Regular emission testing ensures legal compliance, identifies engine problems early, and protects public health. Faulty emission systems can increase pollutants by 10-50 times normal levels. Testing detects catalytic converter failure, oxygen sensor problems, and fuel system issues before they cause expensive damage. Annual testing prevents £1,000+ repair bills and ensures vehicle roadworthiness and environmental responsibility.
Tag Archives: gas analyzer
Why is it important to test car exhaust emissions regularly?
Measuring vehicle exhaust emissions
Vehicle emission measurement uses gas analyzers with infrared and electrochemical sensors for real-time pollutant detection. Laboratory testing follows standardized cycles like NEDC or WLTP over dynamometers. Portable Emission Measurement Systems (PEMS) enable real-world testing. Measurements include mass flow rates, concentrations in ppm or mg/km, and conversion efficiency calculations for emission control systems.
MOT exhaust emissions test results explained
MOT emission results show CO percentage, HC in parts per million, and diesel opacity in m⁻¹. Petrol limits: CO under 3.5% (pre-2002) or 0.5% (post-2002), HC under 1200 ppm (pre-2002) or 200 ppm (post-2002). Diesel limits: opacity under 2.5 m⁻¹ (naturally aspirated) or 3.0 m⁻¹ (turbocharged). Lambda values between 0.97-1.03 indicate proper air-fuel mixture.
Exhaust emissions test
Exhaust emissions tests measure pollutant concentrations using gas analyzers during standardized driving cycles. Tests include CO, HC, NOx, and opacity measurements at idle and 2500 RPM. Modern tests use 5-gas analyzers measuring CO2 and O2 for air-fuel ratio analysis. Testing occurs during MOT, NCT, or annual inspections with specific pass/fail limits.
Exhaust emissions tester / gas analyzer
Professional gas analyzers use infrared sensors for CO and CO2, flame ionization detectors for HC, electrochemical cells for NOx and O2. 5-gas analyzers cost £3,000-15,000 with annual calibration requirements. Portable units offer basic CO/HC measurement for £200-500. Modern analyzers include automatic temperature compensation, data logging, and pass/fail determination based on programmed emission limits.