Volume 2 Number 3
Fall 1999
Automotive Repair Industry Outreach Program
Joins Air Team
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vehicle Emissions Test Program is pleased to
announce the creation of the
Vehicle Emissions Outreach
Program dedicated exclusively to
the repair industry. This is being
done in recognition of the important
role played by the repair industry
and its technicians in the reduction
of ozone, and also to assist technicians in making the transition to the
enhanced test procedure, namely,
the IM240. The Outreach Program
will consist of emission inspection
station tours, Enhanced Emissions
Seminars, Technical Nights to be
held at the emission inspection
stations and other such resources as
required.
The Outreach Program is
staffed by Ken Beauvais, Gary
Goodridge and Frank Novak who
bring to this effort thirty years of
combined experience in the Vehicle
Emissions Test Program in the
positions of Quality Assurance
Auditor, Vehicle Emissions Compliance Inspector and Motorist Assistance Specialist. They act as a
resource for any problems or
questions technicians may have
regarding the enhanced emissions
test as well as those operational and
administrative questions that
frequently arise. They will also
oversee the Repair Facility Performance Report, which will include
the Repair Effectiveness Index
(REI).
The repair industry is essential
for the success of the enhanced
program. Ken, Gary and Frank are
looking forward to working with
technicians to assist them in their
efforts. They can be reached at
the Elk Grove Field Office Monday
through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5 PM at
847-758-3434. The members of
Outreach want you to feel free to
contact them at any time.
The Outreach Team
Contact the
Outreach Team at
847-758-3434,
Monday - Friday,
8:30 AM to 5 PM
at the Elk Grove
Field Office.
The new Outreach team is comprised of (left to right) Frank Novak, Gary
Goodridge and Ken Beauvais of the Illinois EPA.
Air Repair
Fall 1999
1
Illinois EPA Offers Free
Enhanced Emissions Seminars
I/M 240 Trace
60
Speed (Mph)
50
40
First Chance
to “Fast Pass”
30
20
10
0
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
210
240
Seconds
What is IM240
Training?
Many repair shops employ technicians who have invested in formal,
in-depth training to repair vehicles
that have failed an IM240 emissions
test. By making this investment in
training these shops receive an “x”
in the IM240 Trained column of the
Repair Facility Performance
Report. To receive recognition for
IM240 training, technicians complete a 36-hour IM240 specific
course. These courses usually
consist of two fundamental courses:
FIRST (Fundamental Inspection
Repair System Training) and EDGE
(Emissions Diagnostician Graduate
Education). Although the Illinois
EPA does not certify trainers, it
monitors the curriculum of those
trainers listed in the “World of
Trainers.” If you have any questions regarding training, please call
a Program Representative at
847-758-3434.
If you were unable to attend the IM240 informational seminars presented
by Colorado State University, you won’t want to miss the chance to attend
a free Enhanced Emissions Inspection Seminar presented by the Illinois
EPA. Three such seminars have already been held in Elk Grove Village
and more will be scheduled in the future. Two seminars have also been
scheduled for the Metro East area on December 15 and 16, 1999 from
2 PM to 6 PM at the Illinois Regional Headquarters Complex in Collinsville,
followed by a tour of the Collinsville test station from 6 PM to ???
Topics covered during the seminar include:
Understanding I/M terminology
The Federal Clean Air Act and EPA requirements
Understanding the Federal Test Procedures (FTP)
IM240 test procedures
Interpreting test results
Equipment used in the replication of failures
Waiver requirements
The Repair Effectiveness Index (the “Report Card”)
The importance of the Repair Diagnostics Report
Information contained on Vehicle Inspection Report
The seminars also include a tour of a vehicle emissions test station,
where seminar attendees are welcome to drive their vehicles on a dynamometer following the “drive trace” used in the IM240 test.
These seminars are not diagnostic or repair strategy classes. Their
purpose is to provide the automotive repair industry with information about
the enhanced vehicle emissions test program and how it affects the repair
industry and your customers. Technicians, service writers, managers and
shop owners involved in repairing vehicles that failed an emissions test
should attend. If you are interested in attending one of these seminars, call
847-758-3434 to register.
Air Repair is published by
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
Send all address changes, mailing
requests and letters to the editor to:
Air Repair
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
130 E. Hill Street
Villa Park, IL 60181
e-mail: AirRepair@il.etest.com
phone: 630-993-6250
fax: 630-993-6205
Jim Woodard, Editor
2
Fall 1999
Repair industry representatives learn more about IM240 testing during a
seminar held October 2 at the Illinois EPA Field Office.
Air Repair
The Straight Scoop on Dynamometers
Dynamometers are used in each
emissions test lane to allow vehicles
to be driven under load in a stationary position. An electric motor is
used to simulate inertia and road
load. Speeding up the motor
simulates inertia, and slowing the
motor down simulates road load.
