TDR_47

EDITORS

Robert Patton Bob Vallier Jeannette Vallier

CONTRIBUTORS

Robert Patton Bruce Armstrong Don Bunn Joe Donnelly Polly Holmes Sam Memmolo Bill Millard Bill Stockard G.R. Whale

Jim Anderson Mark Barnes Kevin Cameron John Holmes Ronald Khol Andy Mikonis Brad Nelson James Walker

ILLUSTRATOR Bob Pierce

OFFICE MANAGER

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Tina Bean

62

GENO’S GARAGE

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Robin Patton Andy Bishop Brandon Parks

Wendy Barnes Ben Forsberg Channing Preston

ALL DIFFICULT WORK Pam Rose

THE

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REGISTER

A MEMBERSHIP/SUBSCRIPTION TO THE TURBO DIESEL REGISTER IS $35.00 PER SUBSCRIPTION. PLEASE SEND ALL SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION, CORRESPONDENCE, LETTERS, RENEWALS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ETC., TO:

TDR 1150 samples industrial drive cumming, GA 30041 THE TDR IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY DIESEL REGISTRY, INC. DISTRIBUTION TO MEMBERS VIA PERIODICAL POSTAGE IS IN THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY, MAY, AUGUST AND NOVEMBER. ARTICLES ARE WELCOMED FROM ALL SUBSCRIBERS. LET US HEAR FROM YOU! WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT ANY SUBMITTED MANUSCRIPTS. WE WILL ACCEPT MANUSCRIPTS IN IBM ASCII TEXT FILES OR FROM ANY POPULAR IBM WORD PROCESSORS, ON COMPUTER DISK, OR SCRIBBLED ON A RESTAURANT NAPKIN.

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Tailgating

Intrigued by Branding

Letter from the Editor

Letter Exchange

Your Letters

Member2Member

Cab Conversion/Cooling System/Un-Stuck

Responses from the Readers Members’ Solutions to Members’ Questions

Turbo Tips

Oil Filter Removal

Mini Version of M2M

First Generation

Windows/Fuel Pump/Brakes

12-Valve Engines

Power/Vacuum Pump/Air Conditioner

24-Valve Engines

Turbocharger/Fuel Pump

Owner-Specific Articles on the ‘89-‘93 Trucks Owner-Specific Articles on the ‘94-‘98.5 12-Valve Trucks Owner-Specific Articles on the ‘98.5-2002 24-Valve Trucks

Third Generation (3G)

2005 Cummins Engine Update

Owner-Specific Articles on the 2003 and Newer Trucks

Technical Topics

3G HPCR Performance Enhancements

Service/Parts Update

Four Whaling

Corporate Identitiy/SEMA

Motor Minded

The First Time...Again

Off Road Adventures with Greg Whale Reflections on the Human Side with Psychologist Mark Barnes

Your Story

Lyle Cummins Interview

First Ride

I Love This Truck/Turbo Diesel Recruiting

Shadetree

Transmission Tips/Air Filter Maintenance and Cleaning

Feature Article on a Member Vehicle TDR Writer James Walker Buys a Turbo Diesel Back to Basics

Blowin’ in the Wind

More Branding Stories/More Trucks

Industry News

Idle Clatter

Gauges/CI+4

A Review of Frequently Asked Questions by Jim Anderson

103 The Way We Were

Fuel Economy With Power

Crank Up the Way-back Machine to Review Old Topics

108 Ranch Dressing

Vibration/TST PowerMax CR/Myth Busters

Esoteric Dissertations on Manure Shoveling by John Holmes

114 Polly’s Pickup

A Feminine Perspective by Polly Holmes

118 Miscellaneous RAMblings Dodge History with Don Bunn

126 Khol Fusion

Diesel Newbie Experiences Merged in a Quarterly Column

134 Life’s a Beach

Stories From the California Coast by Jerry Nielsen

140 Out Standing in the Field

Upcoming Local Chapter Events

144 TDR/R/R

Referral/Recognition/Reward

148 Chapter News

Happenings at Local Chapters

On the Road/SEMA america’s Motor Trucks Branding/Frames/Four-Wheel Drive The Kingfish/PullRite/BDTurbo Chapter or Vendor Supported Events Referrals/TcDR/High Mileage Texas Fall Rally

THE TURBO DIESEL REGISTER IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH DAIMLER-CHRYSLER CORP., CUMMINS ENGINE CO., OR ANY OF THEIR SUBSIDIARIES. ADVERTISING OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES IN THE PUBLICATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OR APPROVAL. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGES, ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, INVALIDATION OF WARRANTY, FAILURE TO PASS EMISSION STANDARDS OR SAFETY INSPECTIONS AND WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN ACTIONS RELATING TO OR RESULTING FROM ANY SUCH SITUATION.

152 From the Shop Floor

COPYRIGHT © 2005. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED.

170 TDRelease

Many New Products

176 Exhaust Note

Staying in One Piece

POSTMASTER: Send address change to TDR, 1150 Samples Industrial Drive, Cumming, GA 30041.

USPS number 014234 ISSN number 10888241

Tips From Turbo Diesel Repair Shops

158 All Dressed Up

Quarterly Featured Truck

160 24 x 7

Quarterly Featured Truck

162 Product Showcase Featured Products

Vendor Press Releases Thought-Provoking Discussions with Kevin Cameron

Steering Stabilizer Bar Kent Mazzia Kelderman Air Ride Auxillary Under/Overdrive Gearboxes

178 Advertiser Index - How to Contact On the Cover: Clessie Lyle Cummins Jr. poses in front of writer Bruce Armstrong’s 2002 Turbo Diesel. www.turbodieselregister.com An interview with Mr. Cummins is found on page 68.

TDR 3

INTRIGUED BY BRANDING It is not often that I correspond about the enjoyment of writing.

However, I can say that writing about last issue’s theme of branding and reading the insightful articles from the TDR writers and letters from TDR members was both rewarding and entertaining.

With the newly-found insight provided by the staff’s Issue 46 articles on branding, I am intrigued by the automotive industry and the new products that are introduced. I had to laugh when I read the following in Automotive News, October 25: “Curvy LaCrosse Concept Turns Into Plain Jane Car.” “Here’s one from General Motors’ files: The No. 1 automaker shows a curvaceous concept car at the Detroit auto show. Everybody drools.

“What happens next?

“GM brand managers grow nervous, and the curvaceous concept car is transformed into another bland sedan when it hits showrooms a few years later. “‘Not bold. Not controversial. Nothing that will smack you in the face,’ says Judy Brennan, the Buick vehicle line director, during an introduction for the LaCrosse last month.

“‘So we dialed it back considerably,’ he says. ‘We wanted an enduring look, not a trend. We didn’t want something that would end three years down the road.’

“Now it’s up to the marketplace to decide. The Chrysler 300C, introduced this year, is off to a great start. Chrysler group CEO Dieter Zetsche recently disputed the idea that the 300 was a short-lived fashion statement. He said consumers see benefits beyond styling, such as interior space and performance.

“The new Chrysler surely has upped the ante for American sedans.

Ford Motor Co.’s new Ford Five Hundred sedan has been criticized by many auto reviewers for its exterior blandness.”

In fairness to the Buick design there are comments from those that support the vehicles’ conservative look, “Analyst Jim Hall of AutoPacific in Southfield, Mich., says the design direction is not unreasonable. “‘You have to ask: How much room is there for in-your-face vehicles?’ says Hall, a former GM guy. ‘Not everyone wants a Chrysler 300.

If that weren’t the case, there’s no way they could sell 400,000 Camrys and Accords.’”

“Buick says that, for its purposes, today’s bold designs are too trendy and could run the risk of losing their luster.

“When it came to the LaCrosse, Buick followed the focus group.

When cutting-edge LaCrosse designs were shown to potential customers, ‘the controversial design alienated and repelled people,’ says Dennis Burke, the vehicle’s chief designer.

If you further proof that the Buick LaCrosse is unexciting, you need to look no further than Car & Driver’s November 2004 magazine.

Their headline: “Buick Takes the Safe Approach and Hits One from the Women’s Tee.” I chose not to waste time reading the entire text.

The final paragraph summed-up the article, “Buick took a safe and conservative approach with the LaCrosse, and the result is not a class-leading must-have. Priced from the low 20s to the mid-30s, aside from the front drive that might appeal to a few Snowbelt sufferers, the LaCrosse doesn’t have the value or appeal of the Chrysler 300. GM product czar Bob Lutz probably won’t be fielding any calls from Snoop Dogg trying to ‘get that brand-new LaCrosse

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TAILGATING . . . . Continued up outta you.’ And that’s probably the way Buick loyalists want it.

But who is going to buy a LaCrosse when those Buick owners are gone?”

Recall from last issue that “branding requires differentiation—making a product stand out in a look-alike herd. But the trouble with real differentiation is that it makes your product more attractive to some folks, less attractive to others and of no interest whatsoever to the rest. That willing forfeiture of a sizable part of the market causes some marketers to break out in hives and to hide out in the herd.”

The Buick reviews suggest corporate constraints in designing new products that contradict everything written about branding in the last issue of the TDR. Oh well, I guess the Buick owner wants to be a part of the “Refrigerator and Appliance Club.”

Thank you for choosing a diesel-powered truck and daring to stand out in the crowd. Thank you for choosing the Cummins engine, exclusive to the Dodge pickup, in a brand that is known for its aggressive, take-no-prisoners design. Thank you for choosing the TDR as the membership group to best serve your needs for information and entertainment.

Open the hood at a TDR event and a crowd will gather.

Robert Patton TDR Staff

Thank you for choosing the Cummins engine, exclusive to the Dodge pickup, in a brand that is known for its aggressive, take-no-prisoners design.

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 5

NICE TRUCK The following is a picture of my ’04.5, 2500, six-speed, four-wheel drive Turbo Diesel pickup. It has been lifted three inches and has 18” Eagle wheels with Toyo 12.5” x 35” tires. I’ve also added a Magnaflow exhaust system and an Airaid cold air intake. My next additions will be gauges and some performance items from Banks.

However, the best issue of all was Issue 45 with your contributors covering the subject of placebos. Just the fact that you would take on this subject with the possibility of alienating some of your advertisers is very, very commendable. The authors put into focus the real issues about accessories. They gave us readers the rationale for purchasing something we don’t need at all, to purchasing something badly needed to enhance the trucks usefulness. As writer Jim Anderson so aptly described truck accessories, now I can decide among “I want it because it looks nice and makes me feel good,” “It is necessary to allow my truck to perform a certain task,” or “It doesn’t make my truck perform any better, and therefore I don’t need it.” (My wife might be inclined to favor the latter.)

Please keep up the good work with the TDR. You are performing a very valuable service at an incredibly reasonable price for all us Dodge/Cummins owners. Thank you so much.

Jim Libby Durango, CO 2004 TURBO DIESEL

This is my first diesel and the magazine’s writers and web site friends have helped me better understand my truck. Thanks TDR!

I thought you might enjoy a picture of my 2004 Turbo Diesel. The truck is a 3500 with a six-speed transmission. As you can see, the truck’s bed has been changed-out and a fifth-wheel bed installed.

Mike Sweetland Canyon Country, CA ENJOYS TDR CAMARADERIE This is long past due. I must tell you how much I enjoy the TDR’s writers and the articles from TDR members.

Through all your contributors I have gained an understanding of my truck (‘97, Turbo Diesel, five-speed transmission, four wheel drive, extended cab, long bed). I have learned and decided what it and I am capable of or willing to do in the world of maintenance and loading. I have evaluated accessories and purchased needed ones based on articles in the TDR. The truck is used to haul horses in the mountains, hence the need for an exhaust brake and two-low switch for maneuvering the horse trailer in tight quarters on hard, dry surfaces. Without this resource I would not have known of either of these accessories.

The diversity of subjects and topics you ask your contributors to cover seems never ending. I possess and have read all the issues starting with Issue 17. I look forward to each new TDR magazine.

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My wife and I are full-time RVers. The truck does a good job pulling our fifth-wheel.

Warren Reed Livingston, TX

LETTER EXCHANGE . . . . Continued SIX IN THE FAMILY

INEXPENSIVE TIPS

I have enclosed a picture of my three Turbo Diesel trucks. They are used in my home remodeling business. The ’91 and ’96 are well used with no repairs to the engines, just maintenance. All three generations—all excellent trucks!

Thanks to the TDR members for contributing to a great publication full of truths and facts. I have never read a better magazine. Issue 18 was my first magazine and they’ve been getting better ever since. Issue 45 was great on placebo parts; this is what makes TDR stand out above all others. I am sure I have recovered more than my subscription costs through the information provided. However, I have noticed more hi-gloss ritzy ad pages. They are harder to read under light and difficult to make notes on.

My truck is an early ’98 model with the 12-valve engine. At 7,400 miles I installed a Pacbrake exhaust brake. With over 100,000 miles on the truck the front brake pads still have ¼” of friction material remaining.

At 25,000 miles the fuel level sending unit failed. Following articles I read in the TDR, I removed the sending unit, sanded the contacts with 600-grit sandpaper and reinstalled the part. It has since been working like a champ.

My two oldest daughters and their husbands own Dodge Turbo Diesels also, ’97 and ’03 models. My son owns a ’96 Dodge Turbo Diesel. My youngest daughter is odd person out. However, she does own a diesel—a 2004 VW TDI five-speed. She said that she would be happy to own a Dodge if I will buy it for her. Good luck!

I would be curious to know how many of your subscribers own all three generations.

By the way, these are the only Turbo Diesels I have owned, and I wouldn’t stand to part with any of them.

Keep up the good work!

Tom Reedy Canterbury, CT

Also at 25,000 miles I installed a hand throttle cable to help with cold weather warm-up. The cable was purchased at a NAPA store and is attached directly to the Bosch P7100 fuel pump.

For engine and turbocharger cool-down I installed a $20 bathroom timer that is available at hardware stores. I wired the timer directly to the control wire for the fuel pump’s stop-start solenoid.

Following the article on the kill switch/anti-theft article in Issue 43 on page 111, I wired a switch into the truck’s clutch switch. The switch is the best $5 that you’ll ever add to your truck.

At four-years and 60,000 miles the original Goodyear tires had to be replaced. The tires still showed 5/32” of tread; however, one tire separated and I elected to replace all of them.

I’m hopeful the membership can benefit from my experiences.

Ken Moser Dayton, NV

You May Be An Engineer If . . .

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

You can remember seven computer passwords but not your anniversary.

Your ideal evening consists of fast-forwarding through the latest sci-fi movie looking for technical inaccuracies.

You have Dilbert comics displayed anywhere in your work area.

You carry on a one-hour debate over the expected results of a test that actually takes five minutes to run.

You are convinced that you can build a phaser out of your garage door opener and your camera’s flash attachment.

You have modified your can opener to be microprocessor driven.

You rotate your screen savers more frequently than your automobile tires.

You have a functioning home copier machine, but every toaster you own turns bread into charcoal.

You have more toys than your kids.

You have a habit of destroying things in order to see how they work.

Submitted by Loren Bengtson, Rising Sun, IL

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 7

I think you will agree with me when I categorize Turbo Diesel owners as independent people who are not afraid to try something new. You are an ingenious membership who reinvents and improves a product to make it better serve your needs. You show a strong willingness to share your “Shadetree Solutions.” With your input each quarter, we publish the “Member2Member” exchange to give you a forum to tell other members how you solved a problem.

Old Truck, New Tricks So you have a truck and it’s almost paid for. However, the kids have grown up with the truck. They are now young adults and you find that you need a real back seat for them. Fear not, my friends; there is a solution to this problem that won’t cost you the $40,000 price of that new Quad Cab, four-door truck that you have been drooling over. Besides, you really love the truck you have; you just wish it had a back seat. The solution to the problem: the McKinley Sleeper conversion.

I was first introduced to this conversion when a fellow resident of the small town where I lived pulled into the post office parking lot next to me. I looked over and there sat a ’96 2500, long bed, standard cab truck with what looked like a factory-installed addition to the cab. I approached the owner, who invited me to take a look.

I opened the passenger door and slid the seat forward and was amazed at the roomy interior. Further conversation revealed that not only was there comfortable seating for three more people, but the seat I was looking at would slide forward and fold flat making it into a slightly short twin-size bed. The installation was flawless, the carpet and upholstery perfectly matched the truck’s interior and the

Here it is. Ready to go. Less than eight hours after I gave it to Vic!

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exterior matched the factory paint. I had to have one. Unfortunately, the owner of the truck couldn’t tell me how to get in touch with the manufacturer as she had contracted with the dealership that sold her the truck to have the conversion installed. She told me she thought he was in Colorado and his name was McKinley.

I spent a couple of hours on the internet and finally located McKinley Conversions in Cortez, Colorado. I called the number on the web site and spoke to Vic McKinley and got the following information.

Vic manufactures his conversion unit using color matched carpet and a custom built couch and bed that is upholstered to match your truck’s interior. The rear seat features seating for three with threepoint seat belts on the outboard seats and a full 20” of legroom and 34” of height from the top of the seat to the roof. I am 6’ 4” tall and weigh 245, pounds and I can sit comfortably in the back.

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued The conversion unit is a shell of aircraft aluminum welded together into a solid one piece unit which is reinforced at the corners and double walled at the points where the seatbelt hardware is located.

It comes complete with a rear slider window which is tinted as are the side windows. The top back of the unit features a third brake light that is sure to get your attention, and a bed light that actually provides enough light to work by. The unit is custom manufactured to the brand of truck it will be mounted on. Vic makes a unit that will fit any of the Big Three’s full-sized trucks. Vic installs the unit by removing the front of your truck bed, and the rear of your cab. The unit is then bolted into place through the bed rails and the frame under the truck bed. The rear corners of the truck cab are reinforced with welded-in corner brackets and the unit is joined to the cab by a flexible gusset. This allows normal movement between the cab and the bed. The windows and carpeting are then installed and the couch is put in. I have had a chance to look at three different trucks with this conversion and each of them was a fine example of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Good detail of how it’s put together, 1/8 inch Aircraft grade aluminium. Not fiberglass!

Mr. McKinley in his shop with my conversion.

How long does all this take? I called Vic and placed my order and paid a 50% deposit up front. He called me three weeks later to set an appointment time for me to bring my truck to his shop. I delivered my truck to Vic at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning and picked it up at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon complete and ready for the road. The total cost for this conversion was $3500 and some change.

I am extremely happy with my sleeper, and my girls and the dog like it too. On a recent trip to my family reunion, I had myself, my 6’ 6” brother and both my girls who are 5’ 6” and 5’ 9” in the truck. The girls were both asleep in the back while my brother and I took turns driving. It was a fun and comfortable trip, as were the several other trips taken since then. As a single dad with kids, I can’t tell you how much I love having the extra seat in the back. I am my children’s taxi service and this generally includes a couple of their friends. But this is no problem as I have the room and, more importantly, they have a place to sit with a seatbelt and lots of legroom. As I write this article, Vic is in the process of relocating his place of business to Mule Shoe, Texas, which is near Clovis, New Mexico. He has a web site that can be viewed at www.mckinleyconversions.com and has a mobile phone if you have any questions about his product.

He told me that he expects to be up and running again in a couple of months, and since I am writing this in early September, he may already be there. Give him a call at (970) 749-4700 Kurt D Perry, USAF MSgt (retired) ‘96 standard cab, long bed, five-speed, 188,000 miles so far, modified with a McKinley sleeper and upgraded Infiniti sound with XM receiver.

Detail of the installation process. Vic removes your interior and covers everything with plastic.

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 9

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued COOLING SYSTEM CONCERNS

by Brad Nelson I have followed a few threads on the discussion forum that ask why the Cummins Turbo Diesel will overheat while pulling a trailer up a mountain grade. The usual scenario is that the Turbo Diesel engine is no longer stock, and even though the exhaust gas temperature usually is in the safe range, the truck still over-heats on long hills. I have experienced this myself, but I understand what is happening.

The Cummins engine as installed in the Dodge pickup comes from the factory with a heavy-duty cooling system adequate to the power output of the engine plus some extra capacity as a safety factor. My first Turbo Diesel, a ’91, D-250 would never run too hot. I tinkered with the fuel pump and gave myself some quicker power by repositioning the tapered pin connected to the AFC diaphragm from lean to rich. I also adjusted the fuel pump screw for more overall power. TDR Issue 42, “First Generation—Prescriptions for Power,” has all the details on shadetree modifications to the Bosch VE-style fuel pump. This truck, loaded with a 10 ½-foot camper, would never overheat, no matter how badly I thrashed it up hill in the hottest of weather. Even in the middle of a summer heat wave, I pulled out of Biggs Junction, Oregon, crossed the Columbia River bridge, and headed north towards Goldendale, Washington. This is a long, steep pull from the Columbia river to the top of the canyon. The temperature gauge ran higher than normal, but never approached the hot side. The outside temperature was about 110 degrees. I never had this engine on a dyno, but I’m estimating that I increased the power from the factory stock 160 horsepower to around 215, just by how it pulled and how it acted when pulling against newer trucks. (Read between the lines. It means drag racing.)

When I purchased my ’97, 3500 I could lay on the throttle pedal with all I had and never get the temperature gauge to rise past the half-way point. Since this truck weighed in empty at close to what the ‘91 truck weighed loaded with the big camper, and with the approximate same power (215 horsepower), I perceived a lack of power. I added TST Products’ #11 fuel pump cam plate to the Bosch P7100 fuel pump. With the plate in stock position, I noticed an immediate increase in power. After adjusting the star wheel for the best compromise between throttle response and smoke control, I felt like I was in heaven. TDR Issue 25,”Prescriptions for Power” has further details on shadetree modifications to the Bosch P7100style fuel pump.

One trip to Spokane, Washington, found me at a stop light beside a kid in about a ‘67 Mercury. He was making noises with the engine of his car as though he intended to go really fast when the light changed. I accidentally bumped the throttle of the Dodge a couple of times while waiting for the light to change. When it turned green, as soon as I had the clutch fully engaged, I pushed the throttle to the floor. The kid in the hot rod backed out of it; he had trouble seeing the road, since his car was now filled with black smoke. When my mother reads this, she will tell me that I ought to be ashamed of myself. I already know that.

With an 11-foot long, extra-tall camper, which had once been the living quarters of a motorhome mounted on a one-ton truck weighing in at over 11,000 pounds, my 3500 Turbo Diesel performed very well

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on the road. I was near the maximum gross vehicle weight rating, and needed to be careful about how fast I took the curves. But even the steepest grades would not overheat the engine.

Then came the Royal City community days of 2003. A local car club had managed to get use of a private landing strip nearby, and offered challenge drag racing. I moved the #11 cam plate and the AFC housing all the way forward. I loosened the star wheel to the point of an absolutely loose spring inside, and went for a test drive.

I now had the five-inch cab stack installed, sans muffler, and could really leave a trail of black smoke. I was the crowd pleaser at the drags. I raced twice, first a retired ‘85 Dodge police car, and then an ‘02 Turbo DIesel 24-valve, HO. I easily won both races and spent the rest of the day as a spectator.

I never moved the #11 plate back to stock position. I was able to adjust the star wheel to get the smoke under control. I positioned a convex spot mirror on my right side outside mirror so I can see the tip of the exhaust stack, and between setting the star wheel and controlling my right foot, when I want to I can drive with almost no smoke. However, with the camper on board there is a massive difference. The exhaust gas temperature, with the pyrometer preturbo will now climb to 1300 degrees on a hard pull (still safe), and I can get 40 pounds of boost from the turbo. The coolant temperature on the engine will climb to the “too hot” side of the gauge. The truck is so much fun to drive with the plate all the way forward that I don’t intend to move it back. I also do not intend to let anyone else drive my truck when towing anything. All I need to do is pay attention to the gauges; otherwise I would melt-down my pride and joy.

Comparing the size of the radiators in my ‘91 versus my ‘97, there is a great difference. When my son Dan bought his ’04, 2500 with the 325/600 engine, I looked it over carefully, and noticed that the radiator is even larger than on my ‘97 3500 truck. If you have the chance to look under the hood of a Freightliner truck with the Cummins B-Series 5.9 liter engine, look closely at the radiator. It will appear to be about twice the size of the radiators in the Dodge trucks with the 5.9 Turbo Diesel engine.

Comparing the size of the radiators in my ‘91 versus my ‘97, there is a great difference.

The coolant capacity on the ‘91 truck – 4 gallons The coolant capactiy on the ‘97 truck – 6 gallons, 1 quart The coolant capacity on the ‘04 truck – 7 gallons

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued As these trucks come from the factory, the cooling systems are more than adequate for stock power, even when the truck is overloaded and abused. When the owner alters the engine to produce more power, the capacity of the cooling system is overloaded. This is what is meant by the comments on the discussion forums which state that the #10 plate is too hot for towing.

We need to discuss the efficiency of burning diesel fuel in an internal combustion engine and changing the heat to power. As the diesel fuel burns to release that energy, a good part of it is changed into mechanical energy, but not all of it. I can’t tell you the ratio, but the heat loss in making the change from heat energy to mechanical energy is significant; and the heat that is lost in the process must go somewhere. This is what the cooling system is there for; it gets rid of the excess heat. Issue 27, page 42, has the details on mechanical efficiencies.

The modern diesel engine is more efficient than any other game in town, but it still wastes lots of energy. And, in case you had not already figured it out, making black smoke also wastes energy.

The black smoke is unburned diesel fuel. It is caused by an overfueled condition, wherein only the shorter carbon chain molecules of the diesel fuel are burned. If there were adequate oxygen in the combustion chamber, the longer carbon chain molecules would also burn nicely. I can leave a stop sign, and by the time I have the truck in fourth gear, I can push the throttle pedal down about half way and make a fair amount of smoke. If I then back off of the throttle just a bit and let the turbo catch up and build some boost, then mash the throttle back down to the same position as before, I have much more power, more manifold pressure, and no smoke. A fully stock pump on a 12-valve or a correctly set computer on either the 24-valve or the HPCR engine will do the same thing; clean smoke-free, EPA approved, environmentally correct performance. But that takes all the fun out of having the heaviest hot-rod in town. My friend Jon Dobbs, of Nampa, Idaho, summed it up in the fewest words with his comment on the Dodge pickups with the Cummins engine when he said, “It’s a hell of a pickup but people have to remember that it is still only a pickup.”

thermostat stays open and the larger radiator does its job cooling the engine.

I have toyed with the idea of creating a water spray or mist aimed at the front of the radiator to aid in cooling the truck. You know how quickly a hose running cold water over the radiator of an overheated vehicle will cool it down. This would require carrying cooling water with you, and a pump and nozzles to spray the water on the radiator. To use the system extensively would require you to use distilled water, to prevent a mineral build-up on the radiator. The other thing to consider is that water mixed with dust makes mud, and when the water evaporates out of the mixture, the result is not unlike a brick. But the idea is still food for thought.

While we are talking about cooling systems, consider the Cummins 5.9 liter engine in marine trim. Some of the enhancements that make the 5.9 run really well in a truck is to add parts that were originally for marine use. I wonder if the hot-rodders that use the marine performance parts realize that the marine engines in marine applications have an unlimited supply of rather cool water to keep the engine from melting down. But then no one ever claimed sanity was an attribute of one who “Bombed” his Turbo Diesel.

Brad Nelson TDR Writer

So what is the cure? The only thing that makes sense to me is to understand the limitations of your truck. If the cooling system is in good shape and it overheats, then you have left the envelope in which the truck will perform without harming itself. Either pay close attention to the heat your truck is generating while towing and back off of the throttle accordingly, or de-tune your monster to where it can be cooled adequately by the cooling system it came with.

If you look back to Issue 27, page 43, you’ll see a discussion on the infamous thermostat/temperature-gauge-cycling observation.

In normal driving conditions many owners have complained about the engine running too cool. The primary culprit for the over-cooled situation was the radiator—it was observed as being too large! In an unloaded condition the coolant in the engine block and cylinder head finally reach 181 degrees F so the thermostat “cracks” open.

The engine gets a “sip” of cold water from the large capacity radiator, and the engine coolant temperature quickly cools below the opening temperature for the thermostat. The thermostat closes, and once again the coolant climbs from about 140-150 degrees toward the 181 degrees where the thermostat will open again. Under higher loads, more fuel is burned, more waste heat is produced, and the

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TDR 11

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued NV4500 TRANSMISSION FOLLOW-UP It appears that in Issue 46, on page 16, I quite accidentally created a bit of a controversy. However, my mother would tell you that never in my life have I created a controversy by accident.

For your information, the errant fifth-gear nut has remained nicely in place for over 10,000 miles. The controversy was that my use of the spark wrench to anchor the nut to the shaft might cause a crystallization of the metal in the output shaft and ultimately a broken shaft.

This is possible, but considering the size of the shaft at the point where I welded it, the small portion of the circumference of the shaft that was actually welded, and the low heat generated by the wirefeed welder add up to a risk I feel good about accepting. As I see the problem, it is a matter of harmonics and vibration that loosens and then spins off the fifth-gear nut. Since my driving style is to feather into the throttle after each shift, allowing all the slop and slack in the drive train to be gently taken up, and then mash the pedal to the floor if needed, the abbreviated splines on the output shaft were not destroyed by shock torque application while the fifth-gear nut was slowly removing itself from action. Since the output shaft is made of harder material than the fifth-gear, a new fifth-gear fit nice and tight. This tells me that, on my truck, the splines on the shaft were not damaged. Time will tell. By the way, there are only about two welders in the world I would allow to weld on the inside of my transmission, and I am one of them. The ultimate cure would be to install an old Mack truck 13-speed, triplex transmission, or that being not practical, the NV 5600 six-speed. (I wonder if the triplex would hold up behind my altered 5.9, since my ‘68 Mack truck that had the 13-speed triplex only produced 250 horsepower. It was, however, the sweetest shifting gearbox I have ever used.)

Brad Nelson TDR Writer ANOTHER MISUNDERSTANDING Another misunderstanding arises when an individual buys a Dodge truck with the Cummins engine and a standard transmission—this being arguably the strongest towing unit available in a light truck— and then asks how to make it shift like a sports car. It will. All you need is a good music system so you do not hear the damage that occurs to your truck as you make it shift like a sports car. The synchronizers inside the transmission make for smooth shifting if you let them have the split-second it takes for them to do their job.

That job is to bring the two gears which you want to mesh to the same speed so there is no clash or grinding of gears. To force the synchronizers to work too fast is to dare them to disintegrate. Even on the sports car. With the big NV4500 five-speed and the bigger (1.5 times the size and weight) NV5600 six-speed it just takes longer since larger pieces of steel take more energy to slow down or speed up. On a heavier unit (anything larger than a sports car, actually) the technique of double-clutching will help the synchronizers to do their job. To double-clutch on an up-shift, depress the clutch pedal and move the transmission shift lever from the gear you were in to neutral. Then rapidly let the clutch pedal all the way up, and then depress it again, moving the transmission into the gear you wanted to shift into as the clutch is depressed the second time. To downshift, use the same procedure except that when you release the clutch pedal while the transmission is in the neutral position, you also need

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to push down on the throttle and increase the RPM of the engine to the approximate speed it will be turning after you get it into the gear you are down-shifting into. It takes about a hundredth of the time to do it as it takes to explain it. With practice, you will find that you can drive the standard transmission so smoothly that you can set a glass of water filled to the very brim on the dash and shift through the gears both up and down without spilling a drop of water. If you need full power, after you have made your velvet-smooth shift, ease into the throttle to the floor. Amazing things will happen. Tires, axles, drivelines, transmissions, clutches and engines will last much longer.

Some years back when I overhauled the engine of my ’82, Dodge, ½ ton pickup I thought I would need to replace the clutch, since the original had 197,000 miles on it. Under close examination, I found the original to still have the machining marks on the flywheel and pressure plate, and clutch disc itself appeared to be still breaking in. I put the original back in. The truck later became a wedding gift to my son Ryan, who traded it in on his ‘92 Turbo Diesel after putting almost another 100,000 miles on the clutch.

Brad Nelson TDR Writer BRANDING To do something correctly, it helps to know how NOT to do it.

The best example I have ever seen of how NOT to proceed with branding follows: Years back, our ambulance was dispatched to a campground filled with those attending a rock concert. The inebriated subject had accidentally branded himself when he passed out while urinating on the glowing embers of the campfire. I wonder how he explained that one to his mother?

To the Dodge boys: When you brought back the Power Wagon name, it’s too bad you didn’t have a drive train that would hold up behind the Cummins diesel engine. The down side of being number one is that you are the target of the rest of the industry.

How about a full-size crew cab? The days of feeling that it is not necessary because no one else has the Cummins engine are past.

The Duramax and the 6.0 PowerStroke will do equally well for most of the buyers, who break into a cold sweat as their trucks approach 200,000 miles anyway. And how about a cab and chassis model of the 3500?

Years back I was in a spirited discussion with some Ford and Chevy truck owners. My Dodge was winning the argument for me. Then one of the other fellows made the statement, “But if I had a Dodge like yours I would have to drive it 20 years. I get tired of a pickup more often than that; so I don’t mind if my Chevy wears out faster.”

Whatever you do with the Dodge brand, keep the quality there first.

All the rest is fluff.

Brad Nelson TDR Writer

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TDR 13

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued FOUR WHEELIN’ WITH JOE—UN-STUCK

By Joe Donnelly “You are your own vehicle recovery station!”

and systems that I have found to work well, rather than attempting a comprehensive discussion of all possibilities. We will also briefly explore procedures, safety considerations, and limitations to the equipment.

Introduction

WINCHES

Most of the Turbo Diesels that I have seen have four-wheel drive, and many of them have been taken off-road quite a bit. Even twowheel drive Rams venture off-road. I have heard the so-called words of wisdom, “Go as far as you can in two-wheel drive, and get unstuck with four-wheel drive so you can go home.” Unfortunately, the great front end weight bias of the Cummins engine makes our Turbo Diesels almost helpless in two-wheel drive, so in my experience, it is better to engage four-wheel drive at the outset and then drive cautiously so as not to get stuck. In four-wheel drive mode, our rigs are quite capable off-road, within the limitations imposed by their size and weight.

There are numerous brands of winches, and many are capable and durable. For a given set of generic specifications, there are often several brands of winches that should be satisfactory. A long term leader in the field of electric winches is Warn Industries. One of their recent advertisements humorously said “Warn your buddies.”

Their products are state-of-the-art in features and performance.

Most of them use planetary reduction gears, a series-wound electric motor, a cone type brake, and most hold about one hundred feet of cable (wire rope). It is still possible to find worm gear drive winches, and their prime advantage is not needing a brake for the cable reel, since the worm attached to the motor cannot be driven backwards by the driven ring gear. However, they are mechanically less efficient and generally have slow line speeds, generate more heat, and are less electrically efficient because of the worm drive arrangement. There are also hydraulically operated winches, but they require mounting a pump to the engine. Usually the vehicle’s power steering pump is not sufficiently large in volume pumped and/ or pressure to run the winch. Even if it can do so, it is risky to use the same pump that has to get you home by steering and stopping the truck. Since 1997 when hydroboost brakes were introduced to the Turbo Diesels, the truck uses power steering fluid as the booster rather than vacuum as was used up to 1996. Obviously the engine must be running to use a hydraulic winch. The engine must also be running to use a power take-off (PTO) operated winch, the final basic type of winch available to us. Most wreckers use PTO winches, but for us it is a real problem to arrange the gear box and driveshaft from the PTO cover area of the transmission to use such a winch. Ground clearance may be compromised as well as space in the bed of the truck.

Back in TDR issue 29, pages 20-22, Bill Swails described getting stuck on a Colorado mountain. He hitched a ride into town and his Turbo Diesel was extricated by a tow truck. In many situations getting a ride, finding a telephone at a nearby farm house, or using a cellular phone is not possible. I have often been in remote areas where there was no cellular coverage and very little vehicular traffic. The nearest ranch could be fifty or a hundred miles away.

In Issue 30, Bill mentioned some upgrades and equipment that he obtained for his Turbo Diesel after his close call with disaster. These items included winch bumpers, chains, tow straps, a hi-lift jack, a shovel, and a snatch block. Only the winch and winch bumper were discussed; the other items were merely mentioned. It is worthwhile to describe these accessories, their characteristics, and how to select them. Otherwise, it is all too easy to end up with poorly performing equipment, or items that are woefully inadequate in strength for our relatively heavy Turbo Diesels. In this article, we will discuss vehicle recovery items and equipment in some detail. Many of these items are not easy to assess without specialized knowledge, in terms of what grade, size, or strength is needed. Hopefully, many of the specialized bits of knowledge will be revealed here.

You can’t talk about getting un-stuck without discussing locking differentials. I have had very limited (pun?) success with factorytype limited slip differentials. The Detroit Locker remains my first choice. It is adequately smooth in action on a heavy, long wheelbase Turbo Diesel. When it engages, it actually works, instead of just slipping less. However, don’t sell open differentials short. They are still the best in many situations, such as snow covered slide slopes. If both rear wheels spin, the truck can slide sideways into trouble. I have traversed many such mountain trails safely with open differentials.

Part of the secret to properly using open differentials, or any type of differentials for that matter, is the use of good tires. Tread pattern is crucial, but most of us already use all terrain, mud terrain, or snow tires. New tires work by far the best. Try to arrange your new tire purchase immediately before your excursion into mountainous, snow-covered terrain.

Our discussions will be divided into these topics: winches; wire rope; winch bumpers and mounts; chains, hooks, and straps; jacks; accessories such as snatch blocks, shackles (clevises) and comealongs; and tire chains. These discussions will focus on some items

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Almost all of us who want a winch to aid in the recovery of a stuck vehicle will select an electric winch that uses our 12-volt system.

We will want to select high capacity, durable batteries. Some folks are concerned that the winch might draw down battery capacity too much in an extended winching effort, so they use a battery isolator so the winch cannot draw down both batteries, but both are charged by the alternator.

Size, weight, and pulling capacity are important considerations when purchasing a winch. Space is limited for installing a winch. The farther the winch is from the axle, and the heavier it is, the more leverage it exerts upon suspension capacity. If it is bulky, it may obstruct air flow to the radiator if mounted in the front. It will not fit in the rear with the spare tire under the bed. In the front, there is little weight capacity left for a winch and winch mount or heavier aftermarket bumper. Conflicting with the above considerations that favor a small, light winch are the requirements we have for a very heavy winch to pull our heavy trucks out of trouble, and the probable need for a long cable to reach an anchor point. In some parts of the country, trees can be scarce and it can be difficult to find a natural anchor point.

One old rule of thumb holds that the winch should have 1.5 times the weight of the truck in its pulling capacity. Let’s look at this recommendation in some detail. Fortunately, most of us know

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued more or less what our Turbo Diesels weigh. Shipping weight of my ’97, 2500, 4x4, Club Cab, five-speed was about 6000 pounds, and my ’04, 2500, 4x4, Quad Cab, six-speed is about 7100 pounds.

We know that by the time we add fuel tanks and other toys they weigh 500 to 1000 pounds more. However, the effective weight will be affected tremendously by the type of surface, the angle, and how deeply stuck the truck has become. On a smooth, level, hard surface, it may take only 700 or 800 pounds of pull to move it. As the surface gets softer, the pull increases to 2000 or 3000 pounds. If the truck is stuck to the level of the wheel, the amount of pull required will be more like 8000 pounds; if to the frame, around 25,000 pounds of pull may be needed to free the truck from the mud.

At a thirty degree uphill angle, the vehicle will become half again as heavy and the amount of pull increases accordingly.

So, what size of winch should be chosen? Depending on your budget and how much space you have to mount a winch, you won’t be wrong to pick a 12,000 or 15,000 pound winch based on the weight of your Turbo Diesel. However, if you don’t challenge the toughest trails, you may not get into situations where that amount of pull is likely to be needed. You can also double the amount of pull your winch has by using a “snatch block” or pulley at the anchor point, and returning the hook to the vehicle and attaching it there.

(One possibility is to use the trailer hitch as an attachment point.)

Before you select a winch based solely on pulling power, consider its bulk and weight. Also consider how much amperage its motor draws for a pull. You have to consider not only the amperage versus pull but the time it will take (line speed). The biggest winch, or a smaller winch at half speed (that is, when using a snatch block), will use a lot of battery capacity. Hopefully, you can run the Cummins at a fast idle to partially charge the batteries. Your brand new Turbo Diesel’s alternator gives peak charging of 136 amperes at about 2000 rpm, but this is less than one-third of what the winch can draw at full load!

The following table summarizes some features of several Warn winches as examples of units that you might select from this or another manufacturer.

Feature M8000 XD9000 M12000 Weight (lb.)

74 78 136 Size in inches (l,w,h) 21x6x8 22x6x8 24x9x11 Cable dia. (inches), x length (ft.)

5/16 x 80 or 100 5/16 x 100 3/8 x 125 Line speed (feet per min) @ 0 lb 42 38 30 LS @ 2000 16 14 14 LS @ 4000 11.9 11 8.6 LS @ 6000 9.8 8.7 6.9 LS @ 8000 8.0 6.9 5.8 LS @ 9000 6.4 4.4 LS @ 12,000 3.9 LS @ 15,000 Pull on layer 1 (pounds) 8000 9000 12,000 Pull on layer 2 7280 8190 11,120 Pull on layer 3 6670 7500 10,340 Pull on layer 4 6230 7010 9770 Pull on layer 5 9250 Amperage draw @ 0 lb. pull 80 70 67 Amps @ 2000 200 180 140 Amps @ 4000 285 255 210 Amps @ 6000 350 330 250 Amps @ 8000 435 415 320 Amps @ 9000 460 Amps @ 12,000 440 Amps @ 15,000

M15000 136 25x9x11 3/8 x 125 22 7.3 5.4 4.4 3.8 2.9 2.5 15,000 13,890 11,520 9840 67 135 185 235 285 385 460

From the above table, we can make several generalizations: (1) A winch draws a lot more current as its load increases.

(2) Winch pulling capacity goes down as the number of layers of cable on the drum increases. Rated pulling power is achieved only on the layer right against the drum.

(3) Line speed goes down with load. At maximum rated load, line speed will be one-third to one-half of what it was at low load (2000 pounds). In terms of power drawn from the battery, think of watts (amps multiplied by time). A faster line speed at a given pull weight may compensate for a higher amperage draw by a smaller capacity winch. No-load line speed is significant for drawing the cable back onto the drum, if you want to leave quickly after getting un-stuck.

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TDR 15

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued It will take around twice as long to re-wind the cable onto the drum of the M15000 winch as the M8000, and will use a lot more watts.

The lower amperage draw at no load with the M15000 (67 versus 80 amps) does not come close to offsetting the line speed difference, where the M8000 spools line almost twice as fast (42 versus 22 feet/second). On the other hand, if the pull is for a short distance, you will have more pulling power with the big winch on the outer layer of cable than the innermost layer of the small winch. Thus, you might not have to unwind the majority of the cable (for short distance pulls). The pull will take longer with the big winch, but the watts of power used will be similar.

For another comparison, we will use the XD9000 with the line doubled (snatch block) to give 12,000 pounds of pull, and compare its performance to that of the M12000. The vehicle recovery will take less time than with the M12000 using its full rated pulling capacity. The watts of electricity consumed will also be lower with the XD9000 due to the shorter amount of time and the lower amp draw (330 for the XD9000 vs. 440 for the M12000). Rewinding the cable on the XD9000 will take less time in this example, because we have to un-spool cable to the first (innermost) layer on the big winch to get its rated pulling capacity, regardless of the distance the Turbo Diesel has to be pulled. If the distance is short, we could get over 6000 pounds (actually, 7010 pounds) of pulling power with the XD9000 even on the outer layer. If we use a snatch block with the big winch to avoid un-spooling most of the cable, we could use the outer cable wrap on that winch, also. However, recovery time would still be slower, due to the slower line speed of the M12000. If using the outer wrap of cable with either winch the time difference would be 69 versus 87 units of time in favor of the XD9000. However, the watts consumed could be lower (would be for longer duration pulls) with the M12000 because it uses 250 versus 330 amps of power during its pull. The XD9000 also costs about $300 less than the bigger M12000 winch. The XD9000 is more compact for easier mounting, and puts a lot less weight on your Turbo Diesel’s suspension (78 versus 136 lb).

