73-20 AA
Testing of the Chemico
FCCIP Candidate Vehicle
March 1973
Emission Control Technology Division
Office of Air and Water Programs
Environmental Protection Agency
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Summary
The Chemico Oldsmobile was tested by the Test and Evaluation
Branch (TEB) over a span of approximately seven months and
19,000 miles. The car displayed generally poor cold start-
ability but acceptable driveability, performance and fuel con-
sumption when compared to the stock version of the same car.
Control of gaseous emissions was generally good but erratic;
the best test results were at 1976 levels but test-to-test varia-
bility was large. Emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were
controlled best and most consistently. Large variations in un-
burned hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were
partially the result of poor startability and choke operation.
Durability of the system was poor. There were three converter
failures, several additions of catalyst pellets, and replacement
and adjustment of air pump and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)
system components.
Background
The Chemico Low Emission Car was the first candidate car to be
submitted for Phase I testing of the Federal Clean Car Incentive
Program. Under Contract No. 68-04-0009, the vehicle was to be
evaluated according to FCCIP-SPEC-004, "Prototype Vehicle Test
Specification", over a period of ninety days.
Vehicle Description
The car was a 1972 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with modifications made
by Chemico to reduce exhaust emissions. The car was a four-door
sedan with power steering and power brakes, having a curb weight
of 4,200 pounds. The engine was a carbureted V-8 of 350 cubic
inches displacement, driving through a three-speed automatic trans-
mission. For emissions tests an inertia weight of 4,500 pounds
was used.
The Chemico modifications included choke control, air injection,
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) introduced upstream of the car-
buretor air cleaner, and a dual bed catalytic converter. The
factory-installed crankcase ventilation and fuel evaporative
emission control systems were left intact. The same pellet-support-
ed catalyst developed by Chemico was used in both reduction and
oxidation beds. Exhaust gas from both banks of cylinders was
presented first to the NOx reduction bed and then to the oxidation
bed, where compressed air was injected to encourage combustion of
HC and CO.
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Test Program
The FCCIP Prototype Vehicle Test Specification was followed in
part. The TEB Test Conductor authorized some omissions and de-
viations from FCCIP Spec-004 in the interests of time, or if it
was felt that no test was necessary due to the vehicle's essen-
tially stock condition.
The main concerns were to acquire gaseous exhaust emissions data
and to establish the durability of the Chemico system. Other
tests were run to define startability, driveability, performance,
and particulate emissions. All gaseous emissions tests were con-
ducted according to the 1975 Federal Test Procedure (FTP). The
test fuel was Clear Indolene. (Chenico operated the car extensively
on commercial unleaded gasoline - Amoco Super Premium)
The particulate emission tests were run by the Dow Chemical Com-
pany. In the Dow procedure the vehicle is driven on the 1975 FTP
driving schedule, with all exhaust routed into a dilution duct.
Samples from the diluted exhaust are drawn through isokinetic
probes and captured on filters which are weighed before and after
the test. The difference in weight yields particulate emissions
in grams per mile.
In durability testing the car was operated over the MVMA dura-
bility schedule, first on a tape-controlled dynamometer and later
on a test track.
Performance and readability testing was conducted at Willow Run
Airport by the University of Michigan Highway Safety Research
Institute (HSRI).
Test Results
The test program was divided into four parts, which resulted from
vehicle or converter system malfunctions.
Part 1:
The chronological sequence of events is presented in Table 1.
Four initial emissions tests were followed by a familiarization
drive on the road and a cold startability test. The car had no
choke and cold starting even at 70°F was difficult. Fuel economy,
calculated both from a carbon balance and by weighing the fuel,
averaged about 10 miles per gallon over the driving schedule.
After a full 1975 FTP, including^measurement of evaporative emis-
sions, the car was readied for performance and readability tests,
conducted by HSRI with a TEB observer. The facility was an unused
taxiway at Willow Run Airport. The taxiway was too short to allow
us to safely conduct all the performance tests, so certain of the
acceleration tests were not run. Another problem was with the
transmission in the car: it would up-shift too quickly and could
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not be "kicked down" as required during the 25 to 60 mph accel-
eration. The resulting performance was felt to be not typical
of this car, but it did meet FCCIP specifications. Investigation
the next day by TEB personnel revealed that the kickdown linkage
was disconnected, perhaps never having been assembled at the
factory. After this linkage was repaired a road test demonstrated
that shifting and kickdown were satisfactory, and the performance
was greatly improved.
Durability testing began with accumulation on the road and on a
tape-controlled mileage accumulation dynamometer (MAD). Emissions
tests were conducted at increments of 500 and 1,000 miles from
initial tests.
