Engine emissions regulations - closer?

[Gary Fooks]

GOVERNMENTS TO LOOK AT WAYS TO CUT SMALL ENGINE POLLUTION
The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, today announced a joint Australian and state/territory government initiative to fight urban air pollution caused by marine outboards and garden engines.
“Outboard engines and garden equipment, such as lawnmowers and line trimmers, emit a variety of pollutants which can contribute significantly to urban smog and are potentially hazardous to our health,” Mr Turnbull said.
“A brushcutter for example, can produce the same pollution as 10 cars, and small engines in general can produce up to 20% of total hydrocarbon emissions on a summer weekend day in Sydney.
“This is why governments are funding a study to look at the viability of introducing regulations to control these emissions.
“This cost/benefit analysis will help to confirm whether regulation is necessary and, if so, what form it would take.”
Mr Turnbull said the Australian Government was also currently funding a project to test engine emissions from a range of lawnmower and handheld garden equipment engines to better understand the contribution of these engines to urban pollution.
“The findings of this research will feed into the study announced today,” Mr Turnbull said.
“The Australian Government will continue to work closely with other governments and relevant industry sectors on this issue.
“We have established expert industry panels from the garden equipment and outboard engine sectors to advise us on possible management options to reduce engine emissions.

“We will also be working with the outboard industry to strengthen its Voluntary Outboard Emissions Labeling Scheme (VELS). This scheme is believed to be a world first industry agreement for labelling outboard products.”
ENDS

[Gary Fooks]

FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION: 26 September 2007




Honda Supports Turnbull’s Call to Reduce Air Pollution Caused by Two-Strokes


Honda has thrown its weight behind Federal Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, in his plea this morning to fight urban air pollution caused by marine outboards and garden engines.
It is widely agreed that two-stroke engines are a major cause of high emissions and contribute significantly to urban smog.
Traditional two-stroke engines represent approximately 60 per cent of small engine sales in Australia and are responsible for an alarming rate of emissions. On average, each two-stroke outboard or lawn mower engine is responsible for 20 to 30 times the emissions of a modern day motor vehicle.
Honda’s Managing Director Stuart Strickland said it was “about time” federal legislation was introduced.
“One of the government’s own environmental reports conclusively identified several years ago just how bad two-stoke engines were for the environment,” Mr Strickland said.
“Other countries around the world have had legislation regarding the use of polluting two-stroke engines in place for many years, so it’s certainly time Australia followed suit.”
The government report to which Mr Strickland referred, the ‘Comparative Assessment of the Environmental Performance of Small Engines – Outdoor Garden Equipment’, states:
‘It is therefore clear that the most expedient path to reduce emissions from these small engines is through national regulation.’
An earlier Department of Environment report regarding two-stroke engines also said:
‘Assuming six people in a block of 10 homes decided to mow their lawn during the same period, the emissions would equate to about 240 cars driving around in their yards for almost an hour…’
Mr Strickland said the Federal Opposition’s call to regulate out-dated two-stroke engine technology was inline with Honda’s own environmental mission, which dated back nearly 50 years.
“As one example, Honda adopted the policy of manufacturing only four-stroke outboard engines back in 1964,” he said.
“Today, Honda is the only outboard company in Australia to have every model in its range achieve the Outboard Engine Distributors Association (OEDA) three-star ultra-low emission rating for superior environmental performance.”
In fact, Honda’s commitment to first-class four-stroke outboard technology can be found in the words of the late Mr Soichiro Honda himself, when he gave the following directive to Honda staff in the 1960s:
“What will happen to our oceans, lakes and rivers if all that exhaust gas mixed with oil gets pumped into the water? I don’t care if everyone else is making two-strokes – Honda has to make four strokes.”

Further information: Honda – (03) 9270 1111 or visit: www.honda.com.au

[ozbee]

pity honda you didnt spend more time on getting of your arse and di all your four strokes rather than trying the old two stoke bashing to keep up sales. by the way i own a honda and a etec

[ozbee]

i wonder how many mowers and outboards you would have to run to equal one jet engine just seem a bit one sided these days after all there crap drifts down too

[Blackened]

G'day

Thats very good news, I was wondering when it would happen.

ozbee, I understand your point on the jet engine issue, but how much pollution is going into the atmosphere per person moved/job done? I'm thinking of some kind of ratio...

