Emissions Tuning Fundamentals: VMAS 2.0 & Combination

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VMAS 2.0 & Combination

09.20

00:00	Up to this point we've talked about devices costing a few hundred to a few thousand dollars and I've mentioned that lab grade equipment costs hundreds of thousands of dollars but there is an option in between called VMAS 2.0.
00:12	While this device is still likely more expensive than the average enthusiast could justify, some tuners and parts manufacturers are looking for a tool that allows them to perform more accurate internal testing.
00:23	With increased enforcement comes increased awareness and compliance efforts as well as To support this need, dyno manufacturer Mustang worked with Sensors Incorporated to develop this sub $100, 000 product that integrates with certain Mustang dyno system.
00:40	VMAS 2.0's first big improvement over a typical 5 gas analyser is more actively moving exhaust through the unit.
00:47	This dramatically reduces the time delay between an engine event and the emissions reading and makes it more consistent too.
00:54	This is extremely helpful because during an emissions drive cycle, you speed up, slow down, shift gears and more.
01:01	With a 5 gas unit that has a highly variable delay, you can't reliably figure out what the vehicle was doing when a particular spike in emissions occurs.
01:11	With VMAS 2.0, it's much easier to correlate emissions data with engine speed, load and more.
01:17	This makes the tuning process more effective and more efficient as well.
01:21	Next, this system responds more quickly to rapid emissions changes than most 5 gas units and outputs data at 5 Hz so peaks and troughs in data are more accurately represented.
01:33	Warm up time is also quick, at about 5 minutes.
01:36	In addition, the onboard sensors allow for higher resolution measurement than a typical 5 gas unit.
01:42	The spec sheet claims 0.1 ppm resolution for NOx and the scale is optimised to read values closer to zero rather than the higher concentrations that older engines may have produced.
01:54	In practice it may not read quite down to that level but it's still a massive leap forward above basic 5 gas systems.
02:01	The improved air pump, flow meter and onboard calculations also combine to allow VMAS to provide emissions data in grams per mile.
02:09	This is a big deal because emissions certification is based on grams per mile, not parts per million or percentage.
02:16	While VMAS doesn't match the capability of a $300, 000 lab analyser, for around $65, 000 it gives you data that you can actually compare to the standards that you need to meet for certification.
02:28	Much like how VMAS takes emissions analysis to a new level more comparable with lab testing, a few dyno manufacturers have created performance dynos that also better approximate emissions dyno testing.
02:41	Emissions certification dynos cost a few $100 , 000 and look quite impressive but most of them can't handle a full throttle power run on a 500 horsepower car.
02:50	They're typically not designed for high power or high speed so their use is limited.
02:55	The average performance shop or parts manufacturer can't afford $300, 000 on a dyno that they can only use for emissions drive cycle testing, plus another $65, 000 for an analyser and then another $50, 000 to maybe $150, 000 for a performance dyno, a dyno that can do it all, however, would be great.
03:14	Several performance dyno manufacturers let you log a 5 gas analyser so that's a start.
03:19	For those looking to go a step further, Mustang, Maha and Superflow all have capable performance dynos with an additional combination of features for more accurate drive cycle simulation.
03:31	These are things like sufficient roller inertia, an electric motor to drive the dyno, a means of accurately adding load like an eddy current retarder, software capable of appropriate road load simulation and emissions drive cycles as well as a display of emissions drive traces for the dyno operator to follow.
03:49	If you're not yet familiar with what an emissions drive cycle or a drive cycle trace is, or why you need an electric motor to drive a dyno, don't worry, I'll explain.
03:59	Regulators have decided certain types of driving are useful for testing engine's emissions.
04:05	Examples include stop and go driving, highway cruising and more.
04:09	They assemble these driving segments into a simulated trip called an emissions drive cycle.
04:14	The drive trace is a visual representation of how fast the vehicle should be travelling at a given moment to follow the emissions drive cycle.
04:22	This is usually conveyed as a line on an xy plot with the y axis being speed and the x axis being time.
04:29	The screen scrolls right to left as you drive with your current position shown on the left side of the screen and the simulated road ahead approaching from the right.
