40 CFR § 1042.305 - Preparing and testing production-line engines.
This section describes how to prepare and test production-line engines. You must assemble the test engine in a way that represents the assembly procedures for other engines in the engine family. You must ask us to approve any deviations from your normal assembly procedures for other production engines in the engine family.
(a) Test procedures. Test your production-line engines using the applicable testing procedures in subpart F of this part to show you meet the duty-cycle emission standards in subpart B of this part. For Category 1 and Category 2 engines, the not-to-exceed standards apply for this testing of Category 1 and Category 2 engines, but you need not do additional testing to show that production-line engines meet the not-to-exceed standards. The mode cap standards apply for testing Category 3 engines subject to Tier 3 standards (or for engines subject to the Annex VI Tier III NOx standards under § 1042.650(d)).
(b) Modifying a test engine. Once an engine is selected for testing (see § 1042.310), you may adjust, repair, prepare, or modify it or check its emissions only if one of the following is true:
(1) You document the need for doing so in your procedures for assembling and inspecting all your production engines and make the action routine for all the engines in the engine family.
(2) This subpart otherwise specifically allows your action.
(3) We approve your action in advance.
(c) Engine malfunction. If an engine malfunction prevents further emission testing, ask us to approve your decision to either repair the engine or delete it from the test sequence.
(d) Setting adjustable parameters. Before any test, we may require you to adjust any adjustable parameter on a Category 1 engine to any setting within its physically adjustable range. We may adjust or require you to adjust any adjustable parameter on a Category 2 or Category 3 engine to any setting within its specified adjustable range.
(1) We may require you to adjust idle speed outside the physically adjustable range as needed, but only until the engine has stabilized emission levels (see paragraph (e) of this section). We may ask you for information needed to establish an alternate minimum idle speed.
(2) We may specify adjustments within the physically adjustable range or the specified adjustable range by considering their effect on emission levels. We may also consider how likely it is that someone will make such an adjustment with in-use engines.
(e) Stabilizing emission levels. You may stabilize emission levels (or establish a Green Engine Factor for Category 2 engines) before you test production-line engines, as follows:
(1) You may stabilize emission levels by operating the engine in a way that represents the way production engines will be used, using good engineering judgment, for no more than the greater of two periods:
(i) 300 hours.
(ii) The number of hours you operated your emission-data engine for certifying the engine family (see 40 CFR part 1065, subpart E, or the applicable regulations governing how you should prepare your test engine).
(2) For Category 2 or Category 3 engines, you may ask us to approve a Green Engine Factor for each regulated pollutant for each engine family. Use the Green Engine Factor to adjust measured emission levels to establish a stabilized low-hour emission level.
(f) Damage during shipment. If shipping an engine to a remote facility for production-line testing makes necessary an adjustment or repair, you must wait until after the initial emission test to do this work. We may waive this requirement if the test would be impossible or unsafe, or if it would permanently damage the engine. Report to us in your written report under § 1042.345 all adjustments or repairs you make on test engines before each test.
(g) Retesting after invalid tests. You may retest an engine if you determine an emission test is invalid under subpart F of this part. Explain in your written report reasons for invalidating any test and the emission results from all tests. If we determine that you improperly invalidated a test, we may require you to ask for our approval for future testing before substituting results of the new tests for invalid ones.