Dave

[TimD]

If the government wants everyone to buy four strokes or etec's why dont they give a rebate like they do when you buy a water saving washing machine ??

cheers tim :D

[BM]

The report was titled 'outdoor garden equipment". Where is the link to outboards in that????

Maybe we should look at the comparitive number of outboard motors in relation to the number of lawnmowers, brushcutters, chainsaws in Australia.

I wonder just how low the percentage would be as in outboard:garden engines. Insignificantly low perhaps?

[PinHead]

maybe Honda just could not make a decent 2 stroke engine

[Gary Fooks]

Ozbee 1 - I am not sure what you are saying. Perhaps you aren’t either…?
I am sure you did not read it with care – Honda decided to go all 4 stroke for the sake of the environment - in the 1960’s - half a century ago!
There is no such thing as a di 4 stroke. And there is no point. Every 4 stroke is 3 star rated - and all the E-Tec range is too. Most other Di’s are 2 star.

Ozbee 2 The 2005 studies looked at the emissions , both amounts and where they occur. Lawn more emissions are incredibly high for their size and occur in our yards. Outboards have emissions in to the aid and into the water.
Most aircraft emissions are far away from where we breathe - and it would need to be international regulations to fix it.

Tim D There will be no “rebate” it will be just the same as the new car emissions standards that came in years ago with unleaded fuel . And when the tougher standard for cars came in on 1 Jan 2006 as well. It will just be that only low emission products can be imported after a certain date.

BM - there were two reports released the same day and produced by the same group - one on garden equipment and another on outboards and PWC. Both about 80 pages. Do you want a copy?

Pinhead: the only “decent” meaning 3 star rated 2 stroke is E-TEC. Di technology was not invented in the 1960s when Honda decided to go all 4 stroke.


cheers
Gary

[artesian]

Gary,

thanks for your passion on this issue.

I'll declare my hand as greenhouse curious, not a green house sceptic. Climate changes in very big ways over a few thousand years - perhaps we are making a measurable difference. According to Manning Clark and other historians, 20K years ago most of Britain, all of Canada, and most of the US was under ice.

That said, I get your point re two strokes.

Gary, I can see the point re lawnmowers, and have a 4 stroke myself. I hear what you are saying re international regs on aircraft. However, the jets that fly over my home at Geebung are a lot closer to me than most of the lawnmowers in Australia- and each of them burns fuel by the ton.

I reckon one in, all in.

[Gary Fooks]

Artesian

its not greenhouse gasses - its HC and NOx - the nasty ones that were fixed on cars years ago.

With no regulations on small engines - well a 15hp 3 Star puts out 0.17 kg of emissions ( think of this as 1/3 a coffee cup) while a 15hp carby 2 stroke puts out 3.6kg - think of this as a 3 litre bottle of milk and a 600ml carton.

Or - to put it another way a 15hp carby 2 stroke puts out more than twice the emissions of a 150hp 3 star engine.


On the other hand I am a greenhouse sceptic. The data they use is too recent - the earth is an old place - and it was warmer in the medieval period than it is now. And they had no lawn mowers or coal powered generators to cause that temperature change.

cheers

Gary

[snelly1971]

I have a mate who owns 2 Stihl dealerships....he told me that Stihls products will all be running 4 mix motors in the not to distant future...

Mick

[BM]

edited for the sake of not arguing

[ozbee]

di four strokes were invented by bosch in 1952 with over a millon engines in operation today. manufactures include toyota,alfia romeo,isuzu,bmw,mazda as well as general motors. all cars are expected to use di technology and become the norm very quickly as emissions are less and fuel economy up. considering this technology is over half a century old you would have to question the rate of advancement for the basic four stroke outboard especially as we all pay a premium in price for a four stroke i can only conclude we are being feed a crumb at a time .so how serious are manufactures about emissions. listed below is some interesting reading should open up som thoughts and views for the future.

