Catalytic activity of cordierite honeycomb by a completely new coating method for the oxidation of major hydrocarbons in exhaust gas is reported here. The new coating process consists of (a) dipping and growing gamma-Al2O3 on cordierite by combustion of monolith dipped in the aqueous solution of Al(NO3)(3) and oxalyldihydrazide (ODH) (or glycine) at 600 degrees C and active catalyst phase Ce0.98Pd0.02O2 -delta on gamma-Al2O3-coated cordierite again by combustion of monolith dipped in the aqueous solution of ceric ammonium nitrate, ODH and 1.2 x 10(-3) M PdCl2 solution at 500 degrees C. Weight of active catalyst can be varied from 0.02 wt% to 2 wt% which is sufficient but can be loaded even up to 12 wt% by repeating dip dry combustion. Adhesion of catalyst to cordierite surface is via oxide growth, which is very strong. 'HC' oxidation over the monolith catalyst is carried out with a mixture having the composition, 470 ppm of both propene and propane and 870 ppm of both ethylene and acetylene with the varying amount of O-2. Three-way catalytic test is done by putting hydrocarbon mixture along with CO (10 000 ppm), NO (2000 ppm) and O-2 (15 000 ppm). Below 350 degrees C full conversion is achieved. In this method, handling of nano-material powder is avoided. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.