The load settings used for each
emissions test are obtained from
look-up tables in the lane software,
and are reported in the Test Information section of the Vehicle
Inspection Report (VIR). (See the
“Dyno Setting” line on a VIR or in
the example on page 5 in this
issue.)
Some customers mistakenly
believe the dynamometer and motor
accelerate the vehicle drive wheels.
Vehicles are driven under their own
power while on a dynamometer.
Completing the full IM240 drive test
simulates a drive of just under two
miles at a maximum speed of 57
mph, and a maximum acceleration
rate of 3.3 mph per second. Test
statistics compiled since the beginning of the enhanced emissions test
program show that about 60 percent
of vehicles receiving an IM240 test
fast-pass in less than 50 seconds,
traveling less than a mile at speeds
under 30 mph.
While being driven on the
dynamometer, the vehicle acts
much like an oversized engine test
stand, and the vehicle performs
much as it would while being driven
on the road.
In fact, an Envirotest staff
trainer has used her personal pickup truck to perform more than 750
IM240 tests for training purposes
and equipment tests. To date, the
truck has traveled more than 1,450
miles on dynamometers –and not
one bit of damage.
Does this mean that vehicles
will never break while being driven
on a dyne? Unfortunately, no. The
vehicles presented for testing are
the biggest uncontrolled variable in
the test process. They can (and
will) break while being driven on a
dynamometer, but the damage is
usually related to a pre-existing
condition or to the past usage
history of the vehicle, and not the
result of being driven on a dynamometer.
When used properly, the test
equipment and procedures do not
damage the vehicles being tested.
New RFPR Available
Soon
The next Repair Facility Performance Report should be available
this Fall. This report lists recognized
repair facilities and is designed to
assist vehicle owners in locating
repair facilities that have the
equipment, qualified staff and
training necessary to repair vehicles
that have failed the IM240 test.
To date, 307 shops have
voluntarily registered to become
recognized repair facilities, and
since the last printing of this newsletter 20 additional repair facilities
have become IM240 trained.
IM240 Success Stories
All Pro Meets the IM240 Challenge
Technicians and repair facilities
share a key role in the “M” part of
the I/M equation (Inspection and
Maintenance). Technical training
and qualifications are important to
the successful repair of failing
vehicles.
The demand for training is
increasing. The importance of
training cannot be overstated. A
group of All Pro Automotive
Service Center owners from
Chicago and the northwest suburbs
have taken on the IM240 challenge
with outstanding results. This group
comprises 64 independent auto
repair shops affiliated with the All
Pro Auto Parts and Service Company. Currently 115 of their technicians are enrolled in on-going
technical training classes that
include an IM240 training course
recognized by the Illinois EPA.
Thirty technicians have already
successfully completed the course.
The group also discusses IM240
technical procedures at monthly
meetings to help inform their
members. This has resulted in a
positive group effort that will help
clean our air. We applaud their
dedication to serving the needs of
Illinois motorists and meeting the
IM240 challenge. For more information on this training or All Pro
call 847-297-1888.
Let Us Know About
Your IM240 Successes
If you have I/M success stories you
would like to share, please send
them to: Air Repair, c/o Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency,
P.O. Box 767, Elk Grove Village, IL
60007.
Air Repair
Fall 1999
3
Is the Repair Data About Your Facility Accurate?
Why it’s important to
complete the back of
the Illinois Vehicle
Inspection Report
of the form must be filled out
properly. The repair information will
be used in calculating the Repair
Effectiveness Index (REI) that will
be published in the Repair Facility
Performance Report (RFPR) in
the future. A number of items will
be taken into account when computing the REI, including the
number of vehicles repaired that
passed their retest, the number of
vehicles that required multiple
retests before passing, the number
of retests performed and the
number of waivers issued. The REI
is not a straight percentage. It is
weighted for the most recent
quarter so that a facility showing
By Phil Millar, Training Coordinator,
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
The Repair Summary and Repair
Data sections on the back of the of
the Vehicle Inspection Report and
Certificate (VIR) are used to
gather the necessary information
about the specific repairs on a
vehicle that has failed an emission
test. In order to properly process a
retest and give credit for the repair
to a specific repair facility, the back
V01735955
22585
The Repair Summary and Repair Data sections must be completed before the vehicle can qualify for a retest or a
waiver. Only repairs made by a recognized repair technician will qualify for a waiver on 1981 and newer vehicles.
improvement will receive proper
credit for its efforts.
The repair information must be
filled in completely as indicated by
writing figures in the boxes and
filling in the circles solidly with
black or dark blue pen (felt-tip pens
work well). If all sections are not
completed carefully, inaccurate
information could adversely affect a
repair facility’s REI rating.
