Perkins V8 beats US smoke standards
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• In America, where smoke emission standards are extremely severe, the Federal Environment Protection Agency has recently announced the results of certificate tests conducted on 1971 heavy duty diesel engines.
Their strict standards approved the Perkins V8.510 vehicle diesel engine—the company's biggest unit—in addition to the Perkins 6.354 and 4.236 which last year received Certificates of Conformity from the US Department of Health. Welfare and Education.
The Environmental Protection Agency bases its tests on "opacity standards" which limit the darkness of exhaust smoke to a light grey haze. Standards set are 40 per cent opacity during acceleration and 20 per cent opacity while the engine is under pressure and approaching its peak torque . . . what the Americans term the "lugdown mode".
The opacity of two Perkins V8.510 under acceleration was given as only 9 per cent and 16.5 per cent, while the opacity in the lug-down mode was reported as 7.3 per cent and 14.1 per cent . . . both a long way within the standards set. This is seen as being a strong testimony to work being done by Perkins to meet federal requirements in the fight for cleaner air.
The 4.236 and 6.354 Perkins returned figures in this series of tests of 14.12 per cent and 17.98 per cent (acceleration) and 18.02 per cent and 18.98 per cent (lug-down).