EPA Prohibits Conversion of Road Cars to Racecars?
 

Wasn't sure if this was posted yet:

https://www.sema.org/news/2016/02/08...-into-racecars

Pretty questionable on EPA's definition of Racecars here

Ruh roh.

Guess I might have to rethink putting stickers on my car to make it a racecar.

Important part of the article:

"While the Clean Air Act prohibits certain modifications to motor vehicles, it is clear that vehicles built or modified for racing, and not used on the streets, are not the “motor vehicles” that Congress intended to regulate."

"The EPA indicated that the regulation would prohibit conversion of vehicles into racecars and make the sale of certain emissions-related parts for use on converted vehicles illegal. "


Seems extremely conflicting to me, hopefully more enthusiasts fight this. My understanding is that they're OK with fully converted cars used only on the track, but going and putting a high flow cat on them would be illegal? Looks like magnaflow, hooker and OEM cat manufacturers may take a hit and price of that jurisdiction and control of that is gonna be passed onto car enthusiast.

This comment on Reddit seems to be the most honest interpretations though:

"There's nothing on the EPA's site at the moment... I wonder if this is just SEMA (an industry lobbyist group) trying to stir shit up on the Internet, as its in their business interests. Best to wait and see what the actual story is than get spun up about this. It doesn't seem like there would be enough to gain so far as emissions are concerned compared to large scale industry... Or even motor vehicles on the public roads. Remember, the EPA is concerned with emissions. They don't sanction motorsports, or even care that much about them. It looks more like "don't disable emissions equipment." In an age where cars are coming from the shop with axle-bending power, it's not like racing would just disappear.
In 100 years, there will still be auto racing. The hobby is not disappearing."

Also look at the real law they are trying to pass:


"Certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines and their emission control devices must remain in their certified configuration even if they are used solely for competition or if they become nonroad vehicles or engines”. 80 Fed. Reg. 40138, 40565 (July 13, 2015). "

The rule they're trying to pass is literally trying to kill exhaust modifications, and ecu can also be stretched to be thought of as an emission control device hopefully it gets shot down.

I guess they dont like the stickers on a car? After all, adding a Honda or Ford sticker to my window gives me 35hp/tq!

Wow, that is some bUuUuUllshiiit. This is the ultimate shitty way to keep people from installing catless headers and the like to their street cars. What percentage of the drivers do they think that involves? Meanwhile, coal-fired powerplants and leaky natural gas reservoirs...

Fuck these hypocrites.

I doubt this will ever become law. SEMA will lobby against it successfully because they have a shit ton of money and because it's such a stupid regulation to begin with. The amount of toxic emissions that come out of all of the catless production based racecars in the US probably amounts to about .0000000000000000001% of total pollutant emissions. Seriously, can no one at the EPA do math?

This goes way beyond just catless headers if that wording stays the same!


"Certified motor vehicles and motor vehicle engines and their emission control devices must remain in their certified configuration even if they are used solely for competition or if they become nonroad vehicles or engines”. 80 Fed. Reg. 40138, 40565 (July 13, 2015).


This would include tunes, FI, exhausts and just about any part on an engine. Hell they could even say tires if the ones you wanted could be shown to impact emissions.

Yeah I think this is exactly what EPA is doing. All those companies that sell aftermarket exhausts and tunes market their products for race and non-road use only. Enthusiasts buy those parts anyway and use them on the street.

If EPA makes these parts illegal even for track-only competition cars, those companies won't have a justifiable reason to sell those parts, even under a race and non-road use designation. Basically EPA is trying to choke the supply-side.

I think EPA realizes the percentage of pollutants put out by track/competition cars is de minimis, but that's not the real motivation for this. It's a stupid proposal anyway you look at it.

I thought it was already illegal to remove your cats (at least in Canada) if they catch you, however there is not much in the way of testing

Used to be some pretty stringent testing in Ontario. They did away with the sniffers though and now just read your ECU. Most inspections stations (that I have had contact with) don't even open the hood anymore much less look to see what exhaust you have. If your ECU data is good then off you go with your sticker.

Assuming this is legit it could literally end motorsports as we know it now. Only cars specifically built for racing(like F1) would be able to run catless or with custom tuning. Possibly click bait, even if it's not I don't see it getting passed

In Alberta we have never had testing :happyanim: but glad to hear its easy to bypass for the enthusiasts. They should have a special license that car guys can get the let us modify our cars without worrying about that stuff