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A test programme designed to investigate the influence of gasoline vapour pressure and ethanol content on evaporative emissions from modern passenger cars was carried out by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission together with CONCAWE and EUCAR. Seven gasoline passenger cars representative of current EURO 3/4 emissions technology were tested for evaporative emissions with ten different test fuels. The test fuel matrix comprised 60 and 70 kPa hydrocarbon base fuels with 5 and 10% ethanol splash blends and 5 and 10% ethanol matched volatility blends. The test protocol was based on the European homologation test procedure. Although the test protocol turned out to have a significant influence on the results, the programme provided valuable information and it was possible to draw several clear conclusions.

This paper describes the E.O.B.D. (European On Board Diagnostic) system used in the latest version of engine control units (called: MultiJet) fitted to the new Diesel Engines developed by Fiat GM Powertrain (FGP). FGP Diesel engines have been capable of satisfying the Euro 3 and Euro 4 emission standards when the most updated level of engine exhaust emission reduction devices (including sophisticated EGR and DPF filter trap) were adopted. Due to newly introduced legislation, since January 2004 this engine configuration will be monitored continuously through a suitable European On Board Diagnostic software system. The software strategies allow to satisfy legislation requirements (Directives 98/69 and 2002/80) and are applicable to various engine displacements, 1.3l and 1.9l 4 cylinder, suitable for cars having different types of electrical network configurations. This diagnostic software was developed, up to its final validation, in collaboration with R.