04:38	Sometimes boundary lines are drawn above and below the target speed line to help the driver see where they're straying too far from the correct speed.
04:46	The number of dynos capable of showing specific emissions drive traces has increased in recent years but driving at a certain speed doesn't necessarily simulate the real world load of driving at that speed.
04:57	For example maintaining 50 mph on the road doesn't necessarily apply the same engine load as maintaining 50 mph on a dyno.
05:06	This is a situation where hub dynos and very low inertia roller dynos can work great for some things but tend to less closely represent the road.
05:16	Roller dynos without any current retarders, electric motors or lacking software and data to simulate the drive cycle appropriately are similarly not ideal for emissions drive cycle simulation.
05:27	Before you potentially get discouraged, as we've said before, AB testing before and after a single change of calibration or component can still be useful in emissions tuning even if your dyno isn't ideal for it.
05:40	For example, Mainline currently doesn't have a model with the inertia, electric motors or vehicle specific road load simulation features ideal for emissions testing but you can drive a trace and log a 5 gas analyser.
05:53	If making a change and operating the vehicle under similar conditions results in an emissions reduction, you're heading in the right direction.
06:00	Just understand that the results on dynos better suited to emissions testing will produce results that are more accurate, repeatable and more similar to certification equipment.
06:10	As I mentioned, Superflow and Maha are two of the other dyno manufacturers that offer dynos that tick boxes for performance work and higher quality internal emissions testing.
06:21	At this time, Maha and Superflow can either integrate with a basic 5 gas analyser or a full lab grade emissions analyser so they're lacking integration with a middle ground analyser like the VMAS.
06:33	Hopefully the market continues improving these products and delivering more affordable solutions as well as upgrades for existing dynos.
06:41	And now I'll explain where the electric motor comes into play.
06:45	First, proper emissions drive cycle testing requires an electric motor to drive the vehicle when a road load reduction is required.
06:53	One example is simulating driving down a hill but this may be required while simply coasting on level ground.
06:59	On a conventional dyno, a certain amount of engine torque is required in order to maintain a constant speed.
07:05	If we reduce the throttle sufficiently, the engine torque is reduced to the point that the engine and dyno will simply slow down.
07:12	This makes it impossible to simulate driving down a hill at a constant speed where we are just barely breathing on the throttle because on a conventional dyno, we can't maintain speed under these situations.
07:24	The electric motor can drive the dyno at the required speed so that these conditions can be properly replicated.
07:30	Also critical is the electric motor's ability to spin up the dyno without a car on it for warm up and calibration purposes.
07:37	The first time you see a dyno accelerate to 100 plus mph without a vehicle on it is quite a sight and sound.
07:44	Driving the dyno prior to placing a vehicle on it warms the bearings and grease inside these bearings which plays a significant role in maintaining consistent dyno inertia and load application.
07:56	Driving the dyno with an electric motor also allows for dyno parasitic loss testing which improves the accuracy of vehicle power readings.
08:04	Performing testing as the dyno's rolling assembly coasts down is usually referred to as a coast down test.
08:10	To recap this module, whether the VMAS 2.0 is something that fits your needs or not, it's great that it exists.
08:16	It's exciting to see a device created as an attempt to bridge the gap in cost and accuracy between 5 gas analysers and $300, 000 lab grade equipment.
08:27	VMAS offers 5 minute warm up, approximately 2 to 6 second exhaust transport time delay and higher resolution than basic 5 gas systems.
08:36	VMAS also has the equipment on board to facilitate grams per mile measurement of key emissions, allowing you to reference your results against posted emission standards.
08:45	Like any analyser, it does require maintenance but the whole package is designed to keep cost of operation well below lab grade equipment.
08:53	For those looking to better simulate real world or certification settings, some dynos are more capable than others.
09:00	When choosing an emissions analyser and dyno, make sure that they're compatible with each other.
09:06	Preparing your calibration or product for third party certification testing using the lower cost tools that we've described can get you ready for success in the lab at a reduced cost.