The Right Thing To Do:
Greener. Cleaner. Safer. No Power Loss!
Indmar Products Company, Inc. has announced the Industry’s first production-ready catalytic converter system ETX/CAT (Extreme Tuned Exhaust with Catalyst), patent pending. Starting this summer the ETX/CAT will be standard equipment on all 2007 Indmar 5.7 Liter premium electronic fuel injected (EFI) inboard engines, according to Indmar founder Dick Rowe.
A first for production gasoline marine inboard engines, the innovative Indmar technology significantly reduces exhaust emissions to less than 5 grams of combined hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) as required by California Air Resources Board (CARB) upcoming regulations. In fact, ETX/CAT-equipped Indmar inboards will be the first marine engines to earn CARB’s top rating of Four Star Super-Ultra-Low Emissions.
The most dramatic achievement for boater safety is ETX/CAT’s substantial reduction of carbon monoxide (CO) gases in all part-throttle operating modes. Neither CARB nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently regulates CO emissions, but when they do Indmar stands poised to meet or surpass those regulations.
More good news for boaters: There is no measurable engine power loss thanks to ETX/CAT’s extreme tuned manifold/catalyst design. With negligible backpressure, the ETX/CAT system is a free-breathing, header style, performance exhaust manifold with the catalytic converter built in.
The advanced single-piece manifold design extends the life of the part by preventing water intrusion or water inversion (water back-flowing into manifold), as is typical with outdated two-piece, center-rise exhaust systems.
Benefiting boat builders, ETX/CAT has a diminutive profile that makes it easy to incorporate the engine into a boat.
“It’s the right thing to do,” says Rowe. “Therefore, we will have ETX/CAT on all our Indmar 5.7L EFI premium engines, not only those sold in California but also every state. It’s a win/win for everyone; the industry, our OEM builders, boaters and our environment.”
The new Indmar proprietary ETX/CAT catalyst functions similar to a car’s. Hot exhaust gas flows into an engine-mounted canister with a catalyst brick of precious metals tucked inside. A high-temperature chemical reaction removes much of the government-targeted gasses (HC and NOx) as well as CO.
Beyond the government mandate of reducing emission levels the converter is important for the way it will enable the population to enjoy a recreational water-sports lifestyle with an extra margin of safety, while at the same time reducing boating’s environmental impact on both air and water quality.
“Taking a pro-active approach to emissions control means being part of the solution instead of merely following along,” says Rowe. “So boating can contribute to quality of life in all aspects.”
Indmar 5.7L Premium EFI V-8 engines fitted with ETX/CAT catalysts will become available this summer in 2007 models.
Since 1986, Indmar has partnered with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and worked closely with both CARB and the EPA on inboard gasoline marine engine emission regulations.
