Proper maintenance key to clean gas emission: Experts

Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Private car owners can avoid contributing to Jakarta's air pollution by making sure that their cars meet the required emission standards.

Therefore, it is important for them to service their cars as often as recommended by manufacturers. They should also have an engine tuneup and oil change every 5,000 kilometers.

Mechanics in garages appointed to do emission tests told The Jakarta Post on Friday that proper adjustment of a car's fuel system -- whether it uses a carburetor or is an electronic injection -- was important since the proper composition of fuel and air intake into the engine is the most determining factor in a vehicle's emission quality.

Motorists must not attempt to adjust the injection system themselves if they lack the skill or proper equipment, mechanics said.

They also should not modify their vehicles' mufflers, as many car owners do, as unsuitable ones could affect the vehicle's emission as well.

And although new cars can be driven right after turning on the ignition, mechanics advise owners of older cars to warm up their engines until they idle at 1,000 revolutions per minute (rpm).

Car owners should also use fuel and oil that meet the engines' specifications.

Should these steps be followed, mechanics said the cars would pass an emission test.

The Jakarta administration planned to require car owners to have their cars tested for emission to renew their vehicle registration. The plan had to be delayed because the national standard for vehicle emissions is still being discussed.

There are 50 garages with 109 mechanics certified by the administration to conduct emission tests. The garages include the test in routine servicing. They are authorized to issue a one- year-certificate -- and sticker -- stating that a vehicle meets the city's emission standards.

Willy Setiawan, manager of Andala Ban on Jl. Radio Dalam, South Jakarta, said his garage followed the emission standards set by carmakers that are stricter than those specified by the Jakarta administration.

Gubernatorial Decree No. 1041/2000 on vehicle emission standards stipulates that gasoline-fueled cars can emit a maximum of 3 percent carbon monoxide (CO) and 600 parts per million (ppm) of hydrocarbons (HC).

Willy's garage, which has three certified mechanics, sets a maximum limit of 2 percent CO and 300 ppm HC.

The mechanics, however, said many customers deem the certificates and stickers unimportant since the administration has not made test mandatory.

Willy said many of his customers did not care even though he had a sign on his garage and offered customers stickers and certificates stating their cars passed emission tests.

"They don't care because the tests are not obligatory and there are no sanctions even though it is for the public's benefit," he said. "The administration has also been lax in it public campaign."

The manager of Akastra Toyota on Jl. Raya Kebayoran Lama, West Jakarta, Affan Zainuri, said "Many customers simply don't like stickers on their vehicles."

He suggested the administration create incentive measures, such as exempting cars bearing clean emission stickers from parking fees in designated areas in the city.

The service advisor at Prabu Motor on Jl. Gatot Subroto, Central Jakarta, Heryamsyah, said the garage provided emission tests excluded from routine servicing for cars that do not meet the standard.

Emission test fees range from Rp 25,000 (US$2.77) to Rp 100,000 depending on the garage, as the administration has not set a standard fee.