Conversion Components
Components like these, along with an 0
2 sensor, wiring harness and control module, are what it takes to convert open-loop propane engines to closed-loop for passing EPA standards. Left to right: fuel vaporizer-regulator, mixer, and throttle body assembly.
Opportunities for skilled automotive technicians are looking good…
Why? In case you haven’t heard, both CARB (the California Air Resources Board) and the EPA have for the first time crafted and are enforcing emissions standards for several classes of non-road vehicles. Affected applications include:
- units or equipment with large industrial spark ignited engines (known as large SI engines, or simply “LSI”) from 19 kw (25 hp) to 130 kw (175 hp)
- recreational engines and units like motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles
- recreational marine diesel engines
In this article, we’ll discuss the first category of LSI units and equipment, and how automotive technicians with fuel and emission system know-how may help the non-road vehicle and equipment sector to clean up its act.
If you qualify and are interested, read on.
Non-Road “Vehicle” Legislation
In October of 1998 California adopted for the first time a 2001–2004 phase-in of clean air regulations for non-road equipment produced and sold. Previously no such regulations existed. California also wants older units to be retrofitted with systems in order for them to meet the standards, and other states may follow suit. Whatever CARB mandates typically becomes federal (and beyond), and under pressure from environmental groups, the EPA has followed suit.
As of this year (2004), 50-State non-road vehicle Tier 1 mandates are in place for new (zero hours of use) LSI equipment sold. Equipment affected includes that for material handling (forklifts), electric generation, airport ground support, ice and floor sweeping, farm and construction, industrial, and much more. Forklifts, for example, are FTP 75 Transient Test Cycle tested on the dyno—a start / stop test some consider more demanding than that used for automobiles. Tier 2 standards take effect in 2007 and are more stringent than CARB’s, covering even engines and equipment in the field. Tier 2 tests for reductions of HC by 70%, CO by 90% and NOx by 85%. While both propane and natural gas units have the potential for extremely low HC, CO, and NOx emissions well below 2004’s Tier 1 standards, all but the newest LSI engines now in use would fail the EPA’s air quality standards.
Non-Road Automotive Vehicle Technology
Non-road outdoor units are typically gasoline or diesel, propane or battery-electric powered. Indoor units (estimated at around 800,000) are used as forklifts, manlifts, ice and floor sweepers, baggage handlers and the like. A smaller percentage of these are battery powered, but most have ICEs (internal combustion engines). For air quality and safety reasons, most ICE powered units use propane, with a small number running on natural gas.
Traditionally, OEMs of spark ignited units and equipment have relied on low-tech open-loop carbureted fuel systems with little if any emission controls. Studies have shown that most emissions failures on older industrial engines are simple to fix with only minor adjustments bringing them into current specs.
For new units, however, standards call for extended emissions warranties and more, and for onboard diagnostics capable of alerting operators of malfunctions in the engine’s emission-control system.
Automotive car Gasoline-fueled Tier 2 engines must also have EVAP systems.
In order for engines to meet the new emission standards, use of automotive technology such as EFI, 3-way catalysts and closed loop systems is required.
To give new low-emissions life to pre-emission controlled equipment, LSI retrofit kits may include an O2 sensor, a feedback carburetor or modified pressure regulator, a controller (module), and more. A variety of suppliers now offer such equipment, which costs anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars. With the installation of these closed-loop “kits,” older engines (assuming good mechanical condition) easily pass the required smog tests. Once kits are installed, “Lambda Testers”—simplified low cost exhaust gas analyzers which read O2 content—are now available to enable technicians to adjust fuel mixtures for “Lambda = 1” stoichiometric operation.
Muddying the water for an industry scrambling to meet air quality standards, the fuel used may be anything but consistent in quality.
In the case of propane and natural gas, impurities (fuel by-products) and contaminants picked up in the fuel delivery “pipeline” leave oil, sludge or wax deposits in pressure regulators, injectors, etc., causing equipment problems and headaches for owners trying to keep engines running clean and efficient.
Automotive Technicians and Training
At present, equipment is typically run day-in, day-out in small businesses with only one or a handful of units.
Thus there’s likely no highly qualified automotive technician on staff and little attention is given to “tune-ups.” These days, turning a fuel mixture screw until the engine idles smoothly won’t cut it.5 In the non-road sector, there’s a serious shortage of trained technicians, and even though converting older units isn’t that difficult, owners and operators are scrambling to find technicians with the training, know-how and tools to service units, and install and integrate closed-loop retrofit kits. Attitude may be a contributing factor to the shortage: One forklift maintenance trainer reports that students tell him, “If I was going to have to learn computerized engine controls, I would go to work for an automobile dealership,” and, “We don’t have an emissions analyzer, we just tune by ear.” Reportedly, one year’s worth of PERC sponsored forklift training of technicians alone could reduce CO output by anywhere from an estimated 3,000 to 68,000 tons.
Admittedly, indoor vehicle service and repair is a niche market.
To be successful, technicians should be able to service not only engines and fuel systems, but also maintain and repair the mechanical, hydraulic and electrical systems on these units. Automotive Technicians with the ability to service emissions systems, and propane and CNG fuel systems, are well positioned for servicing LSI engines and equipment. Having such qualifications will open the door of opportunity for automotive technicians willing to service non-road equipment.