Gasoline direct injection

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Gasoline direct injection or GDi is a variant of fuel injection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection) employed in modern two- (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_cycle) and four- (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_cycle) stroke petrol engines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrol_engine). The gasoline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasoline) is highly pressurised, and injected via a common rail fuel line directly into the combustion chamber (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustion_chamber) of each cylinder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylinder_%28engine%29), as opposed to conventional multi point fuel injection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection#Multi-port_fuel_injection) that happens in the intake tract (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppet_valve), or cylinder port. GDi enables stratified charge (ultra lean burn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_burn)) combustion for improved fuel efficiency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency) and emission levels at low load.
Contents

[hide (javascript:toggleToc())] [hide (javascript:toggleToc())]

1 Theory of operation (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#Theory_of_operation)
2 History (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#History)
3 In two-stroke engines (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#In_two-stroke_engines)
4 References (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#References)
5 External links (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#External_links) //
[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gasoline_direct_injection&action=edit&section=1)] Theory of operation

The major advantages of a GDi engine are increased fuel efficiency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency) and high power (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_%28physics%29) output. This is achieved by the precise control over amount of fuel and injection timings which are varied according to the load conditions. In addition, there are no throttling losses when compared to a conventional fuel injected (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection) or carbureted (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carburetor) engine, which greatly improves efficiency in engines without a throttle plate.
The engine management system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_management_system) continually chooses among three combustion modes: ultra lean burn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_burn), stoichiometric (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoichiometric), and full power output. Each mode is characterized by the air-fuel ratio (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air-fuel_ratio). The stoichiometric (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoichiometry) air-fuel ratio for petrol (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrol) (gasoline) is 14.7 to 1 by weight, but ultra lean mode can involve ratios as high as 65 to 1. These leaner mixtures, much leaner than in a conventional engine, reduce fuel consumption.

Ultra lean mode is used for light-load running conditions, when little or no acceleration is required. The fuel is not injected at the intake stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_cycle) but rather at the latter stages of the compression stroke, so that the small amount of air-fuel mixture is optimally placed near the spark plug (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark_plug). This stratified charge is surrounded by mostly air which keeps the fuel away from the cylinder walls for lowest emissions. The combustion takes place in a toroidal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toroid) cavity on the piston (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piston)'s surface. This technique enables the use of ultra-lean mixtures impossible with carburetors or conventional fuel injection.
Stoichiometric mode is used for moderate load conditions. Fuel is injected during the intake stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_cycle), creating a homogeneous (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Homogeneous) fuel-air mixture in the cylinder. From the stoichiometric ratio, an optimum burn results in clean exhaust readily further cleaned by the catalytic converter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter).
full power mode is used for rapid acceleration and heavy loads (as when climbing a hill). The air-fuel mixture is homogeneous and the ratio is slightly richer than stoichiometric, which helps prevent pinging (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine_knocking). The fuel is injected during the intake stroke. Direct injection may also be accompanied by other engine technologies such as variable valve timing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VVT) and tuned or variable length (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VLIM) intake manifolding. Water injection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_injection_%28engines%29) or (more commonly) exhaust gas recirculation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EGR) can help reduce the high NOx (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NOx) emissions that result from burning ultra lean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_burn) mixtures.

[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gasoline_direct_injection&action=edit&section=2)] History

