86.091-29—Testing by the Administrator.

(a) (1) Paragraph (a) of this section applies to light-duty vehicles and light-duty trucks.
(2) The Administrator may require that any one or more of the test vehicles be submitted to him, at such place or places as he may designate, for the purposes of conducting emissions tests. The Administrator may specify that he will conduct such testing at the manufacturer's facility, in which case instrumentation and equipment specified by the Administrator shall be made available by the manufacturer for test operations. Any testing conducted at a manufacturer's facility pursuant to this paragraph shall be scheduled by the manufacturer as promptly as possible.
(3) (i) Whenever the Administrator conducts a test segment on a test vehicle, the results of that test segment, unless subsequently invalidated by the Administrator, shall comprise the official data for that test segment for the vehicle at the prescribed test point and the manufacturer's data for that test segment for that prescribed test point shall not be used in determining compliance with emission standards (or family emission limits, as appropriate). The Administrator may stop a test after any evaporative test segment and use as official data any valid results obtained up to that point in the test, as described in subpart B of this part.
(ii) Whenever the Administrator does not conduct a test on a test vehicle at a test point, the manufacturer's test data will be accepted as the official data for that point: Provided, That if the Administrator makes a determination based on testing under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, that there is a lack of correlation between the manufacturer's test equipment and the test equipment used by the Administrator, no manufacturer's test data will be accepted for purposes of certification until the reasons for the lack of correlation are determined and the validity of the data is established by the manufacturer, And further provided, That if the Administrator has reasonable basis to believe that any test data submitted by the manufacturer is not accurate or has been obtained in violation of any provisions of this part, the Administrator may refuse to accept that data as the official data pending retesting or submission or further information. If the manufacturer conducts more than one test on a vehicle, as authorized under § 86.084-26 (a)(3)(i)(A) or (b)(4)(i)(A), the data from the last test in that series of tests on that vehicle, will constitute the official data.
(iii) (A) (1) The Administrator may adjust or cause to be adjusted any adjustable parameter of an emission-data vehicle or engine which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment for certification and Selective Enforcement Audit testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1), to any setting within the physically adjustable range of that parameter, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(3)(i), prior to the performance of any tests to determine whether such vehicle or engine conforms to applicable emission standards, including tests performed by the manufacturer under § 86.091-23(c)(1). However, if the idle speed parameter is one which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment, the Administrator shall not adjust it to a setting which causes a higher engine idle speed than would have been possible within the physically adjustable range of the idle speed parameter on the engine before it accumulated any dynamometer service, all other parameters being identically adjusted for the purpose of the comparison. The Administrator, in making or specifying such adjustments, will consider the effect of the deviation from the manufacturer's recommended setting on emissions performance characteristics as well as the likelihood that similar settings will occur on in-use light-duty vehicles or light-duty trucks. In determining likelihood, the Administrator will consider factors such as, but not limited to, the effect of the adjustment on vehicle performance characteristics and surveillance information from similar in-use vehicles.
(2) For those vehicles or engine parameters which the Administrator has not determined to be subject to adjustment during certification and Selective Enforcement Audit testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1), the emission-data vehicle presented to the Administrator for testing shall be calibrated within the production tolerances applicable to the manufacturer's specifications to be shown on the vehicle label (see § 86.091-35 (a)(1)(iii)(D) or (a)(2)(iii)(D)) as specified in the application for certification. If the Administrator determines that a vehicle is not within such tolerances, the vehicle will be adjusted, at the facility designated by the Administrator, prior to the test and an engineering report shall be submitted to the Administrator describing the corrective action taken. Based on the engineering report, the Administrator will determine if the vehicle will be used as an emission-data vehicle.
(B) If the Administrator determines that the test data developed on an emission-data vehicle under paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section would cause that vehicle to fail due to excessive 4,000-mile emissions or by application of the appropriate deterioration factor, then the following procedure shall be observed:
(1) The manufacturer may request a retest. Before the retest, those vehicle or engine parameters which the Administrator has not determined to be subject to adjustment for certification and Selective Enforcement Audit testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1) may be readjusted to manufacturer's specification, if these adjustments were made incorrectly prior to the first test. The Administrator may adjust or cause to be adjusted any parameter which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment to any setting within the physically adjustable range of that parameter, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(3)(i). Other maintenance or repairs may be performed in accordance with § 86.088-25. All work on the vehicle shall be done at such location and under such conditions as the Administrator may prescribe.
(2) The vehicle will be retested by the Administrator and the results of this test shall comprise the official data for the emission-data vehicle.
(iv) If sufficient durability data are not available at the time of any emission test conducted under paragraph (a)(2) of this section to enable the Administrator to determine whether an emission-data vehicle would fail, the manufacturer may request a retest in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (a)(3)(iii) (A) and (B) of this section. If the manufacturer does not promptly make such request, he shall be deemed to have waived the right to a retest. A request for retest must be made before the manufacturer removes the vehicle from the test premises.
(b) (1) Paragraph (b) of this section applies to heavy-duty engines.
(2) The Administrator may require that any one or more of the test engines be submitted to him, at such place or places as he may designate, for the purpose of conducting emissions tests. The Administrator may specify that he will conduct such testing at the manufacturer's facility, in which case instrumentation and equipment specified by the Administrator shall be made available by the manufacturer for test operations. Any testing conducted at a manufacturer's facility pursuant to this paragraph shall be scheduled by the manufacturer as promptly as possible.
(3) (i) Whenever the Administrator conducts a test on a test engine the results of that test, unless subsequently invalidated by the Administrator, shall comprise the official data for the engine at that prescribed test point and the manufacturer's data for that prescribed test point shall not be used in determining compliance with emission standards (or family emission limits, as appropriate).
