The EPA doesn't test cars for importing only for enforcement.

I'm not sure how its done now, but I can tell you how it was done before they changed the rules (15 years ago). At that time one could bring in a car, modify its systems, with engineering and documentation, and present the car for testin at PRIVATE EPA certified test labs. The car had its tank drained and filled with a standardized volitility fuel, placed in a 70 deg F room for twenty-four hours, then it was placed in a sealed room where it was sniffed for a certain time at ambient temp. This was to measure emissions from the evaporative containment system.

From this room it was moved to the DYNO where a large bag was sealed to its exhaust. The car was started cold and driven a prescribed 240 second road test. The bag was taken and the entire contents sucked through a huge analyzer to determine grams per mile emissions of CO, HC, O2, CO2, and NOX.

Immediately after the first bag was taken another bag was installed and a second 240 second drive like the first one proceeded and results tabulated.

The car sat for twenty minutes then to get a hot soak condition and was restarted for the final run (hot soak). After that run the car was taken back to the evaporative "sniffing" sealed room for a "hot" evaporative test.

At the time many people were bringing cars in and numerous methods were used; no standardization, no real warrantees, no idea how long they would continue to comply. The manuafactures were pi... mad! They had to certify models and guarantee total failures beneath certain percentages and warrantee the whole system for 50k miles. BTW the test cost $1200 in 1985 (if passed, $800 if failed; they didn't have to do the EPA paperwork if it failed).

Things were changed. The last I heard only a few larger companies, that could certify a model with all the similar arrangements to manufacturers rules, were doing these conversions. I have never seen a G500 so I have no idea how closely their systems might conform. I think MB would make all their cars with basically similar systems. Since the EOBD rules will apply soon they should be making all cars about the same.

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician

[This message has been edited by stevebfl (edited 05-31-2000).]