Conditions in the diesel engine field have been a mess since
diesel producers and the governing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had a
gigantic falling out late in the last century. EPA said the diesel
manufacturers cheated to get their exhaust emission controls approved, and the
makers said they didn’t. The results were a record environmental fine for
the producers and the beginning of a seemingly endless period of litigation.
The struggle reached a peak earlier this spring. If only
half of what was reported at that time is true, this debacle at the very least
has grown into a world-class case of chaos.
Up to bat is a 2003 planned reduction of EPA’s limit
on oxides of nitrogen exhausts of diesel engines by 37.5%. It is scheduled to
go into effect on Oct. 1, 2002. If you don’t believe conditions are
chaotic, try on these items for size: A request for a delay of the Oct. 1
effective date by engine makers Caterpillar and Detroit Diesel was rejected by
a federal official. Next came an appeal by Caterpillar and five trucking firms
seeking a delay because of growing estimates of the cost of the rule change and
doubts about the reliability of engines that comply.
While lawyers were having their role in the chaos, diesel
producers were adding to the confusion. Four diesel makers—Cummins,
Detroit Diesel, Mack and Volvo—are using variations of a plan called
“exhaust gas recirculation,” or EGR, to make the change required on
Oct. 1. There is a wide variation in announced facts about the plan depending
on who is talking. The estimated boost in the cost of a diesel with EGR has
ranged from $2,500 to $5,000. Increased oil and fuel consumption as well as
higher engine weight appear in the projections.
So what about Caterpillar, the nation’s largest
diesel-engine maker? This is a fair question at this point. Cat has taken
itself out of the 2002 game to some extent. The company says it is using
advanced technology to meet stiff emission limits for 2007 and beyond next
year. From this October into 2003, the company said it will offer “bridge
engines” that do not meet the fume suppression rule that goes into effect
on Oct. 1. Cat said it expects to be fined for selling the “bridge
engines.”
We expect to have more to report on this topic later this year. Truck users have some strong opinions about what is going on. And pity the truck producers who do not make diesel engines. They must wait for the diesel makers, EPA and the courts to get things straightened out before they can engineer revised powerplants under their hoods.