The car was driven to Midland, Michigan, a round trip of about
220 miles, for particulate tests by Dow Chemical. The Dow tests
required approximately 85 miles of dynamometer operation.
At approximately 2,200 miles after delivery to EPA, the converter
failed and the car was returned to the Chemico facility for repair.
Part 2:
The test car was repaired and tested by Chemico over a three month
period and delivered to EPA for testing on July 31, 1972. After
a driveability evaluation and inspection of the catalyst beds three
cold start emission tests were made, as listed in Table 2. Follow-
ing the third test the car was driven to the Dana Tech Center,
Ottawa Lake, Michigan, for mileage accumulation per the MVMA dur-
ability schedule on the Dana test track.
Emissions tests were run at mileage accumulation totals of 600,
1,200, 4,000, and 5,900 miles. Catalyst levels in the converter
were periodically checked, and although the levels dropped, no
catalyst was added.
At about the 5,400-mile point a gasket in the converter blew out and
was replaced by Chemico.
After the emissions test of September 15, Chemico personnel re-
turned the car to their facility for further work as they were not
satisfied with the level of emissions and startability of the car.
Part 3:
The car was delivered to EPA on October 1, after Chemico adjusted
the carburetor air-fuel ratio. The converter was not changed,
although pellets were added. After emissions tests (see Table 3)
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the car was immediately taken to the Dana test track to begin
a 4,000-mile durability run. On October 10, at about 3,000 miles,
the converter outer can failed, in the plenum downstream of the
oxidation bed. This allowed hot exhaust gas to impinge on the
radiator, melting solder and allowing engine coolant to escape.
Chemico returned the car to their facility for repair on October 16
Part 4 :
Repairs to the converter and radiator were completed in late
November and the car was delivered to the EPA on November 25, The
sequence of events is listed in Table 4. A test of cold starta-
bility was made on November 27, after a two-day soak at approximate
ly 30°F. Starting was very difficult; total cranking time was
about two minutes and there were three false starts. Once started,
the car had acceptable driveability. The choke, which had been
in use in Part 2 of our tests, had been removed for the tests
beginning in October. The absence of a choke was the major reason
for poor cold startability whether at 30°F or 70°F.
Following two emissions tests mileage accumulation at the Dana
track began. Four thousand miles were accumulated with only
minor delays. A catalyst bed thermocouple was replaced and mis-
alignment of the air pump pulley caused the drive belts to be
twisted and thrown off the pulley. Catalyst was added at 4,000
miles.
Two emissions tests at 4,000 miles revealed a small leak in the
exhaust system upstream of the converter. To expedite durability
testing it was decided to put the car back on the track without
fixing the leak, as this would have required disassembling the
exhaust system.
On December 20, at about 6,000 miles, a crack developed in the
Chemico-built exhaust system upstream of the converter. Repairs
by Chemico were competed and the car was back on the test track
on December 26.
Following emissions tests at 8,000 miles (total accumulation since
November 25) a hole in the converter was discovered. Because re-
pairing the converter would be a lengthy task, not justified by
the short time remaining on the FCCIP evaluation contract, the car
was returned to Chemico and the test program terminated.
Conclusions
The Chemico Oldsmobile demonstrated good but erratic control of
emissions. Oxides of nitrogen were controlled best and most con-
sistently. Poor startability and choke operation contributed to
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the large variations in HC and CO emissions. The catalyst material
apparently maintained good activity for 6,000 miles during Part 2
testing and for 8,000 miles during Part 4 testing. It will toler-
ate trace levels of lead in its fuel. Durability of the converter
structure, including the pellet support screens and outer shell,
was poor, as attested by the three failures during the 19,000 miles
the car was under test by EPA.
The Chemico converter system had no adverse effect on driveability,
performance or fuel consumption.
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TABLE 1
Chemico Test Program
Test Odo-
4-11 253 3913
Emissions, gm/mi
1972
3-7
3-8
3-9
3-10
3-10
3-13
3-16
3-21
3-22
3-27
3-28
3-30
3-31
3-31
3-31
4-6
4-7
18-
179
180
184
187
197
223
231
241
243
2820
2831
2843
2855
2866
2900
2914
2935
2978
2990
3016
3027
3100
3345
3345
3356
3882
3893
.23 3.41 848.44 .33
.15 1.36 811.96 .26
.29 2.63 873.33 .32 Hard start
.19 2.29 869.19 .3=1
Low speed familiarization drive
Cold startability @35°F. Six attempts,
45 sec. total cranking.
