Is it true that when you don't run an airpump, you don't run a cat? If so, why? It is because without the fresh air being pumped into the exhaust by the airpump, the cat will die?

 

pretty much

 

No. The extra air helps to burn off emissions "better". That doesn't mean it will kill your converter without the airpump, however, your emissions is not be as clean as when the airpump is hooked up.

 

Agreed.

 

There is no way you will pass a smog exam without an airpump and vise-versa. So if you are going to get rid of one, then you might as well get rid of the other.

 

The airpump is only on from idle-3k and only when the engine is not under load conditions, but most of the time its not doing anything anyways, Ive been without my airpump for about a year now, Taking my cat off tomorrow to replaced it with a midpipe, so well see if its all cloged up or whatnot

 

Here are a coule pics of the honeycomb that I beat out of my main catalytic converter. As far as I know, the main cat is original. At the time of this picture I had been running my main cat without an airpump for about 8000 miles using Mobil1 15w-50 fully synthetic and Marvel Mystery Oil pre-mix.