The phrase describes the process of removing the internal components from a vehicle’s catalytic converter housing. This typically involves cutting open the converter’s casing and extracting the ceramic monolith, which contains precious metals that catalyze exhaust emissions. The primary action conveyed is a physical alteration of the emission control device.
This action is often undertaken for the retrieval of the precious metals within the catalytic converter, which can be resold. However, it is important to acknowledge that modifying or disabling a vehicle’s emission control system can have significant legal and environmental ramifications. Historically, the rise in this activity corresponds with increases in the value of rhodium, platinum, and palladium, the metals commonly found in catalytic converters.
