My girlfriend was bitching yesterday about semi trucks belching out black smoke around here, and something about how our state should do something about it.

I told her that large trucks don't have to meet emissions standards anywhere and that most of them don't even have catalytic converters.

She said "I bet they do in California."

So, do they have to meet any standards anywhere or is it still pretty lax?

 

New semi tractors are subject to new emissions standards, but for older tractors most states have no emissions requirements.

 

Right now they are trying to outlaw old trucks at the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach because of the smoke-belching old trucks. Yes the new ones do have emissions standards. That is one reason for the new 15ppm ultra low sulphur diesel fuel, required for 2007 and later model trucks.

Back in the late 1960's, Los Angeles county had "smog police" that would photograph big rigs that were smoking for more than a few secondsand pull them over to write citations.

Jim

 

I figured the "new" trucks probably had cats...about what year did they start implementing those?

Is this also applicable to straight trucks?

 

All Diesel engines have to comply with EPA rules. And they are getting strcter in stages. 2007 was the last hurdle and 2010 will be the next hurdle.
That is why all diesel sold now is ULSD (ultra low sulpher diesel) to be able to run in the '07 engines with either particulate filters or cats depending on engine make.
The trucks she probably see's up there in your neck of the woods is owner operator coal trucks that have the old Mechanical (non-computer) engines that do belch alot of black smoke. They soon will be forbiddin to be run on the roads.

On edit... All this "New Smog technology" comes at a price. The engines them selves cost more, serviceing them costs more, The new special oil costs more, the new formula diesel costs more (they also get less fuel milage). So, to cover all these costs, They charge more to haul the stuff you buy everyday to survive. So when you go to the store and price of milk, bread and eggs have gone up, This is the reason.

 

here in New Jersey, all trucks have to go through some sort of emissions testing, except for 10,000 lb to 18,000 lb class trucks

the biggest emissions test we have is the "opacity" test, which tests the amount of sooty black smoke released. for older trucks, you are allowed 55% opacity.
newer than 94 is 25% opacity.
all new cat and cummins diesels engines here that are 2007 compliant come with catalytic converters in the exhaust.

the dirtiest of all 35 of the Mack's in the yard was my 2004, and that passed with a 12% opacity. the reason it was so high was it needed the air filter changed when they did the surprise test.
the average opacity of all the trucks combined was only 7%

 

Our new KW's have the new C13 cats with the "afterburn" on it. We cannot say anymore that diesels do not have sparkplugs! These do right after the turbo's.

 

Maybe someone should point out to these people that soot coming from an older diesel engine helps reduce global warming and actually to the point of global cooling. Also that almost all EPA rules implemented within the past 25 yrs actually contribute to global warming on a large scale (current gen diesel cat/DPF turn HC into CO2 and other gasses increasing the actual amount of CO2 emitted out the tail pipe, same thing with gas engines, EGR valves and every single epa mandated regulation) So why isn't these environmentalist and Al Gore suing EPA for forcing regulations that increase global warming (I mean other then man made global warming is one of the biggest scams ever perpetuated on mankind in human history)

 

All true. The costs of emissions control will be passed on to the consumer. The cost of the emissions were spread to anyone breathing the air. So which do you prefer, a higher price for things, or a daily dose of poison?

There has been for years a lot of discussion and argument about the "true cost" of many things. We are not used to paying at the cash register the "true cost" of much of what we buy. This applies on the production side as well as the disposal side. (who "pays" for piles of used tires?)

 

Trucks aren't the only ones getting penalized with emissions. For years the auto industry has dealt with the B.S. at a substancisl cost to us, the end user, by sacrificing mileage and hoesepower, as well as increasing the cost of maintenance. I wonder how efficient Detroit could build a car if they didn't have to put all the epa crap on a car or truck.
As for sparkplugs in semi's yes, it's sad but true. To lower emissions they inject diesel fuel into the exhaust and ignite it to burn the nox gas in the exhaust. This does nothing to help in hp or mileage. These engines have 2 and sometimes 3 turbos, along with egr valves. None of them have the hp or mileage ratings of the older trucks. According to a seminar I attended by Detroit Diesel, the peak year for both hp and mileage was 1998. Funny how both go together.
Let's all do our part to stop global warming and set some tires on fire. They make great campfires, but the marshmallows and hotdogs taste funny.

 

The only reason cars run so well and last so long is because of the regulations. You'd still be running points and replacing mufflers every 20000 miles if the regs hadn't changed.

As for the oil burners, time for a cleanup. Get the junk off the roads, make everyone play by the new rules. You go out of business, tough. I love how all these guys whine about their income but still whiz money away on chrome naked ladies and other bs.

 

The bigger trucks dont have "cats" on them, they are DPF's, or diesel particulate filters.. 2 different jobs being done. As far as fuel milage, from what I've heard from drivers, the new macks and vovlo's(mp6 and mp7) are getting in the range of 7MPG(OTR). thats pretty good if you ask me, I'de say better then the old stuff.

As far as all you that dont know what the black soot is, it's nothing more then carbon, the same stuff that makes up 90% off all material on planet earth, and others. In fact, diesels naturally burn cleaner then gas jobs, but god knows that would decrease our dependence on oil with bio fuel and we cant have that can we? so lets regulate the crap out of diesel manufactures!

 

Phat the 08 volvos that the company I drive for are seeing 5.5-6.5 range depending on driver and where driven, the 07 I am driving (doesn't have the DPF on it) is getting according to last quarters report that was sent to us 6.4, and we drive it hard and faster then most (we have always gotten less then corp average due to where the run is) basically the guys running in 55-65mph states are seeng the higher mileage, I drive in 70 and 75mph states and tend to be a little on the low side so here we are with a non dpf truck getting almost as good as mileage running 73mph average all the time as the guys running 60-65mph with the new trucks. Yes they really are getting lousy mileage. Also my last truck I actually owned had a non emissions 470 detriot (95 KW) I pulled a lot of heavy and farm equipment which is not exactly aerodynamic and yet I got a consistant 6.5-6.8, and when I did pull dry vans and refers I got 7.2-7.4.

 

Do you actually have any clue what your talking about? first they went electronic even though the regulations never have required it. the only reason you don't replace mufflers much is better mufflers not better emissions standards (actually the emissions cause moisture and the mufflers would rust out if not bettter materials) They are lasting longer IN SPITE OF the regulations not because of, they are getting less fuel economy then 71 model year cars did that out weighed them by double with as much or more power, and actually the new engines aren't lasting as long as a lot of the old ones did, the biggest advantage to engine and vehicle longevity has been because of better oil not emissions regs that have chocked the daylights out of them, have caused maintaince issues that will drive you nuts and cost you a fortune.

And as to your comment of "get the junk off the road" you really show ignorance of diesels. That 1971 Mack that you see smoking down the road is actually putting out less toxic exhaust then your nice shiney new emissions equiped gasser.

 

monster, wow thats alot less then I've heard from others, I think they delievered dry goods to resturants actually so maybe the smaller trailers helped alittle. Thats pretty impressive with that KW! Especially if its a nice W900, brick wall going down the road!

The truck that I learned on was a 97 or so freightliner with a 425hp(IIRC) detroit in it, pretty nice engine I must say, considering how long the series 60 has been around.