The first direct injection system was developed by Bosch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bosch_GmbH), and was introduced by Goliath (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_%28car%29) and Gutbrod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutbrod) in 1952. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_300SL), the first sports car to use fuel injection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_injection), used direct injection. The Bosch fuel injectors were placed into the bores on the cylinder wall used by the spark plugs in other Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder engines (the spark plugs were relocated to the cylinder head). Later, more mainstream applications of fuel injection favoured less expensive indirect injection methods.
During the late 1970's, the Ford Motor Company (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company) developed a stratified-charge engine they called "ProCo" (programmed combustion),[1] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-0)[2] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-1) utilizing a unique high pressure pump and direct injectors. One hundred Crown Victoria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Crown_Victoria) cars were built at Ford's Atlanta Assembly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Assembly) in Hapeville, Georgia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapeville%2C_Georgia) utilizing a ProCo V8 engine. The project was canceled for several reasons; electronic controls, a key element, were in their infancy; pump and injector costs were extremely high; and lean combustion produced nitrogen oxides (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_oxides) in excess of near future EPA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPA) limits. Also, the three way catalytic converter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter) was proven to be a more cost effective solution.
It was not until 1996 that gasoline direct injection reappeared in the automotive market. Mitsubishi Motors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Motors) was the first with a GDI engine in the Japanese (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan) market Galant/Legnum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Galant)'s 4G93 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_4G9_engine#4G93) 1.8 L straight-4 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight-4),[3] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-2) which it subsequently brought to Europe in 1997 in the Mitsubishi Carisma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_Carisma),[4] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-3) although Europe's high-sulphur fuel led to emissions problems, and fuel efficiency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency) was less than expected.[5] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-4) It also developed the first six cylinder GDI powerplant, the 6G74 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_6G7_engine) 3.5 L V6 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V6), in 1997.[6] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-5) Mitsubishi applied this technology widely, producing over one million GDI engines in four families by 2001,[7] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-6) PSA Peugeot Citroën (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSA_Peugeot_Citro%C3%ABn) and Hyundai Motors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Motors) both licensed Mitsubishi's GDI technology in 1999, the latter using the first GDI V8 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V8).[8] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-7)[9] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-8) DaimlerChrysler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DaimlerChrysler) produced a special engine for 2000, offered only in markets with low sulphur fuel.[citation needed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citing_sources)]
Although other companies have since developed gasoline direct injection engines, GDI (with an uppercase final "I") remains a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Motors.[10] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-9)
Toyota (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota) introduced direct injection engine D4 (Toyota AZ engine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_AZ_engine)) in 2000 Toyota Avensis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Avensis). Toyota (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota)'s 2GR-FSE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_GR_engine#2GR-FSE) V6 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V6) uses a combination of direct and indirect injection. It uses two injectors per cylinder, a traditional port injector and a new direct injector.
Later GDi engines have been tuned and marketed for their high performance. Volkswagen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen)/Audi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi) introduced their GDi engine in 2000, under the product name Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI), the technology adapted from Audi's Le Mans (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24_hours_of_Le_Mans) prototype racecar.
Alfa Romeo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo) introduced their first direct injection engine JTS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JTS_engine) in 2002, and today the technology is used on almost every Alfa Romeo engine.
BMW (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW) introduced GDi V12 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V12) BMW N73 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N73) engine in 2003. This initial BMW system used low-pressure injectors and could not enter lean-burn mode, but the company introduced its second-generation High Precision Injection system on the updated N52 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_N52) straight-6 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight-6) in 2006. This system surpasses many others with a wider envelope of lean-burn time, increasing overall efficiency.[11] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-10) PSA is cooperating with BMW on a new line of engines which will make its first appearance in the 2007 MINI Cooper S (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MINI_%28BMW%29).
General Motors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Corporation) had planned to produce a full range of GDi engines by 2002, but so far only two such engines have been introduced — in 2004, a version of the 2.2 L Ecotec (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Family_II_engine#DI) used by the Opel Vectra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opel_Vectra) and in 2005, a 2.0 L Ecotec (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Family_II_engine#SIDI) with VVT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VVT) technology for the Pontiac Solstice GXP (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Solstice#GXP), the Vauxhall GT, the Opel Speedster, and the Saturn Sky Red Line. The forthcoming 2008 Cadillac CTS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_CTS) and Cadillac STS will also be available GDi 3.6 L LLT (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_High_Feature_engine#LLT) engine due out in the fall of 2007.
In 2004 Isuzu Motors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isuzu_Motors) produced the first GDi engine sold in a mainstream American vehicle. Standard on the 2004 Axiom and optional on the 2004 Rodeo. Isuzu claimed the benefit of GDi is that the vaporizing fuel has a cooling effect, allowing a higher compression ratio (10.3 to 1 versus 9.1 to 1) that boosts output by 20 horsepower (15 kW) and that 0-to-60 times drop from 8.9 to just 7.5 seconds, with the quarter-mile being cut from 16.5 seconds to 15.8 ticks.[12] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-11)
Mazda uses their own version of direct injection in the Mazdaspeed 6 / Mazda 6 MPS, the CX-7 sport-ute, and the new Mazdaspeed 3. It is referred to as Direct Injection Spark Ignition.

[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gasoline_direct_injection&action=edit&section=3)] In two-stroke engines

