Do big rigs have catalytic converters?
 

Do big rigs have catalytic converters? Since most run between states, are there any emission laws they have to follow as well?

No not currently. But the new generation trucks coming out in '08 will have both the cat and the particle traps. One of the problems with these new systems will be that after so many service hour, which I think is 40 hours, the truck will need to stop and idle for about 40 minutes to regenerate and burn/clean out the particle traps................

That's good to hear, in a way. Makes me feel better about straight piping mine. You'd think all or at least some big rigs would have cats after all the pressure they put on the general population for emissions.

On some big rigs and transit buses cats were required in '94-'95 to meet emissions laws. It didn't work due to the high miles these rigs put on, cats clogged and had to be replaced while still under warranty. After repeated expensive cat swaps some engine manufacturers gave up and swapped engines under warranty for a lower emissions design that didn't require a cat. Luckily for manufacturers these cat required engines weren't widespread.

All of the ACCERT Caterpillar engines have converters, which I believe came out in '04. I also have an '03 C-15 "bridge" engine which also has converters.

None of the old 2004-2007 Acert Cat engines have DPF's. They just use different engine management, twin turbos and some other small changes with a catalytic converter.

Acert Cat's added DPF's as of Jan 2007 for the new emission standards along with EGR. Cummin's ISX's are using a similar system but VGT turbos instead of twins. We've switched over from buying Cat C-13 and C-15 exclusively to the Cummins ISX for these newest engines, the old man likes the Cummins emission control better plus they're a little easier on fuel.

The new 07 cats do have a new exhaust set up that which is supposed to work like a converter, they also have a sparkpug in the down pipe and a coil on the side of the engine that is supposed to burn soot out of the muffler. All of our new 07 engines cat, detroit ,mercedes, all have a similar setup.

Yes that's the new DPF setup. The Cat uses a sparkplug to keep it hot but the Cummins does not... Plus Cummins stuck with a single VGT turbo instead of twins and that's one of the main reasons we made the switch. They have more experience with EGR than Cat as well because they've been using it since this emission B.S started in 2002.

I'm in a specialty market, transit buses.
Detroit Diesel Series 50 led with cooled EGR in 2001 and DPF in 2003
DD pulled the Series 50 from transit in 2005
Cat C-9 Acert has been running DPF since 2004
Cummins ISl & ISM finally caught up in 2005 We're just starting a contract with ISL-07 engines.

All of our gaseous (CNG) fueled engines run a catalytic muffler since 2002

So the way I understand it, basically nearly all big diesel engine equipped vehicles did NOT have a catalytic converter, EGR, or particulate filter until about 2001-2002. Am I right?

That's right.