What would be a visual sign of a bypassed catalytic converter?

• A. A straight exhaust pipe where the catalytic converter should be.
• B. A bent exhaust pipe with no catalytic converter present.
• C. An exhaust pipe with excessive rust near the catalytic converter mounting.
• D. A connected dual exhaust with no converter.

Answer: (A)

When a catalytic converter is bypassed, the exhaust path around the converter is effectively straightened. The most noticeable sign is a straight section of exhaust pipe where the catalytic converter would normally be. This shows the converter isn’t in the flow path even though the rest of the exhaust system remains, which is exactly what “bypassed” implies. The other descriptions describe different situations (a bent pipe, rust, or a dual exhaust) that don’t accurately reflect the typical bypass configuration.