From the above examples, it can be seen that a smaller winch can be very effective for most recoveries, and that its capability for heavier pulls is greatly increased by the use of a snatch block (that is, a simple pulley) to double the line and halve the speed the truck moves during recovery. This concept can be extended when it has to be extended, to the use of two snatch blocks, and running the cable three times between the anchor point and the vehicle. Particularly on the front where our mighty Cummins engines already tax the front suspension of the Rams, a heavy winch and mount can easily

exceed the rated weight capacity of the front end.

CABLE (WIRE ROPE) The wire rope or cable is the limiting factor for vehicle recovery.

First, its length is obviously crucial when attaching the winch to a suitable anchor point (tree, boulder, etc.). Second, the wire rope gets the harshest treatment, which directly and critically affects its strength and lifetime. For best life, the cable should be lubricated, and always wrapped and unwrapped in an orderly fashion with each coil right next to the coil before it. Coils of one layer should be right over the points between coils of the layer underneath. Kinks, bends, scuffs, and grinding damage from dirt must be avoided. Few people lubricate the cable because it is so easy for the lubricant to collect dirt. Cable employed for winches is generally galvanized to inhibit rust, another obvious and serious problem. Be sure to get the roller fairlead because it guides the cable on rollers, without friction or rubbing. The cheaper hawse fairlead is just a rounded slot that the cable must rub against. The cable will soon get damaged by a hawse fairlead. Never let the cable slide through your hands, even if you are wearing leather gloves. (Heavy welding gloves will give better protection, and will cover your wrists.) A frayed spot in the cable will cut right through gloves and give you a nasty gash.

The strength of the cable is the limiting factor in most applications.

Weight, bulk, and resistance to bending (coiling) of large diameter cables preclude their use in our semi-serious applications. As a result, we use cable whose ultimate breaking strength is close to the rated capacity of the winch. We can and should select chain, hooks, straps, and shackles with working load limits close to the rating of the winch. These items have a safety factor of four. (Some have a factor of five.) Thus the chain rated at 7100 pounds probably won’t break until over 28,000 pounds of force is exerted. On the other hand, that 5/16” diameter cable has a breaking strength of 9800 pounds when new and in perfect condition. The safety margin is just not there. The old recommendation to put heavy blankets on the cable so it won’t whip around if it breaks is a good and critical recommendation. The following table shows strengths of the type of galvanized cable generally used with recreational winches (7 x 19 strand so-called aircraft cable).

From the table we can see that 5/8 inch diameter cable would be about right for a moderate sized winch, say the 8000 pound range.

Then the safety factor of the cable would be as great as other items we use, and the safe working load limit would not usually be exceeded. But wait! The cable would more than double the weight

Diameter (inches)

Working load limit (pounds)

Breaking strength (pounds).

Weight per 100 ft. (pounds)

3/16

840

4200

6.5

1/4

1400

7000

11

5/16

1960

9800

17

3/8

2880

14400

24

1/2

4560

22800

46

5/8

7000

35000

72

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MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued of the winch, after adding mass to the winch to safely contain, handle, and distribute the cable. The big cable would not coil easily, so the winch drum would have to be huge. Manhandling the cable for vehicle recovery would be exhausting, and a much larger electric motor would be needed just to deal with its stiffness, bulk, and weight. The result would be that we could not afford, nor use, nor even mount a winch of that sort on our Turbo Diesels.

for our Turbo Diesels. These bumpers are available in 1/4 inch thick mild steel, or 3/16 inch thick, polished stainless steel. You can order the bumpers with PIAA lights, receiver hitches, and mounts for the Warn winch of your choice (within space limitations, of course—the biggest rear mounted winch they can fit into the bumper is the XD9000).

The industry-wide compromise is to use cable that is easy to deal with, and sized so its breaking strength under ideal (new, undamaged) conditions is just adequate. We have already seen that the rated capacity of a winch is only realized on the innermost (first) wrap of cable, with a fully charged battery, and with the vehicle stuck enough to force the winch to use its full rated power. Therefore, under normal use the cable is rarely subjected to loads close to its breaking strength. However, it may often see loads over the wire rope industry’s safe working load limit.

It is important to note that the attachment points for cables are critical. It is popular to use three clips or u-bolts similar in design to muffler clamps. The cable end is looped through the hook being attached, and the “dead end” is held to the “live” cable with these clips. “Never saddle a dead horse” here means that the clip saddle must be on the “live” piece of cable, and the u-bolt is on the “dead” end. However, this means of attachment gives only about 80 percent of the cable’s strength. Far better is to have a rigging shop swage an aluminum, copper, or steel ferrule to the cable to retain the hook. This means of attachment can give 90 to 100 percent strength, depending on ferrule material, swaging power of the press used, and workmanship.

To be very blunt here, vehicle recovery always and definitely involves lethal force. To use a cable or nylon strap to “pop” your truck out of the mud bog—wow. You have an 8000 pound missile that you are launching. Now that the breaking strength of the cable, and the fact that damage to it severely reduces its strength, are understood, we realize that getting stuck is not a fun thing to do. Recovery of the vehicle should be done in daylight, with careful consideration of what can break and go where. Wearing heavy leather gloves is just the first step. Recreational alcoholic beverages are not a part of this plan. Sorry.

The Reunel stainless steel rear bumper with 15,000 pound receiver hitch, PIAA backup lights, and Warn XD9000 winch.

Just about everyone plans to mount the winch to the front of their truck or Jeep. After all, that is the direction you were going in, and presumably want to continue going. You can steer the front wheels to point the truck in a different direction if you don’t want to pull it in the line it was traveling. The electrical cables to the winch motor will be short since the batteries are under the hood. Every manufacturer of winch mounts and winch-capable aftermarket bumpers has provisions for front mounted winches.

WINCH BUMPERS AND MOUNTS Okay, you just bought a beautiful new winch and need to mount it. Its performance can only be as good as the strength of the mounting system. Fasteners must be high quality and loads must be distributed to the vehicle’s frame safely. Some manufacturers of winches and aftermarket bumpers are cognizant of the engineering and design parameters. Choose wisely. The winch manufacturer is a good place to start. Another place is a manufacturer of high quality aftermarket bumper systems. For example, Reunel doesn’t try to be the low price leader. It can’t price them low and still build in the design and quality needed. For example, its rear bumper with receiver hitch has been laboratory tested and is rated for 5000 pounds tongue weight, and 15,000 pounds trailer weight. The Turbo Diesel frame becomes the limiting point for strength, even though those ratings were achieved on the truck, not in an artificial installation.

Reunel offers several types of aftermarket bumpers, both front and rear. It is almost unique in offering a winch-capable rear bumper

Inside view of the Reunel bumper. The Warn XD9000 winch is in the center and the control box is to the right in the photo.

The stainless steel cover for the winch is on the floor.

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TDR 17

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued

Close-up of the winch mounted in the bumper. The cable looped around the mounting brackets is the positive lead to the battery.

So, what’s wrong with a front-mounted winch? Well, nothing is really wrong with it. The extra weight, so far forward, does tend to tax the front suspension of the Turbo Diesel, where the Cummins engine has already loaded the axle to near its maximum weight rating.

Space limitations result in the winch and bumper protruding about a foot beyond where the stock bumper would fit. The weight levers against the suspension, and the longer truck is harder to fit into a garage or parking space. Wind resistance may hurt fuel mileage and access to the engine compartment may be compromised.

Larger winches may affect approach angle clearance and/or air flow through the radiator. So much for the technical arguments.

How about logistics? You just dropped your front wheels into the mud bog or some other “stuck” situation. Sure, you would like to go through it to the mountain trail/hunting grounds/ideal place that is on the other side. On the other hand, you know that the way you came would lead back to civilization and was fully characterized by un-stuck-ness. Going forward could be full of more bad spots, some even worse than the one you just fell into.

My choice on my ‘04 Turbo Diesel, and on a previous Dodge fourwheel drive pickup, was a rear-mounted winch. I want to get back, not get into more or worse stuck situations. If the Turbo Diesel can’t travel normally in four-wheel drive, even with tire chains, I don’t belong there. I’ll walk into the mountain retreat. As I said above, our Turbo Diesels’ traction capabilities may be rather limited in twowheel drive on the trails. I don’t mind ignoring the old adage above of going in with two-wheel drive and using four-wheel drive to get out. I use four-wheel drive routinely on the trails and have gone into some very gnarly places on dirt, rocks, and snow. With a rear mounted winch, I can use it if I get venturesome and end up taking that step beyond what four-wheel drive can do for me.

My Reunel bumper system has polished stainless steel channels with PIAA back-up lights, receiver hitch, and Warn XD9000 winch with roller fairlead. The Reunel stainless steel bumper shines and looks just like high quality chrome. I chose the black finish for the regular steel center pocket and the receiver hitch. This color scheme looks very sharp and enhances the overall appearance of the bumper. The bumper is a great complement to the capabilities and appearance of my new ’04 Turbo Diesel (known as Junior). The receiver hitch is far stronger than stock, and the frame attachment points of the bumper utilize the strength-related engineering characteristics of the hydro-formed Dodge frame. I have custom bumpers with that “farm tractor” appearance on my ‘97 Turbo Diesel.

They are totally functional and very strong. I wanted a more refined

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look for Junior with as much strength and more capability (winch mount), and the Reunel system is perfect for me. The winch fits perfectly and the bumper makes a very strong and solid attachment for it. Design, construction, and weld quality are excellent. The bumper does not stick out much more than stock, the spare tire fits, and the extra weight does not tax the rear suspension, like it would the front suspension and axle. The optional 3/16 thick stainless steel channels save some weight compared to 1/4 inch mild steel (Reunel’s standard material), and looks far, far better on a new truck. The weight just helps to reduce freeway bounce on an empty truck! The winch should prove to be adequate in capacity for all situations the truck is likely to encounter. The size, weight, and cost of the XD9000 are reasonable and make it an excellent choice for my (hopefully occasional) use. If I wanted to continue through the worst-stuck places (I might be too old to tempt fate that much), maybe the Warn M12000 or M15000 winch mounted in the front should be added. Even if that turns out to be the case, the XD9000 in the rear is very much worth having, and I feel it is the right system for the first step.

The bed had to be lifted about 3” at the rear with an engine hoist to remove the stock trailer hitch/rear cross-member. I removed the rear four bed mounting bolts and loosened the front four so the bed could be lifted.

The Reunel bumper and winch fairlead do not protrude much farther than the stock bumper.

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued CHAINS, HOOKS, AND STRAPS We have mentioned chains and the strength of different grades and sizes of chains. Hardware store chain does not belong on the trail.

Occasionally it is available in grades up to grade 30, called “proof coil.” It used to be that “high test” or grade 40 chain was considered good chain. Today, far better chain is available at reasonable cost.

Truckers use transport grade 70 chain, usually plated gold in color, to restrain their loads. This chain is nearly as strong as grade 80, but grade 70 is not approved for lifting. Also, transport chain does not stretch visibly before breaking whereas grade 80 does. Grade 80 chain usually has a black coating. Grades 100 and 120 chain are somewhat better but are hard to find and tend to be quite expensive. I have found remnants or short lengths of grade 80 chain cheap at local wire rope and rigging shops. The table at the bottom of the page lists the working load ratings for different sizes and grades of chain.

Be sure to use equal grade hooks when fitting up your lengths of chain. Grade 80 hooks are quite a bit more expensive than grade 70 hooks, but they are visibly stronger in design. The grab hooks have cradle supports for the other chain being held, rather than only a simple slot. The grade 80 hooks also have a much more positive attachment for the chain. Grade 80 hooks use a solid steel rod captured in the end of the hook, with a roll pin driven through the hook sideways. This method of retention is very secure. Standard grade hooks up to grade 70 use a pin shaped like a fat-bodied nail, and a cotter pin through the end of the pin. I have seen cases where a hook was mysteriously missing from a chain that was in use and binding a load. Apparently the cotter pin failed and let the pin work out of the end of the hook. Of course, the cotter pin must be on the end of the hook away from the throat (slotted or open) side of the hook where the attachment is made to another item such as a strap or a second chain. Also, be sure your hooks have those pesky retaining latches. It may be harder to install and remove the strap or other piece of chain, but I have seen cases where somehow enough slack developed for the hooked item to fall out of an open hook.

My choice in chain and hooks is grade 80 sized at 3/8 inch. The working load rating is within the likely load they will encounter, weight and bulk are moderate, and the safety factor of four or five in their load ratings give very high breaking strengths, far above that of the winch cable. It is hard enough to restrain a winch cable (using blankets or coats laid on it before beginning the vehicle recovery).

Restraining a flying piece of chain and hook is not something I want to worry about very much. For that reason, never put the chain at the truck. If you have to extend the cable with a piece of chain, do so at the anchor point far away from the truck. I have chains with grab hooks, slip hooks, and a combination of the two. That way I can combine two pieces of chain, or go from chain to strap.

Diameter (inches) 1/4 5/16 3/8 1/2

TDR 20

Proof grade 30 (rating in pounds) 1300 1900 2650 4500

To the left are lengths of 3/8 inch grade 80 chain with two brands of grade 80 hooks. The “slip” hooks are to the outside, and the “grab” hooks inside. In the middle of the photo are a grade 40 “forged” hook and underneath it a hook and chain of unknown grade. At the right is a piece of chain with Transport grade 70 slip hooks.

Towing and snatch-straps are available in different weight ratings (mostly determined by width of the nylon strap) and lengths. You can find them at off-road suppliers and at crane, wire rope, and rigging shops. I have gotten the best variety and good prices at the latter. Straps do stretch under load, and this feature is often used to “snatch” a stuck truck from the mud bog. The rescuer starts with slack in the strap, and drives away from the stuck truck. When the slack is gone, the strap stretches and on rebound will help to jerk the stuck truck out of its predicament. However, as noted above, lethal force is being used and a strap that snaps becomes a missile.

The forces on the trucks’ frames are extreme. A combination of bravery, desperation, caution, and perhaps stupidity, will be needed for use with this approach. I much prefer to use straps as light weight extenders and hopefully not exert enough load on them to cause appreciable stretching when they are in use. One very important use of such a strap is to girdle a tree when a tree is used as the winch anchor. Chains will injure or kill the tree while giving a less secure attachment than a 3” or 4” wide strap. Warn offers such a strap in 6 foot length, for example.

Another compact, light weight extender to help you get your winch cable to an anchor point is a piece of cable with hooks, or eyes, on the ends. You are back to the strength limitation of reasonably sized cables, but you can stow and carry a 25 foot piece of cable easily, whereas that much chain is a burden. For example, in the desert southwest, trees can be hard to find, so a secure anchor point for the winch cable can be some distance away.

High test grade 40 (rating in pounds) 2600 3900 5400 9200

www.turbodieselregister.com

Transport grade 70 (rating in pounds) 3150 4700 6600 11300

Lifting or alloy grade 80 (rating in pounds) 4500 7100 12000

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TDR 21

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued JACKS I recommend leaving your stock jack where Dodge stowed it. Don’t even look for it. Carry a heavy-duty hydraulic bottle jack and a compact floor jack (perhaps the aluminum racing model). Bring some pieces of plywood, preferably made from 1-inch or 1-1/8-inch thick plywood. Get a Hi-Lift jack, preferably the 60 inch tall version, and have a larger base for it that you can bolt to the small stock jack base. Most of us are familiar with this excellent 7000 pound rated jack that works like a huge bumper jack. I also recommend the Jack Mate attachment for the Hi-Lift, from Rescue 42. It replaces the stock “top clip” that is attached to the top end of the jack. The Jack Mate will allow you to squeeze or stretch to the strength limit of the jack, and gives a concentrated mounting point with teeth if a regular jack base won’t work where you are stuck. The Jack Mate has attachment points for chain and a large shackle.

it is easy to get into trouble using them. A notable exception is the huge “More Power Puller” from Wyeth-Scott that uses 31 feet of 5/16 inch cable. Even if an electric winch is your primary recovery equipment, a heavy come along can be valuable. For example, it can help to keep the vehicle positioned on the trail side-to-side while pulling/ recovering the vehicle along the trail with the winch.

To the left is a More Power Puller, then an ordinary come along, a shackle with welding gloves underneath, then a snatch block. A 25 foot length of cable with hooks is at the right.

To the left is a bottle jack, then a Warn tree protector strap, other nylon straps, and at the right is an aluminum compact floor jack with removable “take-apart” handle.

ACCESSORIES Snatch blocks are essential to your winching efforts. In effect they are a pulley attached to a hook. Get one or even two of them, strong enough for the pulling you may need to perform. In the above section on winches, there was an example of winching with a snatch block where a smaller winch could exceed the capabilities of a larger winch. The doubled line technique that comes with using a snatch block can also help you “use up” line length if the anchor point is not so far away, but you need the first wrap on the winch drum to get enough pulling power. Vendors of winches and rigging supplies carry snatch blocks.

Shackles (clevises) are needed to link equipment and make it easier to attach a hook to a strap that has been doubled back on itself, such as when going around a tree. Be sure they have working load limits (often abbreviated on the part as WLL then a number, then T for tons) high enough for safety. The through bolt is special and should never be replaced with a standard bolt. It is also best if it is used with forces perpendicular to the line of the bolt, to avoid distorting the shackle.

“Come-along” hand winches are popular and can replace an electric winch in some situations. Most of them are of minimal capacity so

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Winch anchors are best found naturally near where your Turbo Diesel is stuck. A wide nylon strap wrapped around a tree is the anchor that is classically pictured in winch catalogs. A huge boulder might work, with a long strap wrapped around it. What do you do when there is nothing but sand or desert scrub around you? The textbooks say to bury a spare tire/wheel and attach a chain to it. In practice, this is a huge amount of work in most kinds of dirt found in the desert, and doesn’t work very well either. Sometimes you can use a sledge hammer to pound in three stakes, connect them with chain, and use that as an attachment point. Chevy truck or Dodge police car (from the 1970s when they were big enough) torsion bars will work if one end is cut off in a wedge or point.

The Pull-Pal is a self-burying spade-type anchor that works very well in many types of dirt and is easily recovered after it does its job. If you think you might get stuck where there are no anchor points, consider getting one. It is available in three sizes, RW6000, RW11000, and RW14000. The middle size should be adequate for your Turbo Diesel unless it is a dually with a heavy camper and may get buried to the frame. In that case, either two of the RW11000 model or one of the “military” style RW14000 should be stowed in your truck for the recovery operation. The big military unit was built for the government to pull out Hummers that were heavily loaded and very stuck.

MEMBER2MEMBER . . . . Continued SUPPLIERS Bloomfield Manufacturing Company P.O. Box 228 Bloomfield, IN 47424 800-233-2051 www.hi-lift.com Jake’s Crane, Rigging & Transport, Intl.

6109 Industrial Road Las Vegas, NV 89118 800-USA-JAKE www.jakescrane.com

Rescue 42’s Jack Mate, a 3/4” shackle rated for 6.5 tons, and two short 2” nylon straps that are handy for attachment to the trailer “receiver” hitch.

TIRE CHAINS Tire chains remain an essential for winter driving where the snow may be deep, ice is a problem, or slick mud may bring your Turbo Diesel to a halt. None of the current high technology tires can approach the traction capability of a set of chains in snow and ice.

For traveling in glare ice, snow tires and studded snow tires are around 10 percent better than regular tires. Cable chains are about twice as effective as regular tires, and regular chains are about three times as effective as ordinary tires. For stopping, snow tires with studs are about 20 percent better than ordinary tires, cable chains are about one-third better, and regular chains are about 60 percent better than standard tires.

Dodge specifies class U-chains for our Turbo Diesels. These chains are regular and lug-reinforced chains for vehicles with non-restricted wheel well clearances. The lug-reinforced chains are best. These chains have cross-bars, either straight or V-shaped, welded across each link in the chain that goes across the tread.

Chains are a hassle. I install them by laying them out in front of the wheels and rolling onto them. Next I pull the ends up to the top of the tires and attach them. Finally, I use a rubber chain tensioner on the outside to keep them snug.

Pull-Pal PO Box 639 Carbondale, CO 81623 800-541-1817 www.pullpal.com Rescue 42, Inc. PO Box 1242 Chico, CA 95927 888-427-3728 www.rescue42.com Reunel Manufacturing Co. PO Box 1010 Maxwell, CA 95955 800-338-2077 www.reunel.com Warn Industries, Inc. 13270 SE Pheasant Ct. Milwaukie, OR 97222 www.warn.com Wyeth-Scott Co. PO Box 888 Newark, OH 43058 800-743-4521 www.morepowerpuller.com

How you use the tire chains has a huge effect on their life. Obviously they last much longer in snow than on a hard surface. At low speeds, 30 mph and below, the chain life is maximized. At 40 mph, they last around half as long, and over 50 mph the life will be only about a fourth as long. They should be installed tight, and checked for stretching periodically. Retighten as needed. If they are only one link loose, chain life is halved at 30 mph and they last less than one-tenth as long at higher speeds like 45 or 50 mph. Since a loose chain will quickly tear up the wheel well, another reason to drive slowly is to avoid or minimize body damage to your Turbo Diesel.

Joe Donnelly TDR Writer

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 23

“Turbo Tips” are written to complement the “Member2Member” idea exchange. The “Member2Member” department looks at a product improvement and offers a solution. “Turbo Tips” is an abridged version of “M2M” with short bits of wisdom that our readers have learned from working with their trucks.

MOUSE SOUNDS

OIL FILTER REMOVAL

I wanted to share a problem that I had with my ’99, 3500. Somewhere I picked up what sounded like a mouse in my truck. The problem was a lot worse when we pulled our fifth-wheel camper. This mouse noise just about drove me crazy. The noise turned out to be located where the wire harness leaves the cowl to the hood for the underhood light. The wire would rub on the cowl painted surface. The quick fix is to unclip the wire from the clips on the hood and move the wires a little farther up into the hood. I don’t know if anyone else has had this problem before. If so, I hope this will help you in your search for strange noises.

TDR member Carl Mogerman, Norwood, NY, responds to the Issue 45, page 13, Turbo Tip titled “Fluted Oil Filters: My 125 Cents Worth.” The $1.25 is the price difference between a Fleetguard oil filter with a fluted outer shell and a Fleetguard oil filter without the flutes. Carl advises owners to “save your money. For a good grip on a non-fluted Fleetguard (or competitive brand) oil filter, use a sheet of sandpaper to get a good grip on the oil filter.”

B.M. Herndon Nectar, AL OIL FILTER WRENCH From the picture you can see how I’ve improved my Lisle 54780 oil filter wrench that I use on the Fleetguard fluted-type oil filters.

My 3/8” drive would bottom out against the oil filter; therefore there was not much of the 3/8” drive shank extending into the filter tool.

With the welded 1/2” drive socket on the filter tool there is no longer a problem.

Mike Jan Petersburg, MI

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This is a great common-sense tip. However, you’ll often encounter a the filter that was installed by our friend Mr. Muscles, so I’ll stay with the more expensive, fluted-shell oil filters.

Robert Patton TDR Staff

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 27

Coverage of the ‘89 through ‘93 Model Trucks.

Web Site Correspondence Edited by Bill Stockard and Andy Mikonis.

always have the gasket creep problem, no matter which manifold is on the truck.

BushWakr, Maple Ridge, BC

ELECTRIC WINDOWS

EASY AFC LINE REPAIR

My ‘92 Turbo Diesel W250 is equipped with factory power windows and power door locks. The power window switches on the driver and passenger doors have been operating the windows intermittently.

I’ve taken the door module apart, cleaned the terminals, and reconnected them. The switches worked properly for a couple of days, but the intermittent operation is returning. dlow, San Diego, CA

After breaking the fifth metal AFC line on my ‘91 Turbo Diesel D350, I fabricated a replacement for under $5. This is a list of materials I used: • 1/8" OD plastic air line about 10" long • Two 1/8" ferrules and compression nuts for 1/8" OD line • Adapter with 1/8" NPT on one end and 5/16" coarse thread for compression nut on the other • 5/16" coarse thread double union for 1/8" OD hose.

My power windows did the same thing. To repair them, I removed the power window motor assembly. Next, remove the two screws that hold the motor to the gearbox. The grease in the gearbox works into the electric motor. Use a good contact cleaner to flush out the grease. Clean thoroughly around the motor brushes and make sure they can move freely. Re-attach the motor to the gearbox and reinstall the motor assembly in the door. My power windows have been working like new.

If you need to change the gear, follow the instructions in Issue 46 on page 20. dseabaugh, Jackson, MO

The installation picture shows how to assemble the parts. There is one point of clarification that I must make: On the AFC housing, you will screw in a double union of the same size for 1/8" OD air line. The union is, I believe, a 5/16, and the AFC housing is 8mm.

Doing the math (1 inch equals 25.4 millimeters) it comes out to a 0.0625 millimeter difference. If you feel uncomfortable with this, a double wrap of Teflon tape on the end going into the AFC housing should take up any slack.

EXHAUST LEAK After hearing an exhaust leak, I checked the exhaust manifold and found two leaks, but the manifold isn’t cracked. The manifold has moved as much as 1/8 inch and parts of the gaskets are showing.

If I find a used Second Generation manifold, will it fit my First Generation engine? The manifold bolts don’t look bent, but should I replace them as well?

Kernel, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX A Second Generation 12-valve exhaust manifold will fit a First Generation engine. You will have to move some of the heater hose support brackets. I changed a manifold about a year ago.

Buy new manifold bolts, a new turbo drain gasket, and manifold-toturbo gasket. These parts shouldn’t cost over $30 dpuckett, Jackson, MO I would do a quick block sanding on the old manifold, open up the two bolt holes that are smaller than the rest, and install new gaskets.

The bolt holes around cylinder number two and three are smaller than the rest. Find the drill bit one size larger and open those holes in the manifold.

Unless you buy a three piece replacement manifold from ATS, you’ll

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With this hardware store collection of parts you have a functioning AFC again and you saved about $20. dpuckett, Jackson, MO

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TDR 29

FIRST GENERATION . . . . Continued LOST THE FUEL INJECTION PUMP KEY INSIDE THE ENGINE I removed the fuel injection pump on my ‘93 Turbo Diesel D350 to replace a leaky O-ring on the back side. When I was attempting to reinstall the injection pump, the key fell out of the keyway on the shaft. The key went down inside the engine where I can’t see it.

What should I do now?

GTX_Joel, MN If the key fell clear and went to the bottom, you are okay. However, if it is on top of the gears or between the cam gear and the case, you could have trouble. Get a small mechanic’s mirror and a bright light, and look carefully before you put a magnet inside the opening.

You might be able to see the key. Use it to search the top of the cam gears.

If the magnet doesn’t retrieve the key, remove the front cover and find it.

Do not try to start the engine. The next noise you hear might be broken front gear case, broken timing gears, or a broken cam shaft.

John - K5AWO, Mesa, AZ If you remove the front cover, be sure to check the five 10 mm bolts inside the cover that holds the gear case on to the front of the engine. If the bolts come loose, they can do as much damage as the dowel pin or the key. Four of the bolts can be removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. Be sure to use Loctite on the bolt threads. The fifth

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bolt is behind the power steering-vacuum pump drive gear. Bend a 10 mm wrench about 45 degrees and loosen the bolt enough to clean it and apply the Loctite.

Bob Beauchaine, Portland, OR I found the key! It was on a little ledge next to the cam gear.

Now I have another problem. I broke the timing pin off in the cam gear. I left the pin engaged. When I was removing the crankshaft damper bolts, the crankshaft turned and snapped off the pin.

Luckily, the tip of the pin is not in the cam gear. It must have fallen out and into the crankcase oil pan because I can’t find it. The timing pin is plastic, so I’m not too worried about it.

GTX_Joel, MN LOST MY KEYES I have lost both ignition keys to my ‘92 Turbo Diesel D250. How hard is it to install a new tumbler in the steering column? I have given up looking for my keys.

Headshot zod, Maywood, NJ You should be able to get a dealership to look up the key codes for your truck if you give them the serial number. don b, Aldergrove, BC Take the title or proof of ownership to the dealer and ask them to cut you a key from the code in their computer.

Crash_AF, Colorado Springs, CO

FIRST GENERATION . . . . Continued BRAKE QUESTIONS I need to check the rear brakes on my just-purchased ‘93 Turbo Diesel W250. I have ordered a Factory Service Manual, but it hasn’t arrived yet. How do I remove the rear axle hubs and brake drums to access the brake shoes and the automatic adjusters?

ARhine Remove the bolts from the hub. Strike the end of the axle shaft with a heavy hammer and it should come loose. Place a drip pan under the axle hub to catch the small quantity of axle lubricant that will run out. Pull out the axle shaft. To remove the drum, pull out the retainer clip that is wedged into the axle nut, and remove the nut.

It takes a thin-wall 2 9/16” socket, but I have always used a punch and a hammer. The brake drum should come off the axle.

ARedetzke, Manhattan, KS When installing the brake drum, I tighten all wheel bearings by feel.

I tighten them up, turn the brake drum, and keep tightening until all play is gone. I tighten them just enough to take the play out of them.

I jack up each corner of the truck to check play in the bearings the first few days after a repair.

When you finish the job, top off the differential with lubricant, and jack up each side of the axle and let it sit about 30 minutes to get oil out to the wheel bearings.

MMiller, Fairfield, IA

I adjust the bearings the same way as Michael Miller. I keep spinning the wheel for several turns after you get the play out of the bearings.

I grease the bearings before putting them back in. I don’t have to worry about the lubrication.

DKasper, New Virginia, IA If you overhaul the rear brakes, you could consider replacing the OEM brake shoes with three-inch brake shoes and larger wheel cylinders to improve the braking. The rear axle is essentially the same as a one ton and all the parts interchange. The three-inch rear brake shoes increase braking capability and decrease their wear if you tow a trailer.

I consider the rear brake automatic adjusters as a wear item and replace them each time I replace the brake shoes. This eliminates a lot of the adjuster problems. cerberusiam, Mountain Home, ID The first time I did the brakes on my Turbo Diesel, I couldn’t get the brake drums off. The brake shoes had worn a groove in the rear drums, and the adjusters were still out far enough for the shoes to hang up when pulling the drums. I had to manually back off the adjustments to free up the drums.

When doing a brake job, replace the axle seals. They are notorious for leaking. I would also replace the cylinders, adjusters, and springs if you don’t know the truck’s history. ekroman, Woodbridge, VA

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TDR 31

Coverage of the ‘94 to ‘98 Model Trucks (12-valve engines).

Web Site Correspondence Edited by Bill Stockard LOW POWER

STICKING THROTTLE

I am working on a Turbo Diesel with 198,000 miles on it that doesn’t seem to have adequate power. The fuel filter, air filter, oil and oil filter were changed recently. I removed the injection pump fuel overflow valve. The spring was only about 3/8 inch long, so I replaced the overflow valve. The truck seems to have better initial takeoff, but it is still sluggish above 20 mph.

VAdieselman

The throttle return on my ‘97 Turbo Diesel is sticking at the fuel pump causing high idle. In cool weather there is no problem, but when the truck sits outside all day in hot weather, the throttle sticks above idle. If I push the return back to its stop by hand, the engine will idle. Is the return spring weak? Does it need an additional spring?

The throttle linkage appears okay.

J Shocik, Cherry Valley, MA

Check to see if the plastic line that supplies boost pressure to the air/fuel control (AFC) housing on the top rear of the fuel injection pump is pinched or cut somewhere. If the AFC is not detecting enough turbo boost pressure, it will cut back the fuel. The AFC controls how much fuel should be delivered based on the amount of turbo boost. More boost equals more fuel. The AFC is designed to prevent excessive smoke under power.

The spiral throttle return spring is actually two springs wound together. There are two hooks on each end. If one of the hooks has worn or rusted off, only one of the springs is working. There is a safety recall on the throttle linkage. Check to see if it has been done to your truck. If your truck has an automatic transmission, the kick down spring may be broken or missing.

Joe G., Eureka, CA, DEBRIS IN THERMOSTAT I recently purchased a ‘97 Turbo Diesel 2500. The engine coolant temperature would not increase when driving. After removing the thermostat, I found a large piece of rubber lodged in the thermostat facing away from the engine. Any thoughts on where this piece of rubber came from?

Note: The AFC housing in the photo has a TST fitting installed. The left end in the AFC housing in the photo (the left side with the fitting) faces the firewall when installed on the injection pump. bmoeller, Northern IL Yes, the AFC line was causing the problem. It was broken off right at the fitting. It has been repaired, and the truck runs like it should.

Thanks to all who responded for your help.

VAdieselman

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A-bomb, Brighton, CO The piece of rubber is the rubber gasket that is supposed to be on the engine side of the thermostat housing. When you get a new thermostat the rubber gasket should be a part of the kit.

This is also a good time to flush the cooling system and replace the coolant.

DMC, Savannah, GA

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 33

12-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued REBUILDING THE VACUUM PUMP I rebuilt the vacuum pump on my ‘97 Turbo Diesel 2500. I have 25 years experience in aircraft repair, and rebuilding the vacuum pump is not as easy as some make it out to be. These are some of the steps I used to perform the rebuild: •

Buy a quart of power steering fluid before you start.

•

Remove the driver’s side battery and intercooler tube which makes for easier access.

•

Split the power steering lines with a knife to remove them. The original paint had cemented the lines to the fittings. There is enough line to reinstall without replacing them.

•

The oil line and fitting were seized in the vacuum pump. The oil line (part number 3923084) and fitting (part number 68138) are available from Cummins. I had to replace the line after removal.

•

Order the seal kit from www.tricountymachine.com (860) 6427033. John at Tri County is a TDR member. The price was $24.

They were prompt with the order.

•

You do not have to remove the oil pressure switch (as mentioned in the service manual) to get the pump out. However, you do need to remove the connector.

•

After reinstalling the pump, I discovered that the oil line needs to be very tight in order not to leak. I understood why it was seized up when I removed it.

Here are the supplies and tools you need for the job.

Supplies: utility knife, pliers, drip pan to catch fluid, cleaning solvent, rags.

Tools: open/box/ratchet wrenches; crows feet and/or wigglers in sizes of 7/16", 5/8", 15mm, 14mm; large deep socket set to push out seals in sizes of 9/16", 5/8", 7/8", and 1"; ballpeen and dead blow hammers; a vise, a table or bench.

In brief, you will need a set of metric and standard crow’s feet, wigglers, wrenches, and deep sockets, as well as a 4" and 8" extension for your ratchet. The pumps differ on different models of trucks.

A-bomb, Brighton, CO

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12-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued I thought the rebuild was fairly easy and I wouldn’t want anyone to be afraid to try it. There is a lot of money to be saved doing this job yourself. I also had trouble with the oil line, but I used a crow’s foot wrench on an extension to take it off at the T-fitting on the block.

I also replaced the fitting, but not the more expensive line. I had both on hand ahead of time just in case I needed them. I returned the unused parts. I also purchased an 18mm flare-nut crow’s foot wrench to remove the power steering lines at the gear box. I had to cut the return line, but I planned to replace it anyway, so I didn’t give it a second thought. If there is a burr on the drive dog of the pump when you take it apart, you will need a new seal because you will nick it. You will want to remove the burr before re-assembly or it will nick the new seal.

This job was much easier than I anticipated and the vacuum pump is still dry after about 60,000 miles.

SMorneau, Central MN I had to do this job twice since I had a oil leak between the power steering and vacuum pumps after I reinstalled them. The first time I removed the two as an assembly and replaced the seal on the bench. Yes, the oil lines do seem to be glued to the metal tubes and I had to cut mine as well. The flare nut wrenches are the only way to go on that big line on the back of the power steering pump.

The second time I took a short cut. After removing the vacuum pump from the gear case I separated the pumps, leaving the power steering pump lines connected. It’s a bit more difficult, but actually not too bad and not nearly as messy. It helped to have taken them apart previously, so I knew how they went back together.

Apparently, when I put the two pumps back together the first time, I pushed the seal back out of the bushing which caused the leak.

The second time I put a light coat of non-hardening gasket sealer on the outer surface of the seal to “glue” it in the bushing.

JGK, Boise, ID Good luck if you try separating the pumps while installed on the engine. There is barely enough room to get the vacuum pump out. I found it is very difficult to get the pump dogs lined up on reassembly.

For me, it was much easier to remove both pumps as a unit. I had to disconnect the power steering return line by the hydro-boost unit and remove the line along with the pumps.

Bill Lins, Wharton, TX I think my explanation was a bit confusing. I removed the two pumps from the gear case still bolted together. I removed the bolts then separated the pumps. I lifted the vacuum pump out, split it, and replaced the seal on the bench. The power steering pump sits loosely, but remains connected to the fluid lines. It’s a little tricky to align the dogs on the power steering pump shaft with the X-disk in the vacuum pump and then to put the two back together.

Wrencher’s choice.

JGK, Boise, ID I’ve done the job on three trucks. I separate the power steering pump and vacuum pump in the vehicle. I have to be careful putting the pump back together, but I don’t want to remove any extra parts.

I did the last repair in just over an hour. towner, Tahoe City, CA

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEAK The automatic transmission on my ‘94 Turbo Diesel 2500 is leaking at the fitting where the rear line goes into the transmission. I’ve never seen that type of fitting before. It has a wire wrapped around it. How do I get it apart, and is this leak a common problem?

Prostock, Pittsburgh, PA I replaced mine with compression fittings. You can buy replacement transmission cooler lines from Dodge. The newer lines are expensive. Some people have replaced the lines with hydraulic hose. The problem with the ‘94 and ‘95 Dodge 47RH automatic transmission is that the temp sensor is in one of the lines so hydraulic lines may not work for you. My compression fittings have been on my transmission for over 140,000 miles without any leaks. There are four fittings to replace; two in the side of the transmission and two in the cooler under the exhaust manifold.

Joe G., Eureka, CA To answer your question about the fittings, you have the original wire clip type which are in a “U” shape and can be spread apart to allow you to disconnect the line. These are different from the plastic clips that were put on later models. They won’t melt and come apart but there are seals inside the fittings that wear and leak.

My dealer told me there were no available repair parts, and if the lines leak, the fittings have to be replaced. I tried Joe’s fix, but one of the replacement compression fittings began leaking badly and I was in no position to fool with it, so I had the dealer install all new lines. The new lines have flared fittings and are a big improvement.

Parts, labor and towing came to about $700.

Howard Durand, Soap Lake, WA I’m not sure how a ‘94 truck is plumbed versus a ‘96, but when I replaced all my lines last year I learned the Mopar short flex line on the engine-mounted cooler is known to be a part which is prone to leak. If you have that line in your system and it needs to be replaced, either have one made up at a hydraulic hose shop or order the braided stainless line from Diesel Transmission Technology.

Clinton, Oak Ridge, TN

The automatic transmission on my ‘94 Turbo Diesel 2500 is leaking at the fitting where the rear line goes into the transmission.

Is this leak a common problem?

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TDR 35

12-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued AIR CONDITIONER NO LONGER COOLS The air conditioner in my Turbo Diesel has always produced very cold air. When I parked the truck last night, it was producing cold air as usual, but it doesn’t work today. The compressor is now running in short cycles. rrab1, O’Fallon, MO

The instrument panel assembly comes out as one piece after removing the steering column and airbag, and disconnecting a few wiring harnesses. The most difficult thing I encountered was removal of the aftermarket accessories I had installed which were not intended to be removed as an entire assembly.

The same thing happened to me, and it was caused by a leaking evaporator. The evaporator is located behind the dash, and it is very expensive to replace. Hopefully, yours turns out to be something simple like a defective low pressure switch.

GotDiesel, Texas City, TX If you can’t find the leak in the system at any of the underhood connections, the evaporator is leaking. The wet evaporator collects dust from the interior of the truck on the Recirculate setting and dust, dirt, and debris from the outside air intake on the Air setting.

The combination of the dust and moisture create “dust sponges” that hold moisture and cause corrosion that eventually eats holes in the aluminum evaporator. When you remove the evaporator for leaking, a black light will show small leaks all over it. jsimpson, Eustis, FL I completed the replacement of the evaporator in the air conditioning system in my ‘98 Turbo Diesel. It took about 12 hours, but I could probably do it again in six hours since I know what to do. In the photos, you can see how dust, leaves, dirt and other debris collect on the evaporator. I couldn’t find any leaks in the system under the hood, which usually means the evaporator is leaking.

I have removed the air conditioner evaporator and the heater core, which are in the same assembly and on the work table for disassembly.

This photo shows how it looks after the instrument panel assembly is removed.

This is a view of the top housing showing the evaporator upside down with debris buildup along its bottom edge.

TDR 36

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12-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued should replace both the air conditioner evaporator and the heater core while you are in there.

DBentley, MA I didn’t remove the seats. It would have been easier if I had removed the driver’s seat. Also, I didn’t remove the whole dashboard. I got it to the point where I could rotate the right part of the dash up and back. I propped it up on a dowel that was about 24 inches long.

If you live where there’s a lot of heat and sunlight, you should consider replacing the plastic anchors that anchor the dash top screws or you’ll have to live with vibration and squeaks.

Now that I know how to do it, I hope never to have to do it again.

Matt Shumaker, Glendale, AZ This is a photo of the bottom of the housing showing the buildup of dirt and debris.

Editors Note: For further insight on instrument panel removal, see TDR Issue 46, pages 12-15 and Joe Donnelly’s article on his struggles replacing the heater core.

This is a photo of the new evaporator (left) and the old evaporator (right). You can see the green dye along with the dust, dirt, and debris along the bottom. The dye is used to find leaks in the system. The dye didn’t get to the outside via moisture drain, so I never saw any leaks. I was relieved to see the dye since I had done all this work.

I’m not going to operate the air conditioning system until I get the Cab Fresh Filter Kit from Geno’s Garage. I think the filter is money well spent to keep some of the dust, dirt, and debris from collecting on the air conditioner evaporator. nwinters, Merrimack, NH I replaced the air conditioner evaporator and the heater core a few months ago. It was a big project, but not too bad if you have the Hayes shop manual. It has step by step instructions including photos. I studied the Hayes manual for two nights and made notes before I started the work. I had purchased the parts that I thought I might need along with antifreeze, new heater hoses, and clamps.

The dash tilts out of the way and can be held using bungee cords hooked to the cab grab handle while you are removing the air conditioner/heater assembly. You will have to disconnect the air conditioner lines at the firewall with quick disconnect tools. The Hayes manual made the job real straightforward and I had the work done in two afternoons. If you plan on keeping the truck, you

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TDR 37

Coverage of the ‘98.5 to 2002 Model Trucks (24-valve engines).

Web Site Correspondence Edited by Bill Stockard and John Livingstone SEAT BELT BUZZER I recently had a problem with my seat belt buzzer/warning light and posted the problem and solution on the web site. I thought it may be of interest to the readers who do not check out the web site.

My original problem was that the seat belt light would be on any time the ignition switch was on. Also, the buzzer would stay on unless the belt was pulled out of the belt retractor several inches. (There are no switches in the seat belt buckle assembly.) I found out that the buzzer and module are one and the same. The timer, which is supposed to turn the light and buzzer off, is inside the buzzer assembly. The part number is 56001077AB, and list price is $18.95. On my truck it was plugged into the fuse block. I had to remove the screws that hold the fuse block to the metal dashboard support. I could only access two of the three screws, but I was able to move it enough to remove and replace the buzzer. There is a plastic tab that has to be bent to pull the buzzer out. It’s about a 15 minute job.

ENGINE OIL LEAK AT FLYWHEEL HOUSING My ‘01 Turbo Diesel 2500 is leaking engine oil from the flywheel housing and the clutch vent. Also engine oil appears to be coming from the starter mount area. How hard is to remove the NV5600 six-speed transmission and replace the rear crankshaft seal? boydo, Red Deer, AB Before you go to the major job of removing the transmission, check to see if there is a leak at the back of the valve cover gasket that would result in oil running down the back of the block.

Ram4Sam, Redlands, CA I have a ‘99 Turbo Diesel with the NV4500 five-speed transmission.

The same thing happened to me. The engine was wet with oil around the starter and back of the block. Oil was seeping down to the flywheel housing. I found that it was the dipstick tube that is pressed in the block behind and below the starter. The oil leak wasn’t bad. I originally thought it was my valve cover gasket because the valve cover has been off and on about a dozen times on the original gasket. The leak was also pretty far up on the back of the block, but the wind and fan made the oil look like it was coming from a different area.

