Emissions

[Tom Sharples]

I find that 80% of faults with modern cars are something to do with an emission system/device. I’m aware engines pollute, I’m neither ignorant or denying it. What I want to discuss is : Have manufacturers/governing bodies pushed too far for emission regulations on vehicles?
My opinion is that the emission regulations get stricter so quickly that technology cannot keep up, by the time a system is tried and tested (reliable) it is out of date and something else has had to be implemented. Give us a chance.

Topic

[THERMAL]

What are the 80% of faults you are refering to ?

[EricTheCarGuy]

I think it’s more of a question of monitoring. As vehicles get more sophisticated they monitor more things that can set the CEL off. My point is those faults you speak of have always been there they just haven’t been as tightly monitored. These days emissions work may be the only work you get as it falls outside the scope of most DIY’s. As far as if they’ve pushed too far. Here is a picture of the LA skyline from last month. Notice the haze. That’s smog.

[attachment]la skyline.jpg[/attachment]

[Tom Sharples]

[quote=”THERMAL” post=41257]What are the 80% of faults you are refering to ?[/quote]

I am referring to common faults these days seem to be more emission related, clogged EGR because low friction rings fitted causing oil consumption, low resistance turbo bearings and seals leaking into intake system, stop start systems eating batteries etc. just my opinion from recent experience

[Heath Knox]

your are correct in saying that most codes are “emission” related. But even the codes that are say for the evap system will have an effect on the cars proformance. So yes they may be just “emission” codes but they are there for more than just emissions. As a tech you’ll see that buy fixing something emissions related will sometimes make the car run better and get better mpg. I had a costemer come in for a MIL light on and but they also said that the car was running bad no guts and crappy mileage. Fouind a leak in the EGR gasket. Sent them on there way and two weeks later they came back for an oil change. They said there car hasn’t run this good in the past 6 months. Amazing what 30mins and about a 2 dollar part did for the car.

[toyodagreg]

there are going to be emission codes that will affect performance, esp. a leaking egr, where the air/fuel mixture gets diluted. But if you have an evap leak or something, then it wont affect it. The government does push the manufacturer further each year. But also its the competition between the manufacturers for mpg’s and cutting down the cost of maintaining the cars. Each year at my dealership when we do our new vehicle modules they always have new codes coming out with them with the new systems.

[Heath Knox]

Youi are correct that more are going to be added. I don’t know if you have done any reading on OBDIII systems that are in the making.

But with that being said I work in an emissions state. If that MIL light is on it has to be fixed or no insepection. So even the EVAP codes need to be addressed. This is helpful as a Technicion because you get paid to fix cars.

[Pat61]

[quote=”Toyotatech” post=41235]I find that 80% of faults with modern cars are something to do with an emission system/device. I’m aware engines pollute, I’m neither ignorant or denying it. What I want to discuss is : Have manufacturers/governing bodies pushed too far for emission regulations on vehicles?
[/quote]

I have mixed feelings where gasoline engines are concerned, however, I am strongly against things like regeneration & DPFs in diesel engines. Burning more fuel to make marginal gains in tailpipe emissions is ludicrous. God help anyone who gets a whiff of high-sulfur fuel…

[Ken]

Those repair magazines are worth their weight in gold. I read something about P0420, catalyst below efficiency code. Cats are notoriously bad in Nissans and Toyotas. But this article was saying that some cats, especially in Nissans, can get a PCM reflash, and it will change the parameters or in a sense, tell the catalyst referee to turn it’s head, “nothing to see here…” and it’ll then be within limits. Maybe the original parameters were a mistake and too strict. Or maybe Nissan just wanted to avoid a costly recall or who knows what, so long as it passes the actual dyno emissions test, right? So instead of having the customer spend $500-1000 on a cat and two o2 sensors, they’ll just need a $100-125 reflash that takes a few minutes. Some techs aren’t happy about this, but how could you sleep at night knowing you cheated someone out of $1,000? Who would want to live with that?

I believe America’s tough emissions and safety standards are why we don’t have those amazing 3-cylinder diesels in Europe that get 60+ miles to the gallon. But then again, it probably also has to do with low American demand for cars like that and the different ways they calculate MPG. But when gas hits $10 a gallon, the tides will turn…

No wonder we were swamped at our smog and repair shop in CA. You couldn’t pass smog if it had a single code. Guess it made us mechanics a lot of money. Now I’m in a state that doesn’t smog, and it’s just EVAP and O2 and Catalyst and Lean code after code, and the overwhelming majority of them don’t bother ever getting it fixed. Oh if they’d only appreciate how lucky they are they aren’t in a strict smog state. Poor souls in CA worrying about the Referee and what they can and can’t do to their cars, and these guys in other states can do whatever they want. Strange world.

[Author]

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