Repair Summary
Section
Repaired by:
Motorist
Repair Technician
“Repaired by:” Indicates who
made repairs, the motorist or a
repair facility (blacken one circle
only). This is one of the most
frequently skipped boxes.
If your vehicle failed the emissions test, we recommend that you have your vehicle repaired by a qualified technician who is experienced in
the repair of emissions components. Please have the person who performs repairs fill out this form. Bring this form, along with the emissions
repair work order form and all receipts for parts and labor costs for the current repair work, when you return for a retest. This form is designed
to be scanned by a computer. Please fill in the appropriate circles solidly. Use a dark pen. Please keep the marks within the circles.
Repair Summary Section
Repaired by:
To be completed by motorist or repair technician:
Emissions-Related
Emissions-Related
Repair Total-Parts
Repair Total-Labor
To be completed by repair technician only:
Repair Facility
Repair Facility
Federal Tax ID Number
Phone Number
..
$
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
$
..
Repair Technician
-
-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
Repair Data Section
Motorist
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
Please indicate below what repairs have been made. Mark only one circle per item.
Please print
Please print the name of person performing repairs.
I certify that these repairs were completed as described.
Repair facility name (if applicable)
Signature
4
Date
Fall 1999
Air Repair
RepairSummary Section
To becompletedbymotoristorrepairtechnician:
Emissions-Related
Emissions-Related
Repair Total-Parts
Repair Total-Labor
$
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
..
$
..
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
Write the numbers in the boxes
AND re-enter the numbers by
blackening the appropriate circles
below each number. Each box
should only contain one number. In
the sample above, the total cost for
emissions-related repair parts was
$24.95. The “2” circle below the
written “2” is blackened, the “4”
circle below the written “4” is
blackened, and so on. Only one
blackened circle per column is
valid.
Each of the following must be
written in the boxes and have
circles blackened underneath:
Emissions-Related Repair Total
Cost of Parts
Emissions-Related Repair Total
Cost of Labor
Repair Facility Federal Tax ID
Number OR Repair Facility
Phone Number
Note: Be sure to write in your
phone number. Providing your
Federal tax ID is voluntary.
Repair Data Section
RepairData Section
Please ind
NEEDED BUT NOT REPAIRED
REPLACED
REPAIRED
OK
1. Air Injection System
2. Thermostatic Air Cleaner
For items 1-24, indicate with
blackened circles whether these
items were OK, repaired, replaced
or needed but not repaired. Be
sure to fill in no more than one
circle per row for each numbered
item.
The sample shows that the Air
Injection System was OK, but the
Thermostatic Air Cleaner was
replaced.
The Final Step
Be sure to print the name of person
performing the repairs and the
name of the repair facility. The
person doing the repairs must also
sign and date the form.
The VIRs collected at each
station are run through a scanner.
As long as the above information is
filled out and the appropriate circles
are blackened, all repair information
will be tracked by the repair facility
phone number or federal tax ID
number.
If the form cannot be scanned,
the necessary information must be
entered manually, which is more
time consuming and could require
additional contact with the person
responsible for completing the form.
The composite information resulting
from these reports will be used to
calculate the REI in the Air Team
Repair Facility Performance
Report (RFPR) that is handed out
to motorists whose vehicles fail an
emission test to help them find a
recognized repair facility.
Why Do Fast Pass Cut Points Appear
Differently on the VIR?
Some of the vehicles that are tested do not need to be driven for the
complete 240-second trace duration. These vehicles will “fast pass.”
Every vehicle will be driven a minimum of 30 seconds on the dynamometer. Between seconds 31 to 94 of the trace cycle, the vehicle may “fast
pass” if the exhaust sample being measured is at or below the composite
standards. A vehicle may “fast pass” after second 108 of the trace cycle
if the exhaust sample being measured is at or below phase 2 standards OR
the composite measurement is at or below the composite standards. This is
why the results printed out on a VIR for a vehicle may look different for
some vehicles.
(GRAMS)
I/M 240
31
Composite Fast Pass
0.124
08/18/1999
11:46:22
20
3
(GRAMS)
N/A
0.116
0.889
0.447
N/A
PASS
PASS
N/A
N/A
PASS
WVWFE
WV
VOLK
(GRAMS)
Composite Fast Pass
1.502
N/A
N/A
PASSAT
1995
76000
LDV, S
6
2.8
3396
123456 123456
00:02:06
IM240
13.0 3500
A
1
N
951391 34.4
08/1999
Note that in the “Standards” box in the above example this passenger
vehicle passed in 31 seconds. Since it did not undergo the entire 240
second testing procedure, a composite fast pass cut point was calculated
for the passenger vehicle 31 second fast pass and indicated as 0.124
grams of hydrocarbons in the field just below HC column heading. In
order to fast pass at 31 seconds, the HC reading must be below 0.124
grams. The reading for this vehicle was 0.116 grams, well below the 0.124
cut point.
