(a) Test procedures. Use the test procedures described in subpart F of this part, except as specified in this section.
(1) You may ask to use other test procedures. We will approve your request if we determine that it is not possible to perform satisfactory testing using the specified procedures. We may also approve alternate test procedures under § 1033.305(d).
(2) If you used test procedures other than those in subpart F of this part during certification for the engine family (other than alternate test procedures necessary for testing a development engine or a low hour engine instead of a low mileage locomotive), use the same test procedures for production line testing that you used in certification.
(b) Modifying a test locomotive. Once an engine is selected for testing, you may adjust, repair, maintain, or modify it or check its emissions only if one of the following is true:
(1) You document the need for doing so in your procedures for assembling and inspecting all your production engines and make the action routine for all the engines in the engine family.
(2) This subpart otherwise specifically allows your action.
(3) We approve your action in advance.
(c) Adjustable parameters.
(1) Confirm that adjustable parameters are set to values or positions that are within the range recommended to the ultimate purchaser.
(2) We may require to be adjusted any adjustable parameter to any setting within the specified adjustable range of that parameter prior to the performance of any test.
(d) Stabilizing emissions. You may stabilize emissions from the locomotives to be tested through service accumulation by running the engine through a typical duty cycle. Emissions are considered stabilized after 300 hours of operation. You may accumulate fewer hours, consistent with good engineering judgment. You may establish a Green Engine Factor for each regulated pollutant for each engine family, instead of (or in combination with) accumulating actual operation, to be used in calculating emissions test results. You must obtain our approval prior to using a Green Engine Factor. For catalyst-equipped locomotives, you may operate the locomotive for up to 1000 hours (in revenue or other service) prior to testing.
(e) Adjustment after shipment. If a locomotive is shipped to a facility other than the production facility for production line testing, and an adjustment or repair is necessary because of such shipment, you may perform the necessary adjustment or repair only after the initial test of the locomotive, unless we determine that the test would be impossible to perform or would permanently damage the locomotive.
(f) Malfunctions. If a locomotive cannot complete the service accumulation or an emission test because of a malfunction, you may request that we authorize either the repair of that locomotive or its deletion from the test sequence.
(g) Retesting. If you determine that any production line emission test of a locomotive is invalid, you must retest it in accordance with the requirements of this subpart. Report emission results from all tests to us, including test results you determined are invalid. You must also include a detailed explanation of the reasons for invalidating any test in the quarterly report required in § 1033.320(e). In the event a retest is performed, you may ask us within ten days of the end of the production quarter for permission to substitute the after-repair test results for the original test results. We will respond to the request within ten working days of our receipt of the request.