JDW I found the engine oil leak. It was my valve cover gasket leaking at the very back at the spot where I couldn’t see it. I replaced the gasket and there were no more oil leaks. I avoided a major repair job, thanks to good advice from TDR members. Thanks, all! boydo, Red Deer, AB SEEPING OIL PAN GASKET The oil pan on my ‘01 Turbo Diesel 3500 is seeping at the front of the oil pan. It doesn’t use any oil nor drip any oil. The other components look damp with oil, but the only place it accumulates is on the top edge of the oil pan. There are never any drips where the truck sits overnight. Any thoughts?

Heavy Hauler, TN Check the oil pan bolts and make sure they are tight. My son’s ‘99 Turbo Diesel oil pan bolts needed to be retightened, but it still seeps from the front of the oil pan. However, it is not enough to drip. lschultz, Flatonia, TX My Turbo Diesel oil pan was doing the same thing. I went around the pan and snugged the pan bolts up and that fixed the seepage.

GatorRam, Gainesville, FL

Ron Rumrill

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24-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued SMALL FREEZE PLUG AT THE REAR OF THE CYLINDER HEAD LEAKING My ‘02 Turbo Diesel has 21,000 miles on it and the small freeze plug at the rear of the cylinder head is leaking. The local dealer says they have to remove the head to replace the freeze plug. I remember someone on TDR site writing that the freeze plug can be repaired without removing the head by removing the plug and threading the head for a pipe plug. Can someone give more details on this repair procedure? emarsh

STARTER MOUNTING BOLTS AND LIFT PUMP The Dodge Service Manual for my ‘01 Turbo Diesel 3500 states that replacing a lift pump requires removal of the starter. In order to be prepared, I want to make sure I have the proper tools. I noticed the starter bolts on my truck appear to have a Torx type head. Sears doesn’t have the correct socket. What is the right socket? Is it possible to replace the lift pump without removing the starter?

You might talk to another Dodge dealer if you have one close. I had the same problem a year ago. My dealer fixed it easily in less than half a day without removing the head. Send an e-mail to me if you want, and I can put you in contact with my local service department.

Perhaps they could talk with your dealer.

Jakebud, Papillion, NE I too had the problem, and my dealer, like yours, said that they would have to remove the head. I took the truck to another shop and talked to the technician. Between the two of us, we decided on the method of repair by only removing the turbocharger and loosening the down pipe. The technician took a 1/4-inch round piece of cold rolled steel, put a small bend in it, and drove the freeze plug sideways in the hole. He used a pair of 45 degree needle nose pliers to pull it out. He applied sealant to the new plug, and, using a small ballpeen hammer, carefully tapped it in. The plug hasn’t leaked since the repair.

GOTSOOT, Piedmont, SC My father in law’s ‘01 Turbo Diesel had that problem too. I temporarily repaired it with JB Weld. Later, he had it repaired by his diesel mechanic who threaded the opening and put in a pipe plug without removing the head.

FTwardoch, Gresham, OR

My ‘02 Turbo Diesel has 21,000 miles on it and the small freeze plug at the rear of the cylinder head is leaking.

The local dealer says they have to remove the head to replace the freeze plug.

Can someone give more details on this repair procedure?

SBall, Earlville, PA The lift pump can be removed and re-installed working from the top side of the engine. The socket to ask for is a 12 point 10mm which is commonly available. jwilliams3, Columbus, IN I replaced my lift pump last week. You don’t need to remove the starter. Work from the top of the engine. Be careful and don’t lose the sealing washers from the banjo type fittings. There is one on each side. Don’t over-tighten the bolts.

Graphic man Thank you for the answers to my questions. I’m encouraged that if equipped with a spare pump and some metric wrenches, even I might be able to replace my lift pump. I’ll have the confidence to cruise the Alaska Highway and not worry about being stranded because of a failed lift pump.

SBall, Earlville, PA Editor’s Note: For further insight on the lift pump replacement procedure, see TDR Issue 43, page 52. TDR Issue 34, pages 4849 give you the step-by-step procedures for removing the lift pump from the top of the engine. Perhaps it is time for another “The Way We Were” article reprint.

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TDR 39

24-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued DAMAGED TURBOCHARGER? While performing a routine oil and filter change on my ‘99 Turbo Diesel 2500, I noticed a piece missing from the turbocharger compressor wheel under the 12 point nut. It appears that a small piece of metal has been missing for some time. Has anyone repaired his own turbocharger and can you replace the compressor wheel without any special balancing or other complicated procedures?

MLeppen, Huron TWP, MI Is it the flat contact area under the nut about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long?

My turbocharger is like that too. I also thought mine was broken at first glance, but later assumed it was for balancing the compressor wheel. claykelly, Lincoln, NE Holset and other turbocharger manufacturers machine material off during the balancing process. One place is right where the nut is located and another place is inside the housing at the ends of the compressor wheel. jwilliams3 , Columbus, IN Yes, it is a space about 1/4-inch under the nut and, from the looks of it, it was material removed for balancing. I had never noticed it before.

MLeppen, Huron TWP, MI AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIOM PROBLEM It feels like the automatic transmission in my ‘02 Turbo Diesel 2500 starts out in third gear when the gear selector is in Drive. The transmission has 26,000 miles on it and this problem happened all of a sudden. The fluid level is correct and the fluid color still looks good. Sometimes it doesn’t want to shift out of whatever gear it starts in. If I start with the gear selector in Second or First and manually shift it to Drive at about 15 to 20 MPH, the transmission shifts okay. What is wrong? rogerblind, South FL

underneath the exhaust manifold) on my ‘02 Turbo Diesel 2500 has two lines coming out of it. One line connects to the transmission cooler in front of the radiator and one line connects to the front driver side of the transmission. The line that goes from the front of the cylinder to the cooler is leaking at the fitting. What should I do to repair the leak?

JPLB22, UT You can try tightening the fitting to stop the leak. If it doesn’t stop the leak, remove the line and take a close look at it. If the line is cracked or split, tightening the fitting will not help. If the line fails the transmission will quickly run out of fluid which could cause transmission failure.

Snow man, NY VP-44 INJECTION PUMP REPLACEMENT I am planning on replacing the VP44 injection pump on my ‘01 Turbo Diesel 3500. I have read that the engine can be rotated by using the alternator nut in order to move the key on the injection pump to top dead center (TDC). What size is the nut? Does anyone have photos of the timing key in the VP-44? I have read horror stories about dropping the key into the gears.

Lockard, Louisburg NC The engine can be rotated to top dead center (TDC) by using a 22 mm socket on the alternator shaft nut. Here are photos and information from the Chrysler Master Tech reference book that should help you: A gear train drives the injection pump at 1/2 engine speed.

You need to replace the governor solenoid and pressure transducer in your transmission. With your mileage, they should be covered by your powertrain warranty. The parts cost about $200 and it takes from an hour to an hour and half in labor. Until you get your truck in to the dealer, take it easy. Hard Third gear starts can destroy your transmission.

Snow man , NY I took my truck into dealer and they replaced the governor solenoid and pressure transducer switch. The transmission is working well again. This is the only warranty work that the truck has needed.. rogerblind, South FL Editor’s Note: For further information on the automatic transmission not shifting into first gear after a stop, see TDR Issue 41, page 42 and TDR Issue 44, page 30.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK The transmission heat exchanger (a long horizontal cylinder

TDR 40

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The pump is mounted in a fixed position through an offset key.

The key is numbered and must match the three-digit number on each pump. Previous injector pump keys, when used, were not specific.

24-VALVE ENGINES . . . . Continued Use a mirror and a flashlight to make sure the new pump lines up with the keyway on the gear when you reinstall it. If you hold the mirror at about a 45 degree angle and shine the flashlight straight down, you should be able to see the keyway and key.

Make sure you have the pump shaft and gear clean and dry. Leaving an oil film could cause a sheared key. Spray brake cleaner works well. Let them drip dry, and blow them dry to make sure there is no oil on the shaft or gear.

Todd T, IL I completed the replacement of the VP-44 injection pump with a Cummins ReCon fuel pump. Thanks for all the information. I could not have done the job without your information, photos, and the factory service manual.

From my experience, going slow is very important. I realized after I put the pump on that I hadn’t cleaned the shaft or gear. Fortunately, I had just put the mounting nuts on finger tight so there wasn’t much extra work, but it could have given me trouble later.

An arrow stamped onto the top of the key must face the pump. A diagnostic trouble code (DTC) may be set if the key is installed backwards.

From my experience, going slow is very important.

When installing a pump, always have the key at the 12 o’clock position to prevent it from falling into the geartrain.

Rotating the engine with the alternator nut works well. Once I had the key at TDC, the removal was pretty easy. A flashlight and mirror are necessary. The pump mounting gasket makes the removal and installation of the pump a little frustrating. I had never removed a gear before so I was a little nervous about this part. I used a T-type steering wheel puller from AutoZone. I tightened the center bolt and two outside bolts a little at a time until all were tight. I paused for a minute and heard a “ping” noise once the gear came loose.

Evidently, I had applied just enough pressure to remove it.

Removing the driver side battery gave more clearance and was a good place to temporarily set the accelerator pedal position sensor (APPS) when I removed it.

It’s a good time to replace the camshaft position sensor (CPS) when you replace the VP44. It takes two minutes while the VP-44 is off the engine.

There are no adjustments to make to the pump drive (i.e. no timing adjustment).

The injector pump is not serviceable; it must be completely replaced as an assembly.

The injector pump is a high pressure radial piston design and uses two solenoids to determine the timing and amount of fuel that is injected.

B9Mile, Pacific NW

Taking the injection lines off in groups of three saves time and confusion. Stubby 19mm and 17mm wrenches will help with the injection lines. You can figure out which of the blue isolators to leave attached to keep the lines together if you spend a minute thinking about it.

The star drive bolts on the pump side of the mounting bracket would not come off. I had a T-50 torx wrench and could not get them loose.

I took the old and new pumps to a garage and had the mechanic use his air impact wrench to replace them for me. It took him 30 seconds, whereas I struggled with them for an hour.

Lockard, Louisburg, NC

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TDR 41

2003 and Newer Product Update Articles Edited by Bill Stockard and Robert Patton 2005 CUMMINS ENGINE UPDATE As the model year 2005 Turbo Diesel is being introduced (and, as of this printing, is a full five-months into production), I reflected back three years to the unveiling of the Third Generation 2500/3500 truck at the Chicago Auto Show in February of 2002.

The look back in time, combined with a trip to Cummins’ home town of Columbus, Indiana, provided an idea for an updated TDR article on the Cummins high-pressure, common-rail (HPCR) engine.

As I prepared for the trip to Columbus, several thoughts came to mind. To organize my review, I jotted down the topics I wanted to cover. An article updating the HPCR should include the following topics.

• Emissions: past, present, future • Ratings: past, present, future • Engine Hardware: past, present, future • Engine Software: past, present, future • Product Launch: past, present, future With my topic outline in hand I journeyed to Cummins to get for our TDR readers this exciting “2005 Cummins Engine Update.”

Emissions: Past, Present, Future Any in-depth article on diesel engines has to include a discussion of exhaust emissions. In model year 2002 the Third Generation Dodge Ram 1500 truck was introduced with gasoline engine power.

Diesel customers had to wait for the 2003 truck model year. At the time there was much speculation about the reason the 2500/3500 series trucks were not introduced at the same time. Was there a dramatic difference in the body vis-à-vis Ford and their 150 truck offering being totally different than their 250/350 trucks? Was the hold-up due to upcoming diesel emissions legislation and the need to give Cummins more time to finalize their HPCR engine? Or, was the delay of the 2500/3500 simply an instance of the staggeredlaunch marketing tactic that is frequently used by manufacturers?

The speculation is over and the answer is “a finalized HPCR engine and staggered-launch marketing.”

Moving back on topic, the 2003 Cummins HPCR engine was introduced prior to the impending and tighter 1/1/2004 exhaust emissions standards.

Looking back to Issue 40 we find a comprehensive article that summary summerizes discusses exhaust emissions over a 22 year period—1985 to 2007. In the article we took time to describe the hardware changes required byl emissions legislation that was enacted in ’88, ’91, ’94, ’98, ’04 and soon to be ’07.

Emissions— past, present, future: if you care to read the details, please refer to your Issue 40 magazine. The next issue of the magazine will have a detailed “Technical Topics” discussion of the pending ‘07 regulations.

Ratings: Past, Present, Future Publishing the past and present ratings for your Turbo Diesel is as easy as making a chart. The horsepower and torque numbers make good copy, but you’ll note from the chart that there are two additional columns, “CPL and Comments.”

The comments column is self explanatory.

CPL is a Cummins abbreviation that stands for “control parts list.”

The CPL provides a comprehensive breakdown of performance hardware, i.e. pistons, turbo, camshaft, injectors, and fuel pump that were used in the engine build. The CPL number along with the Cummins engine serial number will help your Cummins parts professional should you need engine hardware.

The New Legend—the Cummins HPCR Engine.

TDR 42

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TDR 43

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued Model Year

HP@RPM

Torque @RPM

CPL

Transmission

Comments

’89-’91

160@2500

400@1600

804

Auto and Manual

One CPL for both transmissions over a three-year production run

’91.5-’93

160@2500

400@1600

1351 1579

Auto and Manual

21mm turbo housing 18mm turbo housing and LDA

’94-’95

160@2500

400@1600

1815 Auto 1549 1959 1968 1816 Manual 1550

No Catalyst CPL (pre 1/1/94) Catalyst equipped Catalyst equipped Catalyst equipped No Catalyst CPL (pre 1/1/94) Catalyst equipped

2022 2174 1863 2308 2023 2175

Initial ‘96 production Timing change CARB w/EGR CARB timing change Initial ‘96 production Timing change

Non-Intercooled

Intercooled

175@2500 420@1600

’96-’98

180@2500

420@1600

215@2600 440@1600

’98.5 ISB

’99 ISB

‘00 ISB

‘01 ISB

‘02 ISB

215@2700

420@1600

235@2700

460@1600

215@2700

420@1600

235@2700

460@1600

215@2700

420@1600

235@2700

460@1600

235@2700

460@1600

245@2700

505@1600

235@2700

460@1600

245@2700

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Auto Auto and Manual Manual

2098, 2513 2280, 2515 2024, 2512 2279, 2514

Auto

2617 2619 2616 2618

Auto

2660 2661 2662 2663

Auto

2865, 2902 2866, 2903 2496, 2904 2497, 2905 2415, 2906 2495, 2907

Auto

8030 8031 8032 8033 8034 8035

Auto

Manual

Manual

Manual

5 Manual 6 Manual

5 Manual 6 Manual

EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued Model Year

CPL

Transmission

Comments

‘03 HPCR 235@2700 460@1400

250@2900 460@1400

305@2900 555@1400

8216 8224 2624 8223 2998

47RE Auto 5 Manual 47RE Auto 5 Manual 6 Manual

CARB certification “ “ EPA certification “ “ “ “

’03.5 HPCR 235@2700 460@1400

250@2900 460@1400

305@2900 555@1400

8410 8412 8212 8226 8228 8213

47RE Auto 5 Manual 47RE Auto 5 Manual 6 Manual 48RE Auto

CARB certification “ “ EPA certification “ “ EPA certification EPA certification—2003 ½ model

‘04 HPCR 235@2700 460@1400

305@2900 555@1400

8412 8412 8213 8228

48RE Auto 6 Manual 48RE Auto 6 Manual

CARB certification “ “ EPA certification “ “

’04.5 HPCR

8350 8351 8346 8347

6 Manual

EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification

’05 HPCR

’06 HPCR

HP@RPM

325@2900

325@2900

*

Torque @RPM

600@1600

610@1600

8423 8424 8421 8422

*

48RE Auto

6 Manual 48RE Auto

6 Manual 48RE Auto

EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification EPA certification CARB certification

* “Dodge and Cummins represenatives are not at liberty to discuss future product plans.” Yes, we’ve heard that before; but if I told you I’d have to shoot you. So I’ll stay out of jail and you can enjoy an extended stay on earth.

Ratings—past, present, future: This chart serves as an excellent resource for all Turbo Diesel owners. It is unfortunate that I cannot provide any insight toward future engine ratings.

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TDR 45

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued Engine Hardware: Past, Present, Future

Torque Changes

While I was writing the piece on the previous sub-topic and reviewing the material on exhaust emissions printed in Issue 40, I noted that the HPCR engine was also covered there in great detail.

I faced a dilemma. Should I reprint the engine information from Issue 40 or simply direct the reader back to its pages? I could not overlook the fact that TDR has added many new members in the past two years. My decision—for the benefit of both longtime and new readers—was to reprint the timely information on engine hardware from Issue 40, but to omit the dismal numbers in Issue 40’s recitation of exhaust emissions regulations.

What appears immediately below incorporates the engine information from Issue 40 with text from Issue 43 on the ’04.5 engine and recent information on changes in ’05 HPCR engine hardware.

The ‘03–’05 HPCR Cummins Engine First things first. The emission numbers: for 2004 the Federal NOx changed from 4 to 2.4. The 2.4 number is actually a combination of NOx and non-methyl hydrocarbons. California pulled up the NOx standard and implemented a 3.0 number effective in late 2002.

The California number parallels the Federal NOx of 2.4 that was forced on the six Consent Decree manufacturers (Cat, Mack, Detroit Diesel, Volvo, Navistar and Cummins) as they were required to meet the 2004 standard early. Their effective implementation date was 10/2002. The Dodge pickup engine was exempt from the 10/2002 early implementation (Issue 32, page 85). The particulate number of 0.1 stayed the same for 2004.

Horsepower Changes

As you can note from the graph, horsepower has been steadily increased over the years beginning with 160 horsepower and 400 ft-lbs of torque in 1989 to the 325 horsepower and 610 ft-lbs of torque with the 2005 engine. The 2005 engine is matched up to the NV5600 six-speed manual transmission or the 48RE automatic transmission.

In early 2004 the California engine was rated at 235 horsepower and 460 torque. This engine was matched to the NV5600 six-speed manual transmission or the 48RE automatic transmission. Other states got the high-output 305/555 engine with the NV5600 or 48RE transmissions. As a mid-year release (’04.5) Dodge and Cummins made the 325/600 engine the standard for all 50-states.

In 2003 the standard engine was rated at 250 horsepower and 460 torque. This engine was matched to the NV4500 five-speed manual transmission or the 47 RE automatic transmission. The high-output 305/555 engine was matched to the NV5600 six-speed transmission or the 48RE automatic transmission.

In 2003 trucks sold in California were available with a 235 hp/460 torque (CARB) version of the engine. This lower rating was necessary because of a tighter oxides of nitrogen standard (three grams per brake horsepower hour) and was achieved through the use of an oxidation catalyst (similar to the one used on all 12-valve engines from ’94 to early ’98), engine control module programming, and smaller injectors.

I faced a dilemma. Should I reprint the engine information from Issue 40 or simply direct the reader back to its pages? I could not overlook the fact that TDR has added many new members in the past two years.

TDR 46

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Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued As an aside, we often receive a phone call complaing that “My new ’05 truck (or 2001, or 1998—pick your model year) just doesn’t get the same fuel economy as my old, trusty ’91 truck. What gives?”

There are legitimate complaints that need mechanical attention, but the obvious answer to the smaller discrepancies lies in the progression of power. The new 2005 engine is rated 165 horsepower greater than the initial ’89 through ’93 engines. Torque on the engine is 210 ft-lbs greater. The ’98 24-valve engine boasted 55 horsepower and 20 ft-lbs torque (automatic) or a 75 horsepower and 60 lb-ft torque (five-speed) increase. If you use the additional power, should the fuel economy stay the same?

Back to the subject at hand, the HPCR engine. The HPCR engine was another evolutionary step in the 5.9 liter, B-series platform that was introduced back in 1983. However, two-thirds of the HPCR engine is new or redesigned. The lion’s share of the new hardware had to do with the fuel injection system. The engine uses a HPCR fuel system from Bosch. Although new to us here in the United States, Cummins has used the HPCR fuel system in Europe since 2001. This track history helped eliminate product concerns that owners might have had.

Parts Carryovers Let’s start the analysis by listing the carryover parts from the previous 5.9 liter engine. Purists will be pleased that the engine’s bottom-end hardware, the crankshaft, connecting rod and bearing assemblies, are the same as the previous, proven, 24-valve engine.

Other carryover parts include: • Head bolts • Water pump • Oil pump • Camshaft • Valve train • Critical fasteners (head, rod and flywheel bolts) New Designs As we have noted, the biggest change to the engine in 2003 was the use of the Bosch HPCR fuel system. The system has rail pressure of 23,200 psi (1600 bar) on the high output engine. The change in the fuel system netted a reduction of 8-10 db of noise. Additionally, the ability to better control injection timing and pilot injection provides an extended rpm peak torque band over previous engines (200 rpm lower and higher). The lift/supply pump is located on the side of the motor right next to the fuel filter and is an all-new design supplied

by Federal-Mogul.

All in all, the HPCR fuel system brought the following attributes to the engine: • Gear-driven fuel pump delivers high pressure fuel supply to a common rail • Fuel delivery through electronically controlled unit injectors • Multiple injection events (pilot, main, post injection) • Higher injection pressures—up to 1600 Bar • Timing, pressure and quantity less dependent on engine speed As a result the owner can expect: • Cleaner combustion • Improved power and engine response • Improved cold start capability • Lower noise • Lower vibration and harshness Of course, the new fuel system drives changes throughout the engine. The cylinder head maintains a four-valve per cylinder design.

However, the new cylinder head has induction hardened valve seats, on both intake and exhaust, to handle the higher temperatures and pressures.

The change to the HPCR fuel system drove several changes to the engine block. The block now incorporates sculpted side walls to stiffen the block. This change was necessary as the stiffer block is needed to help withstand the higher peak cylinder pressures needed for emissions control and power requirements. Additionally, it aids in noise reduction by absorbing noise. An engine’s bedplate was also designed and added to the engine for less noise and greater durability.

The ‘03 and ‘04 standard-output engines continued to use saddle jets located in the upper main bearing saddles to spray the connecting rods and the pistons.

The 2005 and previous 305 horsepower High Output engines use a system that includes a component called a “J-jet” for each piston.

The J-jet nozzle is bolted to the block and directs a stream of oil to the underside of the piston. The 2005 and previous HO pistons have a passageway to direct the flow of oil through the piston head to cool it. The 2005 and previous HO engines also have an exhaust manifold that is capable of higher exhaust temperatures.

Instead of an injection pump (previous VP44 electronic for 24-valve engines, or P7100 and VE mechanical pumps for 12-valve engines) that sequences high-pressure fuel to injectors at the proper time, the new fuel pump supplies a common rail with high-pressure fuel, which is, in turn, fed to the individual injectors. The injectors deliver the pressurized fuel to the cylinders as the result of a signal from the engine control module, not as a result of a pulse of high pressure from the pump.

The J-jet piston cooling nozzle.

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TDR 47

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued Other Changes Besides changes to the engine, let’s take a look at some of the hardware codifications.

In the area of accessory drive components, you will also notice that the power steering pump is now driven by the accessory drive belt instead of by a gear. The vacuum pump, which was previously combined with the power steering pump, is no longer used; however, it is available as a Mopar Accessory for trucks using an exhaust brake.

Underside of the HO piston. Note the passageway for oil to flow through the piston.

The radiator cooling fan used with the Cummins HPCR engine is quite a bit different than the fan used with previous engines. The fan still uses a viscous drive; now, however, the drive is actuated electronically by the engine control module. The controller looks at inputs from coolant, air intake, and transmission temperature sensors and the A/C status and then sends a pulse width modulated signal to the solenoid in the fan drive. The solenoid controls the viscous fluid to match fan speed with vehicle operating conditions.

The crankcase vent system has been a point of contention for many Turbo Diesel owners. To virtually eliminate the driveway-drip problem Cummins and Fleetguard have redesigned the crankcase vent system. Thankfully the crankcase vent (read: low pressure vaporized oil) is not routed to the engine’s air intake system [like the new 6.0 liter Power Stroke (Issue 39, page 96). The vent goes from the engine to an oil separator box on top of the valve cover and then is vented to atmosphere.

Underside of the standard piston.

Cummins has taken measures to reduce the amount of dead space in the combustion chamber. The head gasket is now measured and matched (graded) based on block height and cylinder head thickness. During assembly a machine measures piston protrusion and, based on the measurement, a thick or thin headgasket is chosen for assembly. Get the picture that meeting emissions standards is serious business?

Further, the HPCR fuel system necessitated changes to the engine’s front gear train. New high contact-ratio spur gears result in quieter operation.

The turbo on all versions of the engine is an HY35 with a 9cm2 exhaust housing. This turbo has been redesigned from previous HY35’s. Exhaust exits the turbo at 3.5” and flows to a 3.5” muffler inlet. The exhaust is now a full 4” system from the muffler to the tail as opposed to the previous 3” system. The turbo has an intake silencer to eliminate high frequency, blade pass noise. There is closer tolerance control of the turbo’s critical components.

Specifications for turbocharger boost pressure are numbers that TDR members carefully watch. An engine that achieves its specified number is an engine that will deliver its advertised horsepower numbers. The wide open throttle boost specifications: ‘03 and ‘04 standard engine, 22-24 psi; 2005 and previous HO engines, 25-26 psi.

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The 2003 crankcase vent system. The white arrow shows the inlet from the crankcase to the filter assembly. The black arrow points to the outlet hose that vents to atmosphere.

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued 2004.5 and ‘05 Engine Changes

2004.5–’05 Component Changes

Further, let’s discuss the changes made to the Cummins engine, focusing on the necessary changes made to the former 305 horsepower product in order to produce the new 325 horsepower engine that meets emissions requirements for all fifty states.

The engine fan shroud is now engine mounted, with soft plastic seals to the radiator assembly. Mounting the shroud onto the engine allowed a tighter clearance to the fan blades for improved forced air flow and cooling. The area in front of the air cleaner box is shrouded with an air blocker so that hot air from the radiator and from recirculation inside the engine compartment cannot pass to the air cleaner. Dodge claims an improvement of 30 to 40 degrees in inlet air temperature. The fan clutch calibration is different, to reduce fan roar and to improve cooling. The turbocharger air intake system has been refined with a new “resonator,” or air baffle. A hood insulator has been installed (absent in the past few years of Rams).

With a new design catalytic converter, the exhaust system is now a full four inches in diameter throughout. With a manual transmission, the truck is configured to be compatible with the use of an exhaust brake. The intercooler is new, with higher flow.

The primary means to control emissions on the new engine are inside the combustion chamber. Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is not used. This change represents a major advance from the interim approach, with use of EGR, taken in 2002 to meet federal EPA emissions regulations for the medium-duty truck market with the B-engine. The engine system becomes significantly simpler.

Fifty-eight new part numbers were required to implement EGR as a part of the emissions strategy on the other versions of the B-series engine that Cummins sells to other customers. Only seven new emissions part numbers were needed for the new approach used on the Dodge 325/600-610 engine. Starting 1/1/2004 a diesel oxidation catalyst (catalytic converter) was employed. The pilot injection/ primary injection strategy has changed significantly. Formerly, a small pilot injection was followed by the larger injection event; at higher loads and above 2000 rpm, a single injection event would be used. In the new engine, two or three events are used. The pilot injection is larger, and when under power, a post-event is added.

These events are part of the emissions and power strategy, as well as a means to noise reduction. The engine control module now contains 550 kilobytes of code for engine control, while the previous 305 horsepower HO engine used only 350 kilobytes.

The Cummins noise control strategy includes carry-over of the straight-cut gears from the previous HO engine.

A new cylinder head has revised ports with less swirl. High-cobalt stellite valve seats are used with high strength inconel valves.

The forged steel connecting rods with cracked-cap technology are carried over from the 305 horsepower engine. These rods pass exactly the same strength and durability tests as the former, machined cap rods, while providing more rigidity than the former units. The exhaust manifold material and shape has been slightly revised for durability, and multi-layer gaskets are used between the manifold and head. The piston bowls are slightly more open. The cooling passages for the piston rings are carried over from the 305 horsepower HO engine.

New for 2005, the lift/supply fuel pump design has been changed.

The previous electronic lift/supply fuel pump was located next to the fuel filter assembly. The pump has been relocated to the fuel tank where it pushes fuel to the engine rather than pulling fuel from the fuel tank.

For those trucks equipped with the 48RE automatic transmission there are subtle changes in other components. A pedal position sensor has replaced the throttle position sensor and the cruise control vacuum actuator has been removed, having been replaced as an integrated function of the ECM. There were additional changes to ECM programming to give the transmission a more aggressive lock-up schedule and to enhance the shift schedule.

Finally, for 2005 the intake air grid heater now uses a gasket that is electronically conductive. The conductive gasket allowed Cummins to eliminate the grid heater’s ground strap.

Engine hardware—past, present, future: The proof of the HPCR’s solid engine design will be shown in the heading covering the engine’s product launch. Likely you noted that the changes to the engine in the past two years have been incremental. There are no anticipated changes for the ‘06 product.

For the ‘04.5 and ‘05 325/600-610 engines the turbocharger remains an HY-35, but with a new, larger compressor wheel and housing for increased air flow. The wastegate has an electronic controller to better match boost pressure to engine needs for optimized emissions control. The turbo shaft bearings have small oil reservoirs under them to improve oiling on cold start-up. The oil drain tube is flexible steel, replacing the former system of two rigid steel tubes connected by a hose with two worm-drive clamps. This oil drain and the new exhaust gaskets were developed as a result of their successful use in heavy duty engines.

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Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued

CATEGORY 18

VEHICLE PERFORMANCE

TSB#

MODELS

SUBJECT/DESCRIPTION

18-037-04 9/27/04

‘04.5-’05 (DR)

Fuel economy improvement, white smoke on start up, accuracy of fuel mileage in overhead console display.

This bulletin applies to DR vehicles equipped with a 5.9L Cummins Turbo Diesel engine (sales code ETH), with an engine serial number 57130285 through and including 57246361; and the engine date of manufacture 12/10/2003 through and including 8/17/2004. The bulletin gives the dealership specific information for erasing and reprogramming the Cummins ECM with new software. The following enhancements are included with this software: • Improved fuel economy—A new ECM calibration has been developed which should provide customers an average fuel economy improvement of approximately 1 mpg.

• Reduces white exhaust smoke on cold start at temperatures below 50°.

• Improves accuracy of the fuel economy calculation in the overhead console display.

Engine Software: Past, Present, Future With TDR Issues 46 and 42 in hand, I carefully looked at the “TDResource” column for Dodge technical service bulletins (TSBs) that would address programming or software changes to the engine control module (ECM). There was only one bulletin (found in Issue 46) and that TSB has been updated with the following TSB 18037-04.

The single TSB that has been issued for the sales code “ETH” engines is indicative of a smooth product launch by Cummins.

Point of clarification: ETH sales code applies to those engines that are known as high output. The engines that have a horsepower rating of 325 (’04.5 engines and early ‘05 models) are a part of the TSB’s coverage.

Product Launch: Past, Present, Future The last topic to be covered is perhaps the most important. It was mentioned in the Engine Hardware section that Cummins had used the HPCR fuel system on its B-series engine in Europe two years prior to the introduction of the Turbo Diesel engine in our pickup. One has to assume that the two year head start was helpful. Regardless, the data from Cummins on the product launch on the HPCR engine is overwhelmingly positive.

The data that I had a chance to inspect showed cost per engine and the frequency of repairs. Similar to the graphs we have published that debunked diesel fuel, price gouging conspiracies (cost of diesel fuel goes hand-in-hand with the price of crude oil—Issue 45, page 64) the frequency of repairs and the cost per engine graphs closely parallel one another.

To put the HPCR engine’s successful product launch into perspective, I was able to average some numbers relating to the repairs. I think we can all agree that the ’94-’98, 12-valve engines with the mechanical fuel system are renowned for their record of reliability.

If you compare the HPCR to the old ’94-’98 12-valve engine you

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should note that, not only the average number, but the high and low numbers are all less than half of the numbers posted by the 12-valve engine.

Phenomenal! Certainly the HPCR engine in the Third Generation truck is worthy of your trust. The question that now comes to mind is, “how good is the Dodge chassis and driveline in the Third Generation trim?” My observations using the number (or lack thereof) of technical service bulletins (TSBs) and owner correspondence is that Dodge is also enjoying a smooth product launch with the truck.

Product launch—past, present, future: The past and present engine numbers have been presented. The trend for the HPCR engine started at the high of 3.6 and has trended downward to a steady number that is less than 2. Looking to the future, Cummins is well-pleased with the performance of the engine and they look to move the repair rate numbers even lower.

The analysis of the frequency of repair serves as an endorsement for HPCR owners and those that are considering a Turbo Diesel purchase. Knowing that TDR members are well revered for their knowledge of all things automotive, share the good news with your friends and sell ‘em a Dodge Truck with confidence inspired by a smooth product launch.

Conclusion In this update on the Cummins High Pressure Common Rail engine, we have borrowed extensively from Issues 40 and 43 for technical information available at the launch of the HPCR. Such a review and update not only brings new readers up to speed, it provides all of us with the comprehensive information and a perspective that inspires all of us with pride and confidence in today’s foremost diesel-engines pickup truck.

Robert Patton TDR Staff

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TDR 51

Third Generation (3G) . . . . Continued WATER IN FUEL The Owner’s Manual in my ‘05 Turbo Diesel 2500 says to drain the water from the fuel-water separator at each fuel fill up. When I drain the water from the fuel-water separator, how can I tell if water or if diesel fuel is coming out? The liquid looks the same color inside the hose connected to the drain valve.

Colonel102, Omaha, NE If you drain the fuel into a glass jar or into a clean empty oil jug, you can see the water separate out on the bottom. The diesel floats on top of the water like vegetable oil floats on top of water.

RLutkenhaus Using the tip from Issue 45, “Shadetree—Fuel Filter Basics,” I sourced a piece of old garden hose. I cut off about a foot of the hose and slid it over the drain tube coming out of the canister. This is then routed to an easy-to drain location.

When you drain the canister, let the liquid drain into a jar or a transparent container. You should be able to see if there is any water caught in the container. It’s easy and doesn’t require crawling on the floor under your truck.

If you buy your fuel at busy truck stops, you will seldom need to check for water. I’ve owned four diesel trucks and driven them many miles. The only time I drain the fuel water separator is when I replace the fuel filter. I use an additive regularly at every fill up in the winter and about half the time in warm weather. My “Water in Fuel” indicator came on one time when the temperature was -20 degrees. I think it was caused by condensation.

Big MAK, Omaha, NE DRIVER’S DOOR WON’T UNLOCK I depressed the unlock button on my remote twice to unlock all four doors on my ‘04 Turbo Diesel 3500. I opened the back door, put something in, and then tried to open the driver’s door. It was still locked. I tried the remote again, but the driver’s door was still locked.

I inserted the key and it wouldn’t turn to unlock the door.

The dealer replaced the entire door handle and lock mechanism, but, since it is a sealed unit, they can’t tell me why it quit working.

Scooby, NC I had a similar problem. The driver’s door has a different controller from the other doors, which is why one push unlocks it and the second push on the remote control unlocks the rest of the doors.

My driver’s door was energized all the time and I couldn’t unlock it with the key. If I pulled the inside driver door handle, the door would unlock but lock again as soon as I let go of the handle.

KevinO, Saint Louis, MO My driver’s door lock did the same thing. I took the controller apart and it was jammed up inside. The replacement part has a revised part number. hasselbach POWER WINDOWS QUIT WORKING All of the power windows quit working on my ‘03 Turbo Diesel. I checked the main fuse and it’s okay. Is there another fuse that the Owner’s Manual doesn’t show? bworthington I had the same problem. I checked the circuit breaker, but no power to the switches. The dealer replaced the ignition switch. He said there was a bad contact in the switch. The circuit for the windows feeds through the ignition switch. mhstevens, Peyton, CO

jjdiesel, St. Louis, MO

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Fueling Box Power Enhancements for 03-04 (305 HP) Trucks

by Doug Leno and Joe Donnelly Background In issue 45, we introduced the subject of fueling box enhancements for the ‘03-’04 305 horsepower, high output (HO) engines. In that article we gave an overview of fueling box technology and ratings, owner responsibilities, and the limitations of the stock air and fuel systems to accommodate today’s fueling boxes. We noted a tendency to become casual about power upgrades without considering other upgrades necessary for a balanced, well-designed approach. In particular, we emphasized how the emissions goals of today’s engines have influenced the turbocharger’s design, so that today’s engine dynos at approximately 130 horsepower greater than in 1989, but uses a turbocharger exhaust housing that is less than half the square area—resulting in very little margin for power enhancements.

In this article, we turn our attention to the individual fueling box enhancements available today (or at least available at the time of this writing). Analyzing every available fueling enhancement for the high pressure common rail (HPCR) engines is, of course, not possible. We have limited this study to the ‘03-’04 trucks with the 305 horsepower HO engine. We have also limited this article to the known, currently available boxes advertised at or below ~100 horsepower gain at the rear wheels.

For the purpose of describing the various boxes and the technologies used, it is very important to use precise language.

That way, when we say “pressure box” or “duration/timing box,” we communicate something meaningful. With that in mind, we have chosen to describe the various fueling boxes by the engine interfaces they connect to and directly influence or control. The following paragraphs define the terminology we have adopted for the various enhancement methods: Pressure: The box connects to the rail pressure sending unit, reads and intercepts the pressure signal intended for the engine control module (ECM), and replaces it with a new signal. This function is sometimes referred to as “pressure fooling” because the box essentially fools the ECM into thinking that rail pressure is lower than it actually is. In response, the ECM sends signals to raise rail pressure.

Duration: This type of performance module causes the injector to stay open longer (sometimes referred to as “pulse width” or “fuel stretch”). One way to do this is to connect directly to the high-voltage injector control harness and override the control signals initiated by the ECM. Another way is to connect to the ECM and assert duration

commands in the digital domain.

Timing: This type of performance module advances the moment in time when the injector first opens. The opportunity for timing advance exists because the stock timing curve has been designed with emissions, not maximum power, in mind. All boxes described in this article that advance timing do so by connecting to and directly manipulating the crank position signal and the cam position signal.

This is denominated as “analog time fooling” because the signals from these sensors are intercepted and changed before they are delivered to the ECM for processing. The ECM is essentially timefooled into opening the injector sooner.

Boost fooling: To perform this function, the box connects to the manifold absolute pressure (MAP) sensor, where it reads and intercepts the boost signal intended for the ECM and replaces it with a new signal. Primarily, the function of boost fooling is to limit the boost signal seen by the ECM so that the ECM does not de-fuel or set an over-boost code. All the boxes in this article perform this function and cap the boost signal at about 22 psi, as measured on the truck at a moderate elevation (2700 feet). In addition to boost fooling, one of the boxes we tested actually does something more.

At lower boost levels (below 22 psi), the PDQ Volumizer tells the ECM that boost is higher than it actually is. This behavior was certainly interesting to watch with an OBD-II scanner. We could watch as boost pressures reported by the ECM were higher than the boost pressure measured by a mechanical gauge! Of course, the opportunity to manipulate boost in this way is limited to boost levels below the factory maximum (before the defueling/overboost code occurs). The manipulated ECM actually increases fueling by making adjustments in response to the higher boost signal. In our testing we found that this technique produced a stronger low end, more smoke, and faster turbocharger spool-up, but it did not impact the peak power of the fueling box. In all cases the peak horsepower occurs at a boost level above the factory maximum.

One important reason that we have adopted the precise language described in the preceding paragraphs is that it will help you interpret manufacturing claims. For example, don’t be fooled (along with your ECM): in that pressure boxes do not adjust timing, duration or the fuel injection pattern directly. They tell rail-pressure lies to the ECM, which makes the ECM attempt to raise rail pressure. Of course, there are a number of interesting side-effects to pressure fooling (besides increased pressure), which we will discuss later. But for the purpose of classifying and identifying the boxes, we will refer to the primary behavior of the box itself. You will know what benefits apply to the boxes by the way we classify them, and thus you can avoid the confusion when one manufacturer makes a claim that should apply to other boxes doing the same thing. We take the same approach in our analysis of enhanced boost fooling, a technique which does not manipulate duration or timing directly, but allows the ECM to

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Technical Topics . . . . Continued fuel harder according to its own fueling tables.

Purpose and approach to testing In presenting this information, we are aiming at a moving target, in that the industry is continually changing its products and developing new ones. We have tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but we were not able to obtain every box available. Furthermore, by the time you read this, new products may be available, while older models may have updated calibrations or programming. But, we did not intend for this article to be just another box “shootout.” We wanted to present as much meaningful information as possible so that readers can understand how the boxes work and be better prepared to assess their merits and the consequences of installing one.

In designing the test plan, we marshaled a number of questions we thought were of interest: • How are the manufacturer’s horsepower claims to be interpreted?

• How high does rail pressure go, and is this of any importance?

• How is the low pressure fuel system affected by enhanced fueling?

• What is the effect on exhaust gas temperature?

• How does the stock turbocharger behave under enhanced fueling?

• Are there critical limits to the stock drive train that are important?

With objectives thus defined, we contacted the suppliers that manufactured electronic fueling boxes in the 100 horsepower category for the ‘03-’04 (305 hp) engines, and asked if they would be interested in participating in our evaluation. We got an enthusiastic response and ended up with an excellent cross section of the market with nine different products. The data presented here come from the boxes we were able to obtain.

Thanks to Don Bentley of Meridian Motorsports (Meridian, Idaho, phone 208-887-2058), we had the use of a Dynojet 248 inertial dynamometer for an afternoon. This allowed us enough time to remove and install the various boxes and conduct the tests with sufficient care and repeatability. Nathan Wright operated the dyno. Thus, by using the same truck on the same day on the same dyno operated by the same person, we were able to eliminate the variables that often make comparisons difficult. For example, variability between dynamometers, elevation, barometric pressure, air temperature, differences from truck to truck, choice of starting RPM, transmission gear—all these factors, and more, can have an influence on the measured power levels subject to measurement.

The following parameters were included in our study: Horsepower: This is certainly a measurement of great interest, and, of course, the reason most people buy fueling boxes. The dynojet measures horsepower by calculating how quickly the truck can accelerate a drum of known rotational inertia. As it turns out, the accuracy of the Dynojet, as well as the performance of the test truck, was easy to validate by simply noting that the test truck made 263 rear wheel horsepower in the stock configuration. This represents a 42 horsepower loss through the drive train, or about

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14%, which is to be expected for the standard transmission in fifth gear. Since the purpose of this article is to evaluate the boxes, and not the test truck or even the dynamometer, horsepower gains will be emphasized over absolute horsepower numbers. We will present the entire horsepower curves, not just the peak HP numbers.

Torque: The dynojet measures torque by utilizing an outboard RPM pickup during the test. From this information, the software derives the torque curve using the relationship: Torque = HP x 5252

RPM The shape of the torque curve is important, not just the highest point, which we call peak torque. Experienced power enthusiasts have noted that if there is one weakness of the Dynojet, it is that the equivalent inertia of the rollers is less than that of the truck itself on the road, and this can cause turbocharger spool-up to be somewhat slower in terms of RPM. This means that low-RPM torque may be higher in actual driving situations than reported on the dyno.

However, we are not evaluating the test truck’s turbocharger or the dynamometer; we are comparing the performance of fueling boxes. We experimented several times by starting the dyno run at various RPMs to see if we could influence peak numbers by manipulating bottom end spool-up. The results were insignificant, and we concluded that the turbocharger spools fast enough to make such differences of no consequence. We used the 1:1 ratio of fifth gear, and started every run at 1200 RPM for consistency. Thus, each box was subjected to the same roller inertia, spool-up behavior, and drive train losses. As it turns out, Don’s dynojet has been used extensively for local testing and for validating ¼-mile times, so we have high confidence that the measurements are accurate.

Exhaust Gas Temperature Measurements: All the horsepower in the world won’t do you any good if high exhaust gas temperatures prevent you from using it. One of the objectives we had in this effort was to evaluate each box in a typical installation. The test truck was otherwise unmodified expect for being outfitted with an after market high-flow air intake system. The previous (TDR Issue 45) discussion about the turbocharger airflow choke-point shows that we expected very little in terms of supporting additional boost pressures and air flow, but we wanted to test this hypothesis with real data. Our goal was to study the relationship between box technology, horsepower output, and maximum EGT generated during the run.

