Quote:
Originally Posted by sid
When I worked for Chrysler as a design engineer back in the late 1970's, we were working on lean burn engines. But we were having a lot of problems getting them to pass emissions tests. Nitrogen oxides (NOXs) were the big problem. They also tended to burn up catalytic converters if we tried to add them to cars. They may have fixed those problems after I left. But I also think the Feds tightened pollution standards since then, too, which effectively killed all lean burn vehicles in the US.
One reason the same cars in the US get poorer fuel economy than in other countries is that we have different pollution standards. Our standards are optimized to reduce smog and carcinogens. Other countries tend to optimize for minimum greenhouse gases. Optimizing for minimum greenhouse gases usually gets much better fuel economy than optimizing for minimum smog. It is hard to get the EPA to reconsider their pollution requirements, especially since some places in the US still have occasional smog problems.
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I am there now, with a carbed subaru. Been there for 23 years...
the most drama is the second catalyst, a honeycombed resonator on the sube.. I made my own very heavy guage. The original melted. I saved my last one, because it is the last time I will ever see such a thing.
a good sign for lean burn is crazy hoses all over the engine. I cannot even switch into it without may-september...I could unhook the switch that allows it, but do not.
The NOx stuff is a real mystery...my machines do the opposite when going towards lean. New engine measurements, lack of study and insanity...I do not know where they got this NOX theory...bizarre backwards.. much like EGR and the dangers it creates. Lean Burn= perfect. I blame lack of manly materials surrounding perfection.
another sign of it is looking for a hybrid label or "PZEV" somewhere on the car...and word of mouth of no BS owners.
the real lean burn does have anomolies.. it even adds to the demise of anyhting less than 18 gauge steel on a body. Very powerful..very worth it.