The benefits of direct injection are even more pronounced in two-stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_cycle) engines, because it eliminates much of the pollution they cause. In conventional two-strokes, the exhaust and intake ports are both open at the same time, at the bottom of the piston stroke. A large portion of the fuel/air mixture entering the cylinder from the crankcase through the intake ports goes directly out, unburned, through the exhaust port. With direct injection, only air comes from the crankcase, and fuel is not injected until the piston rises and all ports are closed.
Two types of GDI are used in two-strokes: low-pressure air-assisted, and high pressure. The former, developed by Orbital Engine Corporation of Australia (now Orbital Corporation) injects a mixture of fuel and compressed air into the combustion chamber. When the air expands it atomizes the fuel into 8-micrometre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrometre) droplets, very small relative to the 20 to 30-micrometre fuel droplets in other direct injection systems. The Orbital system is used in motor scooters manufactured by Aprilia, Piaggio, Peugeot and Kymco, in outboard motors manufactured by Mercury and Tohatsu, and in personal watercraft manufactured by Bombardier.
In the early 1990s, Ficht GmbH of Kirchseeon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirchseeon), Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany) developed a high-pressure direct injector for use with two stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_stroke) engines. This injector was unique in that it did not require a high pressure pump but was still capable of generating enough pressure to inject into a closed combustion chamber. Outboard Marine Corporation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outboard_Marine_Corporation) (OMC) licensed the technology in 1995 and introduced it on a production outboard engine in 1996.[13] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-12)[14] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-13) OMC purchased a controlling interest in Ficht in 1998.[15] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-14) Beset by extensive warranty claims for its Ficht outboards, OMC declared bankruptcy in December of 2000 and the engine manufacturing portion and brands (Evinrude Outboard Motors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evinrude_Outboard_Motors) and Johnson Outboards (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Outboards)), including the Ficht technology, were purchased by Bombardier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier) in 2001.[16] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-15), [17] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-16)
Evinrude introduced the E-Tech system, an improvement to the Ficht fuel injection, in 2003, based on U.S. patent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patent) 6,398,511. In 2004, Evinrude received the EPA Clean Air Excellence Award for their outboards utilizing the E-Tech system.[18] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-17)
Yamaha also has a high-pressure direct injection system for two-stroke outboards. It differs from the Ficht/E-Tech and Orbital direct injection systems because it uses a separate, belt driven, high pressure, mechanical fuel pump to generate the pressure necessary for injection in a closed chamber. This is similar to most current 4-stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_cycle) automotive designs.
EnviroFit, a non-profit corporation sponsored by Colorado State University (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_State_University), has developed direct injection retrofit kits for two-stroke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke) motorcycles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorcycles) in a project to reduce air pollution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_pollution) in Southeast Asia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southeast_Asia), using technology developed by Orbital Corporation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_Corporation_Limited) of Australia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia).[19] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-18) The World Health Organization says air pollution in Southeast Asia and the Pacific causes 537,000 premature deaths each year. The 100-million two-stroke taxis and motorcycles in that part of the world are a major cause.[20] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-19) [21] (file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Hornet/My%20Documents/My%20Pictures/Fuel_Stratified_Injection.htm#_note-20)

[edit (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gasoline_direct_injection&action=edit&section=4)] References

[cormorant]

I can't wait to see the price of a cat converter for a fourstroke outboard and it's duty time in a salt water environment and the new shape of the leg??

There is a chance that with newer 2 stroke oil that a lot of the nasty bits may become quicker and easier to degrade- still comes out the exhaust but has lesser affect on the environment.

I think with all these reports they have to compare relevant motors and not pick the best of one technology with the worst of another when they do their headlines.


The whole debate isn't holistic at all when looking at the big picture when the focus is on consumer rather than on industrial machinery that does far more hours and our base electricity supply coming from coal generators with no sign off on carbon trading.

If the whole process was truely driven by the environment rather than relevant business cartel interests getting into bed with the government to drive consumer product update I wouldn't be so sceptical. Both State and Fedral would gain a little respect if the various authorities like State bus fleets, millitary leed the way and upgrade to newer technologies like the Australian regenerative braking technology by permodrive like the US army is now proposing purchasing. Nah lets sell off rail coridors and reduce the more efficient public transport services , encourage heavy road transport, kill coastal traders and stifle local inovation.

What do you think Gary- is this the best use of taxpayers limited resouces that will produce the most bang for our dollars in protecting the whole environment or should we have a carbon trading scheme and put half the additional money we pay for 4 strokes into purchasing carbon credits?

[MyEscape]

Garry,

In 2007 Honda are saying that 50 years ago they decided to produce 4 Strokes only for the sake of the environment.

I think that statement in 2007 has a little hindsight in there somewhere.

Whilst I commend a manufacturer to produce goods for the sake of the environment, I don't think anybody cared, thought about and knew about changes in the environment back in 1964. Do you have un-edited press releases from 1964 where that was stated by Honda.