We also wanted to know if we could distinguish between the box technologies on the basis of the exhaust gas temperatures they generated. To do this, we needed an exhaust gas temperature gauge that would accurately respond to very rapid temperature increases generated by wide-open throttle test runs of only a few seconds in duration. We went back to TDR Issue 34 and reviewed Jim Weir’s article on thermocouples, noting that among thermocouples tested, the SPA device responded most rapidly. Also, since all type-K thermocouples respond to the difference between

Technical Topics . . . . Continued exhaust temperature and ambient air temperature, we wanted to make sure our measurements were not influenced by temperature variation in the cab or under the hood during the day’s testing.

We found that the SPA Technique gauge we chose is temperature compensated, meaning that it automatically corrects for changing ambient temperatures. Such accuracy may be overkill for normal, every-day use, but it is important to ensuring the validity of our tests.

Test Results After months of research it was great to move from theory to data sheet. Over the course of testing we validated some key assumptions and learned a lot in the process. First, we will present a table of the boxes, their technologies and features. Next we will present torque and horsepower curves from the dyno runs.

Using graphs to support our conclusions, we will then offer some comments and interpretations of the data, using graphical methods to support our conclusions.

Comparative Matrix Box Type

Bullydog Pressure “Torque Dog”

Boost Fooling Install Connections Method Traditional MAP sensor, limiting rail pressure sensor

Adjustability

Features

Three position toggle switch in cab.

Off-low-high

Aggressive power increase. Simple install

Diesel Dynamics Pressure Traditional MAP sensor, “True Torque” or limiting rail pressure sensor Edge “EZ”

Four jumper positions under hood. Levels 1-4

Moderate power increase. Simple install

Pacific Pressure Performance Engineering

Three position toggle switch in cab.

Off-low-high

Aggressive power increase. Simple install

Enhanced MAP sensor, low-boost rail pressure sensor fueling

Predator Pressure Traditional MAP sensor, Optional “Stage 3” limiting rail pressure sensor

Aggressive power increase. Simple install

Quadzilla Pressure Traditional MAP sensor,

limiting rail pressure sensor

Three position toggle switch in cab.

Off-low-high

Aggressive power increase. Simple install

Van Aaken Pressure Traditional Connects only to the “SmartBox C3 L1” limiting ECM 60-pin connector

Three position toggle switch in cab.

Off-low-high

Small power increase, EGT control.

Van Aaken Duration Traditional Connects only to the Three position toggle “SmartBox C3 L2” limiting ECM 60-pin connector switch in cab.

Off-low-high

High torque rise, zero rail pressure increase, easy install

Banks Pressure/ Traditional Cam and crank position Six position rotary “Six Gun” Timing limiting sensors, MAP sensor, switch in cab,

rail pressure sensor, including “Off”.

CANbus, transmission TCC

solenoid, switched 12v

Aggressive power increase. EGTbased de-fueling, minimum coolant temperature conditional fueling, drive train slip detection

PDQ Pressure/ Enhanced “Volumizer” Timing low-boost

fueling

Aggressive power increase with small timing advance

MAP sensor, rail pressure sensor, cam and crank position sensors

Three position toggle switch in cab.

Off-low-high

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Technical Topics . . . . Continued Horsepower Curves (all runs include a baseline stock run)

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Bullydog (adjustable) “Torque Dog”

Diesel Dynamics “True Torque” / Edge “EZ”

Pacific Performance Engineering

Predator “Stage 3”

Quadzilla towing module

Van Aaken “C3.1” (pressure)

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Technical Topics . . . . Continued Van Aaken “C3.2” (duration)

Interpretations and conclusions Exhaust Gas Temperatures: General Observations The exhaust gas temperature measurements led to some interesting observations. Figure 1 shows a bar graph of the exhaust gas temperatures generated by each of five of the six pressure-only boxes on their highest settings. These boxes deliver approximately the same peak power to the rear wheels (within less than 10 horsepower), and the EGT numbers are within a range of 100°, or 10%. For comparison we added a pressure/timing box (shaded area 6). The P/T box runs approximately 150 degrees cooler than the other five.

Banks ”Six Gun” with speed loader

PDQ “Volumizer”

Next we dialed-back the various performance modules. To analyze the data for the lower horsepower settings, we utilized a simple technique known as an XY “scattergram” (See figure 2), which is nothing more than an XY graph without lines connecting the data points. This allowed us to visualize the correlation between peak horsepower measured on the dyno and exhaust gas temperatures

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Technical Topics . . . . Continued as measured by the SPA gauge during the run. Figure 2 shows the EGT versus horsepower performance for the lower power levels (below 90 hp gain at the rear wheels). All nine boxes are included on this graph, but the aggressive boxes from Figure 1 (the five pressure-only and the one pressure/timing) were placed into their low power modes. Figure 2 shows three important things. First and not surprisingly, there is an approximately linear relationship between horsepower and exhaust gas temperature for the pressure boxes at these power levels. This is illustrated by the red-shaded area of the graph. Second, we note the small exhaust gas temperature benefit of timing advance even at the lower power setting of the pressure/timing box. Third, the outlier at the top of the graph illustrates the exhaust gas temperature consequence for the use of duration without timing advance.

From the data, the following important conclusions emerged: •

As we mentioned in our last article (TDR Issue 45), simply extending the injector “on” time further beyond the stock duration results in a net retardation of timing. More fuel injected later represents an EGT disadvantage, and this is especially problematic for the stock turbocharger, which is already limited in air flow. Conversely, these results emphasize the importance of timing advance as a way to increase efficiency and lower exhaust gas temperatures. The duration-only box is manufactured by Van Aaken, and we are informed that they are currently working on a new box that combines timing and duration to better control exhaust gas temperatures and deliver more efficient power. We understand that this box will still be 100% digital, and will still connect only to the ECM connector as today’s box does.

•

Timing advance, as demonstrated by the Banks Six Gun with the optional speed loader, represents a measurable benefit over a traditional pressure box in the form of reduced exhaust gas temperatures.

•

We found that the PDQ Volumizer, although it connects to the cam sensor and crank sensor as the Banks does, behaves like a pressure box in terms of its EGT performance. It performed as advertised in terms of horsepower and drivability, and it remains one of the most aggressive pressure boxes available.

Exhaust Gas Temperatures: Turbocharger Limitations

Those acquainted with the older Cummins Turbo Diesels will remember the general rule of thumb suggesting a 300 degree temperature difference between pre-turbo and post-turbo EGT measurements. This figure was generated (or at least re-affirmed)

by Cummins during the Second Generation 24-valve era (1998.52002 model years) with a considerable amount of engineering work and experimentation. The primary motivation for this work was to allow post-turbo EGT measurements that would accurately correlate with known pre-turbo EGT limitations when the turbocharger is operating efficiently (meaning under stock conditions). However, this number also gives us some good insight into turbocharger behavior and the air flow choke-point we previously mentioned.

When the turbo is efficiently pumping air without approaching the choke-point restriction of the exhaust housing, it will maintain a

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reasonable differential temperature of around 300 degrees or less.

When the turbocharger is operating beyond its intended operating range, the differential temperature (that is, the difference between pre and post-EGT measurements) will quickly rise.

During our tests of the fueling boxes, we noticed that the airflow choke-point produced by the small 9cm turbine housing is a severe limitation. In actual highway driving situations, even moderate fueling above stock levels produced elevated differential temperatures across the turbocharger. For example, with one of the pressure boxes installed on the test truck, a moderate highway mountain pass at 70 mph (running empty) produced a boost pressure of just 25 psi and a 400 degree temperature difference between pre and post turbo measurements. Hard accelerations produced boost pressures of up to 27 psi and 500 degrees difference between pre and post EGTs. The data led us to a decision that influenced the way we conducted the dynamometer tests. We decided not to use any aftermarket wastegate modifications. Raising the turbocharger set point, we determined, would yield small, if any, realizable benefit, because this would operate the turbocharger beyond its airflow choke-point. We note that at least one manufacturer, Diesel Dynamics, recommends against the use of a wastegate modifying “boost elbow” even for only a 65 horsepower enhancement, because this operates the turbocharger outside of its efficiency map. This means that the impeller RPM required to achieve the higher boost pressures is too high, and the turbocharger is not efficiently converting energy from the exhaust to obtain higher intake boost pressures.

Although committed to testing a stock truck engine, we couldn’t help but wonder what benefit might come from using an upgraded air intake system. Interestingly enough, we did record a small EGT benefit from using an aftermarket high-flow intake system (we used an AFE Magnum Force during the tests) at higher power levels, but this benefit was still not substantial enough to fully utilize a 90 horsepower upgrade. Exhaust gas temperatures were still too high, and this was not only reflected on the dyno (remember each run lasts for only a few seconds), but in actual driving situations.

An upgraded exhaust system may have helped as well, but the real problem is the turbocharger itself and its small choke-point exhaust housing.

We noted in our last article that approximately 325 horsepower at the rear wheels (that’s 378 hp at the flywheel) was stretching the limits of the stock turbocharger. After reviewing the data presented here, we think this figure should be closer to 310 (read, 360 flywheel hp) horsepower, or about 50 horsepower gain at the rear wheels.

In any case, we can’t stress enough that a good, accurate exhaust temperature gauge and an upgrade to the intake and exhaust system are highly recommended for even a small power enhancement.

Beyond approximately 50 horsepower gain at the rear wheels, we are putting the turbocharger’s long-term reliability at risk.

Technical Topics . . . . Continued Peak Horsepower Rail Pressure and the Pressure Limiting Valve Discussion From a technical perspective TDR Issue 42 introduced the Bosch HPCR system and discussed the concept of raising rail pressure while staying below the set point of what Bosch refers to as the “pressure limiting valve” (which we sometimes referred to as a pressure relief or safety valve). The pressure limiting valve is a mechanical device designed to limit rail pressure by opening a fuel escape passage to the fuel tank, draining fuel from the rail, with the purpose of preventing excessively high rail pressures. Its purpose is to protect the rail from excessively high pressures. Its set point represents the design limits of the rail. To demonstrate the role of the pressure limiting valve, we present a simple graph of rail pressure versus horsepower. This graph represents those “pressure only” type performance modules.

Each data point on the graph represents the rail pressure associated with the horsepower measurement of the various pressure-only boxes on the dyno. We left out the Y-axis scale on purpose so that we could concentrate on what the graph means and not on actual rail pressures numbers, which of course we will address shortly.

Before we do that, notice that peak horsepower increases linearly with pressure until reaching a certain point. This (linear) region of the graph corresponds to approximately 12-13 rear wheel horsepower per 1,000 psi. At about 38 horsepower, rail pressure hits a brick wall, and additional horsepower is obtained without a corresponding increase in rail pressure. Figure 3 clearly illustrates the behavior of pressure boxes and the common rail. Above 38 horsepower gain at the rear wheels, the common rail has no more pressure to give.

The pressure limiting valve is open, shunting fuel back into the tank and causing the rail to behave as a constant pressure fuel source.

This illustrates an important point about aggressive pressure boxes: It is the common rail itself (specifically the mechanical pressure limiting valve) that limits maximum pressure, not the box. Above approximately 40 horsepower, the box grabs whatever pressure is available, but power gains above this number are not achieved with a pressure increase at all, but with duration and timing changes from the ECM as a reaction to aggressive pressure. Let’s call the phenomenon “pressure fooling.”

rail pressure their box achieves, while others do not. Some address the issue of safety margin in the rail design and the pressure limiter valve, and others do not. In our previous article (TDR Issue 45) we related the Edge/Diesel Dynamics philosophy, which is to limit horsepower (via pressure) to approximately 65 horsepower at the rear wheels on the dyno in order to lessen the mechanical risk to the common rail pressure limiter valve. In this article we went a bit deeper, making actual measurements to show where the common rail pressure limit is and how to avoid it.

Previous work by Edge (described in TDR Issue 42) suggested that the pressure limiting valve set point is approximately 28,000 psi.

It turns out that the data (suggesting approximately 13 rear wheel horsepower per 1000 psi rail pressure) substantiates the Edge statement about how pressure boxes work in the linear region of rail pressure, in that a 5,000 psi increase in rail pressure would indeed correspond to approximately 65 RWHP on the dyno. However, the data also illustrates that there may be considerable variation from engine to engine, as well as some question about the actual set point of the pressure limiting valve. It seems that a power gain of as little as 40 rear wheel horsepower (obtained from pressure fooling) can open the pressure limiting valve.

In order to understand the consequences of operating the rail beyond the set point of the pressure limiting valve, we thought it would be important to further investigate the Bosch common rail design. Reviewing technical information from Bosch, we found that the pressure limiter valve is not intended to be utilized as a pressure regulator, nor is it intended for constant use. Its original intent is as a pressure limit or safety valve. With this information, it is important to re-emphasize the TDR philosophy that when you modify your truck, you become your own warranty station. Operating the rail in this region (pressure limiting valve open) is common in pressure boxes, but not originally intended by Bosch nor possible with the stock truck. Thus, we offer the following suggestion for those who wish to minimize the utilization of the pressure limiting valve: limit the amount of power increase at the rear wheels (due to pressure fooling) to approximately 40-60 horsepower on the dyno.

As for the actual rail pressure measurements, we found that the test engine’s pressure limiting valve opened at 26,000 psi rail pressure, approximately 13% higher than the 305 engine’s maximum stock pressure.

Operating the rail in this region (pressure limiting valve open) is common in pressure boxes, but not originally intended

by Bosch nor possible with the stock truck.

Common rail fuel pressure has been a subject of considerable interest at the TDR website forums. Some manufacturers state what

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Technical Topics . . . . Continued Horsepower and torque curves The intent of this article is to present accurate technical information and to avoid becoming a box shootout. We decided not to plot more than one box on the same graph. However, we offer the following general observations: •

•

All of the boxes met their manufacturer’s horsepower claims, although sometimes a little creativity is required to explain the numbers. Experienced power enthusiasts are accustomed to thinking in terms of “peak-to-peak” rear wheel horsepower, but that convention is not universally adopted by all manufacturers.

For example, flywheel horsepower is sometimes used, and this number is approximately 13-16 percent higher than rear wheel horsepower, due to drive train losses. Also, “best gain” is sometimes used instead of “peak-to-peak gain.” “Peak-topeak” gain is literally the difference between the highest point on the enhanced curve and the highest point on the stock curve.

“Best gain” is the largest difference between the enhanced and stock curves at one particular RPM. The Van Aaken C3.2 duration box has a very aggressive torque rise, making close to 850 ft-lbs of torque at the flywheel on one of our test runs. We were not able to duplicate this figure in any of three subsequent attempts. We should acknowledge that the stock clutch in the test truck was probably not capable of holding this much torque; so our data may not have accurately represented this box. Noting this, however, the box still made about 100 rear wheel horsepower “best gain” at about 2300 RPM, which is approximately 120 horsepower (best gain) at the flywheel.

•

The low-boost fueling capability of the Volumizer (via enhanced boost fooling) was measurable in the form of a slightly stronger low end.

•

The six most aggressive (90+ horsepower) boxes were remarkably similar in their wide open throttle performance, with the Diesel Dynamics/Edge EZ performing predictably about 20-30 horsepower less, since it has been designed to limit rail pressure.

•

Since drivability differs between six-speeds and automatics, and is a subjective judgment, we won’t confuse the issue by introducing our own impressions. However we will note that the wide open throttle dyno runs do not reflect the drivability of the box in lower power situations. We found most of the aggressive boxes to be similar in drivability, some having greater throttle sensitivity than others and some applying power more smoothly than others throughout the RPM range. Generally, the boxes on their low power settings were very mild, exhibiting very little throttle sensitivity.

All of the boxes met their manufacturer’s horsepower claims, although sometimes a little creativity is required to explain the numbers.

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Here is a picture of the pressure relief valve. The valve is located just to the right (towards the firewall) of the rail pressure sender.

Note the banjo bolt and fuel return line mounted on the tip of the valve—this is how fuel is drained from the rail when the valve opens. To the right of the pressure relief valve are injector lines #2, 3, and 4. The oil dipstick tube is visible in the upper right of the picture.

Lift Pump Fuel Pressure It is not the purpose of this article to repeat the multitude of experiments showing the limitations of the stock lift pump and low pressure fuel system. This series of tests was done simply validate that the stock fuel system is sufficient for power enhancements delivered by the boxes we tested (100 horsepower and below). We found no stumbling, hesitation, or other performance problems using any of the tested boxes; the power was smooth and predictable.

As for actually measuring low-side fuel pressure, we hooked up the boost channel of the SPA Technique EGT/boost gauge to an SPA pressure sender on the Bosch CP3 fuel pump inlet. For the most aggressive power increase we tested, the low-side fuel pressure dropped to a value that is nominally equal to atmospheric pressure (gauge pressure read zero). This means that the low pressure fuel system is at the limit of its capacity, and from this we concluded that for the power levels tested, the low-pressure fuel system was sufficient, although barely so. Zero gauge pressure simply means that the CP3 inlet is not drawing (or pulling) fuel under vacuum.

Several Conclusions •

Power enhancements up 40-60 horsepower gain at the rear wheels (allowing for differences between trucks) can be obtained with an increase in rail pressure. To obtain power levels higher than this, an aggressive pressure box will open the pressure limiting valve on the rail and force the ECM to add duration and small amounts of timing. The more aggressive the pressure box, the more time is spent with the pressure limiting valve open, forcing the rail into constant pressure mode with excess pressure diverted back to the fuel tank.

•

To limit operation of the rail in the constant-pressure mode (pressure limiting valve open), power gains to the rear wheels should be limited to approximately 40-60 horsepower.

Technical Topics . . . . Continued •

Above approximately 40-60 horsepower gain at the rear wheels, the stock turbocharger does not provide enough airflow for sustained loads (towing). It may be sufficient for short acceleration runs but exhaust gas temperatures can get out of hand very quickly (especially at high elevations), and this is a significant risk.

•

The efficiency map of the 03-04 turbocharger has been designed to achieve very fast spool-up to control smoke and to meet emissions standards. Above approximately 40-60 horsepower gain at the rear wheels, the turbine speeds required to support elevated boost pressures may put the turbocharger’s long term reliability at risk.

•

We recommend not using a boost elbow to change the wastegate set point of the stock turbocharger. The higher boost pressures that result will have limited benefit because the turbocharger will operate outside of its efficiency map and beyond the airflow choke-point.

•

Timing advance provides a significant and measurable benefit to exhaust gas temperatures beyond the simple pressure boxes. However, it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss various levels of timing advance and to prescribe or recommend safe limits. Vendors should be carefully evaluated for their contribution in this area.

•

It is always wise to choose vendors carefully, paying particular attention to what a manufacturer says about safety and durability issues, what work they have accomplished, and what data may be behind their recommendations.

•

•

The behavior of aggressive pressure boxes demonstrates that above approximately 40-60 horsepower, the use of duration and timing is necessary. Although it is beyond the scope of this article, the use of injectors will probably remain an attractive avenue towards a balanced approach to adding fuel without excessive use of duration.

The drive train of the stock ‘03-’04 HO Cummins Turbo Diesel will need some attention at or above approximately 350 horsepower at the rear wheels. In particular, at these levels we are stretching the limits of the six-speed clutch. The automatic transmission also requires some attention above these levels, as we’ve all seen pictures of the transmission’s torque converter lock-up clutchpack (see Issue 45, page 154).

Aren’t There Other Boxes?

We hope this article has been useful and that we have achieved our goal of offering more than just a comparative matrix of fueling boxes. We have clearly established the need to balance fueling enhancements with intake, exhaust, drive train, fuel system, and turbocharger considerations. We can now answer the question of why we did not include other more powerful boxes in this article, the boxes that use timing and duration recalibrations as the basis for horsepower increase. In this article we wanted to demonstrate the use of power enhancements on the typical (stock truck). This approach allowed us to make real measurements and show the importance of a balanced approach should the owner want an increase above the 40-60 horsepower level.

We suspect that readers will agree with us when we say that this inquiry into power enhancements would not be complete without widening our scope to include other more powerful boxes available on the market. In our next article we will broaden our investigation to include the TST “PowerMax CR” and the Edge “Juice” (if available).

We will again try to cross-section the market by testing new products that may emerge.

What’s Next?

As for what the future holds, we can probably expect more manufacturers to utilize the CANbus for timing and perhaps other information for monitoring purposes or to help control fueling. There may be a limit to how much timing advance can be accomplished by this interface, but the ease of installation (compared to the cam and crank sensor method) will be attractive. Efforts continue in the area of timing and in the use of the cam and crank position sensors to accomplish analog time-fooling. There may be more products that modify performance in timing and pressure to obtain additional horsepower. At this writing, at least three manufacturers are working on downloader technology that re-flashes the ECM with different fueling parameters, overriding the stock values. By the time you read this, one or more of these products may have been released.

Doug Leno

Joe Donnelly

Manufacturer’s and vendors mentioned in this article Gale Banks Engineering 546 Duggan Avenue Azusa, CA 91702

Fullerton, CA 92831

Bully Dog Technologies 2854 W. 2200 S. Aberdeen, ID 83210

PDQ Performance Whse 251 Central Park Dr. Sanford, FL 32771

Edge Products 1080 South Depot Drive Ogden, Utah 84401

SPA Technique, Inc 1209 Indy Way Indianapolis, IN 46214

Meridian Motorsports 521 E King Meridian, ID 83642

Quadzilla Diesel Performance 6028 Jacksboro Highway Fort Worth, TX 76136

Predator, Inc 760 N Thorton, Suite #5 Post Falls, ID 83854

Van Aaken Developments, LTD Telford Avenue, CrowthorneBerkshire, UK

Pacific Performance Engineering 303 N. Placentia

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Trucking Adventures with Automotive Journalist G.R. Whale BRANDING CONTINUED Hey, I know what you’re thinking, that we covered this branding stuff in the last issue, right. That branding is what you do with your custom bar-b-cue irons to indicate if the steak is well done (“W”), medium (an upside down “W”) or rare (“R” for red, rare, or no mark at all since it might be obvious). Brand management almost killed GM (remember their 70’s era diesels) and my brand isn’t always linguistic economy, so get over it.

CORPORATE IDENTITY? Last issue, the boss got out of more work by asking the TDR staff for advice to Dodge on marketing the Turbo Diesel pickup, for Cummins on the B-series diesel engine, and for the TDR on the TDR. My two cents—way overpriced at that—for Dodge first. I believe the hard-core diesel ownership is well aware of the Dodge, so I’d lean more towards the quiet capability of the current model. Despite rising fuel costss the American public has turned the pickup truck into a car with a big open trunk, and the heavy-duties are likely to go the same way…ask a First Generation owner if he ever imagined a bun-warmer option in his truck.

Imagine if people associated the name “Cummins” with other names of good reputation (Hemi for example), and recognized Cummins as a long-lasting, ultra-powerful, economical engine that need not even be labeled a diesel. I would also lean towards an honest marketing campaign, such as if you are showing a truck, quote the tow rating for the one shown. Fine print turns me off, and seeing a huge tow rating over a truck the manufacturer doesn’t rate it for, annoys me to no end.

For Cummins I’ve not got much, except to keep after the mid-range medium-duty boat, and motorhome markets. When I added up the time I’d save on hillclimbs and on-ramps if I drove a 350-horsepower ISC-powered motorhome compared to a 275-horsepower ISBpowered version for 50,000 miles, I figure the time saved amounted to a ridiculous number of hundreds of dollars an hour. Neither my lawyer nor my accountant makes that, and the difference could easily pay for a fast car to satisfy the need for speed.

Oh yeah, I’d also tell Cummins to tell Dodge that if people are paying nearly fifty-thousand for a Power Wagon, it bloody well ought to have a Cummins 5.6-liter V-8 in it (see Issue 46, page 65, for an article on this engine).

As for the TDR, that’s a magazine and, as far as I’m concerned, it is for the readers. So you have to tell the TDR what’s of benefit to you...I am just one of many.

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DIESEL FUTURE, CONTINUED Last issue you read of Bruce Armstrong’s visit to the DEER (diesel engine emissions reduction) conference in San Diego and his drive in a Ram 1500 with a 5.6-liter Cummins V-8 in it. I attended the same conference and drove the same truck, although I was quoted different torque ratings for the engines. That engine exhibited much the same characteristics in response, noise level, cold-start, and performance as the full production Power Stroke 6.0-liter engine that I drove to the conference. It remains to be seen if any manufacturer is smart enough to buy it.

There were other diesel cars there as well and I took each one for a spin. The miniscule “smart” with its three-cylinder turbo and sequential automatic took off moderately, cut throttle as if to take a breath, upshifted and continued the pattern. It would better 90 mph and average 75 mpg, numbers I can live with for a slight decrease in speed.

I’ve spent much more seat time, on both sides of the Atlantic, in things like the BMW 5-series and Mercedes 320CDI, so those were simply reminder rides. The GM boys brought a Saab 9-3 with the same 3-liter V-6 turbo diesel that I drove 2,000 km around Germany in a 9-5 (Issue 39, page 57), but this one was backed by a sixspeed stick instead of a five-speed. When I mentioned how cool it would be to have this engine in a Chevy Malibu—built on the same platform—and how it might improve American’s old views of GM diesels, I learned there was one running around Detroit.

But my most interesting ride was in a Peugeot 607, their flagship sedan and roomy enough for four very big people. With a 2.2-liter 150-horsepower four and automatic, it was powerful enough to keep up with any American conditions and probably returned mileage in the upper 30s and mid 40s range. It also had a regenerative particle filter on it. And when we got back the navigator took out a tissue, wiped the inside of the tailpipe indicating zero soot, and I didn’t scratch my glasses with that same tissue. Perhaps not the roar and smoke of my old-time Cummins B5.9, but great stuff nonetheless.

FOUR WHALING . . . . Continued INTERSTATE BRANDING

THE ALTAR OF OUR LADY OF BLESSED ACCELERATION

As it is only 300 miles to Las Vegas from my hut, I drive to SEMA. Typically this is just 15 minutes faster than flying but I get a better seat, choices of food, and I have a car when I’m there should I have to take somebody out for schmoozing.

I’ve just served my annual sentence at the Altar of Automotive Branding, the SEMA show in Las Vegas. If you ever have any doubt about civilization’s ability to adorn their possessions, you have to go to the SEMA show. Scattered around a couple of convention centers in the town known for convention centers are hundreds of almost-useless cars and trucks. After you’ve spent sixty large on a bulky SUV that carries barely five people and some grocery bags, you can spend another sixty large on it to ensure its primary function will be to hold down the garage in a high wind.

It also provides about four hours to contemplate California’s branding: odd signs. The Los Angeles basin has been well-served by the “Hollywood” sign above the glamour, but just down the hill is one that suggests those looking for the Braille institute should take the next exit. I’m hoping this is for those who record the books on tape.

The local law enforcement cadets put up speed limit signs on little radar wagon trailers to try and make us aware of our speed…In all cases I’m aware of it and in some cases I’m over the prima facie number. Today they had one up in my neighborhood with a “Speed Limit 25 MPH” sign on the trailer, yet not 10 feet in front of the trailer (and another a hundred yards behind it) was a “Speed Limit 30 MPH” sign. And these are the cops in training here that are going to write people tickets?

The state sign for a slippery road is a yellow diamond, like it is many states. But if you really look at the older sign and the “skid marks” painted on it, you’ll see that for most cars to make marks like that the axle must flip sides underneath it, which anywhere else would be more dangerous than a wet or slippery road.

You meet lots of interesting people at SEMA, including the likes of Dodge execs like Dave who have to buy vacation days to go because they used up all their regular vacation time racing during the year. See that…no family reunions (except at the track), no exotic travel, no romantic getaways…just motors and going fast.

It’s guys like this that make SEMA, and ensure that Dodge is in good hands.

Celebrity motorhead Jay Leno was there to see his GM-sponsored “new” sixties-vintage Oldsmobile Toronado with the 1,000-plushorsepower, twin-turbo engine. We all know that 1,000-horsepower through front-wheel drive isn’t realistic, so this was just one of many cars, new and old, built with a Corvette chassis underneath.

In a recent sign of California’s idea of helping the environment, Guv’nah Ahnold got the photo opp to show off a hydrogen refueling station in Los Angeles. And what was he fueling: a little Ford or Mercedes, perhaps a Toyota or Mitsubishi? Nope, he was filling a Hummer. And obviously not a diesel H1, nor the new H3 that might reach 20 mpg on a good day’s cruise; this was that pinnacle of modern efficiency, the Hummer H2. There could be a saving point in this however: It might build the necessary state infrastructure much faster if all the civil servants are driving hydrogen vehicles with a range of about 50 miles. Geez, Ahnold probably goes farther on his treadmill.

Of course, this all started to make even more sense as I passed through Baker, California. If you’ve not been there, Baker is a restaurant/gas stop on I-15 about midway between Barstow, California, and the Nevada state line. This is where the road to Death Valley goes north, and it passes the town—perhaps a few people, buildings, and little more—of Shoshone on its way. So I didn’t take much notice of the sign to Shoshone as I’ve been to all these places too many times.

But on the way back from SEMA I could swear the sign read “Shoeshone.” Normally I wouldn’t waste the time to turn around, especially when the next turnaround might be ten miles back, and I didn’t this time. So, since my faculties aren’t at all what they should be after a SEMA sentence, I called some friends coming back the same way to verify things for me.

Jay Leno’s Olds Toronado.

The big brands with names like Edelbrock, Crane, Hurst, Auto Meter, MSD and so on ad nauseum are all here. Smaller startups all intent on proving inept the entire engineering departments of the preceding are here, with gizmos to improve mileage like I wouldn’t (and don’t) believe. And they’ve got plenty of the Mac-described, double-breasted-mattress-thrashers signing posters to prove the point.

Sure enough, the I-15 southbound sign calls it “Shoeshone” and the northbound I-15 sign calls it “Shoshone.” I now feel obliged to ask any TDR reader on that road to let us know immediately if the town becomes “Shoeshine” at the next time change.

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FOUR WHALING . . . . Continued The first and only time his e-mail got as far as my mailbox, I answered that we, “Can’t tell you what you may or may not get away with…or that you should even try” and went on to explain the relative noise levels of recent generator tests and he would have to judge for himself if he could get away with it. Rinky-dink took that as very customer-unfriendly and wrote back to say so. So I’m taking a straw poll opinion from the TDR readers: Do you think people should be trying to circumvent quiet hours at campgrounds for their convenience? Would you have answered similarly? And what would you say to rinky-dink if he fired up his generator next to you during quiet hours?

There’s a very good chance that anything you want for a car, truck, or boat engine—usable or not—can be found here, and an equally good chance that if you don’t find it, you’ll find somebody who will build it. The problem is you have to fight airport and Disneyland-style pedestrian traffic for four days to root out the good stuff.

If you want to know how much business is generated at the SEMA show it’d be easy enough to find out. I don’t care so I’m not looking it up, but I can tell you that just for hosting the show and the mass of buyers and salesman, Las Vegas adds $140 million to the local economy in less than two weeks. Anywhere else that would be a lot of money, but for places that tear down perfectly good five-yearold hotels for replacements projected at $2.9 billion, it seems like loose change.

A FAN CLUB OF 1.5…or WHERE THE MAIL REALLY GOES I’m making a few friends at my day job at Trailer Life magazine although the sarcasm gets rather thick, and I bring this up for two reasons: one, to tell you a bit about how quite a few magazines work, and two, to get your opinion.

At the majority of outlets I contribute to there are no more than three people on staff whose sole job is one given magazine, and occasionally it is just one or two people. Others are listed though their talents are split among titles, and many books use multiple contributors, so there aren’t that many bodies at “the editorial offices.” Additionally, most magazines have a corresponding website, and the “contact us” information almost universally carries the same disclaimer as the printed pages: something to the effect that due to the large volume of incoming mail you may not get a personal reply. Furthermore, any electronic submission may not get past an in-box, spam filter, or other cyberspace locale; and by the time it gets to an editor, it could have been through five or six addresses on the way.

The 0.5 portion of my fan club goes by the e-mail moniker “rinkydink” and wrote in asking if we thought he could, “Get away with running a (brand name) generator that is supposed to be super quiet during the ‘quiet time’ (no generators or engines) at national, state, and private campgrounds.” According to subsequent e-mails he sent this request three times, and a brief discussion among staff gave us the impression that he was trying to break the rules and get an okay from us for it.

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The principal fan club member “James” hails from Dothan, Alabama…I could give you the name of his housing tract after a few minutes on the web, but I don’t think he’d like it. His most recent e-mail, referring to his subscription renewal invitation, said “Another year with Gregory Whale, what could be better than that?”

I’m flattered. And a little bit scared.

James sent a couple of e-mails about a tire question that never made it to my desk, and among his mails he noted that, after killing two tires, he may have answered his own questions, presumably by reading the tire or his owner’s manual or killing the previous tires. He then assumed that I had something to do with clothes rods and closet drawers mentioned elsewhere in the magazine, and proceeded to curse up and down in an e-mail to everyone he could think of and no one he’d met.

Generally speaking that is not the way to get any help at all, especially if you didn’t read the disclaimer when you sent the e-mail.

I’ve no idea what consequences James’ tirade brought, but he continues to send e-mails, ignore facts or requests for information, and most importantly, has never sent me any tire or engine question, subjects he maintains I know nothing about.

Long-time TDR readers will note that I never claimed to be an expert on tires or engines. However, I do have a good idea where to ask.

Typically, when I get an e-mail that can be answered in a minute or two I do—I’ve got quite a few thank-you notes from people who needed just an ounce of guidance, and I like to think it helps with reader goodwill.

As the disclaimer notes, not everyone will get an answer. If we allotted just two minutes of research and typing to each e-mailed question, it would keep a staffer busy for hours and leave little time for the magazine. (This morning my in-box had not been checked for 12 hours and had 40-some-odd messages—and it’s a weekend.)

Those questions that will affect the largest share of the readership are the ones usually chosen to print.

The above are not proffered as excuses, only as explanations as to how many books work. The TDR isn’t like that because the readers are adept at helping themselves, in no small part due to the editor’s and writers’ decade-long drive to make owners responsible for their trucks and actions.

Gotta go now and try out one of those new Vise-Grips from last issue.

Greg Whale TDR Writer

Reflections on the human side of the man/machine relationship by clinical psychologist and motojournalist, Mark Barnes, Ph.D. FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME . . . AGAIN

by Mark Barnes, Ph.D. Who among us can’t remember the first time he got behind the wheel of a real, live, motorized vehicle of full-sized, adult proportions? I’m not talking about a mini-bike or go-kart. I mean the first car or truck you drove. Bet you can still see the dash in front of you, smell the interior, and feel the various controls if you simply close your eyes.

I know I can . . .

Like many people, my driving innocence was lost with a bit of pain.

I backed my mom’s gargantuan early ‘70’s Ford LTD straight out of the driveway and directly into the telephone pole across the street.

Ouch. Because I was too young to possess even a restricted permit, much less drive alone, there were additional ouches involved when my parents returned home. Now I count myself lucky to have had my first drive end so promptly. I’m sure there would have been even more ouches involved had I been able to navigate my way down the street as I’d originally set out to do.

Anyway, the memory remains startlingly clear and vivid—the uniformly pine green interior, that little blue light under the speedometer that alerted the driver the engine was still cold, the suddenly fast-approaching vertical brown stripe in the rear-view mirror, the surprisingly muted sound of impact, and the way the car seemed oddly unchanged on the inside—indifferent to the way my afternoon’s initiative had, in a split-second, switched from exhilarating adventure to catastrophic disaster. The LTD just sat there, engine purring gently, front end protruding out into the street, rear bumper neatly pressed into a telephone-pole-sized V-shape just left of the trunk’s key hole. Still, for those few seconds before the crash, it was pure bliss.

And what about the very first four-wheeled vehicle of your own?

Mine was a ’67 Mustang, nearly ten years old when it was handed down to me from some elderly relatives. Although it had never been waxed in its life and its maroon paint consequently looked a lot like primer, this car was, as they say, “cherry.” Driven (slowly) only to collect groceries and run occasional errands, after a few initial years of short-distance commuting there were a mere 40,000 miles on its odometer. I got it a week before my 16th birthday, and spent those seven long days applying enough elbow grease and rubbing compound to the exterior to conjure up a brilliant luster from the (now considerably thinner) layer of enamel. There was even a spot or two of bare metal where I’d grown over-zealous. The interior was likewise thoroughly cleaned and polished. Naugahyde has never been so well-conditioned.

Fortunately, my first outing in the Mustang went much better than in the LTD. I remember grinning all the way down my street, thrilled

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with the freedom of driving solo, and with the joy of having my very own machine. I can still feel the slack steering, see those big round gauges with their peeling chromed plastic rims, and hear the droning of its 200 cubic inch straight-six (hey, remember, those relatives were elderly). And, because it was dark maroon, with black interior and no air-conditioning (those relatives lived in Maryland), and I was a teenager in Florida, I have very clear memories of burning the skin off the backs of my legs when I wore shorts, and sweating profusely within seconds of leaving my house on the way to pick up dates.

Nevertheless, there’s something special about your first, and that car will always have a special place in my heart.

In fact, that car has been on my mind a great deal lately, seeing as how Ford just revived the Mustang with styling that captures the very best—to my eye, at least—of what those early models had to offer. Viewing an ad for the latest version transports me—voluntarily or involuntarily—back to the days when I was happily one with that old car of mine. The nostalgia is intoxicating. Nearly a dozen vehicles later, I’ve not owned a Ford product since that Mustang, but I seem to be drawn to the new one against my will and better judgment. (There’s no way I can rationally justify purchasing another vehicle right now.) This is one reason retro marketing has proven to be a potent weapon in the marketplace: if a manufacturer can tap into something that evokes sentimentality in a large segment of the population, whatever the current product has to offer is greatly augmented by all sorts of emotionally powerful, positive associations that cost the company nothing. Think of it as value added—for free!

The new 2005 Ford Mustang.

MOTOR MINDED . . . . Continued I can also recall my first time driving a four-wheel drive truck over rough terrain, and my first time maneuvering with a trailer in tow.

Both involved exciting sensations of power and mastery that still echo inside of me whenever I get to enjoy those activities in present day life. Experiencing something great for the first time is virtually always remembered with extraordinary clarity. Discovery’s joy presses memory’s pen down more firmly on the mind’s next fresh page, leaving records that have texture in addition to factual information.

The delight of discovery—and rediscovery—is partially a function of surprise. Surprise, in turn, is a matter of contrast: something unanticipated stands out against the background of what was expected. When the surprise is pleasant and desirable, the experience can be exhilarating. When a discovery defies our expectations, our minds are pried open to new possibilities—not only regarding the specific experience at hand, but also in a more general way. That’s why spending time in a novel setting, such as going away on a vacation, can allow us to feel refreshed and ready to consider our old routines and problems in new ways. Without this kind of stimulation, our perspectives tend to calcify, we get into ruts, and life is drained of vitality and creativity. We actually take on challenges most efficiently when we build in breaks and diversions. These promote mental flexibility and keep us from getting stuck in an approach that doesn’t work well (no matter how much we persevere).

When an experience is fresh, our minds are automatically more engaged. All our senses are more alert and the incoming data stream is enriched. This can make it all more pleasurable. But it also makes deliberate learning more difficult because it’s harder to focus on any one element. Learning something in depth actually

requires the learner to become jaded to some extent, so that the basics are taken care of automatically and go unnoticed, allowing attention to be concentrated on the cutting edge of mastery. This requires repetition so that the mind begins habituating to the most common aspects of the stimulus field. Those aspects begin fading out of conscious awareness, though they may still register at a less conscious level, where lots of mental processing still takes place.

When we rediscover something, the experience includes not only the sensations and decisions of the moment, but also layers of memories from the past. Each experience of going on a cross-country trip, for instance, may be colored and flavored by memories of all the cross-country trips that came before. When those memories are positive, the current event is made more enjoyable, like adding a variety of well-chosen spices to a recipe. When those memories are negative, enjoyment is often diminished, or even precluded, by the contamination. In either case, those memory layers serve as the background against which the new experience is perceived.

Where there is contrast, there is new discovery.

Using the new Mustang again as an illustration, Ford has found a way to effectively combine enough of the old to engage the viewer’s nostalgia, with enough that’s new to create contrasts that hold the viewer’s attention. They’re going to sell a lot of Mustangs this coming year. It seems to me that the same principle has held true for other vehicles, too. Look at the popularity of the PT Crusier and the Mini Cooper, for example. Might the same thing work in the truck world, as well?

Mark Barnes TDR Writer

Each quarter our “Your Story” column features an article by a member about his or her truck, car, or other automotive interest.

A CUMMINS HISTORY LESSON

By Jim Anderson, with interview notes by Bruce Armstrong Former Cummins CEO Irwin Miller Passes Away We note with sorrow the August 16, 2004, death of business icon and former Cummins, Inc., leader Joseph Irwin Miller. He was born in Columbus, Indiana, in 1909, and he was 95 years old at his death. Mr. Miller is being eulogized as a great business leader, social activist, and philanthropist, whose influence will continue well into the 21st century.

Irwin Miller is a family descendent (great nephew) of W.G. Irwin, who originally invested family money in Clessie Cummins, a fledgling engine maker whose company today still bears his name.

In addition to being a continuing financial backer of the company through the family investment foundation, and a company leader for over 40 years, Irwin Miller also served as the Company’s conscience. He continually pushed for social change, racial equality, community involvement, and rank-and-file worker enhancement long before such ideas gained popular corporate interest. His activities outside the company included serving as president of the National Council of Churches in the 1960s, adviser to presidents, and a worldwide advisor to activists for social change.

As a very young man, Irwin Miller spent many hours with inventor Clessie Cummins, who was then developing a workable diesel

Phil Jones, Irwin Miller and Henry Schacht examine a midrange engine prototype mounted in a van, circa 1980. The decision to launch multiple new engine families concurrently was a risky gamble–a “bet the company” proposition, in Henry Schacht’s words.

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engine. He went to work for Cummins Engine Company in 1934 as a general manager and was named company president in 1945.

He became chairman of the board in 1951, where he began to implement a business strategy that transformed the (then) $20million dollar engine producer into a worldwide organization of engine and related equipment manufacturer with 2003 sales of $6.3-billion. In the process, he also set the company’s ethics in place that fostered innovative manufacturing techniques, innovative business strategies, and exemplary human rights innovations. He was as comfortable talking with a worker on the Cummins production line as he was interacting with fellow company board members or presidents, and was always interested in what each had to say.

In 1967, Esquire Magazine ran Miller’s picture on its cover and proclaimed “this man ought to be the next president of the United States.” He’s well known in company circles for what became known as the “Irwin Miller Transparency Test.” If an action, idea, or proposed business strategy could be justified to or approved by your local minister, then it passed the “Miller Transparency Test.”

Mr. Miller’s personal philosophy about the equality of all individuals is best characterized in his often-quoted remarks from 1983: “In the search for character and commitment, we must rid ourselves of our inherited, even cherished biases and prejudices. Character, ability, and intelligence are not concentrated in one sex over the other, or in persons with certain accents, or in certain races, or in persons holding degrees from some universities over others. When we indulge ourselves in such irrational prejudices, we damage ourselves most of all, and ultimately assure ourselves of failure in competition with those more open and less biased.”

How does Mr. Miller fit into the history of Cummins Engine Company?

A brief review of the book, The Engine That Could, published in 1996, the 75th anniversary of the company’s founding, gives us some insight. What follows is a brief review by this article’s author.

YOUR STORY . . . . Continued The Engine That Could—Book Review Courtesy of the editor, I was lucky enough to read a copy of the book with the above title, written about the first 75 years of Cummins Engine Company. This book was published in 1997 by the Harvard Business School Press. Folks, this book ain’t a fluff job, but rather an honest and searching look, warts and all, at a company that struggled for a long time before it could be counted as a success.

Unfortunately, this book is now out of print, but if you’re ever able to lay hands on a copy, be sure to read it—and keep it—or sell it to me.

human relations with company employees.

If you’re ever passing through central Indiana on I-65, your writer suggests you take a short side trip through Columbus and its many Cummins facilities. Much of the town’s amazing architecture is Cummins-inspired and supported. Call it “continuing corporate community responsibility,” a rare commodity in today’s lean and mean business world.

Bringing us up to date, the company today faces the challenges of having its engines meet the tough 2007 emission control standards that will make them 90 percent cleaner than today’s already clean engines. The company has to invent some of the technology from scratch to accomplish this goal, but the company’s continuing research investment in facilities and diesel combustion technology will ensure timely compliance.

