Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => General Discussion => Topic started by: paulr on February 04, 2007, 12:07:03
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Can a Catalytic Converter be fitted to our SL's?
paulr
lovely 1970 280 SL
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I think Mercedes made a catalytic converter kit for the 113s, rather expensive as I recall. Others probably know more about it.
Aside from that, I've wondered the same thing. Some considerations are that a modern 3-way cat probably would not work well, but the older type that controls only CO should. Also, these cars run rich, and cats can run excessively hot in a rich exhaust stream. Usually cats are fitted close to the engine to heat up as rapidly as possible, but in our case, maybe further back would help prevent overheating the cat (i.e., a rich mixture makes more heat, but less direct exhaust heat might balance it out?). That would be a bit of a risk, I guess. A high-flow aftermarket type cat might be best, that might also tend to run cooler at the expense of being less efficient. Or maybe a cat with an air pipe as used on some 1970s/80s vintage US cars, but how to control the extra air? And, to keep things simple, one might want a single exhaust pipe instead of the dual pipes.
George Davis
'69 280 SL Euro manual
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Paul,
I don't know how well you read German but there is an active discussion going on the German web site:
http://www.pagodentreff.de/diskussionsforum/t3454-katalysator-nachruesten.html?highlight=katalysator
http://www.pagodentreff.de/diskussionsforum/t3407-kat-fuer-pagode.html?highlight=abgas
http://www.pagodentreff.de/diskussionsforum/t3071-katalysator.html?highlight=katalysator
Apparently, there used to be 2 types available. One from Mercedes and another made by Wurm [http://www.wurmkat.de/] but both stopped making/ selling it.
The difference between the two - if I understand the tech lingo correctly - was that Wurm controlled only the fresh air intake [via a "Lambdasonde" (= Lambda probe??)] while the M-B unit controlled air intake and fuel supply [via the CSV].
One member indicated that he had only good experience with the M-B cat in his 280SL (10 years and only one new lambdaprobe after 100K km) but wrote that 230SL owners were not satisfied, most likely because of the different injection pump.
Another post indicated that this company may provide another solution soon: http://www.lenz.de/en/content.php?ps=0&pid=1
I guess everyone is very anxious over there that the new German emission regulations will soon relegate Pagodas and similar vintage cars to garage or museum status.
Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
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quote:
Originally posted by paulr
Can a Catalytic Converter be fitted to our SL's?
http://index.php?topic=1417
Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both tops
1994 E420