§ 1051.243 - How do I determine deterioration factors from exhaust durability testing?

§ 1051.243 How do I determine deterioration factors from exhaust durability testing?

This section describes how to determine deterioration factors, either with pre-existing test data or with new emission measurements.

(a) You may ask us to approve deterioration factors for an engine family based on emission measurements from similar vehicles or engines if you have already given us these data for certifying other vehicles in the same or earlier model years. Use good engineering judgment to decide whether the two vehicles or engines are similar. We will approve your request if you show us that the emission measurements from other vehicles or engines reasonably represent in-use deterioration for the engine family for which you have not yet determined deterioration factors.

(b) If you are unable to determine deterioration factors for an engine family under paragraph (a) of this section, select vehicles, engines, subsystems, or components for testing. Determine deterioration factors based on service accumulation and related testing to represent the deterioration expected from in-use vehicles over the full useful life, as follows:

(1) You must measure emissions from the emission-data vehicle at a low-hour test point and the end of the useful life. You may also test at evenly spaced intermediate points.

(2) Operate the vehicle or engine over a representative duty cycle for a period at least as long as the useful life (in hours or kilometers). You may operate the vehicle or engine continuously.

(3) You may perform maintenance on emission-data vehicles as described in § 1051.125 and 40 CFR part 1065, subpart E.

(4) If you measure emissions at only two points to calculate your deterioration factor, base your calculations on a linear relationship connecting these two data points for each pollutant. If you measure emissions at three or more points, use a linear least-squares fit of your test data for each pollutant to calculate your deterioration factor.

(5) Use good engineering judgment for all aspects of the effort to establish deterioration factors under this paragraph (b).

(6) You may use other testing methods to determine deterioration factors, consistent with good engineering judgment, as long as we approve those methods in advance.

(c) Include the following information in your application for certification:

(1) If you determine your deterioration factors based on test data from a different engine family, explain why this is appropriate and include all the emission measurements on which you base the deterioration factor.

(2) If you do testing to determine deterioration factors, describe the form and extent of service accumulation, including a rationale for selecting the service-accumulation period and the method you use to accumulate hours.

[70 FR 40496, July 13, 2005, as amended at 73 FR 59250, Oct. 8, 2008]