Thread: VW caught by the Yanks for breaking emission laws

Originally Posted by Avion8

It was Castrol R Racing Motor Oil, it smelled fantastic & I remember it well from watching races at Brands Hatch & Lydden Hill back in the 60's.

And if you'd gone to Mt Coot-tha Hill Climb, a couple of weeks back, you'd have smelt it there too.

Glad to advise my Gardner 6LX engines meet all original emissions specs 100%.

There's a niche market, fragrant engine oils, hate to think what was spewing out.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

The story in the Christian Science Monitor said the software detected the vehicle was being operated in the mode used for emissions testing (steady speed, stable revs, wheels straight ahead etc) and cut the fuel flow. Once the mode of operation changed it reverted to full fuelling, which increased emissions of nitrous oxides by up to 35 times depending on the model. Fuel economy might improve, but emssions results would breach the latest American rules. In other words, the cars were poisoning the atmosphere and people.

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That's mostly wrong, the problem is that these vehicles burn too little fuel to keep the catalytic converter hot and functioning. They are supposed to do this by reducing oxygen with exhaust gas recirculation. Therefore the vehicles EGT is higher, power is down and economy is poorer than in the cheating VWs. The catalytic converter is supposed to break down the nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide into nitrogen and CO2 and this requires the heat from rich mixtures in the exhaust stream.

Originally Posted by Avion8

It was Castrol R Racing Motor Oil, it smelled fantastic & I remember it well from watching races at Brands Hatch & Lydden Hill back in the 60's.

Castrol R30, a castor oil in with the fuel was a winner also. Shame it had so much lint in it which meant everything had to be rebuilt after each event.

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

I freely admit that I haven't done the Science on this, but indications are that the BAS remap has made my Defender more fuel efficient, at least on the Highway. So my question would be: Which gasses and how much of them are reduced by the EGR? Do they actually reduce emissions if they make vehicles less fuel efficient?
The Defender should also be given credit for it's longevity, given that, as I once read, more emissions are caused in the production of a vehicle than it will produce in it's life time.(On average).

Nitric / Nitrous oxides, collectively known as NOx which are affected mostly by combustion temperatures within the combustion chamber.
The EGR lowers the combustion temps by introducing an inert atmosphere into the combustion chamber (ie exhaust gases) to reduce NOx.

That's the long and the short of it at least... plenty more reading is out there if you need the full version.

Thanks Mitch. It's time I did the Science. Nitrous Oxide isn't scary though. There must be something more evil lurking at the tail pipe.
Cheers, Billy.

Originally Posted by cuppabillytea

Thanks Mitch. It's time I did the Science. Nitrous Oxide isn't scary though. There must be something more evil lurking at the tail pipe.
Cheers, Billy.

NOx are the components which cause smog and acid rain. Which have various environmental concerns.

Originally Posted by Avion8

It was Castrol R Racing Motor Oil, it smelled fantastic & I remember it well from watching races at Brands Hatch & Lydden Hill back in the 60's.

I used to run that in my Ducati and Moto Guzzi. Loved it. Gun oil is nice too.