the converter, and once the
engine has started could ignite and cause the converter
�
to overheat and rupture.
.. ·•
• If
you have your vehicle undercoated, make sure no un
dercoating material is sprayed on the exhaust system ... it
could cause smoke and odor.
If
your vehicle is to be shipped overseas to areas where
unleaded fuel is not available, and then is to be returned to
107
Summary of Contents for Cherokee 1977
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