U.S. Anti-pollution Drive
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ALL American cars and commercial vehicles produced after next autumn will be fitted with anti-air-pollution devices as standard equipment in accordance with an agreement reached by the board of directors of the Automobile Manufacturers' Association. The board recommended that its member companies
should install crankcase-ventilation systems to reduce fuel-vapour or hydrocarbon emissions.
Such devices have been fitted as standard on petrol-engined vehicles built for sale in California for over a year now. The A.C. Spark Plug division of G.M.C. has been manufacturing a " blow-by" crankcase-ventilation unit costing between £1 10s. and £2 5s. when installed as initial equipment. The manufacturers are confident that this cost will be reduced with the more general use of this equipment next year.
The association has said that engineers had found that the crankcase was the source of as much as 40 per cent, of the total hydro-carbon emissions by road vehicles. The ventilation system proposed would recirculate crankcase gases through the engine. Developments are also in hand to perfect devices for treating exhaust fumes, but so far these have been too expensive.
REPLACING MANY AMBULANCES
AT the annual inspection parade at
PA Accrington, Lancashire County Council's ambulance organizer, Mr. A. Orton, revealed that many vehicles are to be replaced and that by the end of next March 123 new ones will be in use.