.18 1.50 875.45 .24 Evaporative
emissions were .15 gm/mi
Performance and readability tests
at Willow Run Airport
Repair kick down, road test
.28 1.67 930.38 .43 Hard start
Generating road load data, tuning MAD *
MAD not ready; TEB and Chemico personnel
drive car on the road to complete 500 mile
increment.
Catalyst added
.38 2.17 869.56 .30
Start durability on MAD.
.46 1.81 865.98 .30 Hard start;
.63 2.05 833.54 .34 Very hard
start; six false starts.
.37 1.27
starts.
879.47
.32 Two false
*Mileage Accumulation Dynamometer
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Table 1 (cont'd)
Test Odo-
Date No. meter
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
-13
-18 258
-21
-25 269
-26
-27
-28
4010
4086
4285
4489
5003'
Emissions, gm/mi
HC CO CO-
NOx
Catalyst added
.32 1.97 855.91 .39 Good start.
Participate test at Dow Chemical.
.65 1.92 783.38 .27 Bad start,
choke was closed manually.
Failure while on MAD.
Inspection reveals plugged converter inlet
Catalyst added to oxidation bed only.
AVERAGE EMISSIONS
.34
2.00
858.05
.32
Total catalyst added, Reduction Bed: 1450 cc (1142 gm)
Oxidation Bed: 1550 cc (1204 gm)
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Date
Test Odo-
No. meter
TABLE 2
Chemico Test Program
Emissions, gm/mi
HC CO C00
1972
8-1
8-2
8-3
18-
417
420
421
6628
6640
6652
.11
.16
.15
•
2
2
96
.64
.47
853.
898.
908.
36
31
30
8-7 7284
8-7 429 7284
8-8 431 7296
8-10 7848
12-
8-10 2298 7848
8-14 2301 7872
8-23 10648
8-23 2329 10648
8-25 2334 10663
8-29 2352 10685
8-30 2359 10698
8-31 2363 10711
NOx
.56 Good start
.30
.30
Mileage accumulation at Dana
Check catalyst level in converter
.34 4.33 836.98 .33
.28 5.31 827.07 .31
Mileage accumulation
Check catalyst level
1.49 820.98
.27
start
.31 2.03 809.66
Mileage accumulation
Check catalyst level
.65 5.61 862.90
two false starts
,26 One false
.19
.39 Five cranks,
Repair choke mechanism
.46 5.29 826.91 .41
.46 7.20 783.41 .35
Change start procedure, reset catalyst temp
.34 6.00 792.84 .67
Adjust air pump delivery pressure
.43 6.36 771.99 .38 One false
start
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Table 2 (cont'd)
Test Odo-
Date No. meter
9-1 2364 10772
9-8 to
9-12 12000
9-14 2392 12532
9-15 2398 12570
9-15
12581
Emissions, gin/mi
CO
cp_2
HC
.34 3.82 917.31
Mileage accumulation
NOx
.29
Repair blown gasket in converter
.34 4.13 916.98 .29 Hard start
.34 4.52 774.95 .69 Three false
starts
Chemico returns car to their facility for
further work
AVERAGE EMISSIONS
.33
4.14
840.13 .38
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Date
Table 3
Chemico Test Program
Test Odo-
No. meter
10-3 2423 13514
10-10 16300
HC
Emissions, gm/mi
1972
10-2
12-
2421 13503
.46
start
.44
CO
4.25
2.11
co2
NOx
952.54 .35 Very hard
860.53 .31 Hard start
Converter outer can fails while on mileage
accumulation
AVERAGE EMISSIONS
.45
3,. 18
906.04 .33
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Table 4
Chemico Test Program
Test Odo-
Date No. meter
1972 16-
11-27
17180
HC
Emissions, gm/mi
CO
cp_2
NOx
11-28
11-29
91
95
17185
17196
.19
.25
start
Cold startability at 30°F. Twelve
attempts, two minutes total cranking.
Three false starts.
2.11 777.59 .27 Good start
.66 One false
3.85 767.04
Mileage accumulation
12-6
19244
12-13 21247
12-13 122 21247
12-15 127 21259
12-20
1973 16-
1-3
1-3 158
25260
25260
1-4 161 25271
Fix thermocouple, replace air pump belt,
add catalyst
Add catalyst
.28 4.74
start
.30 4.86
1300 rpm on start
655.05 1.05 One false
704.24 .31 Idle held at
Mileage accumulation
Fix leak in exhaust system
Add catalyst
.31 3.04 678.02 .87 Two false
starts, one stall
.23 2.23
start
655.76 .33 One false
AVERAGE EMISSIONS
.26
3.47
706.28 .58
Total Catalyst Added, Reduction Bed: 1025 cc
Oxidation Bed: 2985 cc
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