A few 2007 test engines are now in service in fleets for field testing and validation. These engines will go through another round of modification and tweaking before each of the many engines in the Cummins lineup is certified as being able to meet the new emission standards while maintaining the power, durability, and quality that Cummins customers have always enjoyed. At the same time, Cummins must also be planning for new engine models and engine technologies that will keep it competitive in the future. As new engine and power range customers emerge, the company has to be ready and able to supply them.

Studying these pages shows how inventive and unusual this company has been. Creativity was and is required in order to compete successfully as America’s only independent diesel engine manufacturing company. The book also tells how the rare quality of caring both about the company’s customers and the company’s employees has helped Cummins to become very prosperous after such a long struggle. The company has now grown to its present status as an international, multi-division company with thousands of employees and billions in sales to many customers worldwide, but it still cannot lest on its laurels.

Cummins Inc. (originally Cummins Engine Company) started with the rare combination of a talented inventor, Clessie Cummins, who almost single-handedly “dieselized” America’s truck fleet, and an astute businessman and money man, W.G. Irwin, who took the long view and continued to invest family money into the fledgling company for many years because he was convinced the investment was good for the company and therefore good for the local economy. The company has grown ever since that shaky start without changing the core (central Indiana) values and core business of building our favorite diesel engines. These basic tenets were laid down by its original founders in 1919, and continued to be enhanced and expanded by later Irwin family descendents who have been active in company and community affairs since. Of particular influence in this regard was Joseph Irwin Miller (W.G. Irwin’s great nephew) who served (and ultimately led) the company for more than 40 years. Working with other Cummins leaders such as Henry Schact and Jim Henderson (whom your author had the pleasure of meeting in 1995 at the first TDR National Rally), Miller ensured the continuation of corporate community involvement and advanced

You and I, as members of the Turbo Diesel Register, long ago sent the signal to Dodge that we prefer a Cummins diesel engine over all others. Dodge, so far, has made the decision to keep supplying Cummins engines in our trucks, even though their parent company (who has to be putting big pressure on Dodge to change) now owns two companies that make diesel engines, namely Mercedes-Benz division of DaimlerChrysler and Detroit Diesel Division, another division of DaimlerChrysler. Both makers offer engines that are in the right horsepower/torque range and could be made to fit under the hood of our favorite pickup.

So, if you like your Cummins, make some noise with the corporate folks whenever you get the chance. Cummins should be tooting its horn loudly too, lest it lose this high volume business.

The book also tells how the rare quality of caring both about the company’s customers and the company’s employees has helped Cummins to become very prosperous after such a long struggle.

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YOUR STORY . . . . Continued Back to the Story and Insight on Early Cummins History with Lyle Cummins We’ve digressed and also editorialized a bit, let’s get back to the history lesson. I’ll now excerpt some bits of Cummins company history from my book review in TDR Issues 33 and 43 of The Diesel Odyssey of Clessie Cummins, written by his son, Lyle Cummins.

Lyle’s book gives a first-hand look at Clessie’s struggles as an inventor, his ultimate success as America’s only independent engine builder, and his subsequent unhappy departure from the company in 1957 when he resigned from the board over compensation and patent disputes.

Clessie was born in 1888 and died in 1968. As a young man, Clessie served as chauffeur of the W.G. Irwin family. When Clessie began to work on refining the idea of diesel engines as useful power sources, W.G. Irwin became the money man to finance Clessie’s research. W.G. Irwin’s goal was to increase labor utilization in the local economy, thereby improving the local standard of living and making Columbus, Indiana, a better place to live and raise a family.

(The company has ultimately accomplished these goals in many locales worldwide.)

TDR writer Bruce Armstrong had a personal interview with Lyle Cummins in August of 2004, of which we are fortunate to have a transcript. This was done at Lyle’s home in Oregon where he continues to write books. He covered Clessie’s early history, then moved on through his time at the engine company and later to his retirement in California where he and Lyle began work on other ideas Clessie had always wanted to explore.

Lyle takes us back to those early days of Cummins Engine Company and comments on the Clessie Cummins’ first exploits with the diesel.

In the interview, Bruce poses the question, “For readers who have not read The Diesel Odyssey of Clessie Cummins, give us an overview of your father’s role as the founder of the ‘American Diesel Engine.’” Lyle Cummins responds: “Dad wanted to build kerosene or small diesel oil/kerosene-burning engines. He had experience going down the Mississippi River in a 15-foot boat and having to convert this little gasoline engine to burn kerosene after the engine got hot. He was an inveterate reader. He knew what was going on in Europe with the diesel. I doubt if he’d seen a diesel until maybe 1912 when he was in Florida. But, when he got back to Columbus he opened up a machine shop that Mr. Irwin, his financial backer and the person that Dad chauffeured for, set him up to do. On the side, he was thinking about building these little kerosene-burning engines. There were a number of them that were being built in this country under U.S. patent licenses from R.M. Hvid, a transplanted Danish engineer in Chicago. Clessie went to Mr. Irwin with the idea of buying a Hvid license to build these farm engines. This led to the founding of the ‘Cummins Oil Engine Company’ in 1919. And, for one reason or another, the engines that they built in the sixhorsepower size, ran pretty well. They built less than 20 of them, maybe, and then he got this contract through Hercules down in Evansville, Indiana. They were making ‘Therm-oil’ engines for Sears & Roebuck, and Dad was already machining injector parts (nozzles) for Hercules. So, one thing led to another and Dad got in over his head because this smaller-sized engine had never been built and there were leaks and so many fuel system problems that the whole thing became a debacle.

Cummins signed an agreement to sell the Hvid through the Sears Roebuck catalog on a money-back guarantee.

Lyle Cummins at the wheel

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“In the meantime, Dad had ample engine-build capability going, so he decided to convert the engine to one for the marine market for the Gulf Cost shrimpers. They sold some down there that did pretty well at first and then troubles began. Only by doing contract machining were the doors kept open while a new fuel system was being developed during 1922 and 1923. In 1924 they came out with a diesel for generator sets and small boats in one, two, three, four and ultimately six-cylinders. By 1927 the engine had been accepted by the U.S. Light House Bureau as that specified for remote-powered, electric-powered lighthouses. But in 1929 the depression hit and they weren’t selling many more of these engines. So Mr. Irwin said, ‘We’re going to close the company down.’ That was where Dad got

YOUR STORY . . . . Continued the idea, in desperation, of putting one of these diesels in a car, without the intention ever of really building an automobile engine, but just to keep the doors open. I mean, it was in the early stages, you might say, in desperation days, but with the publicity that he got for his actions it kept the engine company’s doors open.

In December 1931, Clessie took this “H” engine-powered truck to Indy 500 track and drove it 14 days non-stop for 14,600 miles on $17.54 worth of diesel fuel. All of his promotional efforts had begun to pay off. The H engine was 672 cubic-inches and produced 125 horsepower at 1800 rpm.

On January 6, 1930, Clessie Cummins drove this 4 cylinder “U” powered Packard from Indianapolis to New York Auto Show on $1.38 worth of furnace oil. Overnight he was a sensation: 800 miles, $1.38 fuel cost, 33 MPG average. It was just the beginning of his promotional efforts.

“Then came the Barnum & Bailey days, as Dad called them, of racing and setting new records down at Daytona Beach with the Packard Roadster and the Dusenberg and then running non-stop at Indianapolis and taking that car to Europe. All the while they were developing, and finally building, a truck engine.

The next events consisted of records across the country in trucks with this old, four-cylinder, marine engine. And so that is a brief genesis of getting into the trucking industry and totally pioneering it.

In April 1930, he put the “U” engine in this Pacakrd roadster. On sands at Daytona Beach, he set first diesel automobile land speed record of 80.389 MPH over 5 miles.

“In Europe, the diesels were very under-powered, their runs were short. There wasn’t the need for heavy-duty, long-distance trucking.

America needed a big rugged, strong engine and Europe’s trucks were not like that. In fact, when I was working at American Bosch, the old fellow that was about ready to retire as the service manager had driven the first diesel powered Mercedes truck in the U.S. He said it was just horrible. Until the introduction of the Cummins ‘H’ engine in ‘32 no one had built a rugged enough engine that could deal with the long cross-country demands found here in the states.

So that was really why Dad is to be considered as the father of the—and I stress this—the American truck diesel.

“I don’t know how much more you want to cover, but the important thing about Dad was that he had the ideas. He was the genius behind the early fuel systems. He had barely an eighth grade education, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t educated. He knew; he had a seat-of-thepants feel. He could visualize things and he could tell if it was going to work or it wasn’t going to work. I mean, he could hire engineers to do the stresses and strains, but he could tell whether it was right.

And he had the ability to charm people. He could sell an iceberg to an Eskimo because of his enthusiasm. There was something about him. Wherever he went, people liked him and people would help him. He called up people that were almost his competitors and he’d get information that would get him out of trouble. He could pick good people too. He hired an engineer from the Hvid Co., who had come down to help him out on something in the very early ‘20s, and stayed on and retired as head of engineering in the ‘50s. The head of sales was a White truck salesman that he met in the early ‘30s and he, too, retired from Cummins. He had an affinity to be able to draw people that would help him out and he understood everything. He was a journeyman machinist. He could make anything on the lathe or milling machine, or he could go out in the shop and reach into a barrel of parts and pick out the bad one. The shop people respected him because they knew he could get on that machine and make it work. So he had this broad spectrum of abilities.”

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YOUR STORY . . . . Continued To continue with the history lesson, I’ll refer back to Lyle’s book, The Diesel Odyssey of Clessie Cummins. The time frame is the 30s and Clessie’s next effort was to produce multi-cylinder engines for automotive use, and after many years of trying, he perfected a design that was installed in several cars and trucks that were driven around the country for publicity tours and endurance trials. All of his efforts finally led to the “dieselization” of America’s truck fleet in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

As diesel engine manufacturing expanded in Columbus, new plants sprang up, and the labor force increased; but it wasn’t until 1937 that the company turned a profit. All the while W.G. Irwin continued to supply money and credit..

In 1937, Cummins added a supercharger to Model H. It increased horsepower to 180 (Later to 200.) The H was the first commercially available supercharged diesel sold in North America.

Clessie Cummins’ ever-inventive mind led to his patents for a unique pressure-time (PT) fuel injection using a low pressure “common rail” fuel distribution system. He contributed one facet of common rail fuel systems now using high pressure hydraulic injection on most automotive diesel engines of modern design. We call this system “new,” but it’s not. Such was the fertile mind of Clessie Cummins!

According to the book, Cummins did not play a very large role in WWII, despite turning most of their facilities over to military production. It seems that Cummins engines were mainly employed in generators rather than trucks or tanks as one might have expected (or hoped). For one thing, the government did not want diesel power in tanks even though Clessie had demonstrated its worth with a Cummins engine in a light tank. One of the main reasons was the military’s concern over diesel fuel not being available in most theaters of war. Caterpillar had also designed a tank engine which was vetoed for the same reason.

After the war, Cummins benefited greatly from the rapid growth of the interstate highway system, which triggered demand for diesel construction equipment. The new roads of course generated a flood of truck sales. Many of the roads involved long, arduous grades of up to 6% or more, and soon the trucking companies were asking for more power. Initially Cummins worked on supercharging, but soon focused on turbocharging for efficiency reasons. The turbo had been developed well before WWII to boost power for ship diesels and by WWII for aircraft engines. Cummins saw it as a bright future for automotive diesels. Their early purchased turbos

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suffered many setbacks before succeeding. Their entry in the 1952 Indy 500 of a Kurtis Kraft-designed car with a 401 cubic inch turbocharged diesel set a track record of 139 mph, and held 5th place for 100 miles before retiring with engine problems. That time Clessie was not the driver and it marked the last race entry for the company. However, Clessie was a key contributor because that car had his newly invented PT (pressure-time) fuel injection system.

The PT system was still in use at least 40 years later; it may have been his greatest invention. At any rate, it made lots of money for Cummins, but apparently relatively little for Clessie. It unfortunately triggered a disagreement between Clessie and the company, which contributed to his resignation in 1957 as Honorary Chairman of the Board. Another factor was the classic “N.I.H.” factor (“not invented here”) on the part of Nev Reiners, Cummins’ head of engineering, with ideas Clessie was submitting to the company.

This car was a Kurtis-Kraft chassis built in California and driven by Freddie Agabashian. It was powered with a “J” Series engine laid flat on its side. The engine was turbocharged and it developed 430 horsepower at 4500 rpm. The engine marked the turbocharger engine era at Cummins. It was the first turbocharged car entered at Indy.

Freddie qualified car on pole position at 138.010 mph.

Midway in race, car began to smoke. Several people inquired about the air cleaner. The car did not have one, there was no room.

The car became known as world’s most beautiful, most expensive, and fastest vacuum cleaner ever built. Air intake (low in the nose near the track surface) sucked in oil, rubber and grease from track into the turbo, disrupting air supply, It was pulled after 72 laps.

Post Resignation—Father and Son Work Together Clessie had long ago identified a big problem with diesel-powered trucks. Since a diesel engine’s air intake is unthrottled unlike that of a gasoline engine, there’s no inherent “vacuum” braking on downhill descents. This led to many truck wrecks due to overheated brakes.

Clessie intuitively knew there had to be a way to harness a diesel engine’s high compression to make the engine do useful retarding work on downhill grades. In the late 50s Clessie and Lyle went to work on the problem in the basement of Clessie’s California home.

They tried one idea and then another, but finally they got on the right track. From the interview, Lyle explains how and what happened then: “What we were going to try to do was put something on the engine like a high pressure hydraulic pump with a distributor that would then open the valves and/or even a plunger pump, and I didn’t like them. My dad called from Phoenix one night where he and mother had gone for a few days vacation. He was looking out

YOUR STORY . . . . Continued the window when it hit him. Hey, the motion’s already in the engine to do it, and by the time he got back, I had laid out some schematics and things. One thing led to another and then we got the idea of putting a J engine, one of the smaller Cummins engines, in a GMC ’55 Suburban. With the test engine in place we then tied the rocker levers of two cylinders together mechanically and that proved the point on two cylinders.”

Today’s Cummins

Later, the Suburban could be heard descending the hills in Sausalito toward the Yacht Harbor “with two cylinders popping up through the exhaust pipe, and you could hear it all over town.” They immediately applied for a patent. Clessie and Lyle took their invention to Cummins, but at the time the company had no interest. The brake ultimately was produced by Jacobs Manufacturing Co., a drill chuck maker in Connecticut. That was the beginning of what is now called the “Jacobs Brake” diesel engine compression brake.

Lyle spent seven wonderful years working with his dad on the Jake brake and several other ideas.

In 1964, Cummins stock went on the NY Stock Exhange.

The gentleman in the middle is the recently departed J.I. Miller.

In his interview with Lyle, Bruce asked questions about the presentday Cummins and Cummins in the future. If you will recall last issue’s discussion on brands and brand names, and specifically the Harley Davidson example, you’ll have some insight into the line of questions that Bruce poses.

Clessie and son Lyle, who workded for him 1955-1963, in the office in Clessie’s Sausalito, California home.

In the interview, Lyle also told of several visits he had over recent years with Irwin Miller, and characterized Irwin Miller’s and Clessie’s relationship as one that sadly got “crossways on the runway.” The breach was healed before Clessie’s death, and Lyle Cummins had an amicable relationship with him before Miller passed away.

Q: You are aware of the Harley Davidson phenomenon of the last 25 years and its huge success. Their product can be described as being, at best, on a par with Japanese, certainly not better: in reality the Japanese product functionally is a superior product. But Harley Davidson makes more money as a company selling leather jackets than the Japanese do selling what are technically superior motorcycles because Harley Davidson has an aura of history, of being an American product. Do you feel that there’s a possibility that an engine company like Cummins could achieve a like standing to compete against what are becoming increasingly effective foreign competitors—Volvo, Mercedes Benz, and others?

A: I feel as you do about Cummins drawing on its history to promote its products and perhaps the Dodge truck. However, I wonder if anything will move them to do it. They are focused on the future as, for the most part, they well should be but they, too, often turn a blind eye to the possibilities of drawing on a little from the past.

Whatever might develop along this line that you folks could promote, would be terrific, but in no way should this be tied to any effort I might lend to it.

The brake ultimately was produced by Jacobs Manufacturing Co. That was the beginning of what is now called the “Jacobs Brake” diesel engine compression brake.

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YOUR STORY . . . . Continued Q: As an engineer, you are no doubt aware of the looming 2007 emissions problems faced by diesels in this country. There are a number of different solutions people are looking at from exhaust gas recirculation, trap oxidizers, particulate filters, and urea injection.

Who do you think is going to come up the winner in 2007 in solving these problems?

A: Oh, gosh. That’s, you know, that’s fortune telling, I have spent 99 percent of my time looking backwards rather than looking ahead. But I do feel that for the first time in it’s history, Cummins has somebody heading its research, namely John Wall, who is an honest to God qualified man to be in that job. From what I gather John and his people have gone about things in the right way. Realize that there’s more than one way to skin a cat—and pardon the expression with ‘cat,’ but I’d like to skin them over another matter. I think Cummins, the fact that they said what they were going to do with their approach to meeting the 2007 standard right now, made it work and it seems to be doing all right in the field.

Q: Why doesn’t Cummins come up with a CD history of Cummins Engine Company that could be sold to Cummins enthusiasts, as part of their making it a brand?

A: Time and money. A CD wouldn’t be horrendously expensive, but it needs somebody with expertise to put it all together. I mean, I’d be willing to help with the material, because I have a lot of it.

Editor’s Note: When we read this interview by Bruce Armstrong together with Jim Anderson’s reviews of Lyle’s The Diesel Odyssey of Clessie Cummins and The Engine That Could, we almost have a history of Cummins. And we intend to add an important chapter in that history in the next issue of TDR when we tell the story of the introduction of the Cummins engine into the Dodge pickup truck back in 1985. What is the best way to share this fascinating history with other truck aficionados? We might encourage the inclusion of a copy of this issue of the TDR magazine in the glove box of every truck on every dealer’s lot. TDR members shouldn’t hold their breath for that one, nor wait for a freebie. You can order Lyle’s Diesel Odyssey now. See page __ for more information.

Q: How do you think the Daimler and Chrysler merger from the late 90s will affect the future of the Turbo Diesel pickup?

A: Herein lies the problem. DaimlerChrysler is still Daimler.

Q: True.

Lyle poses behind Bruce’s ‘02 2500 Turbo Diesel.

Q: Any further thoughts on what Cummins should be doing to promote the brand?

A: Cummins has an absolutly fascinating story to tell. Do you realize that Cummins is the oldest diesel producer in this country? And it’s one of a handful of the oldest diesel producers in the world.

Cummins is still building under its original name and is not a division of somebody. And, you look at this—the biggest independent.

Daimler and Benz merged in ’29. So, I mean, if you just look at it from the standpoint of independence and autonomy, Cummins is the only one in the world. Now that’s kind of unusual.

Epilogue

A: Freightliner is under the Daimler corporate umbrella.

Q: True.

A: Detroit Diesel is under the Daimler corporate umbrella. Now Freightliner does not offer Cummins engines in its trucks any more.

Q: You’re talking vertical integration here.

A: Yep. And so who knows? I do know that the TDR membership are tremendous fans of the Turbo Diesel truck, but I truly wonder how badly Daimler would want to put one of their engines in that truck?

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Cummins—Father of the American Truck Diesel. Cummins— American Diesel Innovation. Cummins—you fill in the marketing term. Cummins—perhaps nothing further is necessary. Speaking on behalf of TDR writers Anderson and Armstrong and interviewee Lyle Cummins, we have presented some portions of Cummins company history, and some snapshots of the folks who were intimately involved, as told from several viewpoints. Perhaps from these bits of information you can better understand how Cummins fits into the diesel engine world of today as Cummins, Inc., continues its “Diesel Odyssey.”

Jim Anderson

Bruce Armstong

Robert Patton

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TDR 75

SEVEN PAYMENTS DEEP In Issue 46 we launched “First Ride” by walking through my initial foray into the Turbo Diesel experience. While not dramatic enough for a Hollywood screenplay, hopefully the stories made you sit back and remember similar experiences that you had when taking that plunge yourself. After all, for those of us who get emotionally attached to these mechanical behemoths, the shopping and purchasing experience is an integral part of the vehicular relationship.

Now, seven payments deep into Turbo Diesel ownership, I am happy to report that the honeymoon is not yet over. The truck continues to work hard, play hard, and has even been a hero in a time of need.

Yea, it’s just a truck, but it is slowly becoming part of the family.

I was also figuring on saving $0.20-$0.30 per gallon of fuel, since at the time 87 octane unleaded was selling for $1.90 per gallon, while summer diesel blend #2 was selling for right around $1.60 per gallon.

Unfortunately neither assumption has proven itself to be true… yet.

The best single-tank performance to date has scored only 16mpg. A little late-night research on the TDR website indicated that most ’04 high-output 325/600 owners saw similar performance until they had racked up about 10,000 miles. So, the jury is still out. Apparently I just need to drive it more.

Fuel prices, on the other hand, have certainly taken a wild ride.

Looking back at Issue 46, page 76, the average fuel price for the state of Michigan in September was $1.93. Two months later it’s hard to find a gallon for under $2.30, while 87 unleaded is circling around $1.85! I realize that I am probably preaching to the choir on this topic, but let’s hope that situation turns itself around in a hurry.

Vignette #2: Off to The Races With just 1500 miles showing on the odometer, it was time to load up the trailer and head off to Watkins Glen race track for some fun in the Corvette Z06. Although technically the engine was not yet broken in, I figured the 5500 pound load on the truck was well below the full rated capacity. Once I gave it some thought, I convinced myself that I was simply accelerating the break-in period.

Zack in the bed of dad’s “Cummin Tu-bo DEE-sil”

Maybe a few more of these stories will hit home with fellow TDR readers. So, without further ado, five Turbo Diesel short stories for your reading enjoyment!

Vignette #1: The Six Month Break-in Period I love this truck. But I digress…

Believe it or not, there are a mere 3500 miles on the odometer. Why so few? Well, between my six mile commute to work and the luxury of having a second car, the truck does not see a lot of use during the summer months. I guess the upshot is that I have 96.5% of the engine warranty left.

That said, there are a few notable points to discuss, not the least of which is the observed fuel economy. When I first purchased the truck I was under the impression that my fuel economy would be a bit better than the 12-13mpg I was pulling down in my Suburban.

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On the way to Watkins Glen!

FIRST RIDE . . . . Continued The first challenge in setting up the truck was the height of the hitch point. While I have several ball mounts in the garage, none was low enough to bring the trailer ball down from the truck’s incredibly high receiver opening. Subsequent trips to the auto supply store also taught me that ball mounts with an eight-inch drop were not all that common!

Once an appropriate ball mount was located, the rest was painless.

You would have thought they designed these trucks for towing or something.

I should also note that the Prodigy trailer brake controller (installed previously) was a simple plug-and-play affair and adjusting the braking force was as simple as its promotional literature would have you believe. Once the initial gain was set, I did not have to fuss with the box at all for the rest of the trip. It’s a set-and-forget type of device. You have to be happy when a product performs as advertised!

James: No, actually I have them in case one of you guys tears your car up so bad we need to trailer, your butt home. If your car is on my trailer I certainly can’t drive the Corvette home on race tires, now can I? Unfortunately for Todd, about 36 hours later a rod bearing decided to check out. The good news was that the motor failure didn’t happen at speed, but there we were, 450 miles from home, with a car that wouldn’t even turn over.

Because we were his friends, we did the only appropriate thing: we made incessant fun of him.

The actual 450 mile trip to Watkins Glen was quite uneventful, so there is not much to report. The truck pulled like there was no tomorrow. Trailer? What trailer?

Fuel economy hovered around 14mpg, which was quite acceptable given the hills and valleys of the scenic Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. The driver’s seat did not win any favors, though, as my back does not particularly follow the contours of the stock seat. Perhaps I have just found an area for future improvement?

Vignette #3: Turbo Diesel to the Rescue!

The trip to Watkins Glen was actually a group activity, with three of my good friends also along for the ride. Each of them was a driving school participant, but each chose to drive his car to the track instead of taking the truck-and-trailer route that I had chosen.

Todd’s white Corvette, just before being pushed up on the trailer.

In an attempt to be honorable, Todd made the suggestion that he should call a flatbed service to haul the car back to Michigan. Being his friend, I simply could not let him spend the extra money when my truck was sitting right there, but he paid for it at every rest area.

“So, Todd, how’s that Corvette handling the ride home?”

“Hey—that’s the diesel pump you’re using! I thought your car took 93 octane.”

“Look on the bright side; you actually can listen to the stereo now!”

As I was not about to let Todd drive my car home to Michigan, he had the pleasure of piloting the Turbo Diesel himself. While his pride would not let him speak freely about borrowing the truck, he made several comments about how effortlessly it towed his ride. Who knows, maybe a seed was planted which will sprout in a couple of years and we’ll have yet another TDR member?

Driving through the famed Esses at Watkins Glen.

Upon arriving at Watkins Glen, one of the guys, who shall remain nameless (but we’ll call him Todd because that’s his real name), happened around the back of the truck and noticed that I had brought along a spare set of street tires. The ensuing conversation was a blatant foreshadowing of events to come: Todd: So, James, what’s up with the extra tires? Do you think you will drive so fast that you will need a second set? (snicker, snicker)

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FIRST RIDE . . . . Continued Vignette #4: James, the TDR Recruiter Upon taking delivery of my truck in June, I received a “welcome to the writer’s club” care package from the editor. In the box were four Cummins Turbo Diesel window stickers, two TDR license plate placards, and about one million TDR promotional fliers.

All of a sudden I felt the urge to spread the TDR message far and wide. I simply could not let those fliers go to waste. My self-imposed mission was to add at least one more member to the TDR roster before the next issue went to press. Armed with my fliers, I began my quest.

It didn’t take long to find a potential new subscriber (read here: innocent victim). Unbeknownst to me, one of my co-workers, Tom, had just purchased his own Turbo Diesel.

By the numbers, Tom’s truck was quite a bit different from my own.

He had found a dark blue, 3500, 4x4, Quad Cab, long bed truck with single rear wheels. The options list was quite a bit more extensive as well, with trailer-towing mirrors, factory step bars, and a Mopar bug deflector.

the magazine didn’t hurt too much either, but our membership has now grown by one!

The underlying message here is that if even a TDR novice like me can expose potential new members to our magazine, then what’s your excuse for not spreading the word? It’s easy, it’s fun, and I am sure that if you ask the editor nicely he will send you your very own stack of promotional fliers. If nothing else, it’s a great way to start up a conversation with fellow Turbo Diesel owners.

Vignette #5: Zack’s Story of the Month If you will recall from Issue 46, page 62, my two-year-old son Zack loves to ride in his dad’s “Cummin Tu-bo DEEsil.” What you were not told is that this is not Zack’s first “turbo” experience.

Zack has two dogs at home. Because his parents wanted unique names for the dogs, they tapped into the automotive realm for inspiration. Not surprisingly, we ended up with names that may sound odd to the outside observer, but are completely appropriate for the Walker household: Turbo and Apex, our lovable pound puppies. So the other evening as we were having dinner Zack was chatting up a storm. He was telling us about his day, recounting a story about how he got to ride to the store in dad’s “Cummin Tu-bo DEE-sil.”

Tom’s 3500, 4x4, quad cab, long bed truck.

It didn’t take long before I hit Tom up with the TDR sales pitch. Not too surprisingly, it was reminiscent of several other recent TDR conversation starters in the past: James: “Hi Tom! I noticed that you just bought a new truck and I figured you could use a subscription to this cool magazine I write for.”

Tom: “What is the subject focus of your magazine?”

James: “We cater to the owners of Dodge/Cummins Turbo Diesel pickup trucks.”

Tom: <Pause> Tom: “You mean there’s a whole magazine about that?”

James: “Believe it or not, there is!”

Once I dropped off a fancy flier at Tom’s desk, he was sold on the TDR. Of course, bribing him with the opportunity to get his truck in

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Zack, busy enjoying TDR Issue 46.

He then stopped and thought for a second. After a brief pause, a quizzical look came over his face. We could tell that he was thinking as hard when he could as he asked, “Mommy, what is Cummin Apex DEE-sil?”

Until next time…

James Walker, Jr. TDR Writer

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TDR 79

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE

by Robert Patton

The following is a pictorial of how I installed the kit.

Issue 42’s “The Way We Were” column presented a way for the Turbo Diesel owner to change all of the truck’s automatic transmission fluid. The article also presented data on transmission temperatures and the effects of temperature on the transmission.

Further, the article discussed the best location for an aftermarket transmission temperature sensor.

For those owners that choose to change the transmission fluid in a more conventional manner (read: drop the transmission pan), I feel for you. Do you really enjoy the transmission fluid shower that covers your body and the floor when you try to carefully “insert a putty knife or gasket scraper between the pan and transmission to break the seal allowing the fluid to flow out of the corner”? I didn’t think so, but I’ve yet to change transmission fluid without some kind of a spill.

Drill a hole? Was he serious?

Enter Brandon Parks at Geno’s Garage. Brandon suggested that I drill a 1/8” hole in the side of the transmission pan to let the fluid drain out. Say what: Drill a hole? Was he serious? I was so surprised by his suggestion that I interrupted his explanation.

I carefully drilled a 1/8” hole on the passenger side of the pan. Not knowing what was on the inside of the transmission pan, I did not want the drill bit to break through the pan in an aggressive manner.

I guess you could call this “exploratory surgery.” Be careful not to drill your pilot hole directly beneath one of the transmission pan bolts or access to the bolt with your socket will be obstructed by the newly installed B&M drain plug. As you drill through, stop the flow of fluid with your finger.

I paused in my ranting, and Brandon was able to provide further insight.

I paused in my ranting, and Brandon was able to provide further insight. “Yes, drill a 1/8” hole. Then when the fluid has drained out you can remove the pan without the fluid shower. With the pan off of the truck you will drill a larger ½” hole and install a B&M drain plug kit. This drain plug will enable you to do future fluid changes without concern about a fluid shower.” In further conversation I learned that the plug for the B&M drain plug kit is a male 1/8” NPT fitting. Transmission temperature sensors typically are 1/8” NPT male. So, should I want to install a transmission temperature gauge I have a ready-to-access location for the sensor. The B&M drain plug kit really makes sense!

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Position your drain pan and remove finger for fluid flow.

Shadetree . . . . Continued 1)

The vehicle must be on level ground.

2)

The engine should be running at curb idle speed for a minimum of 60 seconds.

3)

Fully apply parking brake.

4)

Place the gear selector briefly in each gear position ending with the lever in N (Neutral). *

5)

Remove the dipstick and determine if the fluid is hot or warm.

Hot fluid is approximately 180° F (82° C) which is the normal operating temperature after the vehicle has been driven at least 15 minutes. The fluid cannot be comfortably held between the finger tips. Warm is when fluid is between 85°– 125° F (29°–52° C).

6)

Wipe the dipstick clean and reinsert until seated. Remove dipstick and note reading. a) If the fluid is hot, the reading should be in the crosshatched area marked “OK.”

With the pan removed you can see that my exploratory hole on the middle of the passenger side of the pan will not cause an obstruction when the B&M plug kit is installed. However, a better location would have been at the corner of the passenger side or the corner of the back side of the pan. It takes a 25 Torx bit to remove the transmission filter.

b) If the fluid is warm, the reading should be between the two holes. If the fluid level indicates low, add sufficient fluid to bring to the proper level.

7)

Fluid is added through the dipstick hole.

* I cannot over-emphasize that the transmission fluid should be checked with the gear selector in Neutral. With the vehicle in Park, there is no fluid flow. Hence, if you take a transmission fluid level reading with the vehicle in Park, the reading will always be higher than it actually is. Additionally, should your transmission fluid become too hot, shift the transmission to Neutral—not Park—to ensure that there is fluid flow and thus the opportunity for fluid cooling.

With the B&M drain plug kit I have accomplished two objectives: I have a location for a temperature gauge and I have a way to drain the fluid. The $10 plug kit is a great addition to your truck.

Robert Patton TDR Staff Post Script

Drill the hole out to ½” and install the B&M drain plug.

To finish the story, reinstall your filter and transmission pan. My transmission pan gasket (Mopar part 02464324AC) was reusable.

Torque the pan bolts to 13 ft-lbs (the 13 ft-lb value was verified in ‘96 and ‘03 Dodge Service Manuals). Draining only the fluid in the transmission pan, the refill took only six quarts.

I installed a 1/8 NPT temperature sensor in the B&M drain plug and have been monitoring the transmission temperatures for the past several months. The maximum temperature I’ve seen is 195°. Using Issue 42’s guidelines, I’m comfortable with the numbers. Should I see a higher temperature I will consider a fancy, finned transmission pan. Until such time, I’m glad I established a baseline with the stock pan as the new-found information has saved me money.

The correct procedure for checking the fluid level is outlined in your Owner’s Manual and is reprinted below.

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Shadetree . . . . Continued Air filter maintenance and cleaning

By Joe Donnelly Back in TDR Issue 37 we discussed air filters with respect to dyno horsepower. Some of this discussion concerned the oiled-element type of filter that many Turbo Diesel owners use, and a few salient points are worth repeating in this issue. Paul Hardley of Advanced Flow Engineering presented a seminar on their products and on cleaning procedures for their oiled-element filters at May Madness 2004. Some of his advice is included in this article.

A number of folks have replaced the stock air filter with oiled-element filters in their search for more airflow. Those who make this change have found that the sealing lip of the filter is very important for the exclusion of dust. Over-oiling exacerbates the problem of pulling oil or oily dirt into the turbocharger and intercooler. Getting a good seal between the filter lip and the air box is one issue. Air flow through the box is another issue.

Dyno testing has shown that the air box is the real problem, more so than the filter. The stock filter was removed, and the air box closed for a dyno run. Although no significant power loss was found on the dyno with the stock filter and air box until the engine was producing over 500 horsepower, real world testing might yield different results, under some conditions. Many Turbo Diesel owners feel that the turbo spools up quicker with an oiled element filter, exhaust gas temperatures are lower, and power is a bit higher, even with engines having around 300 horsepower. Of course, an effect might well be noted at lower power levels in real-world situations such as trailer towing or hot weather where intake air temperature has a significant detrimental effect upon exhaust gas temperature. Outside air induction can be beneficial here, as drag racers discovered over forty years ago.

Air filters. Background, left to right: Donaldson replacement Big Honkin’ air filter with paper element; K&N RE-0880 oiled element filter; aFe Magnum Force 60-90037 oiled element filter and 50-10071 housing. Foreground, Fleetguard AF25541 paper element replacement filter for the stock Dodge air box.

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Once you are in the 500 horsepower range, the power loss was about the same as for the stock air box/filter setup, about 20 horsepower compared to propping the box top open. Opening the box brought the power level to what would be found with nothing on the turbocharger inlet, or with just the factory 4” diameter curved hose attached to the inlet of the turbocharger. The stock plastic collar going to the inner fender was not used in these tests, only the stock air box and hose.

K&N filters offers a drop-in stock replacement air filter, and their RE-0880 filter, a high-flow unit that attaches to the stock 4” hose.

The K&N is an oiled-element filter. Dyno testing has shown that horsepower with this filter attached to the stock turbocharger inlet hose is about the same as running with no filter.

In addition to offering a stock replacement air filter with an advanced design sealing lip, Advanced Flow Engineering of Corona, California, also offers a complete replacement for the stock air box. This “Magnum Force” system includes the aFe oiled-element filter with a rounded (radius) type outlet to the 4” turbo inlet hose. A mounting bracket and baffle to insulate the filter from the hottest underhood air near the turbocharger is included. The baffle securely mounts the filter setup to the fender well at the stock attachment points for the factory air box. Surprisingly, in the over 500 horsepower range, this setup made about 4-5 horsepower more than no filter or anything on the turbo at all. It also made more horsepower than any other filter setup we tested.

At the time of Issue 37, I still preferred a paper filter in high dust environments, although I found the aFe system with a filter media of four layers of medical grade cotton gauze to be beneficial for maximum horsepower, and in lower dust environments. Since then, aFe has introduced a new filter media that they call Pro-Guard 7.

This new media includes, first five layers of progressively finer mesh medical grade cotton gauze, with micro fibers that attract smaller and smaller particles as air passes through the media. Second, there are two layers of non-woven synthetic polyester fabric with random porosity to capture the very fine particulates, and any cotton fibers that could come from the first five layers of media. The media is sandwiched between layers of aluminum wire mesh for strength and resistance to collapsing under high air flow conditions from the turbocharger intake. The aFe filter uses flexible polyurethane end caps and sealing areas for temperature resistance and long life. The aFe folks claim that this Pro-Guard 7 media provides filtration efficiency and protection like an original equipment paper filter, while far exceeding paper media in dust holding capacity before plugging, in service interval before cleaning or replacement is needed, and in air flow. I tested this Pro-Guard 7 filter against the four-layer standard aFe media on the dyno at 700 horsepower, with the turbocharger producing enough air flow to make 55 psi boost. They performed equivalently. The aFe people claim that the seven-layer media might give about 10% less flow than the standard four-layer media. At some higher level of horsepower, this may be measurable on the dynamometer.

Shadetree . . . . Continued For street use, I use a Pro-Guard 7 filter with the aFe synthetic cloth mesh pre-filter. This pre-filter is a polyester “cloth” that acreens out dirt and other particles over 0.005” (five-thousandths) in diameter.

It also reportedly prevents water and mud from passing through to saturate the air filter. With the proper amount of oil as provided on a new filter from the manufacturer, I have not been able to find any evidence that oil has passed through the media into the turbocharger or the intercooler plumbing. At this point, I would like to note that aFe says that their oil is different from other oils used on oiled element filters. It is a specially-formulated light refined oil that doesn’t cake on MAP sensors in the intake manifold. They said that an original equipment manufacturer evaluated oils for their performance product line, and found that other oils gave problems whereas the aFe oil did not. The aFe oil is reportedly finer, wicks better, and is best applied by aerosol rather than dripping it onto the filter media. They claim a 99.8% filtering efficiency from ProGuard 7 media, against a factory specification of 99.5% efficiency.

I have seen or heard about (rarely, but that is enough!) paper filters that have collapsed when wet. One was a stock-type replacement filter in the stock air box, and the other was a large replacement cylindrical filter that did not have wire mesh inside (the outlet area).

Obviously, wet paper loses its integrity and can go where you don’t want it—into the turbocharger. Wet cloth media retain their integrity, especially when retained in wire mesh.

apply a little more oil where needed (where the media are still dry).

Do not clean the media with petroleum-based solvents. If you look at a new filter, you can see that the oil was applied uniformly but very sparingly.

No air filtration system is perfect. Paper filters keep the turbocharger and intercooler clean, and require no maintenance, only periodic replacement. Don’t allow the filter to get soaking wet in a hard rain or flood, or when washing the engine. Get a good filter with a sealing lip that mates well to the air box shoulder. If your Turbo Diesel makes well under 500 horsepower, the filter should perform well.

The oiled-element filtration systems have come a long way recently.

We can now purchase filters that stop very fine particles, not just the rocks and rabbits. With an advanced oil and proper application of it, preliminary testing indicates that we will not experience coating of the turbocharger fins and the intercooler plumbing with oil (with concomitant reduction in efficiency). Horsepower is maximized, to the point that the filter (just like a racing inlet cone) is a benefit and continues to protect the turbocharger and engine while racing or dyno testing. As I stated above, for a long time I preferred the paper filter because I live in a dusty climate. As my Turbo Diesel’s power climbed, the use of the stock filter and air box required propping up the air box top during a dyno run to get adequate air flow. Hence, the engine had no filtration at all during testing. Now I have a product that seems better for my situation—the aFe ProGuard 7 with pre-filter for daily use, and the aFe four-layer filter for dyno testing over 700 horsepower.

Joe Donnelly TDR Writer

aFe 75-10071 Pro-Guard 7 filter with aFe 28-10032 Magnum Shield pre-filter feeding air to the 5” inlet of the Bell Turbo MSB-30-1250 turbocharger.

I have not cleaned an aFe filter yet. The new filter is supplied with proper oiling from the factory. During his seminar, Paul Hardley told us that the cleaning interval should be about three to four times as long as that recommended for replacement of a paper filter. This interval should correspond to about 30,000 to 50,000 miles for cleaning the media. However, in very dusty conditions such as desert driving, farm use, or dirt roads, a higher cleaning frequency would be needed. He recommended using a paint brush to remove bugs and particulate build-up from the media. Next, the spray cleaner should be applied from the inside and allowed to soak for ten minutes. Without using pressure, water should then be allowed to flow from inside to outside over the filter media to rinse off the cleaner. Let the filter dry for several hours. Don’t drip oil on every pleat to the point of saturation. It is better to spray on a bit of oil and allow time for it to wick onto all of the surface. Then

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Another SEMA photo (p. 111 has the SEMA article).

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BITW is a forum to report on industry trends and vehicle development.

Compiled/written by Robert Patton MORE TRUCKS—FOLLOW-UP TO ISSUE 46, PAGE 70 In the last issue we cited a 7/26 report in Automotive News that discussed plans by the Chrysler group to boost Dodge Ram production at their Saltillo, Mexico, plant. There we cited Chrysler group CEO Dieter Zetsche, “It will be a pretty significant increase in capacity, and at the same time it will enable us to go for further product differentiation as well.”

The Automotive News article also stated: “A Chrysler group source familiar with the program said several new Ram-based models that have not been revealed are planned in the next several years. “‘Every year you are gong to see new Ram products, new Ram extensions,’ the source said. ‘We have enough capacity to run what we want to do for the 2005 model year. As we expand the Ram brand into other things that you will soon see, we will need some expansion to manage those (new) products that are coming.

(Mexico) is where we will get the additional volume.’”

As a follow-up to our Issue 46 report, I submit the following from the Detroit Free Press, 10/25/04: “The Chrysler Group said it will spend $210 million for improvements at a Saltillo, Mexico, pickup truck factory so the plant can add models.

“The automaker will increase the number of robots to 360 from 160 as part of the changes that will let the plant build vehicles in addition to the Dodge Ram pickups it now makes, said Peter Rosenfeld, Chrysler’s head of purchasing, in a statement from Saltillo. He didn’t say what models might be added.

“Mexican President Vicente Fox’s office said the plant will build two new models, a cargo truck starting in April and a crew-cab pickup in August.”

A cargo truck and a crew-cab pickup next year? Do we believe the loose lips of a politician? I have heard that model-year 2006 is the time frame for a freshening of the Third Generation’s exterior. I’ll end the speculation with these words of wisdom—time will tell.

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A NISSAN DIESEL PICKUP Dateline: September 27, 2004. Publication: Automotive News. Title: “Nissan Wants Heavy-Duty Titan with Diesel.”

From our Issue 46 article you read about the availability of Cummins’ 4.2 liter, V-6 engine and the 5.6 liter, V8 engine. Does this report, and other veiled reports, provide us “the handwriting on the wall?”

Do such rumors—and they are more than rumors—prophesy a new equation in the diesel-engined truck market in America? Before you do the math and conclude that maybe two plus two equals four, take a moment to read the following excerpt from “Nissan Wants HeavyDuty Titan with Diesel” appearing in Automotive News, 9/27/04.

“Nissan North America Inc. wants to expand its lineup of Titan fullsized pickups by adding a heavy-duty version with a diesel engine, a top executive says.

“The automaker has not set a timeline. But it ‘does not have to redesign everything (in the Titan platform) to make a heavy-duty truck,’ says Patrick Pelata, Nissan Motor executive vice president for product planning and strategy.

“The heavy-duty Titan would need a ‘big American V-6 or V-8’ diesel to have sufficient torque, Pelata says, adding that ‘we will not do it alone.’ Nissan has not determined whether it will buy a supplier’s engine or seek a development partner.

“Should the Titan diesel sell well, Pelata says, Nissan would consider using the powertrain in other vehicles, such as its standard Titan and large SUVs.” Wow! Maybe two plus two really does equal four. However, what are we to make of the fact that during a recent trip to Cummins I quizzed several people about the possibility of Cummins siring siblings of the Dodge Turbo Diesel, maybe producing other Cummins offspring but wearing other feathers than Dodge feathers. Perhaps I quizzed the wrong people, perhaps those quizzed were experts at maintaining a poker face, but there were no visual cues to contradict the “not a Cummins project” answers that I received.

