Thread: EPA warning

My friend also had one a while back, but it was an oil burning Magna - clearly deserving.

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

I got a letter from the EPA reporting my Disco as being too smoky.

I grant the following - occasionally at idle it emits a light black sooty rubbish - probably expected for nozzles with 250k on them. The letter doesn't say whether I was stopped idling at the time or accelerating.

I've called them and was directed to their website. The girl said that diesel vehicles are not exempt, nor is travelling up hill or hard throttle. It is unacceptable for smoke to be emitted for 10 seconds or longer. From a hot or cold start, there must be no visible smoke after 10 seconds idling.


It advises that the police or EPA officers can fine me if I get caught by them.


Seems like tough criteria for an old diesel. I'll visit Rankin Diesel and seek their advice.

You tend to get them after you have upset another driver. It's called revenge.

Current legislation in NSW allows Police (goodness knows with what technical knowledge) to direct the registered owner of a vehicle deemed to emit undue noise or emissions to an EPA inspection station. The process is actually a report to the EPA and they chase up the owner. Failure to comply with a direction to report to the EPA can mean cancellation of registration - i think it's well meaning but a bit ridiculous affording and untrained person the power to put you off the road until a test is completed - at your expense.

Sure the Magna example may be valid but when members of the public (and misguided Police) have that sort of power the 'revenge' argument is a concern - and very unsympathetic to a poor old diesel warming itself up in the morning

They should be going back to the workshop that signed off on its last roadworthy - in NSW thats every 12 months...

I'm sure that sort of legislation is going to save us all from ourselves

Matt.

If these rules were actually enforced there would be no toyota diesels left on the road.

The Epa dont know what hills are especially if it takes longer than 10 seconds to get to the top

Lots of old Macks on the road bellowing the black stuff.What about the Super Truck Racers,they belch it out?????
Andrew

Originally Posted by LandyAndy

Lots of old Macks on the road bellowing the black stuff.What about the Super Truck Racers,they belch it out?????
Andrew

If the tip of the exhaust pipe is at least 3m from the ground, it can smoke all day as much as it likes, like trucks etc.

I'm not overly concerned, I just thought for most passenger car / 4wd diesels they're a tough criteria.

Originally Posted by B92 8NW

I got a letter from the EPA reporting my Disco as being too smoky.

I grant the following - occasionally at idle it emits a light black sooty rubbish - probably expected for nozzles with 250k on them. The letter doesn't say whether I was stopped idling at the time or accelerating.

I've called them and was directed to their website. The girl said that diesel vehicles are not exempt, nor is travelling up hill or hard throttle. It is unacceptable for smoke to be emitted for 10 seconds or longer. From a hot or cold start, there must be no visible smoke after 10 seconds idling.


It advises that the police or EPA officers can fine me if I get caught by them.


Seems like tough criteria for an old diesel. I'll visit Rankin Diesel and seek their advice.

I was under the impression that the 10 second limit was for the dissapation of the black smoke, in other words if the cloud of black smoke didn't dissapate in 10 seconds, I may be wrong, I often am, I had a similar problem with my Mack truck, I adjusted the fuel metering down and had the complaint cleared, maybe you could do the same, Regards Frank.