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Re: Emissions...%-{
> From: healey@lerc.nasa.gov (jim healey)
> >After calling a couple of shops and then finally the vechicle emissions
> >testing bureau, I have been told that I cannot "tube-out" the middle muffler.
> >
> >By changing the system to eliminate back-pressure, they would be actually
> >*increasing* the emissions output even tho it may still be an acceptable level.
> >This is in violation of the Clean Air Act and makes the shop subject to a
> >$2,500 fine.
> >
> >The question is, then, are performance exhaust systems even legal now? This
> >would say NO if you want to drive it on the road here in the Milwaukee
> >metro/south-east Wi area.
> >
> >Sounds like a long nite with my friend the hack-saw... ;-)
> >
> >Chris
>
> Now don't you feel like a criminal for even considering this. Its a good thing
> those guv'mint regulators were doing their job or we'd all be branded
> toxic polluters. - yeah I know, this sarcasm will eat me up. But I have to
> believe
> that the US auto manufacturers would love nothing more than to see the after-
> market shops closed up. I guess they figure if you want more horsepower
> you should have bought the deluxe model. And the politicians just go along
> with this drivel in the name of saving the world (sorry, I meant planet)
I don't understand. If it were so easy to add HP with no other adverse
effects, the manufacturers would do it. Sure, in the old days, one
could add headers and change mufflers and get free horsepower. But how
many engines then put out 100 HP/liter (e.g. the S4)? Most modern
German cars already have header-type exhausts _and_ larger pipes. Many
even have multiple cats, so the increased HP obtained by bastardizing
the exhaust system will come at the price of noise and/or air
pollution.
If car manufacturers were at all capable of stalling progress, we'd
still be driving around on bias-ply tyres!
While all these pollution regulations do sound ridiculous to those
living in less-populous areas, they make sense to us NJ residents. In
fact, the county in which I live and work is one of the many which
exceed federal pollution limits by >20%, and believe me, this is a
problem, especially on hot summer days. Since there are still many
older, high-polluting vehicles on the road and nothing can be done
about that, they are instituting a Employee Trip Reduction Plan, which
is basically forced carpooling. As more counties exceed pollution
limits, this plan and more like it will be imposed on those counties.
So even though I can afford to drive a low-pollution new car, I soon
won't be allowed to because others have chosen to save money by driving
high-pollution cars either out of necessity or choice. Just going into
town at lunch, an old pickup truck in front of us brought tears to our
eyes and probably many others in the small town where I work.
The basic problem is that the low price of gasoline does not reflect
the total economic cost associated with its consumption, which many
analyses have shown to be over $5/gallon. Remember that every day,
American drivers alone travel the total distance from the Earth to
Pluto and back! Mankind is no longer insignificant in the total
picture of the universe.
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John Greenstreet, Senior Engineer (jgreenst@motown.ge.com)
Martin Marietta Government Electronic Systems Moorestown NJ 08057
WPI Class of '75, Temple Class of '94
My new car history:
1975 1978 1982 1986 1989 1992 1995
VW -> Audi -> Audi -> Mercedes -> Mercedes -> Audi -> Mercedes
Scirocco Fox GTI 4000S 190E 2.3 190E 2.6 100CS S320
POSSLQ's* new car history:
1978 1981 1985 1988 1990 1993
Triumph -> Toyota -> Toyota -> VW -> Audi -> Audi
Spitfire Tercel Corolla Jetta GL 80 90S
*POSSLQ = Person of Opposite Sex Sharing Living Quarters
Note: All Audis and Mercedes above were sold to friends or family.
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