(ii) Whenever the Administrator does not conduct a test on a test engine at a test point, the manufacturer's test data will be accepted as the official data for that test point: Provided, That if the Administrator makes a determination based on testing under paragraph (b)(2) of this section, that there is a lack of correlation between the manufacturer's test equipment and the test equipment used by the Administrator, no manufacturer's test data will be accepted for purposes of certification until the reasons for the lack of correlation are determined and the validity of the data is established by the manufacturer, And further provided, That if the Administrator has reasonable basis to believe that any test data submitted by the manufacturer is not accurate or has been obtained in violation of any provision of this part, the Administrator may refuse to accept that data as the official data pending retesting or submission of further information.
(iii) (A) (1) The Administrator may adjust or cause to be adjusted any adjustable parameter of an emission-data engine which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment for certification testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1), to any setting within the physically adjustable range of that parameter, as determined by the Administrator in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(3)(i), prior to the performance of any tests to determine whether such engine conforms to applicable emission standards, including tests performed by the manufacturer under § 86.088-23(c)(2). The Administrator, in making or specifying such adjustments, may consider the effect of the deviation from the manufacturer's recommended setting on emissions performance characteristics as well as the likelihood that similar settings will occur on in-use heavy-duty engines. In determining likelihood, the Administrator may consider factors such as, but not limited to, the effect of the adjustment on engine performance characteristics and surveillance information from similar in-use engines.
(2) For those engine parameters which the Administrator has not determined to be subject to adjustment for certification testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1), the emission-data engine presented to the Administrator for testing shall be calibrated within the production tolerances applicable to the manufacturer's specifications to be shown on the engine label (see § 86.091-35(a)(3)(iii)) as specified in the application for certification. If the Administrator determines that an engine is not within such tolerances, the engine shall be adjusted at the facility designated by the Administrator prior to the test and an engineering report shall be submitted to the Administrator describing the corrective action taken. Based on the engineering report, the Administrator will determine if the engine shall be used as an emission-data engine.
(B) If the Administrator determines that the test data developed under paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(A) of this section would cause the emission-data engine to fail due to excessive 125-hour emission values or by the application of the appropriate deterioration factor, then the following procedure shall be observed:
(1) The manufacturer may request a retest. Before the retest, those engine parameters which the Administrator has not determined to be subject to adjustment for certification testing in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(1) may be readjusted to the manufacturer's specifications, if these adjustments were made incorrectly prior to the first test. The Administrator may adjust or cause to be adjusted any parameter which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment in accordance with § 86.085-22(e)(3)(i). However, if the idle speed parameter is one which the Administrator has determined to be subject to adjustment, the Administrator shall not adjust it to a setting which causes a higher engine idle speed than would have been possible within the physically adjustable range of the idle speed parameter on the engine before it accumulated any dynamometer service, all other parameters being identically adjusted for the purpose of the comparison. Other maintenance or repairs may be performed in accordance with § 86.088-25. All work on the vehicle shall be done at such location and under such conditions as the Administrator may prescribe.
(2) The engine will be retested by the Administrator and the results of this test shall comprise the official data for the emission-data engine.
(iv) If sufficient durability data are not available at the time of any emission test conducted under paragraph (b)(2) of this section to enable the Administrator to determine whether an emission-data engine would fail, the manufacturer may request a retest in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(3)(iii)(B) (1) and (2) of this section. If the manufacturer does not promptly make such request, he shall be deemed to have waived the right to a retest. A request for retest must be made before the manufacturer removes the engine from the test premises.
(c) (1) Paragraph (c) of this section applies to gasoline-fueled and methanol-fueled heavy-duty vehicles.
(2) The Administrator may require that any one or more of the evaporative emission family-system combinations included in the manufacturer's statement(s) of compliance be installed on an appropriate vehicle and such vehicle be submitted to him, at such place or places as he may designate, for the purpose of conducting emissions tests. The Administrator may specify that he will conduct such testing at the manufacturer's facility, in which case instrumentation and equipment specified by the Administrator shall be made available by the manufacturer for test operations. Any testing conducted at a manufacturer's facility pursuant to this paragraph shall be scheduled by the manufacturer as promptly as possible.
(3) (i) Whenever the Administrator conducts a test segment on an evaporative emission family-system combination, the results of that test segment, unless subsequently invalidated by the Administrator, shall comprise the official data for that test segment for the evaporative emission family-system combination, and the manufacturer's data, analyses, etc., for that test segment shall not be used in determining compliance with emission standards. The Administrator may stop a test after any evaporative test segment and use as official data any valid results obtained up to that point in the test, as described in subpart B of this part.
(ii) Whenever the Administrator does not conduct a test on an evaporative emission family-system combination, the manufacturer's test data will be accepted as the official data: Provided, That if the Administrator makes a determination, based on testing under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, that there is a lack of correlation between the manufacturer's test equipment and the test equipment used by the Administrator, no manufacturer's test data will be accepted for purposes of certification until the reasons for the lack of correlation are determined and the validity of the data is established by the manufacturer, And further provided, That if the Administrator has reasonable basis to believe that any test data, analyses, or other information submitted by the manufacturer is not accurate or has been obtained in violation of any provision of this part, the Administrator may refuse to accept those data, analyses, etc., as the official data pending retesting or submission of further information.

Code of Federal Regulations

(Secs. 202, 203, 206, 207, 208, 301a, Clean Air Act, as amended; 42 U.S.C. 7521, 7522, 7525, 7541, 7542, 7601a )

Code of Federal Regulations

[50 FR 10675, Mar. 15, 1985, as amended at 54 FR 14488, Apr. 11, 1989; 58 FR 16020, Mar. 24, 1993]