This industry article has heightened my interest. As with other unsubstantiated stories (the Dodge crew cab, Dodge 4500/5500 trucks, Ford’s V-6 diesel) I will scour the trade publications for further information and report future findings to you.

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TDR 87

A Review of Previously Discussed/ Frequently Asked Questions

by Jim Anderson I have been appointed (elected, selected, condemned?) to write a column dedicated to member questions. Member questions range from old users with new problems to new members who are unfamiliar with the care of their pride and joy. The column reviews frequently asked questions and member feedback to deliver the best solutions. We decided to call the column “Idle Clatter.” If you don’t get my meaning, go stand next to your truck when it’s running.

I am also available to answer your questions. Call me at (865) 3972500, 9AM to 8PM eastern time. If I’m out, leave a message and be sure to say what state you are calling from so I won’t wake you up in the middle of the night. If the phone simply rings, I’m on an extended trip. Call the TDR offices and they will relay the message.

I can best be reached by e-mail at j.t.anderson@worldnet.att.net and will promptly respond.

MORE ON BRANDING Editor Robert Patton assigned us writers to voice our opinions and give our advice about brand advertising done by Dodge, Cummins, and the TDR. I will not express an opinion about the Turbo Diesel Register since I’m a writer with a vested interest and not a marketing type. Perhaps Cummins doesn’t need to advertise their B-series engines as installed in a Dodge Ram more than it does, since their reward would be indirect, being tied to engine orders from Dodge. However, Dodge truck advertising gives only passing acknowledgement of the fact that they offer the best diesel engine in the business, while they spend millions dedicated to advertising image, styling, and Hemi gas engines.

Now I’ll pose a question to you. How much less would a truck or any other heavily advertised item cost if the associated advertising costs were cut by two-thirds or even three-quarters? Would all makers of a particular product category sell fewer of their widgets? Would your new pickup truck cost a few hundred less if advertising dollars were backed out of the cost? Did those dollars spent advertising your new truck bring you to the “deal table”, or did you make up your mind to buy a Ram Turbo Diesel entirely on your own?

Personally, I think one of the best modern inventions to serve mankind is the TV remote control with a mute button. That can instantly stop the incessant noisesome commercial assaults at the rate of 20 shots per hour of some character trying to sell me something I don’t want or need. This useful tool has never been advertised either.

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A MISUNDERSTANDING? I received an e-mail from a fellow TDR member who described the horrifying situation of his new 2004 Dodge truck crashing into the garage across the street. It seems that he had started the engine, then went back into his home for a minute or so, and when he returned, the truck had rolled down his driveway, hit a garage, then tipped over a six foot high wall. When he got to his truck, the parking brake was still engaged and the engine was still running. This member wrote to me asking what could have happened to cause his truck to leave its parking spot all by itself. Because in his e-mail he called the “parking brake” the “ebrake” (short for emergency brake), I originally thought he had applied the exhaust brake instead of the parking brake. In subsequent e-mail exchanges, the member straightened me out, but it got me to thinking.

Because in his e-mail he called the “parking brake” the “ebrake” (short for emergency brake), I originally thought he had applied the exhaust brake instead of the parking brake.

A new member, unfamiliar with things “diesel” and the proud owner of a new truck, might possibly mistake the exhaust brake for a parking brake. So I caution you new owners that an exhaust brake is used to slow a moving truck and load, while a parking brake is used for keeping the parked truck in the place where you last left it.

Please don’t confuse the two devices. Also, please remember that the parking brake might not hold a heavily loaded truck or trucktrailer combination in place on a steep hill (that wasn’t a factor in this member’s unfortunate situation), as you are depending on only the brakes of the two rear wheels, rather than all of the truck’s and trailer’s brakes which have the necessary power to stop the load, but are not all activated in a parking situation. In such a situation, one or more wheel chocks and turning the steering wheels toward a curb should help hold the truck stationary and prevent its unintended movement in case the truck’s parking brake can’t hold the load.

Meanwhile, this member’s dealer is trying to figure out the reason this truck was transported from its parking place while the parking brake was applied.

‘03/’04 EXHAUST BRAKES

Please don’t confuse the two devices.

IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued I have noted with interest that owners of Third Generation trucks are reporting that they are disappointed with the amount of retarding power available from exhaust brakes as compared to the brakes on previous models. This performance deficiency is due to a change in the design of the cam shaft for the HPCR engine. The pre-HPCR engines had difficulties starting in cold weather and the cam was designed to help compensate for that. The newer HPCR camshaft has more lift and cam duration.

The introduction of the HPCR fuel system in 2003 eliminated the cold start situation and the cam was optimized for better air flow through the engine, especially at higher engine speeds. The benefit is more performance from the engine. The consequence is that this increased airflow causes the exhaust brake to behave differently.

The HPCR engine likes higher engine RPM, that’s where it makes the big horsepower numbers and that’s where it makes better back pressure numbers.

The exhaust brake actually produces more retarding power than it did on older engines. However, at lower engine speeds, it produces less retarding power. So the moral of the story is, for 2003 and later vehicles, downshift before you start down a grade and keep the revs high for maximum engine retarding. ’94 to ‘04 My ten-year-old’94 truck (with 190,000 miles on the odometer) usually runs as space good as a new one (yep, it’s been juiced a little bit, too), though it is certainly louder than a new truck, with much more of the “diesel clatter” associated with the Turbo Diesel.

Recently, when observing the boost and EGT gauge, though the engine started and ran just fine, it really wasn’t developing much power, and more importantly, the engine wasn’t running efficiently.

It was wasting fuel and provided slow acceleration from a stop.

Using long-time Turbo Diesel Register member Gary Bensen’s self-made boost pressure diagnostic tool (shown in Issue 43, page 46), I found a small leak in one of the intercooler rubber hoses between the pressure side of the turbo and the intake manifold.

Without normal boost, the 12-valve engine’s fuel injection pump AFC control restricts fueling, and efficiency and power are lost.

Thanks to Gary’s diagnostic tool, finding and curing the problem was just plain simple. I initially spotted this problem because I had installed a combination boost and EGT gauge many years ago.

Both the boost and EGT gauge readings were lower than normal for this truck, which indicated a possible leak of boost pressure and therefore little added fuel. Experience of many members who own this truck model told me that I should look at the boost system first, then the fuel system. See the sidebar article for more info on boost and EGT gauges.

This same problem can crop up on any Turbo Diesel, regardless of brand or year of manufacture. You should frequently check your Turbo Diesel’s charge air system for any boost leaks. Since even a tiny boost leak will cut power and efficiency of the engine. The most common problem is a rubber portion of the piping system between the turbo, through the intercooler, and into the intake manifold slipping under the hose clamp that is located at all rubber-to-metal junctions of the turbo system. Inspect the system both visually and

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by feeling around the boot with your fingers on a cool engine. If you suspect a leak, try squirting the area with soapy water and look for bubbles. Repositioning the rubber boot and re-tightening the clamp to 14 ft-lbs of torque will easily restore full engine performance and efficiency at little or no cost to you. After some research and repair, I’m now happy again with a good running truck that hauls it when you punch the “go” pedal, and gets great fuel mileage when you drive it easy. As proof of the cure, and proof that I didn’t have two leaks in the system, both gauge readings immediately returned to normal.

CI-4 PLUS OILS This column usually deals with frequently asked questions from members, but in this case, we’ll deal with a question that hasn’t even been asked, but surely will be soon. A new classification of engine oil has been introduced to meet the needs of heavy duty diesel engines equipped with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). That new oil classification is CI-4 PLUS (+) and was developed to better handle increased levels of engine lube oil soot, acids, and extra engine heat from the EGR system.

Since the B-series 5.9 liter Cummins engine used in your new Dodge doesn’t have EGR, you don’t need to buy this oil, right?

The reason for the above information is that you soon won’t be able to buy a diesel engine oil that isn’t rated as CI-4+, and this oil will work just fine in your engine even though it doesn’t have EGR. In other words, the oil is “backward compatible” and will protect older engines, too.

The next big hurdle of emission level compliance will occur in 2007, when engines will be required to meet tougher standards that will make them run with exhaust emissions that are up to 90 percent lower than today’s engines, which are already pretty clean.

Oils will then become available with different additive packages to help ensure that these future engines run clean and yet remain durable. There’s more information about 2007 engines later in this column.

The CI-4 designation was implemented in October, 2002. I’ve yet to find the CI-4+ lube oil at any of the local parts outlets.

IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued TDR FALL MEETING I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the East Tennessee and South Kentucky TDR chapter on a Saturday last October. It was held at Don’s Tractor and Diesel Truck Repair, nestled in the green hills of rural Eastern Tennessee. Don’s lot was filled to overflowing with shining Turbo Diesels of all shapes, ages, and sizes. To contact Don for service or performance work on your truck, call (423) 3450466. Don is competent and thorough.

In addition to nice prizes for the show-n-shine contest, special trophies were awarded to several participants. A trophy was awarded to those 24-valve engine owners who had repeatedly replaced fuel system lift pumps. Don got the great idea of gutting these dead pumps that were piling up in a corner of his shop, cleaning them of accumulated grime, and placing a plastic model of a Dodge truck on top. Thus starts a new tradition for this local chapter of presenting the “dead lift pump award”!

better fuel mileage. In late October, we were supposed to join an RV rally group at Santa Rosa Island, near Pensacola, Florida. That rally got moved to Alabama after Ivan flattened the park on Santa Rosa Island. Lots of TDR buddies called to see if we were okay since many areas were being flooded in Eastern Tennessee (we got no worse than wet feet), and we called others to check on their welfare, too.

As this portion of our narrative is being written in October, we are faced with two-dollar-per-gallon diesel fuel prices, and that means we must be more efficient in our trip planning, and we must ride less and sit in one place more. This is the only way that your writer can see to send the message to the guys that control crude oil prices that I’ll drive less, use less fuel, but still accomplish our travel goals.

This plan also includes ensuring that our ride operates as efficiently as possible, and that all possible maintenance is kept current with an eye toward best fuel mileage. Little things like good driving habits and keeping tire pressures right can make an amazing difference.

The moved RV rally was held in a state park on top of a mountain outside Huntsville, Alabama. It was a long tortuous pull to the mountaintop, with lots of gear changes and plenty of hard work from the engine. And for four days I worried about the trip back down with our heavy rig, but we took our time and made it just fine.

Following the rally, we meandered around the South, more slowly than usual, and spent a few days at the beautiful Henderson Beach State Park near Destin, Florida. This park sits on the beachfront, so warm water lapping the sand put us to sleep on several nights when we kept our windows open. We then traveled to Cumming, Georgia, to spend a couple of days with TDR editor Robert Patton and his wife Robin, who are two of our favorite folks. The visit was a combination of fun and business, as we always trade lots of ideas.

We then headed back to Florida, and spent a number of days in a campground bordering the Suwanee River (yep, just like the song says, we were “way down upon the Suwanee”) with moss hanging from live oak trees brushing the roof and sides of our camper. After nine serene days where I could finish this column we moved south near Daytona to spend Thanksgiving with friends who are still “tied down working stiffs” and can’t travel as easily as we do.

This novel trophy crafted by Don Peters is called “The Dead Lift Pump Award.”

A comedy point of the meeting was provided by your writer, who must be gaining weight. A table upon which I was perched caved in disrupting the meeting and thoroughly embarrassing me in front of my peers, as I tried to untangle myself from the table’s remains. Call me a Phoenix rising from the wreckage! Some days are like that.

JIM’S TRAVELS There’s not as much as usual to tell. We were at our Tennessee home from mid-August until late in October. That’s not to say that our time spent was dull. We played host to several RV friends from Florida who chose to stay with us while the lashing hurricanes spent themselves further south in September. We caught up on maintenance projects on trucks and trailer. I was able to do some little projects on our trusty ’94 Turbo Diesel in the quest for even

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While in the campground, I met former TDR member Fred Raines who sold his Dodge some years ago and who favorably remembered his TDR membership days. Fred mentioned that he has the first 30 issues of the Turbo Diesel Register magazine that he wishes to sell to someone who will value that information as highly as he has done. If you’d like to own one or more of these back issues or buy the whole set, you can call him at (386) 362-3454. He’s in Florida on Eastern time.

Since it is still undecided where we’ll go from here, you’ll have to find out in the next issue whether we went south or west for the rest of the winter. Meanwhile, we hope we get to meet up with you during our travels. Just look for the TDR member stickers on the rig.

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IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued I SEE IT COMIN’ AND IT AIN’T PRETTY The buzz in the truck industry is that big-truck market leader Freightliner, a DaimlerChrysler division, is pushing Mercedes-power in their heavy duty trucks with big discounts. How long will it be until Dodge is pushing a Mercedes engine in their pickup trucks? I bet the parent division (Chrysler group) is headed that way, if they heed the orders of their German parent bosses. Cummins, Inc., the company that brought true turbocharged diesel power to light duty trucks and long before that to America’s heavy truck fleet, will not benefit from such a move, and neither will we as Dodge/Cummins owners and Turbo Diesel Register members.

Retired Dodge engineer Troy Simonsen of Michigan, who is still an active TDR member, and John Keele of Cummins, also a retired engineer, together acted on an idea and stuffed the first B-series engine into a Dodge pickup in 1984 and started a Turbo Diesel pickup revolution. These two fine people who made truck history will surely mark it as a sad day if Mercedes power replaces Cummins power in our favorite locomotive-with-comfy-couch. Rumor has it that next issue’s magazine will re-visit this lesson in Turbo Diesel history. Troy and his wife Cece are pictured in Issue 46. We owe these guys our continuing gratitude for such a great idea and the hand work it took to bring that idea to fruition. In a spirit of can-do attitude they made it happen first, and from that day forward, the turbo diesel power race between truck competitors was on.

Ahem. Pardon me while I dismount my soapbox.

IRAQ POWER Some of the e-mail I get comes from folks who are not TDR members but who find my e-mail address on the TDR website as the listed truck technical questions person. I try to answer non-member e-mail questions and add that they should join the club. In one recent case, I gave a non-member a lot more help than usual, since he’s trying to maintain a bunch of generator sets for the military serving in Iraq, and anything we can do to help our armed forces personnel is essential.

The e-mail from Robert L. Ellsworth, serving with a contractor to our military forces near Mosul, Iraq, had to do with diesel generator set engine failures due to adverse operating conditions. He felt that adding lube oil to the diesel fuel and JP8 fuel they burn in the generator sets would perhaps cut injection pump failures, and that building sheds over the generator sets and their 1,000 gallon fuel tanks would help in cooling the fuel supply. I agree with his assessment of the cures. I wouldn’t ordinarily recommend adding lube oil to fuel to better lube the injection pump because of to the possible negative consequences of injector and valve fouling deposits; but when a high failure rate is encountered, you have nothing to lose by trying. These particular generator set engines run for many days at a time under continuous full load, unlike the conditions the same engine in on-road service would encounter. In this case, adding lube oil to the generator set’s fuel is likely the only option, as other types of fuel additives for enhancing lubrication are probably not available anywhere within a thousand miles of where these gensets operate.

Another of Mr. Ellsworth’s complaints was a 20% loss of power, so cooling the fuel would act to help make the engine put out full power. I also suggested he modify the fuel line between the fuel

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filter(s) and the injection pump to either move it away from the hot engine to cool the fuel or to devise a small radiator with a small fan behind it to run the hot fuel through just before it enters the engine’s injection pump. Since a generator set engine is not moving through the air as the same engine in our trucks would do, they build up a lot more “static” heat, thus cutting power output.

I closed my e-mail back to him by telling him how much I appreciate his sacrifice in being so far away from home, in the dirt, and in danger, even though his contractor company pays him well.

MOBIL’S NEW SLICK STUFF Regular readers of this column will remember that I have repeatedly cautioned against using Mobil’s synthetic Mobil 1 motor oils in their Cummins diesel engines because it doesn’t have the proper API service rating (the donut symbol on the container) for engines made after 1993. This situation was a real shame, because it has been the only widely available synthetic oil, and could be found at almost any automotive retail store you might care to enter.

TDR member Jacob Fanz notified me that Mobil has now introduced a full-synthetic diesel-rated truck and SUV 5W-40 (that’s right, 5W-40) with an API classification of CI-4, which will make this oil suitable for use in all diesels (including our truck engines) up through the 2005 model year. Such a light cold viscosity and broad viscosity range should greatly aid starting in very cold weather while also continuing to protect and lubricate at very high operating temperatures. And best of all, you should be able to find it at almost any retail automotive outlet. There is currently no guidance from Mobil about extended oil drain intervals or suitability for use with bypass filtration systems.

Thanks to Jacob’s research, my mind is now at ease as to its suitability for use in our truck engines. By the time you read this, Mobil 1 diesel-rated truck and SUV synthetic 5W-40 engine oil should be widely available at a store near you. And I’ll happily reverse my earlier stand.

I urged Jacob to do a before and after oil analysis, get mileage and oil consumption numbers, and write a user impression for the TDR magazine, sharing his findings with all of us in a future issue. My thanks go to Jacob for his alertness to this new product and his research that made this ‘ole man change his stubborn mind.

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IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued MEMBER GETS MAD—BUT NOT EVEN The following is an e-mail from an irate California member who apparently owns a ’99-’02 truck, and my response to his correspondence may prove useful or instructional to you.

Member: “With multiple lift pump failures (experienced by) myself and thousands across the country, why has there not been a recall or a class action suit to end this problem once and for all?”

‘Ole Jim’s Answer: Dear Mr. Member. Though the lift pump has been a problem on ’98.5-’02 model trucks, they have mostly been covered under warranty. A revised model of lift pump introduced in late ’99 greatly helped the situation after the manufacturer identified one problem as a bearing that broke the motor shaft. Some pumps failed (and still do) because of poor electrical connections. That particular problem isn’t the fault of the pump, but rather of vehicle use and lack of maintenance. Now to some points I must make: 1.

Nobody builds a perfect truck, computer, or most any other device you care to name. I wish it were so, but it is not. My computer fails a lot more often than my truck. I’ve found that trading trucks means trading one set of problems with which I’m familiar for another set of problems with which I’m unfamiliar, but will soon be required to become familiar.

2.

Recalls are for safety related items, and a failed lift pump won’t likely cause a wreck, fire or other safety-related condition that would prompt a recall under federal guidelines.

3.

Likewise, a class action suit wouldn’t carry much weight since most of these pumps have been replaced under the five year/100,000 mile engine warranty. Lift pump failure is a bother to us truck owners, but little more than that. Class action litigation is expensive, time consuming, always adversarial, and too often not the solution to the problem. Usually, the only folks who make money from a class action suit are the attorneys.

Such suits can tie you up and perhaps your truck for years before being resolved. Class action lawsuits most often are concerned with the way a company does business rather than with product faults that don’t physically injure clients.

4.

Monitoring fuel pressure with a gauge is a solution worked out a long time ago by TDR members. The solution has been simple, effective, and not expensive. Most of these pump failures are gradual in nature, and with a gauge, you can usually schedule lift pump replacement at a convenient time when or if it is needed. Consider the purchase of a spare pump.

5.

Preventive maintenance of the wiring and its connections seems to greatly diminish lift pump failures that are electrical rather than mechanical in nature. This is often missed by dealer techs when working on/replacing a pump. Another point often-missed by techs is to clean the screen of the fuel heater/ pre-filter to make sure adequate fuel flow is available to the pump (if your truck is so equipped).

6.

The tone of your e-mail indicates you’re angry about this problem. Rather than be reactive in threatening to sue somebody, why not become proactive by installing a gauge, keeping a spare pump, and learning how to make the repair (Issue 34, page 48), and doing the aforementioned preventive

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maintenance?

Yep, I too wish my truck was perfect, but I’ll accept the fact that my ride is an agglomeration of many parts and systems, some of which are bound to be better than others. And that’s why I try my best to keep a good relationship with my dealer and with the shop techs.

Perhaps this e-mail’s writer has lost sight of the fact that by-and-large our Dodge Turbo Diesel trucks run well, are economical to operate, and hold their resale value well. Unlike Fords, which have a piston and cavitation erosion problem that often requires replacement of the entire engine block assembly, and unlike Chevy, whose diesel has experienced head gasket problems, again costing big bucks to cure if out of warranty, we’ve got a good engine. Yep, I’d rather spend a couple of hundred bucks on a Dodge lift pump than several thousand on a new Ford engine block. (After all, when you’ve repaired the engine, it’s still just a Ford). ’03-‘04 GAUGE INSTALL We recently had a nice visit at our Tennessee digs from long-time TDR members Bill and Billie Marie Carlyle, who have been pulling an RV around North America full-time for 16 years. Bill wanted to install some gauges in his new ’04 truck, and I needed the experience, since it had been two years since I installed the same gauges in my own truck. So we did the project together. In order to write this

“THE ENGINE THAT COULD” STILL CAN There’s almost nothing I’d rather do while camping than settle down under a nice shade tree with a good book. Courtesy of the editor I was lucky enough to read a copy of the book The Engine That Could, written about the first 75 years of Cummins Engine Company. This book was published in 1997 by the Harvard Business School Press.

You’ll hear more about Cummins history in a separate article, but I want you to know that if you can find a copy of this book, you should certainly read it, not only because it’s a good American success story, but because it provides lots of information.

You and I as members of the Turbo Diesel Register long ago sent the signal to Dodge that we prefer a Cummins diesel engine over all others. Dodge, so far, has made the decision to keep supplying Cummins engines in our trucks, even though their parent company (who has to be putting big pressure on Dodge to change) now owns three companies that make diesel engines. These are MercedesBenz division of DaimlerChrysler, Detroit Diesel division of DaimlerChrysler, and Italian engine maker VM Motori. Two of these makers offer engines that are in the right horsepower/torque range and will fit under the hood of our favorite locomotive.

So, if you like your Cummins, make some noise with the Dodge corporate folks whenever you get the chance. Cummins should be tooting its horn, loudly, too, lest it lose this high volume business.

As an aside, we’ve gotten reports from two TDR members who saw a test version of a Dodge truck with a 6.4 liter Cummins engine installed that looked very much like the existing 5.9 liter engine now installed, but boasted 425 horsepower. The horsepower race continues, and we’ll continue to benefit.

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IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued column, I always need to learn about the newest model’s quirks. We used the Westach combo (EGT and boost) gauge and the Westach automatic transmission temperature gauge. Bill wanted to install them in the open center pocket of the dash using the AutoMeter angled three-gauge fixture from Geno’s Garage. Bill will later install a third gauge to monitor something else—maybe the temperature of his partner Billie Marie’s temper in heavy traffic.

I suggested we install a large red button in the third gauge hole and label it “LASER TRAFFIC BLASTER.” The button would not be connected to anything, and wouldn’t do anything but make you feel better. Sorry, but this is not my idea. Many years ago, I ran the fleet service operation for Rural/Metro fire department in Knox County, Tennessee, and some joker had installed such a button on the dash of one of the ambulances we maintained. I thought the button was really neat at the time, and I well understood the driver’s frustrations in trying to work his way through heavy and unyielding traffic while making an emergency run. Call it a way of privately cussing out those drivers in front of you who are asleep at the wheel. Ya gotta be there to fully understand. Now back to the installation.

Here are some tips we learned during this gauge installation: The center dash panel is held in place by metal spring snaps and one screw in the lower right corner behind the “purse hanger.” By gently prying the center section of the dash loose at the corners and working toward the center, the whole center section of the dash trim panel will come loose. Don’t forget to remove that single screw! Remove the four wiring connectors from their mounts by squeezing the lock clips on the sides of the connectors. With the wire connectors loose, the whole dash panel center cover can be removed, and the gauge installation can proceed. Remove the four screws that hold the dash pocket box in place on the rear side of the dash trim panel and save all for later use.

The AutoMeter gauge plastic piece kit that holds the gauges in the dash comes with metal straps or brackets that are too short to properly hold things in place and don’t really work well when using Westach gauges. We instead cut a big hole in the bottom toward the rear of the plastic box we removed from the dash panel, and removed the box bottom’s rubber mat and discarded it. After positioning the three gauge pod in the opening in the dash panel, and trimming the box mounting posts as needed with a Dremel tool, we used the box to compress the triple gauge panel to the dash panel and routed all wiring and the boost hose through the

hole we cut in the bottom of the box. Use the four removed box screws to reattach the box to the dash panel, thus properly locating the gauge panel.

The metal straps are drilled to fit the legs of the Auto Meter gauges. The legs can be redrilled to work with other brands of gauges.

I strongly recommend Painless Wiring’s “Circuit boss” accessory wiring block for wiring in any electrical accessories to your truck.

We simply ran a wire to the master fuse panel to pick up ignitionon power for this installation. Put an in-line fuse in the “hot” line as near as possible to the power source to prevent an electrical short circuit. Bill had previously drilled a hole in the firewall for an earlier wiring project, and he had thoughtfully made it big enough for this future project’s wiring, too. It was sealed with flexible body putty, but you can also use silicone caulk or other similar material to keep water and dust out of the cab. Installing a short piece of convoluted plastic wiring loom into the hole before running any wires will protect the wiring insulation and boost gauge hose from the sharp metal edges of the drilled hole. Your local auto parts store also sells body hole grommets for this purpose.

We used a hollow, tapped intake manifold bolt inserted into one of the intake manifold’s bolt holes to pick up boost pressure for the boost gauge. This bolt really simplified and sped up the installation, and came with very clear instructions from the vendor, Geno’s Garage. Without this bolt, we’d have had to drill and tap the intake air horn to accept the boost hose’s 1/8 inch barbed brass fitting.

We caution you to read the instructions and only tighten this special manifold bolt to 12 ft-lbs of torque. We threaded the 1/8 inch barbed brass fitting into the manifold bolt before installing the bolt into the intake manifold. We installed a plastic tie wrap around the installed rubber boost hose to hold it in place against full turbo boost pressure.

Likewise, we used a nylon tie wrap around the boost hose at the rear of the gauge.

Dash picture

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IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued After all of the gauge wiring was completed, the gauges were slipped into their holes and held in place with a dab of silicone caulk on the back side of the gauge. The assembled dash panel was then put back in place. If you ever need to remove a gauge for work, just cut the silicone dab with a pocketknife and scrape off the excess before re-cementing it into place again.

Since we ordered the 1/8-inch EGT probe, the instructions told us to use a 5/16-inch drill bit on the exhaust manifold, and use a 1/8-inch NPT tap to install threads in the hole drilled into the exhaust manifold aft of the number three cylinder’s outlet. Making a hole any farther aft in the manifold will require the use of a right angle drill, which we did not have at the time and location of the installation.

Westach dipstick sensor.

We used the Westach dipstick sensor to monitor transmission temperature and wired it to the Westach transmission temperature gauge. Bill reported no problems in fixing the sensor to the transmission’s dipstick, and a little work with a small drill bit allowed us to run the wires through the plastic top of the dipstick. Seal the drilled holes with a bit of JB weld or silicone caulk to hold the wires in place and to prevent dirt entry into the transmission.

For the drilling operation we used a 5/16-inch drill bit. During all drilling, we held a magnet very close to the bit and removed the bit from the manifold frequently to clean drill filings off the bit, magnet, and drill site. Just prior to breaking through the exhaust manifold we coated the drill bit with grease to catch the metal shavings.

Once we broke through to the inside of the manifold, we cleaned the metal shavings from the hole with a small cylindrical magnet, thus removing all drilling metal. We followed the same method for removing the thread tap metal shavings while threading the hole in the manifold. The few metal particles left behind (if any) will blow right through the turbo at engine startup without damage.

A hint at this point is to insert a small polarized plug in the line between the gauge and the dipstick sensor near the dipstick (included in our Geno’s Garage kit) so that you can unplug the wires when you want to check transmission fluid level, rather than leaving enough wire hanging to allow you to pull the dipstick all the way out of the tube. All that spare wire will surely land on a hot exhaust manifold and kill the sensor. Use nylon wire ties to keep everything nice and neat, and away from hot parts!

Installed EGT probes

Though starting the thread tap was difficult with the tools we had on hand, we pursued the project with a few well-timed “words of encouragement” of the four-letter variety and we eventually had the hole tapped with nice clean threads. The EGT probe was screwed in tight, and the whole installation completed and buttoned up. And, best of all, Bill reports that after a little electrical troubleshooting of a miswired connection, the gauges work like a charm! We ain’t perfect, but we’re persistent!

Install a polarized plug for easy disconnect.

Another hint is to route one lead of the dipstick sensor to a good ground under the hood, and route the ground lead of the gauge to a good ground under the dash, rather than tying them together. That way, the sensor gets a good underhood ground point, and the gauge also gets a good interior ground point, and it saves running an extra wire through the firewall with an intermediate ground.

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Drilling and tapping an exhaust manifold may seem intimidating to some Turbo Diesel Register members, and you can certainly find a competent person to do this part of the job for you. But you can also buy the drills and taps for just a few bucks if you don’t already have them, and then practice on a junk piece of metal before attempting the task on something as important and expensive as an exhaust manifold. Try holding the tap in position, then turn it with a drill tap “T” handle until it is tight. You must use a bit of downward pressure on the tap to make it bite into the metal. When it’s tight, back it off 1/4 round, then turn it in 1/2 round, then back it off 1/4 turn again. By

IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued repeatedly turning the tap tighter, then looser, the tap will completely thread the hole and clean the threads of loose metal. Use a bit of lube to ease the tap’s progress, but keep the shavings wiped off and re-apply the lube often. Practice makes perfect, and the extra time spent on a piece of scrap metal will be rewarded with a perfect job on the important stuff.

You’ll feel a lot of pride in your new accomplishment and the installation of your new and important gauges, and you can pass your gained knowledge along to someone else who has not yet had the courage to try such a project. Believe me when I say that I learned from a mentor who supervised my work, and now I get to pass that knowledge along to you. I certainly wasn’t born with an innate knowledge of things mechanical. It was a skill I learned by extending my limits and trying new things, and by honing my skills by trial and error on scrap. If I can do it, you can too! Actually, this ‘ole man had fun, and he ain’t no pro! You can succeed too.

Way before this point, you may ask yourself, “Why do I need any extra gauges?” After all, your truck comes from the factory perfectly engineered and ready for work. Well, a boost and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) gauges can tell you a lot about the health of your engine. Pistons inside the engine can melt if EGT gets too high. This limit can easily be reached if you’ve added a fuel enhancement device for more power. Turbocharger boost is automatically controlled by the wastegate, but if there’s a boost leak (typically a loose clamp or mis-aligned rubber hose on the intake air plumbing from the turbocharger-to-intercooler or intercooler-tointake manifold) the pressure will be lower than normal. Fuel will still be delivered but, without the needed oxygen, will go out the tailpipe as black, sooty smoke. Often the EGT will be higher than normal if there is this type of overfueling condition.

If you see both lower than normal EGT and boost, you likely have a fuel filter that is stopping up. An EGT gauge is very important to tell you when the turbo is cool enough to shut the engine down. In trucks with automatic transmissions, a transmission temperature gauge is essential if you tow a trailer. It is very easy to overheat the transmission’s fluid while maneuvering into a tight spot. At slow speeds there is little air flow across the transmission cooler radiator.

High fluid temp is the number one killer of automatic transmissions.

Recent TDR Issue 42, “The Way We Were—Automatic Transmission Temperatures,” has a great article on how hot is too hot.

In a sidebar article we’ll cover yet another reason to invest in gauges.

SIDEBAR THE CASE FOR BOOST AND EGT GAUGES I, and other writers for this magazine, have long sung the praises of getting and using boost and exhaust gas temperature (EGT) gauges. As an example, you may want to re-read Issue 45’s “The Way We Were—Establishing a Baseline” by James Langan. We’ve all heard about the benefits of avoiding high EGT readings that can melt engine pistons, and the diagnostic value of gauge readings to tell when something’s not right under the hood. And it is important to consult the EGT gauge before shutting down your engine to ensure that temps are below 300° F to keep from coking up the turbo bearings with scorched oil. Every diesel truck owned by your writer has the Westach combo boost and EGT gauge installed, not only because it looks good, but because it provides me with needed information on a continuous basis while I’m driving. The Geno’s folks tell me this gauge has always been one of the catalog’s best sellers.

Another good reason to buy and use these gauges while driving is that fuel mileage can be improved. In this day of high fuel prices, the payback of gauge cost in fuel savings alone could be surprisingly fast. At least the prospect of improving fuel mileage is another good reason to justify the cost of something you’ve likely wanted to have anyway.

An array of gauges and mounts from Geno’s Garage.

In an unloaded truck, the engine doesn’t much care whether you’re running down the road at 1,000 or 2,000 RPM. There’s plenty of torque at low engine speeds to move the truck at desired road speed under most driving conditions. As long as your right foot presses lightly on the power pedal, fuel mileage is at its best and the engine is turning slowly. The situation becomes a bit more complicated when the truck is loaded or towing where more power generation becomes necessary, but this different set of driving conditions also offers opportunities to improve fuel mileage.

We’ve long known that our Cummins B-series engines operate very efficiently when boost is less than 10 PSI, and EGT is at or below 600 degrees F. Whether loaded or unloaded, operating your engine at or below these numbers yields best fuel economy. For you manual transmission owners, getting into the highest gear possible

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IDLE CLATTER . . . . Continued as soon as possible while observing the above readings will give best results. For automatic transmission owners a light throttle starting out, and backing out of the throttle to force upshifts to get into the highest gear as soon as possible can yield similar results.

While accelerating from a resting position up to the desired speed, keeping at or below these numbers will use less fuel than any other acceleration method.

flows through the engine and the EGT readings drop and more power is generated. Particularly in the case of the 24-valve version of the engine, fuel consumption in terms of pounds of fuel used per horsepower generated per hour of time is about the same at 2,0002,200 RPM as it is at 1,600 RPM, even though more horsepower is being generated. Ah, the marvels of modern diesel engine fuel management electronics.

Remember these numbers, “under 10 and under 600.” A set of boost and EGT gauges takes the guesswork out of meeting these goals.

These numbers were arrived at about 70 years ago by Cummins Engine Company founder Clessie Cummins, and they still hold true today! For long-time TDR members you may want to take a nostalgic look at Issue 20, page 20.

For 12-valve engine owners, the magic number for full throttle road operation seems to be just under 2,000 RPM where adequate horsepower is generated for pulling a load up a hill while still retaining good fuel usage efficiency. Keeping engine speed below 2,000 RPM therefore is best in terms of fuel efficiency. If there is not a concern for high EGTs you’ll want to re-read “The Way We Were” for engine RPM and cruising tips.

If you have a manual transmission, when loaded or towing it is possible to lug the engine, which can quickly kill it (call that expensive!) All engines installed in our trucks reach peak torque at 1,600 RPM. Operating a loaded truck at full throttle below that 1,600 RPM engine speed can quickly send EGT readings up into the 1,100 degree range while boost readings descend toward the zero mark as engine speed diminishes. That scenario can be an engine killer. And, more importantly, engine fuel efficiency goes out the window. Downshifting to a lower gear to raise engine speed when needed will actually cause it to use less fuel to move the load while avoiding possible engine damage. Because the engine is now operating in the 2,000-2,200 RPM range, full boost is returned, air

TST PowerMax CR gauge readings.

So for both 12 and 24-valve engine owners, regardless of engine speed and truck load, keeping as near as possible to these readings, where terrain permits, will reward you at the fuel island.

The message here then is to balance engine speed for getting enough horsepower and torque to adequately move the load at the desired speed while maintaining the aforementioned boost and EGT readings wherever possible, and with an eye toward keeping the EGT reading out of the danger range on hard pulls.

So, as you blithely motor down the highway loaded with umpteen pounds of stuff in the bed or towing that zillion pound trailer, the more time the engine spends in an operating range where boost readings are at or below 10 PSI and the EGT readings are at or below 600 degrees, the more efficiently the engine will be running and the better your fuel mileage will be on a given trip. Shifting up and down to maintain these readings whenever possible will mean the engine is happy and not in a strain, and will reward your effort with fewer trips to the fuel island.

The message: Buy and use the gauges. They are even more useful than you originally thought!

Jim Anderson TDR Writer

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It has been duly noted that the TDR has reprinted material from previous magazines. Deciding when this practice is appropriate and timely is a difficult task—darned if you do, darned if you don’t.

After 11 years it should not surprise me that we get numerous letters and phone calls about fuel mileage. In my search for an answer, I went back to Issue 29. Rather than re-invent the wheel, let’s let Joe Donnelly discuss the subject using his article “Fuel Economy with Power.”

Issue 29 was published in August of 2000 and incorporates graphs and charts for the 12 and 24-valve engines . . .

Note to Editor: the more things change, the more they remain the same.

FUEL ECONOMY WITH POWER

By Joe Donnelly How often have you heard a Turbo Diesel owner brag about the two things we love so much—power and economy? First he says his truck can tow umpteen thousand pounds up a cliff at 75 miles-perhour. Then he says his Turbo Diesel gets 47 miles-per-gallon doing it! Certainly, we would admit no less to the PowerStroke owner on the next seat at the counter. In previous Technical Topics, we have discussed some strategies for increasing power, in case we want “just a little more” to humiliate that Ford or Chevy pulling a similar trailer up the hill behind us. (In our stories, they are never next to us or in front, of course!) In this issue, we will discuss some real-world strategies for improving miles-per-gallon (mpg). Even if 47 is an elusive goal . . . (Now, admit it, you know darn well you never got over 42 mpg, and that it dropped all the way to 37 mpg when towing your 40’, 18,000 pound fifth-wheel.)

Okay, folks. Enough stretching of the truth (creativity, lying, or whatever you call it). A few of us admit, in strict privacy of course, that our beloved Turbo Diesels don’t even get 20 mpg (under some conditions, or ever, depending on the individual truck and owner).

That magic number 20 seems to be the price of entry into the Turbo Diesel Hall of Fame. When measuring fuel consumption, first of all, be sure your measurement is accurate. It is very easy to get fooled.

Here is a typical scenario that results in Mr. Rammer swearing his ride gets 27 mpg: First Mr. Rammer fills the tank slowly, taking a half hour to squeeze in the last few gallons around the foam in the filler neck. The truck is tilted forward and to the right, and rocked frequently by hand, so the last bit of airspace can be displaced with precious #2 diesel. Carefully and tightly, he screws on the filler cap, but quickly so none of the fuel can drool out. For step two, a trip of 100 miles is taken, mostly downhill with a tailwind. Then, the tank is refilled quickly, and considered full when the nozzle clicks off the first time. Lo and behold, 2.13 gallons registered on the pump! Almost

feverishly, Mr. Rammer pulls out his calculator and with shaky hand punches in 100 ÷ 2.13 and voila—47mpg!

Get the point? Mileage must be calculated over a long distance of similar speed/terrain/driving, or representative and mixed types of driving, for you to tell much about the efficacy of a modification intended to increase fuel efficiency. Repeated measurements taken over an extended period of time, and averaged, make for much better accuracy. Fill the tank the same way and at the same pump every time. “Almost 20” often becomes 19 or even 18.5 mpg when you remove the inadvertent fudge factors—like rounding the miles up and rounding the tenths of a gallon down. By now Mr. Rammer is irate because I have impugned his veracity (uhhh, called him a liar, but politely). Even if our Turbo Diesels don’t all get 20+ mpg, they can give decent mpg and power too. Let’s go through some modifications that enhance mileage without hurting power, and some that increase power without hurting mileage. Some things help both!

For purposes of this discussion, I have tried to be as impartial as possible in calculating mpg while testing changes, and the types of improvements worth trying. As much as it hurts, I have to admit that the test Turbo Diesel gave under 20 mpg (gasp!) under almost all types of driving. Here in the West, there are large open spaces, 75 mph speed limits even on two lane roads, and good opportunities to pass those who feel that 50 is the right speed. Of course these folks are encountered only in no-passing zones, so aggressive use of the right foot is called for to pass when there is finally a chance. At any rate, let’s note that, as a baseline, the test ‘96 Turbo Diesel with a 215 horsepower engine and a five-speed manual transmission has given the same range of mileage over time since new, until making changes in injectors and pump timing, and that the driver’s right foot (read: hard acceleration and top speed) is the biggest factor in the mileage. It could get, and has gotten, over 20 mpg with gentle application of the loud pedal, but typical figures are in the 16-19 mpg range for city and highway driving, using the capabilities of the mighty Cummins engine as needed and taking into account the poorer mileage that is typically encountered with winter blend diesel fuel. Practical tips in this article will help you increase your miles-per-gallon results, without doing anything radical like putting a 50 lb. spring on the accelerator.

In no particular order, some of the bigger add-ons that can hurt mileage include aftermarket front bumpers or brush guards (0.51.5 mpg), air and bug deflectors (0.5-1 mph in the worst cases), and other wind-dragging items like large mirrors and high profile bed caps or trailers. Interestingly, so-called airflow tailgates do not seem to help at all. Their major benefit may be the ability to see the roof of the minicar you are crushing when you back up! Dodge said that they worked the aerodynamics of the Turbo Diesel with the tailgate installed and closed, and that we should drive that way for best results (Issue 21, page 50). Monster, oversized tires hurt

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THE WAY WE WERE . . . . Continued several ways: rolling resistance, inertial loading (both accelerating and stopping), and weight. Underinflated tires hurt mileage too.

Carefully choose an inflation level that puts the whole tread on the road with the load you are carrying. That will usually be somewhere near the maximum inflation pressure for the tire. For example, you might run about 55 psi in the front with tires rated for 3,000 lb. at 65 psi. When empty, the rear tire pressure could be lower, perhaps 50 psi. Check with your tire company for specifics to your tires. As has been noted in the TDR several times, mpg is reduced by four-wheel drive, 4.10 gears (vs. 3.54), automatic transmission, and dual rear wheels. Obviously, weight also reduces mpg, whether in the form of vehicle options, cargo, or a trailer.

Relatively minor effects upon mileage can add up. Reducing cruise speed and rpm helps. However, remember the Turbo Diesel transmissions are susceptible to damage from vibration at low rpm; thus it is preferable to cruise at 1,900-2,200 rpm as a compromise.

Cruise control can help about 1 mpg (unless you have a heavy load and it is hammering the pedal all the time). Radiator shutters in the winter enable the engine to reach a high enough temperature to operate efficiently. Overdrive helps in our Turbo Diesels, but if direct drive (4th in the five-speed, 5th in the six-speed, and 3rd in the automatic) could be used to maintain the proper engine rpm, a small gain in efficiency would be realized (perhaps 0.5 mpg). Along the same line, adding overdrive units can reduce efficiency somewhat, depending on what gear ratio is in use and what lubricant is used in them. Synthetic or specially manufactured lubricants help a little, too.

The latest Mopar automatic transmission fluids are semi-synthetic, and the manual transmissions use synthetic fluid from the factory.

Good quality synthetic lubricant in the differential(s) will help reduce friction and hence improve mpg slightly. (You may not see the gain, as it will be small.) Cold weather diesel fuel blends generally give 1-2 mpg less than summer fuel. Premium grade summer fuel may be the best in this regard, depending on how the higher cetane rating was achieved. If you add up a bunch of the above tips, you might get 0.5-1.0 mpg better, but don’t expect too much in the real world where so many other factors are involved.

Lower restriction exhaust, from the turbocharger housing on back, can help a bit. The engine has to do less work to remove the exhaust, and less turbocharger boost incurs less pumping loss, so long as the boost level is sufficient to burn the fuel efficiently.

The stock muffler is a source of some restriction and a straightthrough design can cut restriction. For most folks, the factory 3” diameter used from ‘94-’02 is probably quite sufficient, and it is certainly less expensive than buying a complete 4” system. The stock turbocharger exhaust housing is the biggest restriction in the ‘94-’02 Turbo Diesel’s exhaust. A larger exhaust turbine housing can improve economy a bit by reducing the pumping loss that is caused by forcing the exhaust through a small orifice. This turbine housing size must be balanced against responsiveness of the turbocharger (spool up) which tends to decrease as the housing becomes larger.

The biggest Cummins engines are characterized by lower pressure in the exhaust manifold (turbo drive pressure) than boost pressure.

With the HX35W turbocharger used on the ‘94-’02 Turbo Diesels, drive pressure is usually higher than boost pressure. With the stock wastegated 12 square centimeter (cross sectional area) turbine housing, drive pressure can be nearly double the boost pressure.

The engine has to do work to force the exhaust through the housing, which in the case of the 12 sq. cm. is the equivalent of a 1.5” inside diameter exhaust pipe, and is 49% the size of the turbo outlet! The engine does work to create boost, and that uses fuel. In general,

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you want just enough boost to efficiently burn the fuel that is needed to make the power required.

