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This project involved adapting a Geo Metro to run on natural gas using fuel-injection technology. The stock electronic control unit and catalytic converter were used. The subcompact vehicle was equipped with a light-weight storage tank, a single-stage regulator, and a natural gas fuel injector which replaced the gasoline injector in the throttle body. The vehicle was tested for emissions using the U.S. Federal Test Procedure. The results indicate that we are close to meeting our objectives of developing a low-cost, environmentally friendly vehicle that runs on natural gas and that has a good driving range. The combined-cycle driving range was 498 km (309 mi). Tailpipe emissions at 10,000 km (6,200 mi) are presented for carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, and non-methane hydrocarbons. In addition, data are presented on non-methane organic gas emissions based on hydrocarbon speciation tests, maximum incremental reactivities, and reactivity adjustment factors.

This paper reviews the development of the new four-stroke diesel engine oil standards, JASO DH-2 and DL-1 (JASO M335-05) for Japanese automotive diesel engines equipped with after treatment devices, e.g. Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) to meet the new long-term emissions regulations. These standards have been introduced in Japan in April 2005. The standards prescribe the minimum performance for engine oils conforming to Japan-made four-stroke diesel engines with aftertreatment devices using low sulfur diesel fuel (less than or equal to 0.005 mass % sulfur). The engine test requirements for these new standards are basically the same as those of the JASO DH-1 automotive diesel engine oil standard (JASO M-355 2000) to meet engine oil performances with soot dispersancy (ASTM D 5967-99), piston detergency (JASO M336-98), thermal and oxidation stability (ASTM Seq. IIIE and IIIF), and anti-wear performance (JASO M354-99).

Automotive exhaust emissions were studied from the standpoint of urban traffic conditions. Auto traffic data were obtained in Tokyo, Japan, using a test car monitored for vehicle speed and other pertinent data. Eleven different kinds of traffic patterns in Tokyo were identified which seemed to most closely represent urban driving conditions. Forty-eight motor vehicles, consisting of 1971 to 1976 model year passenger cars, vans and trucks (gasoline and diesel), were driven on a chassis dynamometer to measure emissions under the eleven patterns mentioned above. The characteristics of NOx, HC and CO emissions and fuel consumption by vehicle type and model year were obtained and correlated with vehicle speeds. By combining these analyses of emissions as a function of vehicle speed with estimated present and expected future traffic data in Tokyo, the total emissions and fuel consumption by vehicles in the Tokyo metropolitan area were estimated.

Japan Automobile Standards Organization (JASO) Engine Oil Sub-committee have been working on the unification of the engine oil evaluation test procedures in Japan. The Engine Oil Sub-committee participated in the recent activity of the worldwide engine oil standardization of SAE and ISO. As one of the chain of activities, JASO tests M328, M331, and M333 (valve train wear, detergency and high temperature oxidation respectively) were conducted on the REOs of ASTM and CEC to find the correlation. The detergency tests (varnish and sludge) showed good correlation with the ASTM REOs. CEC good and poor reference oils seemed to give good results in JASO valve train wear test, while ASTM reference oils unexpectedly gave opposite results in Japanese valve train wear tests.