TESTING SUPPORT FOR AN EVALUATION OF A HOUSTON PHYSICAL AND FUNCTIONAL INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE PROGRAM

The standard mass emission (Federal Test Procedure) was performed for determination of the effects of inspection and maintenance on a sample of passenger cars operating in the Houston area. This sample was also used for obtaining abbreviated emission test (short cycle test), fuel economy, and emission component system maladjustment and disablement and other data. Four-hundred eighty vehicles were inspected under the program: one-hundred from the 1980 model year, one-hundred 1979 vehicles, one-hundred 1978 vehicles, sixty 1977 vehicles, sixty 1976 vehicles and sixty from the 1975 model year. Both domestic and imported auto makes were examined. All vehicles which failed an initial inspection, a total of 206 vehicles, were subject to a baseline and set of replicate test sequences comprised of the FTP, the 50 Cruise Test, the Highway Fuel Economy Test, the Loaded Two Mode Test and the Four Speed Idle Test. A prescribed maintenance step preceded each of the replicate sequences. Failed vehicles were further subject to an emission control system maladjustment/disablement and status inspection, driveability evaluations and owner-interviews to obtain vehicle maintenance and usage data.

• Corporate Authors:

  Automotive Testing Laboratories

  Aurora, CO  United States 

  Environmental Protection Agency

  Test and Evaluation Branch, 2565 Plymouth Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48105
• Publication Date: 1980-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 314 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air quality management; Automobiles; Equipment; Exhaust gases; Fuel consumption; Information processing; Inspection; Maintenance; Performance evaluations; Test procedures; Vehicle maintenance
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Old TRIS Terms: Air pollution control devices; Automobile makes
• Subject Areas: Energy; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I95: Vehicle Inspection;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00336195
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: EPA-460/3-80-021 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: EPA-68-03-2935
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 21 1981 12:00AM