General driver habits make a big difference! Rate of acceleration, coasting down versus hammering the brakes, using cruise control, maintaining a moderate speed, limiting accessory use (such as air conditioning), making smooth starts, and minimizing idling and run time when stopped: these are all important in achieving maximum fuel mileage.

Volumetric Efficiency and BSFC Our engines make the best use of the fuel if it is injected at exactly the right time. It will then burn when the piston is positioned in the bore correctly so work can be done on it—it can be pushed down the bore, turning the crankshaft. If the fuel burns too soon, the force on the piston is inefficient because the piston is too close to top dead center, where the crankshaft is not positioned to turn as a result of force on the piston. If the fuel burns too late, the expanding gases do less work, there is less pressure on the piston, and much of the heat is ejected into the metal parts, water jacket, and exhaust system. Many of us have found that our engines can give excellent fuel economy when used at low power levels and low rpm. Three of the basic reasons for this observation are (1) the relatively small injectors used as original equipment in our engines are just the right size to inject a little fuel over a sufficiently small time interval for good efficiency; (2) the moderately advanced pump timing (generally 11-14 degrees) provides for fuel burning at the right time at moderate rpm and with fuel being injected over a short time interval; and (3) frictional and pumping losses are moderate at lower engine speeds.

Editor’s note: As I read the paragraph describing “the best use of the fuel if it is injected at exactly the right time,” I drew a quick parallel to two often discussed (Issue 7, 9, and 20) technical terms, Brake Specific Fuel Consumption and Volumetric Efficiency. In layman’s terms, brake specific fuel consumption is the efficiency of an engine.

BSFC is simply a value that helps us describe the engine’s ability to convert fuel into horsepower.

BSFC tells you how much fuel it takes your engine to produce each horsepower. The lower the BSFC value, the greater the fuel efficiency: Fuel consumption (gallon/hr) = (BHP x BSFC) ÷ 7.1 lbs/ gallon fuel. To better understand the BSFC let’s plot its resulting graph for two engines, a ’92.5/CPL1579, Cummins 160 horsepower engine and a ‘95/CPL1550, Cummins 175 horsepower engine. Next to the BSFC graphs let’s plot the engine’s torque and horsepower graphs.

THE WAY WE WERE . . . . Continued Did you notice the lowest (best) BSFC occurs at the same rpm as torque peak? Coincidental? I don’t think so! Both are determined by the engine’s ability to completely fill, compress, combust and exhaust air!

Now let’s see if we can get an understanding of volumetric efficiency.

Take a look at the torque and horsepower curves. As torque and rpm rise, horsepower also rises into the midrange of the engine.

Obviously, greater torque results in more horsepower. Ed Fortson, of 4-Wheel and Off-Road, does an excellent job of describing volumetric efficiency.

“At a certain point—varying with engine design—the torque curve drops off. Why? Remember that a big factor in torque production is the combustion pressure on the pistons. This pressure is greater at lower engine speeds, when the rpm allows more time for a bigger air charge to be drawn into the cylinder, more time for efficient combustion and for exhaust gases to be expelled. Engineers say that the volumetric efficiency (VE) is greater at low rpm—VE being a description of how well the engine draws in air. The formula looks like this: VE = actual air volume intake ÷ intake volume in ideal conditions.

“As rpm increases, there comes a point—again depending upon engine design—when combustion pressure decreases due to factors such as valve size and timing, fuel delivery and air flow through the intake and exhaust systems. In other words, VE decreases.

“Notice, however, that horsepower continues to increase for a time even after torque falters. This is due to increasing rpm, the other factor in horsepower production. And this is why you’ve probably heard that horsepower buys top speed whereas torque buys lowend power. It’s torque, not horsepower, you feel when you first punch your throttle.

“Finally, as the chart shows, horsepower is also dragged down by falling torque, increased friction and speed-related engine inefficiencies.

“Of course, the more torque you have to begin with, the more horsepower you’ll have and you’ll have it lower on the tach—ideal for pulling/hauling. Likewise, the higher and flatter the torque curve, the better midrange and top-end performance you’ll have—ideal for highway cruising.

“The bottom line: No matter what kind of pulling/hauling you do, torque is the heavy hitter!”

Final note, volumetric efficiency reaches its peak at the rpm at which the torque peak occurs. The physics to produce torque peak requires the greatest cylinder filling or volumetric efficiency.

12-Valve Owners

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THE WAY WE WERE . . . . Continued Interesting stuff? What does it mean to you? I hope you’ve learned from the efficiency relationships that it would be best to put your engine on cruise control at a speed corresponding to 1,600 rpm for the given 12-valve performance curve. At 1,600 rpm you’ve got the torque peak of the engine available to keep your speed constant as you encounter a grade. If your speed drops below 1,600 rpm, you had better downshift because it’s all “downhill” (back side of the torque curve) from there. You’ve obviously exceeded the maximum torque produced by the engine and multiplied by the gearbox/rear end ratio of the load you’re trying to propel.

Is it possible to cruise at 1,600 rpm? In Atlanta, to avoid being run over by traffic, you’ll have to exceed the 1,600 rpm setting. Also, cruising at this lower rpm range is not good for the transmission components. Nevertheless, we’ve enlightened you to seek 1,500/1,600 rpm for the best engine efficiency and mph. Thus now you know why my favorite questions for a low mpg complaint are, “How fast do you drive? What is your rear end ratio?” Hmmm . . . low mpg troubleshooting: sounds like a future article. Or, is it simply a matter of driving at a lower rpm/better BSFC number?

24-Valve Owners On the 12-valve engine the timing is fixed, the fuel delivery is governed by internal parts, and the performance curves are gentle sloping curves. BSFC, volumetric efficiency and peak torque curves go hand-in-hand. Easy to understand!

However, the performance curves for the 24-valve engines defy description. Look below and you’ll see what I mean.

Where is the gentle sweeping torque curve? What happened to volumetric efficiency? Note the revised BSFC curve. Let’s investigate further.

Electronic control of the Bosch VP44 fuel pump is the key to the 24valve engine’s ability to meet the ’98 emission standards. The VP44 electronic module/black box brings computer control to the engine.

The computer control allows for infinitely variable timing.

Electronic control, variable timing, variable fuel maps, a freebreathing 24-valve cylinder head—can the engineers custom tailor the BSFC curve, like they can the torque curve, to produce a straight line?

In regards to the 12-valve engine, we noted that it was not coincidental that BSFC was lowest/best at the same rpm as the best volumetric efficiency and peak torque. The physics to produce torque peak requires the greatest cylinder filling or volumetric efficiency.

But, now the torque curve is a straight line. However, volumetric efficiency is still a mechanical function (crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, camshafts, rocker arms and valve-train) and the resulting BSFC is still an ever-so-slight upward sloping curve.

Fuel Economy/Gearing Debate Close inspection of the respective 12-valve and 24-valve BSFC curves reveals that the BSFC has moved to a higher rpm! The preliminary data on BSFC for the 235 horsepower 24-valve engine shows the lowest (.334) number to be at 2000 rpm! We used the preliminary data curves from an early 24-valve engine, as the curves were not available for the higher horsepower engines. The numbers are on par with a 1600-1700 rpm BSFC on the 160 and 175 horsepower 12-valve engines of .340/.328.

Using BSFC numbers, you might want to gear the 24-valve engine with the higher 4.10 ratio to let the engines rev-out to about 2000 rpm. Or, are we again splitting hairs between the engine’s 2000 rpm/.334 number and its 1600 rpm/.337 number? This debate—as well as the debate over lost fuel mileage with the new 24-valve engine—will continue. The figures don’t lie . . . I don’t know the answer. Jim Anderson commented on the “4.10 gets better mileage than the 3.54” phenomenon in Issue 27, page 74. The topic was debated at the 2000 May Madness event also. My experience with my ’99 2500, 24-valve truck, 3.54 ratio, automatic is that my mileage is less by about one mpg than my ’96, 3500, 12-valve truck, 3.54 ratio, five-speed. Oh, did I mention I drive the ’99 truck faster than the old ’96? Ah . . . but the ’96 dually was heavier by 600 pounds.

Apples and oranges? Does it matter? I’m very pleased with the mileage of the ’99 truck.

The Injector Topic As we move to higher power applications (whether the engine is stock or fueling has been enhanced) where more fuel is needed, bigger injectors can inject the needed volume of fuel over a significantly shorter time interval than small injectors. In this context, big or small refers to the size and number of injector holes or orifices. If the fuel is injected at the right moment, it will burn most efficiently. Smaller injectors would use a larger time window, and some of the fuel injected late would be wasted. Hence, more fuel would be needed with small injectors to produce the same power, and byproducts of this inefficiency would be waste heat and smoke.

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THE WAY WE WERE . . . . Continued That does not mean you need to change the injectors when you add a moderate amount of power (say, on the order of 50% over stock) with a torque plate or electronic box; the stock injectors will work, they are just a bit less efficient, and if you raise the power a lot, they are too small.

Depending on the rpm range being used, a bit more injection pump timing will reduce smoke significantly, increase fuel mileage, cut exhaust gas temperature a little, and cut mid range torque somewhat. Pump timing (P7100) in the range of 15-16 degrees works well for some applications. For example, in the case of the test 215 horsepower Turbo Diesel, average unloaded mileage went from 16–19 to a consistent 19.5-22 mpg with a change in injectors and pump timing, for highway driving at 1.900-2,200 rpm.

Twelve-valve Turbo Diesels with the P7100 pump and lower horsepower ratings than 215 may benefit somewhat from 215 injectors for mpg, while gaining 20-30 horsepower. The 215s can go to Bosch injectors for Marine-B engines. The 24-valve engines respond nicely to the 275 horsepower Bosch injectors. Feedback from a number of owners indicates that a 1.5 mpg gain is pretty generally realized on the 24-valve engines, along with some gain in horsepower (about 33 horsepower and 60 ft- lbs on manual transmission Turbo Diesels, 50 horsepower and 100 ft-lbs on automatics). Other aftermarket injectors may add more power than that, and time will tell how well they perform compared to Bosch in the long term. Thus, the theory of injecting the fuel at the optimum moment for most efficient burning is confirmed by real-world testing.

Editor’s note: You may say to yourself, “Gee, it looks all too simple . . . change (advance) the timing of the fuel delivery (on the 12-valve engines this is a mechanical change; on the 24-valve engines the auxiliary “black box” does the timing change) and throw in a set of big injectors for better mileage and power. Pretty simple, eh? Why didn’t those guys at the factory do that?” The answer is as simple as two words: exhaust emissions! D/C and Cummins have to play by a different set of rules than the owner of the vehicle. It is true that tampering with or disabling any component of the emissions control system (timing changes and big injectors are included here) is a direct violation of federal law (fines up to $25,000 per day, per violation). Owners have to weigh the consequences versus the increase in performance (Issue 26, page 32).

Are the performance vendors playing by the same set of rules as D/C and Cummins?

You’ll have to ask them as you make your performance purchase decisions. My experience has been that the answer is no.

Joe Donnelly TDR Writer Epilogue For this issue “The Way We Were” provides a great refresher for 12-valve and 24-valve owners. Of particular interest to all of the TDR audience is the discussion on BSFC and volumetric efficiency. Noting that we provided a preliminary performance curve for an early 24-valve (non-Dodge application) engine, this article should serve to update the five-year old information with a Dodge-specific data curve. However, the Dodge-specific curves were never published for the Cummins network as the Dodge engine is not an engine sold through the Cummins distributor system. The same story holds true for the ’03-’05 Dodge-specific Cummins engines.

Regardless, we can all learn from the BSFC and VE discussion and benefit by driving close to the engine’s BSFC and VE “sweet spot.” For 12-valver’s its 1600-1700 rpm; for 24-valver’s its 1600-2000 rpm; for HPCR engines it is a higher 1900-2100 rpm range as confirmed in discussions with Cummins Inc. engineers.

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Esoteric Dissertations on Manure Shoveling

by John Holmes THEME Our editor has asked us to give a little advice on how to market: the Dodge Ram pickup; the Cummins engine; the TDR magazine.

I love to give advice. I don’t charge anything for it, and it’s worth about the same amount.

Dodge: I think the overall advertising for the Ram line is okay, but I sure wish they’d put the same amount of effort (creativity) into the Cummins diesel line as they do with the Hemi-equipped stuff.

Using a take-off on the dudes that always ask the question, “That thing got a Hemi?” How about a couple of long, tall Texas types discussing truck engines: one says “I gotta Cummins in my Dodge just like them 18 wheelers has.” The other guy says, “Yeah, and some of ‘em have a Mercedes.” Then the first guy comes back with, “Ain’t Mercedes a woman’s name?”

I’m sure DaimlerChrysler would never go for it, but it’d sure catch attention. Before the merger of equals, TDR was promoted

by Dodge. However, now you’d be hard put to find anyone at Auburn Hills that knows what TDR is...pity, they’re missing a great opportunity to capitalize on a large loyal owner base.

Cummins: Cummins could emphasize their history of many firsts, like common rail injection and racing at Indy. Then they could go on to list the diesel’s uses today in boats, generators, trucks, RVs, farm machinery, etc. I’ve never seen an ad saying, “Dodge has sold X00,000 pickups since 1989 with the powerful Cummins engine.

Your next pickup should be a great Cummins-powered Dodge Ram!” The same ad could be aimed at RVs, big trucks, etc.

I can visualize a voice-over video ad with pictures of the production line at the MidRange Engine Plant talking about the quality built into the Cummins engine. That’s a very impressive facility. Cummins ads would be limited only by the producer’s imagination.

TDR: The TDR should be offering a free issue of the magazine and Geno’s Garage catalog to every purchaser of a new Cummins powered Dodge Ram. This would be done through the dealerships by furnishing them with coupons (postcards) where the buyer simply fills in their name and address for a trial issue. Carson Dodge sends a list of new sales to TDR headquarters for this purpose.

The TDR should push this program with counter displays that have a built-in pocket with these coupons, as well as encouraging dealerships to keep a supply of Geno’s catalogs at the parts counter, like we do at Carson Dodge. Some would say that those products compete with the Mopar line. That’s true in a few cases, but it’s

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more than made up for with the installation, in our shop, of many other things the customer orders from Geno’s that aren’t marketed

by Mopar.

Many TDR members personally push the TDR organization within their own dealerships. Why not furnish capable individuals with the necessary materials to do this in a really professional manner nationwide?

TIRED ENGINES Did you know that Mopar offers a complete line of remanufactured parts and engines for the Cummins diesel? Yeah, and we’ve had good luck with them when we’ve had to install a replacement for an engine with problems (like the owner who drove his truck down the mountain from Lake Tahoe to us in Carson City without any oil).

I said remanufactured, not rebuilt engines or parts. There’s a difference you know. Rebuilders generally replace only the failed parts. Now you’ve got some new parts and some old parts and that can lead to other problems. Of course some reman outfits take engineering shortcuts too. Just ask Bryan, our tech who specializes in engine change-outs, who became VERY familiar with a Chevy S-10 that just wouldn’t go away from our shop. A well known supplier of reman parts dropped by about once a week to bring us another engine. At first the block didn’t match and then when Bryan finally installed one, before he could drive it out the back door it was puking oil and water. The customer wondered why it took us so long.

Mopar engineering standards are very strict. All engines or parts must be returned to original equipment specs or they go in the dumpster. After passing a number of tests, a reman Cummins gets a 12-month/100,000-mile nationwide limited warranty. In addition to a complete engine, you can get long blocks, short blocks, turbos... and the list goes on and on.

It may cost a little more, but how much is it going to cost to put a couple of engines in before you luck out and get one that’s right?

God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.

RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued AWARDS

NORTH TO OREGON

Did you know that the 2004 Ram Heavy Duty received an award for the “Highest Ranked Heavy-Duty Full-Size Pickup in Initial Quality” by J. D. Power and Associates? Not only that, but the Ram SRT-10 got Sport Truck magazine’s “Performance Truck of the Year” plus it got Truck Trend’s “Best-In-Class Power Pickup.”

What is more, “Best-In-Class Heavy Duty” went to the Ram 2500 Hemi in Truck Trend, and the Ram 1500 “Received Five-Star, the highest government frontal crash test rating.” Let’s hear it for the winner—the Dodge Ram!

We had a great time, as usual, in Canby, Oregon, the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival with all of the TDR folks that dropped by, plus some who just came by to see what was going on or who were tired walking around and needed a place to sit down. I had a bigger, better presentation this time for the attendees due to the classes I’ve been conducting for Carson Dodge’s customers. I’ve collected pertinent Technical Service Bulletins, past TDR stories and other technical articles that assist in grasping the fundamentals of the care and feeding of your Ram. Add to that the compilation of all of the questions that have come up over time and you’ve got a three hour presentation full of “diesel sound bits,” plus a few “show and tells.” I’m John Holmes and I approved this message!

BAD VIBRATIONS In Issue 45 I wrote about some of the solutionswe found to the infamous vibration problems with the Third Generation Rams. As a result of that article I’ve received calls from techs in dealerships throughout the country. They’re all searching for ideas on what to do. It’s been great because, as we talk, we’re building on the overall base of knowledge on the “V” problem.

The only thing new that we’ve discovered is that in one particularly bad Ram, with the shakes at 65-70 mph, we lifted the engine and transmission and slightly adjusted their position on the frame mounts. It was a miracle! It went from being a candidate for a factory buyback to one of the smoothest units I’ve driven. In fact, when fellow TDR writer Jerry Nielsen came by for a visit, I told him the history on the truck and how it had come back to life as a candidate for sale. He took it out for a drive to evaluate the degree of its recovery and wound up buying it!

A call from a North Dakota dealership brought another solution.

The tech said he’d fixed one with a bad launch shutter problem by dropping in a couple of bottles of limited slip differential friction modifier additive (Mopar part number 4318060AB) to the American axle even though they’re not supposed to need it since they don’t have the clutches like the Danas. We talked about how the “feeling” of the shudder is just like the Dana axle when it doesn’t have the additive. He figured, what the heck, let’s try it...it sure won’t hurt.

Problem solved.

Tim McFarland of U-Neek Chrome Pickup Products rode shotgun with me again. Tim lives in Canby and I’m always pleased when he drops by to show off his many fine products. He started out by chroming just the end of tailpipes, but now he’s expanded into many other truck goodies. I especially like the chrome tow hooks that he’ll swap out with your stock black ones on your ‘03/’04/’05.

Call him on his cell (503) 341-1175.

I immediately grabbed a couple of bottles and dumped them into the wife’s 3500 which had always had some launch shudder and was steadily getting worse. It was a mirror shaker with a heavy trailer behind it. Bingo, it was gone! Add one more possible solution to the “V” problem. We’ve solved a couple of others with that simple trick. THANK YOU, NORTH DAKOTA! Speaking of technical problems...as you probably know, at the dealerships we look to an outfit at DaimlerChrysler headquarters called STAR for technical assistance when we’re stumped. In the past that process has worked pretty well, but lately it seems STAR is more concerned about cost control than correcting the customer’s problem. They don’t want to authorize parts that we think are causing the problem (warranty stuff). On some things we get “Yeah, they’re all that way” instead of offering a possible solution.

On one recent problem we were told that it only happens in cold weather at high altitudes so it isn’t really a problem. What do I say to the customer, go south for the winter? Many of the problems are computer/software related. We can’t change programming in the field without the “flash” (new software) being sent down from headquarters. Very frustrating.

Polly did her usual thing by winning a bunch of ribbons for her goats and rabbits, including the coveted Diamond Award, Supreme Grand Champion Buck category—the best of the best. She does so well with her young goats because she’s been living with an old goat for almost 40 years! I tried out for the “Stud of the Year Award,” but was eliminated in the first round.

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RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued TESTING STUFF Speaking of the trip to Oregon, it was the first long haul using the TST PowerMaxCR and the Turbo Air Guide (TAG). We used Polly’s ‘03, with a load of goats in the bed, to pull our 10,000 pound toyhauler with a bunch of rabbits and all of the stuff necessary to feed and groom her many critters. Looking like the Grapes of Wrath, we made the familiar 670 mile run north through the mountains in the usual 12 hours. It’s hard to accurately compare mileage with so many variables, but it appears we picked up almost 1 mpg (14.9) with the box in place, plus the TAG, over the many previous trips.

Boy, it sure pulled those grades like it was running empty. I liked the digital readout on the dash that gave me instant readings on boost and exhaust gas temperature (EGT). It’s obvious that the TST is programmed for an excellent balance between fuel and boost. The maximum EGT I saw was 820 degrees (at the exhaust brake) with the maximum 30 psi boost. I was impressed with how the combination of it and the TAG kept EGT that low on long hard pulls.

We discovered a little hitch in the TST’s programming. It would occasionally keep one injector open during the exhaust stroke.

Have you ever heard a diesel backfire? There’s one lady in a minivan in Klamath Falls that’s still in shock. She had her driver’s window open and we were right alongside her. When that sucker let go, a ball of fire rolled out that 4” tailpipe with a bang worthy of car bombings in Baghdad. And me with no muffler, EGAD! A software update fixed all of that.

The ‘02 is still going strong with its TAG and the new Italian injectors.

I’ve also had a small increase in mileage and a big increase in performance in our day-to-day driving. I need to get it on a long trip and see how it does. The only downside so far is that I have more smoke on start-up in the morning and a little more on hard acceleration.

As you know, I get lots of prototypes to try out. One of those was the first MagHytec front differential cover (Dana 60) for the ‘02 from that crazy Jerry Rothlisberger. We played around with a couple of different things to stop the nasty habit of spitting gear lube out the breather hose. Well, now he’s come out with an all new, improved replacement for those of you who bought the original version. It has a baffle plate welded inside to prevent the torrent of oil thrown by the ring gear from being snorted up the breather tube. He’ll exchange them for you. Call him at (818) 786-8325.

Solid Steel Industries of Weyburn, SK Canada, produces a Dodge four-wheel drive steering stabilizer that the editor asked me to evaluate. I decided to put it on our old “beater truck,” the ‘94 with 195,000 miles on it. I figured it needed help more than the newer ones.

This unit reduces steering wander by eliminating frame flex and steering box play. There’s no drilling or welding, and all mounting hardware is supplied in the kit. It’s pretty easy to install and so far it’s working fine. The truck wasn’t bad before, so the improvement wasn’t dramatic. There’s no doubt that it will reduce wear and tear on the steering box and make the front end more stable. I like the grease fitting on the steering box bearing. We’ll watch it for awhile and keep you posted.

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Check out their web site at www.solidsteel.biz or call them on (306) 861-9193 for more information.

I’ve noticed some of you tow your Ram behind your motorhome.

That’s a big “dinghy”! Of course, some people tow Hummers, so the Ram is down right conservative. When customers ask about what I recommend in these cases, I remind them that the diesel Ram weighs over 7000 pounds empty.

One company that makes a 10,000 pound tow bar is Blue Ox. That’s the one I use and recommend. Most of the tow bar kits I’ve seen are rated at just 5000 pounds, but some get up to 7000-8000 pounds. I selected the Aventa II model that is class IV rated with a fold-away tow bar that mounts and stores on the back of the RV. It’s self-aligning with quick disconnect hookup pins and comes with a lifetime warranty. They’re located in Pender, Nebraska, and can be contacted at (402) 385-3051.

Note: Everything needs to be rated at 10,000 pounds including safety chains/cables (which are required by law). Also all states require the rear lights of the towed vehicle to operate in conjunction with the towing RV (either via a set of magnetic add-ons or through the towed vehicle’s wiring). Some states require the towed vehicle to have a separate braking system which functions with the towing RV’s brakes (similar to trailer brakes). We have Blue Ox’s Apollo braking system with a breakaway switch. All things you should consider...Be safe!

I just got the slickest thing since sliced bread. For ’98.5 to ’02 Turbo Diesel’s BD has come out with a low fuel pressure alarm light kit (part # 1081130). For those who don’t want to go the meter route this is the answer, and a lot cheaper, too, at $55!

It’s a simple pressure sensor in the fuel line between the filter and the injection pump that’s set to bring up an LED on the dash when pressure drops to 5 psi or less. An idiot light for a lift/transfer pump going bad...ALL RIGHT! For those of you who have enhanced power, you may be exceeding the capacity of even a good lift/ transfer pump.

I’ll get that installed on Polly’s ‘03 (I’ve got a gauge on my ‘02) and I’ll give you a report in the next issue. The instructions indicate it’s a fairly easy installation.

RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued SEMA We’ve really been on the road. First we met up with the Foretravel Club at Laughlin, Nevada, the state’s amazing little casino city with it’s explosive growth, just across the river from Bullhead City, Arizona. We had a ball. Just like TDR rallies, the best part is getting together with friends you’ve met at other events and of course making some new ones. The weather was perfect and much warmer than home.

The next week it was back south again to Lost Wages...excuse me, I mean Las Vegas. We get a chance to go to a Viper Club meeting with the majority of the Viper owners in the state, since that’s where most of them live. It’s also great to hear what the top people in the Viper program in Detroit have to say. There were lots of the SRT gang there too! Marko (the Nevada club president) and his able assistant Valerie did a bang-up job of putting together our little gathering.

Lil Red Wagon

BD Diesel Performance: products at their SEMA booth.

The Edge Diesel Performance drag truck at their SEMA booth.

There’s so much to see at the annual Speciality Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) convention that there isn’t enough room here to even summarize the stuff in the really big “Great Hall of the Gottahavits.” We walked for two days and probably covered 50-60% of the booths. The thing that really blew me away was the extremely high percentage of vendors displaying their wares on Mopar vehicles. If it was truck stuff, it was on a Ram. If it was car stuff, it was on either a 300C or a Magnum. Polly had to pull me away from the coolest ride I’ve ever seen...a bright red Magnum done up as a sedan delivery, called the “Lil Red Wagon.” I hope the editor has room to put in some of the many pictures we took at the show.

Just When I Finally Got My Head Together, My Body Started Falling Apart.

Bully Dog was well represented at SEMA.

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RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued ALL REPORTS ARE IN: IT’S OFFICIAL, LIFE IS UNFAIR

MYTHBUSTERS

I didn’t know that it was against the law to show a friend one of the new Dodge Rams without being a Nevada licensed salesman.

As friends dropped by, I would pop a dealer plate on a truck that they liked and we’d go for a ride. After selling three vehicles in one month, I was taken aside and told I was going to get the dealership in trouble!

I got called to the front office awhile back. It seems that a television program on the Discovery Channel, called MythBusters, had requested the use of a Viper for a couple of days of filming at Lake Tahoe. Guess who got volunteered? Yeah, I said I’d take Polly’s yellow and black snake up there for a dramatic showdown between it and a “matchbox” car...yes, an itty bitty toy car.

I made the necessary trip down to DMV and the sheriff’s office to get fingerprinted, FBI check, etc. Thank goodness I had a top secret clearance in the Air Force! Well, anyway, I’m now a licensed car and truck salesman. I’m still back in the shop doing my technical thing, but now when a TDR member comes in and asks me about the new models, at least I can legally show them what we’ve got.

In case you don’t follow Jamie Hyneman’s and Adam Savage’s escapades, they try to demystify modern folklore such as, “Can using your cell phone at gas stations cause an explosion?” How about, “Can you do things to your car that will cause it to fool police radar?” They do this with a few stunts, a little skepticism and some science. Our assignment was, “Which will get to the bottom of a steep hill faster...the toy car or the Viper (coasting of course)?” The outcome is due to be aired in January. Stay tuned! (If you promise to keep it a secret, the Viper won.)

As I mentioned earlier, Jerry (“Life’s a Beach” writer) Nielsen and his wife Nanci stopped in while checking out the Reno Air Races.

We had one last ‘04 (the vibrator) built in December (no catalytic converter) that Jerry focused on, aware of the mileage penalty that comes with the catalytic and “post injection” on those built after January 1, 2004. They’re now the proud owners of a white 3500, 4X4, Laramie, Quad Cab, SRW, short box with everything including GPS. Given my new status, Polly had to go shopping for me. She got me a silk shirt that I unbutton down the front, some gold chains, a large fake diamond ring and some humongous shades with rhinestones. Now they call me “Kingfish” ‘cause I always give you a whale of a deal!

The funny part was that Alan Prentiss, Parts Manager for Carson Dodge, a licensed competition driver for his restored vintage racer, a 1964 Genie Mark 10B, went along for the ride...literally. There he was, all dressed up in his driving suit and helmet, sitting in the hot sun, awaiting the thrilling moment when, at the sound of the starting gun, he would simply shove the clutch in and let the Viper coast downhill toward the lake. This is a guy that’s used to leaving the starting line in a cloud of tire smoke!

Oh well, it was a nice diversion from a regular day at the salt mines for both of us.

My motto is “Buy Here—Pay Here, NO Credit—NO Problem—BKs are OK, NO Down—Pay When We Catch You!” Remember to ask for John “Kingfish” Holmes, The Working Man’s Friend.

TECH TIP

Polly and John “Kingfish” Holmes (sans jewelry).

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If you have enhanced the output of your beloved Turbo Diesel and also have a cruise that “surges,” you’re not alone. It seems that the computer controlling the set speed is very sensitive. When it sees speed dropping below the set number, it opens the throttle some more. The only trouble is that with your hop-up kit the fuel delivery has been increased (either mechanically or electronically), and this little factor wasn’t included in the original programming. The result is it overshoots the mark and you zoom forward to a higher speed than the set level. That immediately calls for a drastically reduced throttle setting. You guessed it, now the speed is below the original

RANCH DRESSING . . . . Continued setting. And, here we go again. It just cycles up and down either side of the speed you set.

My observations indicate that any speed setting that creates a demand for more than about 10 psi of boost will have you feeling like you’re in a rocking chair. That’s going to be a negative in the fuel mileage department...not a good thing with today’s diesel prices.

If you’ve got a mechanical “hop-up” (’94 to ’98 12-valve engine) about the only thing you can do is put a restriction in the vacuum line feeding the cruise servo so that it can’t respond so quickly. That won’t completely stop it, but it’ll get rid of about 80% of it.

John Holmes TDR Writer

Solution: If you own a ’98.5 – ’02 truck and you are using a “chip” that taps the fuel injection pump’s control lead, insert a simple single pole, single throw switch in line with the chip’s fuel enhancement lead. This enables you to kill, at will, the longer pulse width being applied to the injectors. That gets you back to stock, and the cruise control will behave appropriately. This sure brought me peace of mind when pulling a trailer across Nevada’s wide-open spaces.

Like many of you out there in TDR land, Polly and I started out with nothing and we still have most of it.

Dealers Wallace Mund Sherwood, OR (503) 201-6569 Mundgyver@comcast. net Airtabs are small, efficient streamliners that are the first practical solution for reducing drag at the back of large vehicles.

Aerodynamic drag has long been a target for fuel economy on trucks. Streamlined cabs and fairings have made improvements, but there is still the problem of the large flat area at the back of the vehicle and, for tractor trailer units, the gap between the tractor and trailer.

Airtabs solve the problem!

Airtabs are unique, vortex generators that have been specially designed for trucks. They work by creating a controlled swirl of air, or vortex which actually reduces wind resistance (or aerodynamic drag).

Airtabs are designed to work on trucks, trailers, box vans, RVs—any large vehicle.

Jerry Nielsen Laguna Beach, CA David Chapman (949) 499-4756 Mifflinburg, PA conflictdr@yahoo.com (570) 966-3146 chapman@jdweb.com Geno’s Garage, Inc. Atlanta, GA Clayton Larsen (800) 755-1715 Bellingham, WA info@genosgarage.com (360) 734-5434 cclarsen@msn.com Eva Melody Brookings, OR Scott Dalgleigh (888) 818-5580 El Segundo, CA mminerals@harborside.

(310) 322-8532 scottdal@earthlink.net com Larry Buckland Teodosia, MO (417) 273-2274 buckland@webound. com Byrl Dahl Chili, WI (715) 683-8086

AirTab’s are 3” wide, 5.5” long and about 1” high.

Ronald White Shandon, CA (805) 239-3803 grwhite@sbcglobal.net

Jim Westom Houston, TX (281) 488-6643 jwe3673839@aol.com Jim White Camas, WA (360) 901-8378 jimwwhite@juno.com Foreign & Domestic RV ask for Tom Moreno Valley, CA

(909) 242-4588 Jim Anderson Danridge, TN (865) 310-1512 j.t.anderson@worldnet.att.net Don Kosheba-DK Squared Caledonia, MI (616) 554-2028 dksquared@triton.net Dennis Wagner Idaho Falls, ID (208) 520-7617 dswagner@cableone.net Northwest Auto Turner, OR (503) 871-5780 bestautorubber@aol.com Tony Gugy Overgaard, AZ (928) 535-5615 combatcartridge@frontiernet. net Todd Walrich Westbury, NY (516) 635-6775 twalrich@ix.netcom.com

US Distributor John Holmes Silver Springs, NV

(775) 577-2100 holmes2jp@pyramid.net

Aeroserve Technologies Limited www.airtab.com

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A Feminine Perspective

by Polly Holmes THEME—MARKETING Marketing is half art and half science. One of the best examples of great marketing is NASCAR. Many people know each of the drivers’ names and the numbers of their cars. They watch all the races and know each and every team. The NASCAR drivers go out of their way to sign autographs for fans. They do interviews and make themselves available for other promotional opportunities.

To Dodge and Cummins: I suggest sponsoring truck shows in different parts of the country. At the last May Madness we had in Carson City, there were 325 trucks and well over 600 people.

We even had Chevys and Fords at our show along with some Cummins-powered motor coaches. Each one of these people can be a salesman for Dodge and/or Cummins. They often purchase more than one truck. Some purchase other Chrysler products or other vehicles powered by Cummins engines.

Bring out the latest Dodge diesels and let folks drive them and look at the new “bells and whistles.” You never know, they might leave in a new truck. When we went looking for our motorcoach, one of the first things we checked was, to see if it had a Cummins engine. This was because we were familiar with the Cummins in our Dodges. In my opinion, nurturing those folks who have purchased a Dodge diesel is worth a bunch in advertising. They are your very best sales force.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN September again saw us heading up to Oregon for the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. I had my usual load of goats on board and Hubby had his TDR information to do a seminar. The truck ran great and we made it up to Canby in good time without many delays for construction. One year, when Shirley Martel and I went up to Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon, we lost almost two hours due to construction delays. So any trip where this doesn’t happen is a good one.

Scott and Debra Dalgleish came to visit us and they went through Shasta, a beautiful drive but currently a road construction nightmare.

When they were putting fiber optic cable along route 58 in Oregon, it too was a nightmare. Don Martel, Shirley’s Hubby, who went with us to Eugene, started one time at 5:00 a.m., so we could get through route 58 before they began work. Around here folks say we have two seasons, winter and road construction.

On this trip I had a lot of extra goats that were to be delivered to another breeder. Boy, was I ever glad to get them out of the truck and settled in their pens. It was really exciting, as my colored buck kid, Bart, won Supreme Champion Buck over all the champion bucks of all breeds. The judges from each of the different shows made the selection. That’s quite an honor for a colored goat and shows how far we’ve come in breeding. Bart has had a nice pen of five lovely ladies and we are hoping for some great kids in the spring.

To Geno’s and TDR: I would say, “Get thyself to Quartzsite and to the Good Sam National rallies.” Have a booth and staff it with some of the writers from the TDR. Good Sam always has a large booth in Quartzsite and they feature writers from the Good Sam magazine. They sell insurance, Good Sam Memberships and have raffles. Many of the same diesel performance manufacturers who advertise in TDR are standing tall at Quartzsite.

At SEMA, in the Banks Engineering booth, who was there? Gale Banks! People waited in line to talk with Gale. So after SEMA, what are they going to remember other than looking at all of those booths? That they talked with Gale himself! Later, when they want something special for their truck, who are they going to remember?

Banks Engineering. The same goes for Brian Roth and the BD Performance bunch.

TDR and Geno’s needs to do the same type of thing. Have a booth, feature speakers from TDR, have seminars and answer questions all day until you’re blue in the face (just like my hubby does at Carson Dodge). Then when it’s time to renew or order parts, what will they do? They’ll call Geno’s.

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Polly’s Champion buck, Bart.

Hubby’s diesel classes were well attended and he answered a bunch of questions from both old and new diesel truck owners.

September was a busy month.

POLLY’S PICKUP . . . . Continued DRIVING SCHOOL AGAIN? In February, we drove down to Nacogdoches, Texas, so that I could take the Ladies Driving School course offered by Foretravel, our motorcoach manufacturer. After we got home, Editor Patton kept after me to go to competition driving school in my Viper. At first I was off the hook since the closest school was in Las Vegas, about an eight-hour drive. However, one day Hubby came home from Carson Dodge with information about a local driving school. The classes were being held at the new road course at Reno-Fernley Raceway. Now Reno-Fernley Raceway is only about 13 miles from home—hence, the drive was no longer a factor.

So on one nice, sunny day in September, I climbed into my yellow “snake” and off I went to school. My instructor, E.T., had already driven the Viper, so she was familiar with how it handled. This made it great for me. My first class project was a course setup of cones where I had to use the entire track and make wide sweeping turns.

This was not a problem, as you learn very quickly, when you are towing, to made wide sweeping turns and to use the whole road if necessary. E.T. told me I did very well on this part of the class, but there was more to come.

The next part was to get out onto the track and learn the apex of each corner and when to go like h..., brake like h…, turn and go like h...again! E.T. had a wireless system where she could talk directly to me through our helmets, which made it really easy to communicate. This also allowed me to hear her groan when I missed one line completely...I told her it was my new “power through the corner” driving technique. Somehow E.T. didn’t seem to appreciate my new line through that corner. Unlike other urban tracks, here I had to watch for wild horses! Apparently, they like to come by the track and catch the action. Just what I needed was a horse in the middle of all of this. That would have tended to ruin my whole day... and that of the “snake’s” too.

After a number of trips around the road course, I was beginning to feel more comfortable with the yellow Viper beast. Finally, my last pass was really smooth and I managed to hit all the corners just right. It was great to end the day on a high note.

When I got home, I realized how tired I was from concentrating so hard. My goal was to become more comfortable with driving the Viper and this was a step in the right direction. When we saw Robert

Patton at SEMA, I was able to wave my rookie course pass at him... but he sounded just like E.T., “Did you use all of the track? Did you...

Did you...Did you…” and “When are you going back?” Yes, just like E.T., Robert is a track instructor for several car clubs back in the southeast, and they all seem to talk the same language.

VIPER VERSUS A WHAT? John called and said, “They need to use our Viper for MythBusters.”

“They want to do WHAT with my Viper?” I exclaimed. “And what in the heck is MythBusters?” As it turned out, MythBusters is a program aired on the Discovery Channel that explores different myths. What they wanted to do was take tiny little Matchbox cars and race them against the Viper down a steep hill. The first few times the Viper just coasted, but the last time it was pedal to the metal. Alan, Parts Manager for Carson Dodge, was going to drive the Viper. Alan is a SCCA licensed race car driver and has a restored Genie that he competes with in vintage races. I think the best part of the whole thing was that everyone got a real kick out of the Viper, sitting in it and going for a ride in it during the filming. I know the cameraman had a ball. So watch MythBusters in January to see, “the rest of the story.”

LAUGHLIN, HERE WE COME Laughlin, Nevada, has come a long way from the first time we drove down for a visit. It is still a little bit like Las Vegas used to be, with low cost food deals and reasonable entertainment. This time we drove down in our large motorcoach and towed our Jeep Cherokee.

We stayed at the Riverside RV Park right in the heart of Laughlin. I can highly recommend this as a great place to park your RV. They have really nice facilities and a shuttle bus that goes throughout the 740 space resort. You can ride to the covered overpass leading to the Riverside Casino.

The first evening we joined friends that we had met in Nacogdoches to attend the Charlie Daniels concert. We should have had seats in the back instead of the front, due to the volume, but Charlie puts on a great show. When he did “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” I thought the whole audience was going to get up and boogie with him on the stage. The next night we had a nice dinner and then went to the Bellamy Brothers show.

We were there to get together with the Four Corners Foretravel Club. Joyce Holmberg and her Hubby, Bill, were in charge. Besides being the wagon-master, Joyce is a seamstress and a talented needlewoman. She showed me her lovely Swedish weaving or Huck weaving pieces that she has done. She also makes all of her own clothes and they were beautiful. It was great to have this expertise at hand because I was putting together my first tied baby quilt for my nephew, Brett Jones, and his wife, Jill. I would do a step and then consult with Joyce and then go on to the next step.

My friend Shirley Martel, with suggestions from another quilter Emma Sylvester, had helped me get started. Shirley had me try some really great batting that you fuse with an iron. This keeps the top and bottom together until it is tied or quilted. On the way home from Laughlin I finished basting the quilt binding and I was ready to sew it when I got home.

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POLLY’S PICKUP . . . . Continued SEMA…OR BIG BOY TOY HEAVEN John had told me last year that the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA) show was almost too much to take in, but until you actually experience this for yourself, it’s hard to believe.

There were four big buildings, wall to wall with different booths.

You had to pick and choose what areas you wanted to explore because there was not enough time to see it all. There were some absolutely wonderful examples of automotive craftsmanship. One of my favorites was an exotic street-rod, painted in a delicious shade of mint green...it just seemed to shimmer at no matter what angle you looked. Orange was definitely “in” this year. I haven’t seen so many paint jobs using orange. Candy-apple is out, orange is in.

So many Dodge trucks, Magnums and 300 Cs were being used to demonstrate different products that it was really mind boggling.

2500 Turbo Diesel show truck for Gander Mountain.

The mint green street rod.

Tuesday evening, after being at SEMA all day, it was off to a Viper Club event in honor of all the folks who had come for the SEMA show. Marco Radosavljevic, President of the Nevada Viper Club, welcomed everyone and introduced Dan Knott, Director of the Street and Racing Technology Division. Dan brought us up to date on the high performance section of Mopar. John was also able to meet and talk with the national Viper Club president. By the way, Marco had his competition Viper on display at SEMA in the Mopar tunnel between buildings. Way to go, Marko!

Wednesday evening saw all the TDR crew gathering for a get together with Robert and Robin Patton. It was good to see Joe Donnelly, who is doing well after his knee injury and move to New Mexico. He’d sure been through a lot in a short period of time.

Sam Memmolo and his wife, Scott Dalgleish, Dave Perrine and his wife, Jerry Nielsen, Bruce Armstrong, plus a bunch of others, were all in attendance. John and I had been trailing behind Robert and Robin, by about 15-30 minutes, all day in the SEMA halls, so it was nice to get a chance to sit down and say “Howdy.”

Boy, was I one tired puppy when we got home, and John did all of the driving.

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Dressed-up Dodge Magnums were everywhere.

MY FAVORITE “PLUGGERS” CARTOON THIS TIME This sure hit home when I saw it! I’m sure there are others out there that can relate to it too.

POLLY’S PICKUP . . . . Continued RULES OF THE HOUSE Once in a while something comes along that tickles my fancy. I received an ad for a plaque which I really enjoyed.

If you sleep on it...make it up.

If you wear it...hang it up.

If you drop it...pick it up.

If you eat out of it...wash it.

If you spill it...wipe it up.

If you turn it on…turn it off.

If you open it...close it.

If you move it...put it back.

If you break it...repair it.

If you empty it...fill it up If it rings...answer it.

If it howls...feed it.

IF IT CRIES...LOVE IT! THIS ISSUE’S RECIPES I spotted this one in one of my agricultural magazines. Enjoy.

Edna’s Cinnamon Rolls This recipe makes two 9x13 or four 8-inch pans, about 24 rolls.

Ingredients: Roll Topping 2 cups warm water 2 cups packed brown sugar ½ cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk ¼ cup instant potato flakes Nuts (optional) 6 cups flour 2 T or 2 pkgs. yeast 1/3 cup oil 3/4 t salt 1/2 t vanilla 1-2 T milk Cinnamon Brown sugar

The recipe this time comes from my Mom, Irene Garman. It’s one she fixed often. My sister, Margie, and I really liked this dish when we were growing up. It is good to take to potlucks. I have taken it over to friends’ homes when they had an emergency and were unable to cook. The ingredients can be modified to suit your family’s tastes.