The next time a space shuttle is launched I'll stay at home for the weekend with my 115hp 2 stroke Merc with my diesel Landrover in the interests of the environment.

However, yes I really do care for the environment, as a person concerned for the evironment rather than a greenie.

[PADDLES]

so it's begun hey gary, the first step towards the regulation of conventional 2s engines. i believe you predicted this one one here over a year ago. on the issue of the big H not being able to build a decent 2s i've got 2 names to drop - wayne gardner, mick doohan. i think you'll find that honda has made it company policy for decades to embrace 4s technology in their products whilst none of the other manufacturers gave two hoots. as a result and to stay alive in the marketplace (driven by consumers), and in racing they produced 2s products. upon hearing government embracing 4s technology they will be rubbing their greedy little paws in glee.

[tender hooks]

Pollution caused by a 25cc whippa snipper oh yes must be a huge ammount. We all know 2 stroke will die a natural death, government interferance wont be needed just a bit of price control, hey honda ! price puts 4 stroke a little out of reach otherwise there all good meantime i still use a 2 stroke outboard price and power to weight are better 8-)

[Gary Fooks]

Ozbee

I stand corrected.

Gary

[Gary Fooks]

seejay1

Honda has a practice of having the chairman regularly address the staff - like many other companies around the world.

This speech about 4 strokes comes from one of those internal addresses - not a press release.

Honda has not had a road going 2 stoke since the SK50 in 2001

Closed course pure racing machines were 2 stroke then the Rc211V ridden by Rossi won the world championship on 4 stroke in about 2004. So It took many years to be 100% 4 stroke

I think the outboards have been 4 strokes from the start.




BTW the E-TEC is a factastic leap forward - cleaner than any other 2 stroke, and many 4 strokes.

Their DI system is quite different from otehr companies.

Hope this is of interest.

Gart

[MyEscape]

Gary,

Again I commend your thoughts and energy regarding 2 stroke emissions. Let us not forget about the emissions of our coal powered power stations which are a bit on the dirty word side when you consider the money the government is making from coal sales.

A point driven home every time I leave Hay Point tug boat harbour and there's literally 20-30 ships waiting for their turn to be loaded with our "clean" coal.

There was a very interesting report on Monday night's ABC 7.30 Report. No doubt you would have watched it - a link to the transcript is http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2047734.htm

This is - Australian technology taken overseas because our government didn't beleive in it. The comment from Malcolm Turnbull, the author of your original post was "MALCOLM TURNBULL, MINISTER, ENVIRONMENT & WATER RESOURCES : You cannot run a modern economy on wind farms and solar powers. It's a pity that you can't, but you can't.

JOHN HOWARD, PRIME MINISTER: Solar is a nice, easy soft answer. There's this vague idea in the community that solar doesn't cost anything and it can solve the problem. It can't. It can't replace base load power generation by power stations.

The issue of emissions from 2 stroke outboards, brush cutters etc, is simply skirting around the edges of a real problem.

It's not going to be fixed by a (another) government buy back of nasty 2 stroke engines.

Steve

[Gary Fooks]

Seajay

Yes - there are probably more emissions from coal than outboards.

No - there wont be any buy back at all. I dont know how that idea pops into conversations. They didnt buy back old cars when they put emission controls on all new cars sold. This will be the same.

To me its a matter of attitude. I personally dont want to be responsible for putting more nasty stuff into the water and air - just because I wanted a bigger (2 stroke) engine for the same price.

I just got a 50hp 3 star but for the same dollars could have bought a 60hp or maybe a 75hp high emission engine. But I could not justify getting a bit more speed as a swap for putting an additional 3kg of oil, nitric acid etc etc into the water every hour.


Ok - another example - last Sunday an empty drink bottle blew overboard and we didnt notice. I did give a damn - so to make up for it the boys and I picked up two other bottles we found floating and put them in the bin later.

Yes - coal stations put out more junk. That does not absolve me.

So if the guy next door dumps a trailer load of rubbish on the footpath that means its ok for me to put a bin load on the street? I think not. Anyway - intersting debate.

The point of this post was to tell people that it looks like teh regulations see in the USA, Europe , Canada etc are getting closer to Australia.

