With stricter emissions testing after the Lunar New Year, what should car owners prepare?

Since the Lunar New Year, emissions testing has been tightened, requiring gasoline-powered vehicles to be fully warmed up, ensuring the lubricating oil reaches 60 degrees Celsius or higher, the exhaust pipe is tightly sealed, and all electrical devices are switched off to avoid inaccurate results. Without proper preparation, many vehicle owners risk failing the inspection on the first try.

What do car owners need to prepare before their vehicle inspection day?

According to regulations from the Vehicle Registration Department, from March 1st (after the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse), emission levels will be applied according to the vehicle's year of manufacture. Specifically, cars manufactured before 1999 will apply level 1; cars manufactured from 1999 to the end of 2016 will apply level 2; cars manufactured from 2017 to the end of 2021 will apply level 3; and cars manufactured from 2022 onwards will apply level 4.

For vehicles using gasoline engines, the engine must be fully warmed up before inspection. Photo: Loc Lien

To ensure consistent, transparent, and accurate implementation nationwide, the Vietnam Register has issued detailed guidelines on the methods and procedures for testing engine emissions. For vehicles using gasoline engines, the engine must be fully warmed up before testing. The lubricating oil temperature must reach 60 degrees Celsius or higher (measured at the dipstick or using an infrared sensor), or it can be determined when the engine cooling fan is running.

The exhaust system and muffler must be airtight and leak-free, preventing inaccurate measurement results. All power-consuming devices in the vehicle, such as air conditioning, lights, and defroster, must be switched off.

For vehicles with carburetors, the throttle valve must be in the fully open position. For vehicles with electronic fuel injection, check the engine fault light – it should illuminate when the ignition is turned on and turn off after the engine starts.

Emission measuring equipment at vehicle inspection centers must be capable of analyzing and recording CO, HC, CO2, O2 levels and the Lambda coefficient. Photo: Loc Lien

Emission measuring devices at vehicle inspection centers must be capable of analyzing and recording CO, HC, CO2, O2 levels and Lambda coefficient, and must be periodically inspected by the competent authority to ensure the legal validity of the results.

Three mandatory steps for measuring emissions.

According to the instructions, the vehicle inspector must complete all three steps.

Step 1: Measure at low idle speed. The engine should be running at idle speed not exceeding 1,000 rpm (or as specified by the manufacturer if higher). The sampling probe should be inserted into the exhaust pipe to a minimum depth of 300 mm; an extension tube should be used if necessary.

The measurement software will count from 0-30 seconds, with the first 15 seconds for stabilization. The measured value is determined by the average of the highest and lowest values ​​of the CO and HC parameters between the 15th and 30th seconds. The recorded results include CO concentration (% volume), HC (ppm), CO2 (%), O2 (%), and rotational speed.

Once complete, the sampling head is withdrawn, and the next step should only be performed after a minimum of 30 seconds.

With increasingly stringent vehicle inspection standards, car owners are forced to pay more attention to the technical condition of their vehicles. Photo: Loc Lien

Step 2 involves measuring at high idle speed. The engine is kept stable at approximately 2,000-3,000 rpm for 30 seconds. The calculation of the measured value is similar to step 1, but with the addition of the Lambda factor. The final value is the average of the highest and lowest values ​​of the parameters over the 15-30 second period.

Step 3: Determine the final result. The higher CO and HC values ​​between the measurements in steps 1 and 2 will be selected as the official evaluation result.

The Vietnam Register requires all units to strictly adhere to the above procedures to ensure the accuracy and objectivity of inspection results, thereby correctly determining the emission levels of vehicles.

According to experts, tightening and standardizing emissions testing is not just a matter of "pass or fail" in vehicle registration, but also an important tool for reducing air pollution, especially in large cities. As standards become higher, car owners will be forced to pay more attention to the technical condition of their vehicles, and the market will gradually shift towards cleaner and more fuel-efficient car models.

According to tienphong.vn

Source: https://baophutho.vn/siet-kiem-dinh-khi-thai-sau-tet-chu-xe-can-chuan-bi-gi-248121.htm