K20Z4 and emissions (for new country registration)

[lauri]

I'm looking to buy an Ariel Atom 3 300 from ~2010. I've been in discussions with the factory and the local registering agent for a few months. I'm based in an EU country.

The sticking point is that before getting individual type approval, I will need to demonstrate that the car is below EURO4 emission and noise requirements.

I'll need to demonstrate it in a limited set of conditions (likely a hot running state, so cold starts aren't a concern and the test will likely be in static conditions). I have a budget and mechanic set aside to either heat the catalytic converter before ignition, apply other rpm limits, remove the supercharger, modify the exhaust, retrofit a standard Type R ECU and exhaust system or change out the engine entirely for one lifted out of a FN2 Type R.

The key facts I've managed to extract thus far are:
* K20Z4 does pass Euro4 in the Type R
* Atom 3 does not pass
* Atom 3 has an added supercharger (which is likely to change the ignition and fuel burn efficiency)
* Atom 3 has an entirely new exhaust system (incl muffler, catalytic converter)
* Atom 3 has a new ECU and only one lambda (Type R has two - before and after the catalytic converter)
* the internals of the K20Z4 are unchanged compared to stock
* cold start cases with the Atom 3 are likely to be a lot worse than Type R (due to the ECU lacking special ignition tables for that, the second lambda and the catalytic converter being cold)

Has anybody ever had any kind of emission tests done (as part of MOT tests or elsewhere)? Do you have any emissions numbers to publish from the test? How close does the Atom 3 get?

[MonsieurX]

This was never a problem in Luxembourg (245 or 300). Where are you located?

Sorry, can't remember the amount of co2... It might also depend on the year of the car...

[lauri]

Do you know whether the Lux office perhaps accepted factory papers without independent confirmation?

Since Atom doesn't have type approval in EU, the local motor vehicles dept here in Estonia requires a certified test lab to perform independent tests for an individual type approval.

The Ariel factory's assessment is that the car won't pass Euro4 without modifications. What I actually will need to pass should be a much more limited set of Euro4 (static tests as opposed to more complex tests that I understand Euro4 is), but the assessment seems to be the same.

[MonsieurX]

Well, i think you have different ways of going about it. TUV might help. Maybe someone in the estonian ministry might exchange the right papers or signature for a ride... There's always a way... Eventually, move to Luxembourg

A friend of ours is going to try to register a 300 with TUV papers soon. Wait and see...

[lauri]

[quote="MonsieurX"]
Maybe someone in the estonian ministry might exchange the right papers or signature for a ride... There's always a way...
[/quote]

That used to work 20 years ago, but not any more (which is a good thing)

I'll need to actually pass the limited check or produce government certified documents from elsewhere in EU that show it passes the limits.

But based on numbers that people have quoted, it may be entirely doable - possibly without any modifications or smaller modifications than I was afraid of initially. I'll do some more checking. If anybody has other test numbers to report or MOT / TUV inspection stories, that'd still be helpful to paint a more complete picture

[quote="MonsieurX"]
Eventually, move to Luxembourg
[/quote]

I'm slightly afraid of your taxi drivers there

[kelvin12382003]

Hi I also want the emission report for hk

[lauri]

There are some gotchas with full accredited test lab Euro4 reports around cold start ignition mappings.

I found that the easiest choice for me was to choose a pre-2011 car for which Euro4 was still acceptable when registering and I used Wimmer RST (via suggestions from members of this forum) to register it in Germany, so it got a Euro4 marking on official German registration documents and I then imported it into Estonia.

Registration was a breeze after that given they're both in the EU with mutual trust (but not quirky with their insistence to drive on the left side nor rebellious as England in avoiding common regulations to simplify international business ). The car registry office said it'd take 10 days to register it, but I ended up getting my plates in under a day.

The second route would have been to buy a pre-2011 Atom 245 and get the Australian distributor to ship their exhaust and ECU modifications, get full noise and emissions tests (~2000 EUR or more) and then register it. The Australian distributor has gotten the emissions to the level where it should pass Euro4 in the full testing protocol apparently in their effort to register it in Australia.

[kelvin12382003]

Himate

Thanks for the detailed reply.

Does the new atom pass euro 5b?

Kelvin

[lauri]

It does not (or at least doesn't have papers for it) as far as I know.