Fishers who say we are responsible - and they should not ban fishing / green zones etc will have a hard time argueing against emissions regulations for Australia. IMHO

Gary

[PADDLES]

unfortunately malcolm turnbull is correct in his statement steve. i'll give you a couple of figures that you will definitely understand because they're close to where you sit every day. you might cruise on past the jetty head at DBCT every day but i can tell you for sure that inside that transfer tower, L5 and L6 conveyors chew up enough juice that one of the biggest wind turbines available would have to be running at pretty much 80% capacity while ever the conveyor is running to power them. that's basically one of the biggest turbines available to run a single long conveyor. now you know how many conveyors there are up there. wind power will easily power small communities but will never be able to power industry with them. the government is absolutely right in their statement that if we want to cut emisions from power generation that we simply have to go nuclear. as for solar well i know people that have got solar and in general it's a pretty good thing, but to set up a reasonable house you need to be spending $30k to $40k and you still have to watch how much you use the microwave or the vacuum cleaner. it's sad though that the technology and innovation in alternative energy has to leave our shores.

[KGW3]

Honda also race cars and motorcycles, which is a usless waste of fuel and adds plenty of of pollution the the air. They are just trying to create added sales for thier 4 stroke engines. If they were concerned about pollution, they would invent an LPG Outboard. I'll hang on to my smelly 2 stroke as I won't be around in 40 years to be affected by the smog.

[quigley595]

Just my 2 cents worth......

Will there be regulations re 2S engines?

It's a certainty in my opinion. Probably be introduced in the next 3-5 years.

Will they affect us badly?

I don't think so. I reckon that the manufacture, import and sale will be banned from a certain date a number of years into the future after the announcement(6-10?). This will be widely publicised so that new engine buyers will all all have the time to opt to go 4 stroke. The remaining 2 strokes will be allowed to grow old gracefully and die a natural death.

At least, I hope this will be the case..... I have just got a 3 year old yammy 70.

:-/ :-/ ::)

Mike

ps... I totally agree with the banning of all polluting oil burners.... If I knew years ago what I know now, I would have gone 4 stroke. I just hope they don't make us suffer on the changeover!

[MyEscape]

Okay,Okay,
Paddles, in no statement have I said that solar is going to replace coal fired power stations. Solar is something that will give the electricity grid a boost, possibly, but in no way replace.
It's like comparing a hybrid vehicle with a petrol powered one. The power that a litre of fuel gives is not to be understated.
Solar power or wind power gives something, but only very little at present. My wife and I lived at Gladstone recently (yes, where a power station is sited). My understanding of the output of the Gladstone power station is something like 10-15% of Qld's usage. But the aluminium smelter in Gladstone, I understand uses more than half the output. Obviously I'd hate to be paying the smeleter's power bill! Solar or wind is never going to replace this.

For this reason, yes, Paddles, I agree with Malcolm Turnbull that solar will not run a modern economy, that we probably always will need coal fired power stations.

The point is the technology developed here in Australia seems to slip through our hands. It's happened many times before, and it's for that reason I believe our energies should be concentrated in getting our governments to do their best to at least retain this technology here rather than send it off shore.

Surely it will do more good than stopping a few brushcutters.

Steve

[Gary Fooks]

Mike

The Industry association for garden equipment has suggested regulatiions in a timetable of 2010/12. ie no more carby 2 strokes to be imported from teh end of 2012.

The case for outboards has not been announced.

There will be no "suffering on the chngeover . You can keep your 2010 2 stroke for 100 years if you like.

Gary

[PADDLES]

nah steve i wasn't saying you reckon solar could replace power stations, sorry for the misunderstanding, i was just giving you an example of something that you see every day of how it's real hard to make alternative energy work in the industrial world. You're right about the smelter, we do a bit of work there too and they use enormous amounts of energy and i might add that they (like most industry) spend a lot of time and resources on doing it the most efficient way possible. agree though, it's a pity that the government don't seem to want australia to become the world leader in alternative energy research and technology. they seem more interested in trying to develop clean coal technology (which is just as important). but hey, the coal industry obviously pays the bills for us both by the sounds of it so who are we to bite the hand that feeds.

[Gary Fooks]

The Haines Group and BRP support Australian government in fight against air pollution
Two of Australia’s leading marine companies, the Haines Group, distributor for Suzuki Marine, and BRP Australia, distributor of the Evinrude E-TEC outboard engines, have joined to support the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull in his fight against urban air pollution.

Greg Haines, Managing Director of The Haines Group and Gregoire Dupont, General Manager for BRP Australia, say their companies have already taken steps to achieve environmental sustainability.

