Let's take one example: installation of an aftermarket exhaust system. From the onemotoring website:
The exhaust system, which consists of the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter and muffler, is used as part of a vehicle's exhaust emission control system to ensure that the exhaust emission meets our environmental requirements. Any modification to the exhaust system would therefore require LTA's approval. The following should be submitted to LTA for evaluation:
a) Certification from the product manufacturer stating that the proposed aftermarket exhaust system is suitable for the make and model of the vehicle.
b) Certifications or test reports from independent test laboratories such as TUV, DEKRA, JVIA, VCA etc. to show that the aftermarket exhaust system when fitted to the vehicle on a per make and model basis complied with prevailing exhaust emission standards.
After you fulfill the requirements, you pay a fee and submit the vehicle for inspection where a certificate will be issued to state that the vehicle has met all criteria. Hold on to this, I will get back to it.
Here is the infuriating bit.
If the exhaust in question does not possess TUV/DEKRA/JVIA/VCA or independent test lab reports that complies with "prevailing exhaust emissions standards", they will automatically reject your application to have the exhaust installed.
So now this begs the question: why do we need to pay the fee and submit the vehicle for inspection if the local inspection centers are unable to certify if the exhaust system in question can meet the "prevailing exhaust emissions standards"? What are the local inspection centers testing for then? By corollary, why is there a statutory requirement for all vehicles that have been registered for more than 3 years to be subject to these same exhaust emissions tests, with its associated fees?
Even the phrase "prevailing exhaust emissions standards" hints that the person who thought up this policy has no concept of the subject matter.
There are 2 kinds of pollutants: noise and chemical. A catback system by definition is physically located after the catalytic converter(s) and hence does not affect chemical emissions, only noise. So all they need to do really is to set up a mic and record the noise levels at various engine speeds. Simple as that.
And once again here we have double standards. Harley Davidson bikes with noise levels exceeding 100 dBA are allowed on the roads while catback systems at a relatively tame 87 dBA are not allowed. Why? Is it because they didn't have document X...?
3 comments:
welcome to singapore
the better way is to get one of those pre-approved systems from GR or Jeep Chee..
hey i dont know if u still read this blog but the legal noise limit for passenger cars is 103 dBA and a muffler will not affect emission the only thing u should be concerned about is the noise emission
Anonymous, please read the entire article carefully.
In the 2nd last paragraph, it is clearly stated that cat-backs do not reduce chemical pollutants, and its only purpose is to reduce noise.
But the larger question remains: why is LTA requiring vehicles which have been registered more than 3 years ago to undergo exhaust emissions testing if its own appointed test centers are not up to the task of certifying emissions compliance? If a vehicle passes emissions testing at these so-called authorized test centers, then that is prima facie evidence and does not require any "compliance".
A pass is a pass. Unless LTA is saying these "test centers" are not up to standard, then the question is why are we paying for the test then? Might as well ship all our cars to Japan or Germany to have their labs test the vehicles.
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