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Old 01-31-2020, 04:22 PM   #2 (permalink)
redpoint5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
If burning one gallon of gasoline produces 20 pounds of CO2 (is that true?), and if a car with a properly functioning CAT is modded to get 60 MPG instead of 30 MPG, hasn't it halved its total CO2 output?

AND

If gasoline catalytic converters produce CO2 from the CO and hydrocarbons in the exhaust, then isn't it possible that a 60 MPG car modded to run WITHOUT a CAT emits less CO2 than a 30 MPG car with a perfectly-operating CAT?

(Obviously, emitting poisonous gasses such as CO is not a good alternative to emitting CO2, but I am curious what you all think.)
I don't follow the 2nd half. Any 60 MPG car regardless of cat will emit less CO2 than any 30 MPG car, regardless of cat.

The first conclusion is right though. Burn half the fuel, emit half the CO2. Again, that's basically true regardless of cat status.
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