Skuzzy! about vehicle emissions

[mora]

I have not argued whether oil changes are too long, or too short. I was really curious about why the same make of car would have two different recommendations about oil change.

I think I have that one figured out and it was a rather fascinating learning process.    

Mora, my vehicle test report for my old Infiniti shows ppm/litre for HC and NOx, and a percentage/litre for CO. CO and CO2 are combined in the CO reading. I assume the same is true for your tests as well.    

I am still trying to find some technical papers which gives details as to why more frequent oil changes would help keep the emissions of a vehicle reduced. The studies are done, but finding stuff like this is like pulling teeth.

Yep, you didn't argue, my response was more directed to someone else. I have a hard time buying the emission argument though. If there's any information regarding this available I'd be interested in seeing it.

NOx is not measured here, but otherwise it's the same. It's strange that the CO2 and CO are combined though, as it would important to have them separately. Are you sure about that? In a normally working engine the CO2 level should be nearly 14.7% and CO close to zero.

[beet1e]

Mora - hope you don't mind my chiming in on this thread....

These days the CO2 output of any vehicle sold here in Britain is made available in the brochure as it has to be, because the yearly fee for the "tax disc" is based on exhaust emissions. The more you pollute, the more you pay. Does Finland have a similar system?

Skuzz - never got around to saying that the emissions test over here is carried out as part of the MOT test these days. I don't usually keep cars more than about three years, so rarely have to concern myself with it, but I had my Supra with a 3.0i turbo straight-6 for 6½ years, and 4 MOT tests. On the first of those tests, the guy working the machine thought there was something wrong with it or, as he put it, according to the machine, my engine wasn't running!  I think the readings went up in the later years, but were always well within limits.

[mora]

No similar tax system as of yet. The combined fuel consumption is on the registration though, so it's possible to start a CO2 based tax system in the future.

At the exhaust gas test a normally working car may show zero readings, but even a minor malfunction usually causes the values to go over the limits. It must be admitted that the US "enhanced" SMOG testing is very advanced compared to what we have, as it shows how the car will pollute in traffic under load. Even some newer cars have a hard time passing the static test, even though in traffic they perform to their specifications.

[eagl]

My 5.7L V8 never had any problems passing UK MOT emission tests

[lazs2]

yep... you could pull a couple of plug wires off an American V8 and it would pass a UK smog test... they really don't care about planet like we do.

lazs

[john9001]

dirty oil will give a high hydrocarbon reading on emission test. This is a fact, i ran across this when i was a working auto tech.


retired auto tech with 40+ years experience and too many certs to mention.

[mora]

Originally posted by john9001
dirty oil will give a high hydrocarbon reading on emission test. This is a fact, i ran across this when i was a working auto tech.retired auto tech with 40+ years experience and too many certs to mention.

Very true.

[mora]

Originally posted by lazs2
yep... you could pull a couple of plug wires off an American V8 and it would pass a UK smog test... they really don't care about planet like we do.

lazs

Dunno about UK, but I found a CA emission test table(non dyno). It turned out our limits are much more strict for cars newer than 1991. I suspect the limits are similar in the UK and the rest of the Europe.

http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/StdPage.asp?Body=/GenInfo/Publications/tsi_cutpoints_table-apr_1997.htm

In CA from 1993:

Idle:
HC     CO
100    1.0

2500 rpm:
HC     CO  
130    1.0


In FI from 1991, including trucks and vans:

Idle:
HC     CO
100    0.5

2500 rpm:
HC     CO     Lambda
100    0.3     1.00 +-0.03

I had a 1982 VW Jetta in the late 90's, and it would have passed CA SMOG test for cars newer than 1993. Actually many 80's cars with a carburator and no catalytic converter could pass it if properly tuned, because lambda doesn't seem to be measured.

[beet1e]

Originally posted by lazs2
they really don't care about planet like we do.