Would not the removal of a smog pump induce a hydrocarbon rich exhaust stream into the catalyst, therby increasing temperatures and possibly melting the substrate. My understanding was that the pump introduced oxygen in the exhaust ports to finish combusting the unburned warm-up fuel mixture to reduce hydrocarbon emission AND to complete the combustion upstream of the catalyst so that excess fuel poisoning and subsequent overtemp of the substrate might be avoided.

[This message has been edited by ralfmalph (edited 08-23-2000).]