Greg Haines said The Haines Group totally supported the government’s commitment to cleaner engine technology and would be more than happy to stop the importation of high emission engines as soon as the government legislates against them.

“In the absence of legislation, companies were forced to import old technology engines to compete with some manufacturers who continue selling traditional carburetted 2-stroke engine technology.

“We believe dirty technology should be phased out and that the outboard marine industry should be given more recognition from government for the design technology and innovation they are introducing to fight pollution, he said.

"In 2005, BRP was the first marine engine manufacturer to ever be awarded the "Clean Air Technology Excellence Award" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for its 2-stroke direct injection Evinrude E-TEC outboard engine", said Gregoire Dupont.

This award recognises and honours individuals and organisations that have taken the risks of innovation, served as pioneers in their fields, and have helped to improve air quality. Following that recognition, BRP decided to become an all E-TEC company, as it relates to its outboard engine business.

To win this award, BRP demonstrated that E-TEC is an advanced two-stroke direct injection technology for outboard engines that produce lower exhaust emissions - including lower carbon monoxide emissions - than four-stroke engines, providing a cleaner, quieter and safer boating environment. The Evinrude E-TEC engines meet stringent EPA, European Union (EU), and 2008 California Air Resources Board (CARB) 3-Star ultra-low emissions standards.

To responsibly manage and educate outboard engine purchasers, BRP and Suzuki have driven the Voluntary Outboard Emissions Labelling Scheme (VELS) on all their outboard engines since its introduction twelve months ago.

VELS is a simple labelling system ranging from zero (high emission) to three stars (low emission) and is consistent with CARB three star and EU emission standards - considered among the world’s best practices for emissions.

“We are committed to working together on ensuring the sustainability of the marine industry in Australia, through marketing cleaner technologies and promoting sustainable recreational boating for all pursuits,” concluded Gregoire Dupont.

Three star outboard engines such as Evinrude E-TEC or Suzuki 4-stroke outboards generate about 0.17 kg of harmful emissions per hour compared to carburetted two-stroke engines that emit 20 times or about 3.6 kg per hour.

The use of low-emission outboard engines is currently being written into the eco-certification requirements for the Great Barrier Reef tourist operators by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). A move applauded by the two companies.



ENDS


Notes:
Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. ("BRP"), a privately-held company, is a world leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of motorized recreational vehicles. Its portfolio of brands and products includes: Ski Doo® and Lynx® snowmobiles, Sea Doo® watercraft and sport boats, Evinrude® and Johnson® outboard engines, direct injection technologies such as Evinrude E TEC®, Can Am™ all-terrain vehicles and roadsters, as well as Rotax® engines and karts.

The Haines Group is Australia’s largest and most awarded fibreglass trailer boat manufacturer and exclusive distributor of Suzuki outboard engines throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The Haines Group manufactures and distributes nationally an extensive line-up of quality marine products including Signature and Traveler fibreglass boats, Ensign™ polyethylene boats, Nautique world record tow boats and Suzuki outboards.


Grégoire Dupont
BRP
E: gregiore.dupont@brp.com

Greg Haines
The Haines Group
E: greg@thehainesgroup.com

[artesian]

I hear what they say about outboards,

I've read some stuff that says that poly and ally boats are easy to recycle, and that when glass boats float no more make good landfill and nothing else. Perhaps the experts who post here can shed more light on how glass boats can be recycled? And perhaps they can help us understand the environmental footprint of the various construction techniques? (I hope so, because in my heart of hearts I want a soft riding glass hulled fuel efficient boat for offshore)

If that is right, I wonder if glass boat manufacturers will embrace that and we'll get better boats?

On a separate but related hobby horse...........

I need to show my hand and say that I am greenhouse curious- climate change has been a fact of life over human history and before. Not that long ago, while humans were around, they could walk to Tassie and PNG, and most of Europe and all of Canada, and most of the US was under lots of ice.

Putting a price on carbon and a carbon trading scheme means two things, we will be paying more for the energy we use, and the trading scheme means plenty of middle men will be making a few bucks, and guess who from??? Business and politicians now find it makes financial and political sense to embrace the cause. I'll keep my nasty 4by and boat, because I reckon I generate carbon credits by buying a house close enough to work to walk..... well, maybe I go into debit when I have baked beans for breakfast