Air Repair
Fall 1999
5
Schedule a Station Tour!
The Illinois EPA, in cooperation with Envirotest Illinois
Inc., provides station tours for members of the automotive repair industry. During the past quarter, several
tours were held for members of automotive classes at
the College of DuPage, Lincoln Technical Institute and
Triton College.
Call 847-758-3434 to schedule a tour for your
repair facility, automotive club or automotive class.
During a tour, repair industry representatives learn
more about the procedure and equipment and are
encouraged to drive the IM240 trace.
If you are interested, call at least two weeks ahead
of time to schedule a station tour. The minimum
number of tour group participants is eight.
76th Street station manager Floyd Weichec explains the
visual inspection portion of the test to a group of IM240
students.
An update class at the College of DuPage receives
instruction from Envirotest CVS Specialist Don Avery.
An IM240 student drives the trace as other students listen to
an explanation of how it works.
Envirotest CVS Specialist Don Avery (far left) explains the
technical aspects of the station equipment used in the
testing procedure to IM240 students from the Lincoln
Technical Institute and their instructor James Caranhan
(second from left).
Outreach team members Ken Beauvais (facing students) and
Frank Novak (at computer) demonstrate how to get a
second-by-second report of a vehicle’s progress during an
IM240 test.
6
Fall 1999
Air Repair
A World of Trainers
Enhanced vehicle inspection and
maintenance is a very cost-effective way to reduce ground-level
ozone pollution associated with
vehicles in urban areas. The
effective repair of vehicles that fail
the test is critical. Repair facilities
and technicians must be prepared to
diagnose and repair high-emitting
vehicles. Accurately interpreting
test results should enable technicians to verify, diagnose and repair
the emissions problem. Repair
facilities with the right equipment
and qualified staff trained in transient, loaded-mode testing should
reduce the number of vehicle retest
failures.
Chicagoland
Illinois EPA
P.O. Box 767
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0767
Metro East
Keith Kraehmer
Target Training Systems
13248 West Long Run Court
Lockport, IL 60411
708-301-5925
Paul Marino or Kathy Williams
Lee Auto Parts
1175 Lee Street
Des Plaines, IL 60016
847-297-1888
Lou Craven
Design Technology Inc.
2122 H Parkway Dr.
St. Peter, MO 63376
314-939-5670
Louis Nelson
Advanced Training Systems
21936 S. Burr Ridge Drive
Joliet, IL 60436
815-741-8780
Mark Storto
Tri-State/Apex/
GMG Partners LLC
Automotive Warehouse
43 W. Lake Street
Northlake, IL 60164
708-562-7140
Michael Hecht
AAA Approved Auto Repair
12901 North 40 Drive
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
800-222-7623 x6820
Richard Rackow
Moraine Community College
10900 S. 88th Ave.
Palos Hills, IL 60465
708-974-5428
Pete DeShane
Snap-on Technical Training System
444 E. Groveland Drive
Oak Creek, WI 53154
888-894-4827
Al Santini
College of DuPage
425 22nd Street
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
630-942-2521
Roy Seils
Stone Wheel/Chicago
7675 Quincy
Willowbrook, IL 60521
800-798-6616
*
The Illinois EPA has provided
this partial list of trainers who meet
certain qualification requirements.*
To learn if your training program
meets these qualifications, please
write:
Lauren Salloti or Bill O’Connell
Employee Development Institute
of Triton College
2000 Fifth Avenue
River Grove, IL 60171
708-456-0300 x3292
James D. Carnahan
Lincoln Technical Institute
8920 S. Cicero Avenue
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
708-423-9000
Ginny Ziglar
McKay Auto Parts
Rt. 16 and Old Rt. 66/P.O. Box 70
Litchfield, IL 62056
217-324-3971
Joe Saxton
Comprehensive Automotive
Technical Services
615 Edwardsville Rd.
Wood River, IL 62095
618-259-2690
James Warren
Kennedy-King College
6800 S. Wentworth
Chicago, IL 60621
773-602-5140
Listing of trainers in this newsletter does not constitute Illinois EPA recommendation.
Air Repair
Fall 1999
7
Air Repair
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FIRST CLASS
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GURNEE, IL
PERMIT #41
Envirotest Illinois, Inc.
130 E. Hill Street
Villa Park, IL 60181
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Air Repair.
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Call us at:
(847) 758-3434
8
Fall 1999
or mail to:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Vehicle Emissions Test Program
PO Box 767
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-0767
Air Repair