Sorry, there is no fable here. If you read a bit of history, you will
find that the first real standards on tailpipe emission occurred in
1968. Here are a couple references, which state:
"The first legislated exhaust (tailpipe)
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhaust_system> emission standards were
promulgated by the State of California for 1966 model year for cars sold
in that state, followed by the United States as a whole in model year
1968. The standards were progressively tightened year by year, as
mandated by the EPA."
At that time, the auto makers only tool for reducing emissions was by
detuning. Catalytic converts came about in 1975 and helped to reduce
the amount of detuning required. Electronic engine controls helped even
more. Those that mention muscle cars should notice that they began to
decline about this same time and were then totally killed by the 1973
oil embargo. It's too bad Triumph didn't adopt electronic fuel
injection once it was perfected rather than continuing to detune, then
the TR6 and TR7 wouldn't have been such dogs.
references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_emissions_control
http://www.autolife.umd.umich.edu/Environment/E_Overview/E_Overview4.htm
On 1/16/2013 7:27 AM, John Cyganowski wrote:
> In my humble opinion, the emmissions thing is a fable that was published a
> long time ago and has become accepted fact. First, in 1967 there was no EPA.
> EPA was begun in 1970 under President Nixon. Car emmisson standards (the
> little that they had) came under the Department of Health Education and
> Welfare (HEW). Oh for the days when government was not so bloated.
>
> I think the PI system needed altitude compensation in the US. This woulrd have
> cost more. But I don't think the PI system could not be tuned. That is what
> fuel injection is all about - delivering the right amount of fuel at the right
> time.
>
> The issue was sales. McWilliam nixed anything he thought would be a
> distraction to sales. The home market was small. The home market had troubles
> with the PI system, but the number of cars produced for that market was small,
> so the problems were managable. The North American Market by comparison was
> huge. McWilliams just did not want those issues. He was right.
>
> John Cyg.
>
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