Irene’s Spaghetti Casserole 2 cans tomato soup 2 lbs ground chuck (can use ground turkey) 1 can whole corn 1 chopped green pepper (optional) 1 green onion chopped 2 teaspoon garlic salt 11/2 teaspoon regular salt (can use lite-salt) 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 small can sliced mushrooms 1 lb of spaghetti Cook ground chuck. Drain off fat and add all the other ingredients except the spaghetti. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cook spaghetti, drain and add sauce. Place in casserole and cover with grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2-1 hour. The casserole can be prepared ahead of time. Just reheat at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

I hope all of you in TDR land had a WONDERFUL holiday. Till next time…

Polly Holmes TDR Writer

Dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside. In large mixing bowl, stir eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, oil and potato flakes together. Add yeast mixture to this and stir well. Mix in flour gradually. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for about 1 hour or until double in size. Flour hands and punch down dough.

Cover and let rise again about 1/2 hour.

While rolls are rising, make the roll topping. Combine first three roll topping ingredients in pan. Cook until it comes to a boil, then remove from heat. Divide and pour into bottom of two 9x13 pans or four 8 in. square pans. Sprinkle nuts over topping.

Roll dough on a floured surface into oblong pieces about 1/2-inch thick. Brush with 1-2 T milk and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough from long side into a long log. Using a sharp knife, cut rolls approximately 1-inch wide and place in pan over topping. Let rise about ½ hour.

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Let rolls cool 1 minute, loosen from sides of pan by running a knife around edges, and then invert onto cooling rack or plate.

More SEMA madness.

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Dodge Truck Historical Perspective

by Donn Bunn

Don Garlits Verses a US Navy A-7A Corsair II Navy Attack Fighter

MIGHTY MOPARS: CHRYSLER IN 1954

I purchased a two-page Hot Rod Magazine article from a vendor at the Mopar Nationals in Columbus, Ohio, last August. It was from a 1972 issue, month not given. At that time the Navy needed pilots, officers and white hats. That would have been one year before Nixon shut down the Viet Nam War. As a publicity stunt the Navy invited Don Garlits aboard the aircraft carrier with his Hemi-powered drag racer.

In the last issue we discussed Chrysler’s unfortunate stumble in the 1953 model year when management shortened the wheelbase lengths of their lower level Plymouth and Dodge cars. They left their higher cost Plymouth and Dodge models unchanged and made no changes at all to upscale DeSoto and Chrysler models.

The other troubling knock on the 1953 cars was that their quality had slipped.

The 1954 model was the last year for that series of Chrysler automobiles and therefore changes were minimal. The most significant improvement was 1954’s fully automatic PowerFlite transmission. It is interesting to note that Motor Trend referred to their road testing of a vehicle as “An MT Research Road Test Report.” That sounds quite impressive. Several members of the MT Research team piled into the Dodge and drove 200 miles to their testing site. They claimed that their research took a minimum of three days to complete.

When they completed their acceleration tests, they put the Dodge through its “top speed runs.” This car was powered by the 150horsepower 241 Hemi V8. Its fastest run was 100.2 mph which was very impressive for the time.

Overall, Motor Trend was fair in its reporting on this car. It didn’t make any direct comments about quality or styling. However, the last sentence of the report is pregnant with hidden meaning: “With the return of ‘fang-and-claw’ competition to the Detroit stage, future Dodge products will undoubtedly be greater eye-catchers, and this loyal family should grow again.”

Another 1954 Report, Motor Trend Tests the DeSoto, Mercury and Pontiac The May 1954 issue of Motor Trend ran tests on these three automobiles. I read them carefully to see if the DeSoto was deemed to be inferior to its two major rivals. It wasn’t. The DeSoto was evaluated as being head-and-shoulders above the other two. I won’t burden you with the details except to share the author’s summary.

He compared them in eight categories: acceleration, bodywork, brakes, ease of handling, fuel economy, interior, ride and roadability.

He gave them the following scores: fair, average, good and excellent.

The DeSoto was given three excellent ratings and the other two only had one excellent each. The DeSoto earned five goods compared to four for Pontiac and three for Mercury.

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Hot Rod Magazine was aboard the USS Lexington to shoot a recruiting poster of Don Garlits in his drag racer on the carrier’s flight deck.

The author, Terry Cook, in his final paragraph summed it up succinctly: “As for the question of which is quicker, Garlits’ rail or a catapult-launched A7 jet, the Navy people tell us that the jet goes from 0 to 150 in a little less than three seconds, and Galits’ car accelerates to the same speed in about the same time. We would have liked to stage a race to find out which is quicker, but Garlits would have had trouble on the underwater shutoff.”

A History of the Development of America’s Motor Trucks Let’s change topics and begin a comprehensive look at the roots of the United States’ truck industry. It didn’t happen overnight, but neither did the American automobile industry. It took a considerable amount of time for trucks to gain their rightful place in America’s commerce.

Numerous books and articles have been written about the rich history of America’s car industry, but this is not true of trucks. Most truck books focus on the product. I’ve written my share of truck books and recognize and appreciate their importance. We won’t disregard the importance of specific trucks and truck manufacturers, but our focus for this work will be a general overview of the historical record.

It took a considerable amount of time for trucks to gain their rightful place in America’s commerce.

Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued Background I want to go back to the beginning of the automotive age to give you a clear picture of the development of the industry. The world’s first gasoline-powered automobile was built by Karl Benz in 1885 and patented in Germany in 1886. Too bad he did not also patent it in the United States, because he could have prevented Selden from doing so in 1895 and making money on all US built motor vehicles until Henry Ford finally won the battle in court.

Benz’s auto can more accurately be called a two passenger adult “tricycle” controlled by a tiller. DaimlerChrysler has eleven replicas of the 1885 vehicle that were built in 1986, which was the centennial of the automobile. They showed three of them to visitors at their headquarters building in Michigan during the 1998 Fiftieth Anniversary of Plymouth celebration which was held in Detroit. The actual original Benz-patent Motorwagen is on display in Mannheim, Germany, at the Mercedes Benz museum. He did not invent the four-stroke gasoline engine, but he made numerous improvements to what then existed.

The Benz vehicle had electric ignition and featured an effective throttle control, mechanical valves, horizontal flywheel and a comfortable, upholstered seat. Therefore it deserves credit as the very first automobile in the world.

Additionally Benz invented his own spark plug and used a battery and coil for the ignition. Its tubular frame was well ahead of its time as wood construction was then the state-of-the-art. Placing the flywheel in a horizontal position allowed it to overcome centrifugal force, which illustrated Benz’s ingenuity and knowledge of mechanical engineering.

His vehicle had a solid-mounted front axle, and a hand lever on top of the column was used for steering. Brakes were controlled by a lever to the left of the driver and the throttle was controlled by another lever under the seat. The engine was started by spinning the flywheel by hand.

Benz showed his car to the public on the streets of Mannheim in 1886 where it caused a great stir, but no one came forward to buy.

However, the German press was very favorably impressed and so promoted his invention.

His vehicle was good for nine mph on the flat and it was reliable at this speed for thousands of miles. He built about 25 of these vehicles before 1891. After this he built his first four-wheel automobile.

Credit for the first American gasoline-powered automobile goes to brothers Charles E. and Frank Duryea of Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1896. Their company was the Duryea Motor Wagon Company.

Lee Beck wrote a detailed article about who built the first American automobile in the 1996 issue of Car Collector magazine. He wrote about six other early creators who also laid claim to the title. Most of them were interesting and seemingly authentic, but none of them had any writings or photos to back up their claims. Duryea, on the other hand, had plenty of photos and writings to authenticate his work. The criteria for selecting the winner was based on the first

inventor to install a lightweight, four-stroke internal combustion engine into a vehicle that could perform reasonably well on the street, possess the possibility of entering production and bearing some semblance to a vehicle that could be sold to the public.

First American Truck Credit for the first American gasoline-powered truck goes to the Winton Motor Vehicle Company of Cleveland for its 1898 C-cab commercial delivery truck which was also controlled by a tiller.

It had pneumatic tires, wire-spoke wheels and a single-cylinder horizontal engine. Eight of these 1,325 pound vehicles were built the same year.

The Bicycle Industry Believe it or not, the bicycle played a major role in the development of the automobile industry, especially light-duty trucks. Actually, the credit belongs to the pneumatic tire industry. The bicycle industry exploded in size due to the pneumatic tire. Bear in mind that, except for the rich and doctors who made house calls, the typical urban family did not own a horse or a buggy. The bicycle caused a huge improvement in the mobility of the typical urban American.

The bicycle industry was critically important in another way. Bicycle industry mechanics and/or engineers jumped ship for the automobile industry. The Dodge brothers made the leap as did many others.

Bicycle mechanics had the experience and the mechanical skills that the fledging auto and truck industry desperately needed.

Furthermore, they were creative and ambitious. I think it is fair to draw a parallel between what they accomplished and the men and women who made the computer/software industries what they are today.

Railroads The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad laid its first tracks and moved its first passengers in the year 1830. The Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads joined on May 10, 1869 in Promontory, Utah.

(The project began in 1863 with crews moving from the East and West coasts.) The famous “Golden Spike” that joined East and West marked the building of the first Intercontinental Railroad to California. East Coast passengers could then be in California in one week as compared to months by ox cart. The railroad additionally created economic development from coast to coast. This fact was not lost on business or government. Railroads were perfect for rapidly moving passengers and freight long distances. However, they were not suitable for intra-city movement of either passengers or freight. Another big drawback of the railroads was that they did not service every community in the nation. America’s industrial advancements led to the manufacturing of many kinds of new consumer goods that needed distribution. The motor truck would prove to be the answer to the distribution problem as soon as the internal combustion engine became a reality.

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Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued Steam, Electric and Gasoline At the beginning of the auto industry there was a huge fight over which of the three types of propulsion would win out for the long term.

Steam may have been the weakest competitor because people were not comfortable with it fearing that the boiler could blow up and possibly cause injury or death. However, steam was whisper quiet and was very powerful. I recently read a 1954 article from Motor Trend reporting on a 1925 Stanley Steamer road test. The author was very favorably impressed. The car was very quiet and had tremendous power. Americans were not ready, and probably never would be, for steam powered autos or trucks. Having worked in a US Navy boiler room for four years in my youth, I can attest to the power of steam. The Destroyer had two main turbine engines and four boilers. Each boiler room provided its engine room with 600 pounds of superheated steam for the 30,000 horsepower turbines.

Our 2,425 ton, 390-foot ship had a top speed of 35 knots (a land speed of 40 mph), all from a 1945 era ship!

Steam power worked well for powering big farm tractors, but they disappeared from the scene after a period of about twenty years.

Even though steam worked well in autos, it never made much of a dent in the truck market.

Electric powered cars and trucks enjoyed considerable success around the turn of the twentieth century, but eventually they, too, lost out to the internal combustion engine. Electric’s advantages were its quietness and cleanness. Its downfalls were the weight and bulkiness of the batteries and its short range, approximately 100 miles before recharging was necessary.

It is no secret that the very first self-propelled vehicles were steam powered. For example, consider the French Cugnot Steam Wagon of 1769. It is considered the first self-propelled vehicle built for road use. The first American-built steam vehicle was built by Nathan Read of Salem, Massachusetts, and by Apollo Kinsley of Hartford, Connecticut, around 1800.

Steam power was better suited for use on rail tracks due to the combined heavy weight of the boiler, cylinders, fire box, fuel, frame and axles. Large and slow and difficult to maneuver, steam traction engines appeared in England in the 1850s for use in farming.

By the 1890s, when electric and gasoline powered vehicles appeared, steam power was refined enough for on-road applications. Steam engineers began building steam trucks in the 1890s. Steam had proven itself in railroad and marine use for a long time. It seemed to be a logical power source for trucks.

When competing against gasoline powered trucks, steam vehicles did not fare very well. Their big downfall was that they consumed far more fuel than the internal combustion engine. The only advantage steam had in the early 1900s was to specialize only in the biggest trucks with huge loads.

In its time, the Stanley Steamer automobile was competitive with gas powered cars and light trucks. Stanley built commercial vehicles between 1909 and 1916, but not much is known about their performance.

The White Company began building steam powered trucks at the turn of the century. White’s son, Rollin White, had invented a flash

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boiler for steam vehicles and that led to the manufacture of the White Steam Delivery Wagons.

In 1903 White built compound engines, semi-flash boilers and radiator condensers, which actually allowed a range of 100 miles between water fill-ups. White built its first gasoline powered truck in 1909 and then dropped out of the steam engine business. The Whites came to the conclusion that neither steam nor electricity could successfully compete against the internal combustion engine.

There were about 44 companies who were serious, or who made a mighty effort to be, competitors in the steam powered truck industry.

But their efforts were all for naught.

Electric Trucks Studebaker brothers incorporated their horse-drawn company in 1852 and actually continued to build them until 1919. They built their first electric cars and trucks in 1902. They built trucks from ½ to 5 tons powered with Westinghouse motors. They built a light gas engine delivery vehicle based on the Flanders auto in 1913.

Studebaker built pickups through three-ton trucks up until 1963.

The Walker Vehicle Company of Chicago was America’s best known and longest lasting electric truck manufacturer—1906 to 1942. They built trucks from lights to heavy-duties. Walker used what they called “The Walker Balance Drive.” It placed an electric motor in the center of the axle that drove two drive shafts, right and left, to idler gears that in turn drove rim gears inside the wheels.

An article in my collection gives a list of 23 American electric truck manufacturers. The author claims that the electric truck never took off because of the weakness of storage batteries. Pluses included that electric trucks were clean, quiet and efficient and their torque output was greatest at low speeds. When not moving the electric motor stops entirely which eliminates the need for a clutch and it also saved on energy.

In my research I have not come across anything that indicated that American internal combustion engine developers copied European engines. Logically it seems that they did, but I can’t prove it. The histories on Duryea, Ford and Cadillac all say much the same about their engines. Cadillac is interesting in that its original owner Henry M. Leland “. . . also built engines for Oldsmobile.” The “also” in the quote refers to the fact that Leland built the first Ford engine.

Leland’s Cadillac was the first in the world to have interchangeable standardized parts. That was proven in 1908 when three of his engines were taken apart, the parts mixed up and then reassembled.

The engines started right up and ran like precision watches. I’ll wrap this gasoline engine discussion up with a quote from Thomas Edison. He told the New York World in 1895 that it was “...only a question of time when the carriages and trucks in every larger city will be run with motors.” He was speaking of gasoline motors.

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Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued Bicycle Men As mentioned earlier, many men originally involved with manufacturing bicycles opted for the fledging automobile business.

The Dodge brothers were a good example. They left the bicycle business and began making automobile parts in Detroit. Eventually Henry Ford became their one and only customer. They built all the parts for the first 500,000 Ford Model Ts, that is up until the time Ford built his huge Rouge River plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Eventually, all successful auto manufacturers built their own cars except for wheels, tires and sometimes bodies. The early truck manufacturers had it somewhat easier because they normally did not build bodies and the cabs that they did provide were simple “C” cabs.

First Commercial Trucks The very first commercial trucks were sold in the US in 1897. They were electric models built by the American Electric Vehicle Company of Chicago for a Chicago dry goods merchant. The following year, 1898, the first gas powered delivery truck was built by the Winton Motor Carriage Company of Cleveland. Andrew L. Riker built an electric delivery truck for B. Altman and Company of New York City.

Riker’s company built the first heavy-duty electric powered trucks in 1898 and 1899, and then went out of business.

A ten-ton, compressed-air truck was tested in New York City but failed. Just recently I read an article on a new compressed air automobile. Will it fail too?

Rich Man’s Toy The time period between 1900 and 1909 was very difficult for both the automobile and the truck businesses. Probably many businessmen who could afford a truck and/or who needed a truck did not buy because of their customers’ negative attitudes toward car manufacturers. At that time, autos were expensive and beyond what the common working man could afford. There was therefore a feeling of alienation between the working class and auto manufacturers. Even if they could afford a car, many folks didn’t buy to spite the industry. Some looked on the auto as a menace, for it spooked horses and could be dangerous to pedestrians and bicycle riders.

Probably the only people for whom an automobile was a necessity were doctors, who, in those days, made house calls. Second in importance was the traveling salesman.

In 1905 Henry Ford was geared up to sell 20,000 of his Model N runabouts. The N was an attractive car and at $500 it was a huge bargain. The author of the article I read about the N said “What shocks—or ought to shock—the historian of today is that in 1906 the extent of Ford’s ambition was all of 20,000 cars.” Ford sold 1,599 cars in 1905; 8,729 in 1906; 14,887 in 1907; 10,202 in 1908; he did not break the 20,000 level until 1910 with the all-new Model T. Henry Ford wrote that he was the first one to have the idea of a mass market car. But that is not true. Almost every auto manufacturer, and others who wanted in, had the same idea for they knew whoever got there first would be a very rich man. History, of course, proved that to be true.

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In 1903 only the successful businessman employed trucks in his business. A big promotion they received was from the advertising written on the truck’s body. In order to make the delivery truck successful the industry had to convince businessmen that a delivery vehicle was a profitable expenditure. In 1903 the industry sponsored the first Commercial Vehicle Trials to prove the worth of delivery trucks.

Please note that we are only talking about delivery trucks since there was not yet any, or very little, inter-city trucking: the poor condition of the roads would not permit it.

The trials were held on May 20-21, 1903. Eleven trucks from eight manufacturers were entered. Some of the more influential manufacturers, however, did not compete. Six trucks entered were steam powered, four by gasoline and one was electric. Even though some manufacturers failed to participate the results were on the positive side. Even the steam trucks received good marks.

However, not long after this time steam trucks disappeared. It was quite clear what the future of trucking was in gas powered machines.

The following year, 1904, another commercial vehicle test was run and not one steam truck was entered. The test included light duties, one-ton or less, and heavy-duties. “A test-run conducted by an express company showed motor trucks made more deliveries in better time, went further, and occupied less ground space than horses.” Interestingly the Fischer gas-electric truck was entered: was this the first-ever hybrid? It actually won a first prize in its weight category. It had a 20 horsepower four-cylinder gas engine coupled to a 16 KW, five-pole dynamo. Two 10 horsepower electric motors drove the rear wheels independently. The bottom line was that the 1904 test proved the supremacy of the internal combustion engine.

The Fischer Company left the scene in 1905. This test was the last one run for a number of years.

In the early years of the twentieth century companies that built trucks exclusively rarely managed to keep afloat. Developmental costs and limited demand most often accounted for their brief life spans.

Between 1904 and 1907 the public was beginning to understand that trucks were not mutants of autos—that goes for, of course, heavier trucks. Light-duty models were almost always a mutant of the manufacturer’s auto. This continued to be the case for many years. In the early years, auto manufacturers who also built trucks were not limited to firms like Ford but also included names like Packard, Cadillac and others. Packard begin building trucks in 1905 and continued to 1923. They built trucks as big as 7 ½-tons and as small as 1 ½-tons. In 1920 Packard showed a new two-ton Model X that had a four-speed gear box and pneumatic tires. Packard built approximately 4,856 trucks for the US Army in WWI. In addition to the US Army sales Packard also sold the same models to Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Russia. In 1904 Ford began to build the E-model, a light-duty delivery wagon. It sold for $950.

In 1906 the automobile manufacturers who also built trucks were very successful. Usually they built light-duty trucks for retail delivery uses. Packard was a good example of that. Cadillac, Ford and Oldsmobile were also very successful manufacturers of both cars and trucks. In fact most automobile manufacturers offered at least one delivery body on a stock passenger car chassis. Mack was a

Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued great example of a truck and bus manufacturer who enjoyed much success, so much so that they moved their factory out of Brooklyn, New York to Allentown, Pennsylvania because they needed more room.

The first Diamond T truck in 1904 featured what we now call a conventional cab design, with the engine in front of the driver as opposed to a cab-over design. Packard’s new 1909 trucks also featured the conventional-design. This was known as the “American” style. For comfort and safety sake the engine rode before the driver in most heavy-duty trucks built in 1909 and later. White also adopted this design also in 1909.

The first Autocar truck was built in 1908 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

It was the XX1 series of forward-control 2-ton trucks that continued in production until 1926. Many were bodied as buses and many saw service in WWI. A two-cylinder Autocar introduced in 1908 survived through 1926 with yearly power increases, but to the very end its cab remained firmly above the engine. Autocar became a division of White Motor Co. in 1954.

Pierce-Arrow was a well established maker of high-quality automobiles by the time its truck division was opened in 1910.

Pierce continued building trucks until 1932, when they became part of White in Cleveland, Ohio. Pierce built trucks and buses, from 2-tons to 8-tons.

Assembled Versus Manufactured Trucks Beginning in about 1909-1910 there was a big controversy in the industry. This concerned the desirability of the “assembled” truck versus “the manufactured” truck. The new Federal was an assembled truck at a popular price. Other “assemblers” quickly joined Federal. Their big selling point was that their vehicles were built of parts made by specialists and that the availability of parts would never be a problem. The 1916-1919 one-ton Acme was a typical assembled truck consisting of a 17 horsepower, four-cylinder engine, dry plate clutch, 5-speed transmission and bevel drive. All of the components were purchased. Trucks were never more than a sideline of the Acme Wagon Company, which manufactured farm wagons from 1880 until after 1925.

On the other hand, Motor truck “manufacturers” had a few telling arguments of their own; as the producers of most of the components that went into their vehicles, they could lay claim to quality control over all the parts they used. This was how the argument went and continued for many years.

From the very beginning of the truck industry, all or most manufacturers sourced some of their parts from various outside manufacturers as is still the practice. Electrical parts, wheels, tires and radiators are examples.

in 1912 and incorporated it into his GMC line.

Mack and Saurer In October 1911, the International Motor Company was formed. It was a holding company for the sale of both Saurer and Mack trucks.

It was joined in 1912 by Hewitt a New York truck manufacturer. For several years all three makes were advertised together. Saurer represented the heavier side of the combined range, though exceeded by the enormous 10-ton Hewitt. In 1916 production of the Mack AC engine began at Plainfield. The demand for the AC engine led to the discontinuance of the American Saurer two years later. Hewitt was the first successful builder of ten-ton trucks.

The Saurer, a Swiss truck built in 4 ½- and 6-ton models in New Jersey, completed a two-legged transcontinental run with ease in 1911. The Saurer arrived at its destination less than two months later with barely a scratch.

Not to be outdone, a 3-ton Packard took up the gauntlet and completed a run from New York to San Francisco in only 47 days— July 8 to August 24, 1911. The Packard did not carry a payload as such, but instead used its body space for camping, rigging, spare parts and other supplies needed for the trip.

One year later an Alco truck carried a 3-ton load on a transcontinental trip from Philadelphia to Petaluma, California.

Competition By 1912 the level of competition among truck manufacturers had become so fierce that some not-too-bright manufacturers guaranteed a fifty-percent overload capacity for their trucks. This was not only a bad business practice, but it was also downright dangerous. As a result, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers was forced to take a tough stance against this practice. In 1912 the NAAM required their members to attach a plate to their truck’s dashboards stating that overloading or over-speeding would void the buyer’s warranty. But, it was too late for the forty-four truck builders who went out of business in 1913.

This was one glaring problem that confronted truck manufacturers in 1913. Foremost was that the solid rubber tires of the day would not support loads over 6-tons. Truck tires tended to become squeezed along the rim when heavily laden which caused the rubber to fatigue and break up. They tried using steel tires on large wheels but that was illegal on most highways. The invention of the Kelly-Springfield sectional block tire and molded solid tires on steel rims helped eliminate the tire/wheel problem.

General Motors Truck Company Billy Durant, the head of General Motors, acquired Reliance trucks in 1911 and changed its name to General Motor’s Truck Company, GMC. Reliance’s products were the 3 ½-ton model H and the Model F. Billy also picked up the Rapid truck line of one and two-ton models

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Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued Early Ford Commercials Ford has always been a giant force in the truck business. Ford truck historian and author of the important book Ford Trucks Since1905 book said Ford built its first commercial vehicle in 1905. It was a light C-cab panel built on Ford’s Model C auto chassis and was priced at $950. It weighed 1,350 pounds and had a load capacity of 600800 pounds. It was only offered one year. The author also noted that even though Ford didn’t offer a commercial chassis in 1906, many owners of cars converted them for commercial purposes.

He also shows a photo of a businessman who converted his 1907 Model N Runabout by removing its auto body and replacing it with a panel body.

The advent of the Model T in 1909 opened a whole new opportunity to modify autos for commercial work. The Model T, after being in production for a couple of years, became more and more affordable.

This made it viable to seriously modify it for commercial work.

One popular method was to use a Form-A-Truck kit that several sources offered. It consisted of a half-a-frame, two solid-tire rear wheels on a solid axle, sprockets, and chain. The owner removed the body, slipped the truck frame over it, pulled the housing up to the underside of the frame, installed the two sprockets to serve as a jack shaft, attached the chain and his Ford truck was ready for business. Using this simple solution the farmer or businessman had a low cost, dependable truck.

Truck Milestones Milestones for 1900: Mack introduced it first vehicle, a gas-powered, 20-passenger bus; the White brothers introduced their first truck, a steam powered light delivery truck; and Henry Ford’s Detroit Auto Company completed its first gas delivery wagon.

Milestones for 1901: the White brothers built a 5-ton steam truck; Duryea’s new 3-wheel delivery vehicle was a success.

Milestones for 1902: The Rapid Motor Company was organized (it later became GMC, GM’s truck division); International Harvester was organized with the merger of the McCormick Company, Deering, Plane, Milwaukee, Warder, Bushnell and Glessner; the first Studebakers, electric passenger cars and trucks, were built; Packard was granted a patent for the “H” gearshift slot.

Milestones for 1903: Ford Motor Company was incorporated; the American LaFrance Fire Engine Company was formed out of La France and International Fire Engine.

Milestones for 1907: For the first time at the New York Auto Show gasoline powered trucks outnumbered all others. The industry had four times as many gas powered trucks than the total of electric and steam powered. Firestone introduced a demountable rim.

The Sternberg Manufacturing Company was formed in West Allis, Wisconsin, to build trucks. You may remember that its name was changed to Sterling during WWI. The first commercial vehicle show in America was held in Chicago.

Milestones for 1908: Autocar came on the scene with its type XVIII truck featuring an 85-inch wheelbase, speeds from 2 to 25 mph, and a 2,000 pound payload. The company discontinued building cars to concentrate on trucks. GM was organized this year. They later acquired the Rapid Motor Company. It was one of the first gasoline powered trucks in the US. In that same year GM acquired the Reliance Motor Company. Zachow and Besserdich of Clintonville, Wisconsin, developed several four-wheel-drive vehicles. Duplex too had its first test runs of a four-wheel-drive truck. Willy’s trucks debuted.

Milestones for 1909: Max Grabowsky’s Rapid Motor Vehicle Company joined GM. The Couple Gear Freight Wheel truck was a hybrid with gasoline/electric drive. This was not the first hybridpowered truck in America. At the New York Auto Show 91 percent of the engines were the four-cycle type; 64 percent were fours; 36 percent were two-cylinders. Most chain-drive trucks of one-ton had solid tires. The use of pneumatic tires on 1 ½-ton trucks was becoming common. The Kelsey-Hayes Company was founded.

Milestones for 1910: Trucks were viewed as a business asset as a time and labor saver to increase earnings. Therefore, radical changes and designs were not used as much on trucks as with passenger cars. The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company of Clintonville, Wisconsin, began manufacturing four-wheel drive trucks. White introduced its first gasoline truck, a 3-ton model. Mack adopted the Bulldog crest trademark. Heavy steam trucks were no longer being built. IH changed the name of its Auto Wagon to International.

American LaFrance introduced its fire engine. Federal Motor of Detroit introduced a 1 ½-ton truck with a four-cylinder Continental engine.

Don Bunn TDR Writer

Milestones for 1904: White offered its first bus; Oldsmobile offered a light delivery car;.

Milestones for 1905: New light motor trucks were offered by Packard, Oldsmobile, Maxwell and Mitchell; the Diamond T Company was organized; and International Harvester introduced its high wheel light-duty truck.

Milestones for 1906: The White Company was incorporated as separate from the White Sewing Machine Company. By the 1906 model year truck manufacturers were buying more and more parts and components. Parts manufacturers were building components of equal or better quality and at lower prices than the truck manufacturers themselves could.

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The Model T, after being in production for a couple of years, became more and more affordable.

Miscellaneous RAMblings . . . . Continued Photo I am embarrassed that I don’t have photos of the very early trucks.

I also didn’t note the year or make of the truck shown. However, it is typical of the trucks built in the latter parrt of the 1890s and the first decade of the 20th century. It is what was called a cab-over engine design that was typical of the time. Note that the steering wheel is on the left side. The body and canopy would most likely have been installed by the owner. It has solid rubber wheels front and back.

My guess is that it was rated as a 1 ½-ton truck. The single light below in the middle and the lights on both sides would have been aftermarket items, as was the bulb-horn on the lower left.

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Fusion: the merging of different elements into a union.

Each quarter we will have TDR writer and magazine editor for Machine Design, Ron Khol, share his thoughts on the Turbo Diesel ownership experience. Ron is relatively new to the mysteries of the diesel, so his adventures are likely to encompass the merging of many different elements into a union to make up his diverse column.

Enjoy Ron’s writing in Khol Fusion.

HOW I’D BRAND THE RAM TURBO DIESEL Columnists for this issue have been asked to say a word about “branding” the Dodge/CumminsTurbo Diesel. Branding, as you undoubtedly know, is an attempt to surround a product with an aura of desirability that goes beyond what the product intrinsically offers.

Or put more bluntly, it is an advertiser’s message telling various segments of the public whether or not a manufacturer wants them as buyers based on income, age, education, or lifestyle.

To take a page from the lingo of politicians, I’m glad you asked that question about branding the Turbo Diesel because Chrysler gives the Turbo Diesel virtually no broad-scale brand support whatsoever.

That surprises me because I’ve always thought the Ram diesel has an intrinsic appeal that goes beyond its stereotypical blue collar “working on the farm and construction site” image. And I would have thought that hot-shot ad agency people would have noticed that by now and exploited it.

Let’s take me as an example. I bought a 2001 Turbo Diesel 2500 pickup with just about every bell and whistle I could load on it. Yet most of the hauling it does is taking yard waste or garbage to the municipal dumpster on weekends. And I knew that would be the case when I bought it. Moreover, although I ordered a trailer hitch, I never tow anything with it. I also have four-wheel drive, and a camper package.

So why did I buy the beast? Well, I am the kind of guy who stops and stares in admiration when the engineer on a three-locomotive chain of diesel-electric engines pushes the throttle forward and begins that chuga-chuga-chuga music that accompanies the act of putting a mile-long freight train in motion. Or I’ll stop to watch the helmsman of an enormous yacht slowly glide his craft away from a dock and into a channel in anticipation of this bringing maybe two to four marine diesels to life. But more specifically, I am the kind of guy who will accumulate two hours of video tape containing nothing more than radial aircraft engines being started on classic warbirds.

Start an aircraft radial engine, bring it off idle, and let it slowly taxi past me. That is the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.

I’ll assume that by now you get the drift of what I’m talking about, namely, that hard-to-define affection a man (and a few women) can have for mechanical equipment that is the epitome of fine

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engineering and precision manufacturing, all glued together by an aura of brute strength and a euphonious acoustical signature.

It is the fact that the Turbo Diesel offers that sort of ambiance in a street-legal vehicle that induced me to buy my Turbo Diesel 2500.

At this point, I am conveniently going to ignore the fact that Cummins has appreciably muted the acoustical signature of its Turbo Diesel.

And I am going to talk about how I think Dodge should brand the Ram Diesel by expanding on the emotional links that originally induced me to buy my Ram. First of all, as I mentioned, let’s forget that “working on the farm or job site” that is supposed to be the foundation of a logical process for buying the Turbo Diesel. When we talk about a Turbo Diesel, we are dealing with an engine upgrade that runs some $5,000. Joe Lunchbox can pump a lot of unleaded through the gasoline tank before he breaks even on whatever economics will be governing his diesel engine operation. Chrysler will not be exploiting the potential of the Turbo Diesel until it makes potential buyers feel the diesel is something they want to own rather than something they need to own.

That brings us to the mystique that the Hummer trades on. Or the Porsche, or the Mercedes Benz.* For purposes of branding, the purchase of a Dodge Ram Turbo Diesel, like the purchase of the other vehicles I’ve just named, has to be a personal statement.

That statement says the owner, in the case of the Turbo Diesel, appreciates fine machinery and admires brute strength. Moreover, he has an ear that wants to hear an acoustical signature he can identify with powerful machinery. Rather than driving a Ram he would rather be taxiing a B-25 warbird or shoving the throttles forward in a cluster of diesel-electric locomotives, but since neither of those are practical for running errands around town, a Turbo Diesel will do just fine. *Editor’s note: I found another interesting comment on vehicle mystique. From Car and Driver, November 2004, editor Patrick Bedard gives us thes words: “You are what you drive. Bimmers, Benzes, Harleys, and Hummers are ‘aspiration vehicles’ Plenty of folks aspire to slip into those images.” Now we know—the drivers of said vehicles have aspirations...

And at this point, let me make the observation that the Ram has a big leg-up on the Hummer. Fundamentally, the Hummer is just a pretty face, so to speak. Under the pretty sheetmetal, the Hummer is just a wimp. For crying out loud, it has a gasoline engine! In a vehicle Smack Down, a Ram would be the one walking out of the steel cage on its feet. In a tough-man contest, it would be the last truck standing.

KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued Insofar as equipping the Ram is concerned, we are now pitching it to an upscale income group, so there is going to be no cutting corners with regard to cost or equipment. Four-wheel drive will be standard. When the Interstates haven’t been plowed in a blizzard, the driver of a Turbo Diesel wants to be able to tear down the snowcovered left lane past all the wimp vehicles either abandoned or mired in the snow. Or if you live in a southern climate, you don’t want the embarrassment of getting stuck in a soggy meadow while retrieving firewood.

Another requirement as standard equipment will be the camper package. We want that sucker to stand as tall as possible, and so we need those stiff springs providing generous ground clearance.

The final aftermarket feature that should be standard is a brush and grill guard. A pickup without a grill guard looks like a football helmet without a face guard. If you are ready for combat (metaphorically speaking) you have to look the part.

Next, we need a spokesman to appear in advertisements for the Turbo Diesel extolling the above virtues. I suggest someone on the order of Tom Selleck or Mike Ditka. By now you get the drift of where I am going with this.

So that is how I would brand the Turbo Diesel. Granted, the truck will always be bought by a certain number of tradesmen or farmers because they need a diesel from a rational standpoint. Let them have it. But for a bigger market, insofar as advertising is concerned, the Turbo Diesel shouldn’t be pitched at the tradesman unless they happen to be successful contractors. And if it is pitched at farmers, it should be for only those who sit on a comfortable cushion of crop subsidies. It should be marketed as the truck people buy when the Hummer isn’t upscale enough.

In closing, I’ll leave a parting thought about marketing to youth.

Automobile companies are constantly trying to engage youth, and in that vein, I wonder whether or not advertising people are aware of how crazy grade-school boys are about Hummers?

When Hummers were first introduced, my grandson dragged his dad to Hummer dealers just to get close to them and perhaps even get a chance to sit inside one. I think the Turbo Diesel marketing people could build the same cachet. When I pulled my Turbo Diesel into my son’s driveway, one of my grandson’s pals gave it a close going over. Then in awe he said: “Wow! I never knew they made pickup trucks this big!”

Shortly after I took delivery of my Turbo Diesel, my neighbor came over to look it over. Then he said, “Ever since you got this truck, my son has been bugging me to get one just like it.” A few weeks later he bought a pickup, but it was a Chevrolet Avalanche, not a Ram. Nevertheless, if you can get grade-school boys begging their dads to buy Turbo Diesels, you are well on your way to successfully marketing the truck as an upscale vehicle.

ARE RAM FRAMES STRONG ENOUGH? In Issue 44 of the TDR, there is an item (page 108) about cracks developing in the beds of 2001 and 2002 Rams. It was said that the cracks develop in trucks “that are ridden hard and put away wet.” I suppose that might allude to such trucks as those used in mining and ranching.

My guess is that these cracks are developing not because of how the trucks are used but rather because the truck frame does not have enough torsional rigidity. I’ll also say that truck frames can be exposed to severe torsional flexing, better known as twisting, in a lot more instances than just those ridden hard and put away wet.* *Editor’s note: There are two sides to every story. Ron owns a 2002 Turbo Diesel and, like most members, closely reads the magazine for discussion about his model year truck. If you reference the Issue 44 magazine, the bed-crack discussion was limited to the ’01 and ’02 model years. Did writer John Holmes and yours truly—the oblivious editor—miss something? Factory model year changes (also known as cost reduction) in years ’01 and ’02?

I wish I had a definitive answer. Ron serves as editor for the trade publication Machine Design and is uniquely qualified to lead in a discussion about frame design. Enjoy Ron’s assessment.

Just pulling from the street into a driveway at a sharp angle and steep incline produces a severe torsional load, especially if the bed is loaded. Also, I’ve noticed that a lot of driveways today aren’t blended down to street level. Instead, they often have a raised apron so that pulling into the drive is almost tantamount to hopping a curb.

In the same breath, I’ll also say that with the remarkable progress engineers have had in developing computerized stress analysis (technically known as finite element analysis), there is no excuse for any modern vehicle in any circumstance to have a structural deficiency. And that includes those that carry full loads over uneven terrain.

For openers, I have to say that when it comes to engineering a vehicle frame, torsion is a load condition that perplexes most engineers. The science of engineering stress analysis was originally developed for structures consisting of simple prismatic shapes such as those found in, for example, railroad bridges and steel-framed buildings. These you can think of as essentially being Tinker Toy or Erector Set structures. For such structures the mathematics of stress analysis and structural design were pretty well worked out by the 1930s. At this level of technology, all an engineer needs is a pad, pencil, and slide rule or hand-held calculator.

More complex shapes, like automotive engine blocks or transmission cases, for example, are an entirely different type of problem. They can’t be stress-analyzed by pencil and paper, and there wasn’t any computer software to address the problem until relatively recent times. These types of parts either weren’t analyzed or had to be evaluated by complicated and expensive lab tests.

Even airplanes, contrary to popular perceptions, were designed mostly by eyeball engineering until the 1970s. Fortunately, airplanes are fatigue limited, so when a new model is built, engineers carefully monitor the structure during flight testing to watch for cracks

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KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued or sheetmetal warping in the structure. If weaknesses become apparent, reinforcing metal is simply riveted over the bad areas.

That is why one-time events such as space shots were so risky. The design had to be right the first time, and there was no good way to gather field data before someone was launched into orbit.

Shortly thereafter, I happened to be at a press event where GMC was introducing new models, and by good fortune I was introduced to one of their experts on frame design. He explained how to get the most torsionally rigid frames possible, and concepts turn out to be surprisingly simple and easy to visualize.

If you have been paying attention to this complicated discussion, you may have noticed that there is a flaw in my reasoning about vehicle frames. They are basically Tinker Toy and Erector Set structures, so what makes their response difficult to visualize or calculate? The problem comes with twisting loads, which engineers call torsion. And torsion is the primary, or at least most difficult to analyze, design problem in vehicle frames.

Basically, it boils down to this. It is the cross members of a frame that have the greatest influence on torsional rigidity. While the main fore-and-aft side rails primarily carry bending loads, resistance to frame twist comes mainly from the design of the cross members used to connect the side rails. Fundamentally, what you want are cross members which themselves are torsionally rigid. This means that if manufacturing equipment permits it (and in most cases it doesn’t), frames should have closed-section cross members such as tubes, hollow squares, or variations of these forms.

If the vehicle wheels rest on (or roll on) a level surface, the primary load is a bending response from the weight of the vehicle and the load it is carrying. You can visualize bending as the load produced on a scaffold extended between two horses. Or it is what is produced on a diving board when you bounce on it. Bending is easy to perceive because bending responses are more or less obvious, and the mathematics for bending calculations are simple and straightforward if you are dealing with such shapes as planks, I-beams, tubes, or standard mill shapes.

These shapes are also easy to deal with intuitively. If a shape is flat like, say, a diving board, you’ll get a lot of flexure from bending; but you won’t get much load-carry capacity or strength. If you turn a diving board on edge, however, the board will now be quite rigid, and it can support a larger load. That is why, for example, when you do carpentry work, you can walk across joists positioned on edge, but you can’t do the same for joists lying flat before they are nailed upright.

If you twist a beam, however, the problem gets more complicated and is a lot less intuitive. Textbook equations for stress produced by twisting address only circular or tubular shapes because those are the only forms for which the mathematics is manageable. If you have any other shape under torsion, a D-section, I-beam, or channel, for example, the problem is much more complicated and usually isn’t covered by standard textbooks.

I have seen only one textbook that gave any guidance whatsoever on the torsional behavior of complex structural shapes, and it also provided an intuitive feel for how to design parts that are torsionally rigid. What emerges is that “open sections,” such as channels and flat bar stock, tend to be torsionally flexible. Enclosed sections, such as tubes and D-sections, tend to be torsionally rigid.

The problem gets even more complicated in cases where shapes are combined to build a ladder-type vehicle frame. A few years ago I attended an SAE trade show in Detroit, where I talked to a number of technical people from first-tier frame-builders. I posed the question about torsional rigidity of frames, and none of the experts I talked to could provide any illumination on the subject. What I learned from talking to them was that frame design is pretty much dictated by the type of roll-forming and welding machinery available in a plant. In fact, manufacturing limitations influence designs much more than considerations of structural engineering.

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To understand this, visuallize a ladder that has only three rungs lying flat as though it were a vehicle frame so that the ladder rungs are now frame cross members. The side rails would carry the weight of the vehicle and load in bending, presuming the vehicle is on level ground. Now visualize the vehicle climbing a curb at an angle so that one wheel has to rise while the other three are at a lower level on the street. This twists the frame, and if it isn’t rigid enough, it will warp the whole body. So the question is how to make the frame as torsionally rigid as possible.

The answer is that the rungs (or cross members) are the keys. If they are torsionally rigid, the frame will be torsionally rigid. If, for example, the rungs are beefy tubular sections or stout solid round or bar, they will resist twisting and thereby help prevent the side rails from deflecting out of a flat plane. In the extreme case where the frame is almost perfectly rigid in torsion, lifting the right front wheel to climb a curb would simultaneously raise the right rear wheel off the pavement, neglecting for the moment the effect of the suspension (or assuming it also to be perfectly rigid). If it were possible to build this type of perfectly rigid frame, then uneven road surfaces would not warp the body or twist the overall vehicle structure as it went over rough surfaces.

In the real world, it is not possible to build perfectly rigid cross members. But they can have high rigidity. Solids such as rounds or bar shapes can be rigid, but they are also structurally inefficient in that they are heavy in relation to the rigidity they provide. The ideal shapes for cross members are enclosed shapes such as tubes, D-sections, or similar derivatives. They provide maximum torsional rigidity for their weight.

Much less desirable shapes, although commonly used in frames, are channels, I-beams, or flat bars. They provide some torsional rigidity but not nearly as much as enclosed shapes.

Until recently, I had never eyeballed how the frame of my 2002 Turbo Diesel is designed. In preparation for writing this column, I crawled under the beast to assess the worthiness of the Dodge structural design.

Well, as they say, you could have knocked me over with a feather.

My Dodge Ram 2500 has essentially no cross members whatsoever.

There are two lightweight cross pieces fore and aft, but by virtue of my engineering eyeball assessment, they provide essentially no resistance to frame twist. If I had seen the frame before I began

KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued driving my truck, I would have expected the Ram to be one floppy vehicle.

Yet when you drive the truck, the body seems decently solid. What is the inconsistency here between structural theory and real-world behavior? My guess is that the sheetmetal body is put to work to provide the torsional rigidity that isn’t being provided by cross members.

If that sounds like skating too close to margins, I agree. And I think that is why some owners are getting cracks in the beds of their trucks. But I’ll pass along something even more distressing from a body engineering point of view. From what I heard a few years ago, automotive body engineers now count on the glass in the windshield to contribute to structural rigidity. As irresponsible as that sounds, I understand that is the way it is today. Maybe that is the reason we see so many cracked windshields today. Cracked windshields are undeniably an epidemic.

in the sheet metal from structural loads or, in fact, any structural deficiencies in mass produced vehicles, are utterly inexcusable in this day and age. Or what we might be seeing once again is the ugly presence of overly aggressive cost reduction and concessions to manufacturing limitations.

Rigid cross members are not as easy to manufacture as less rigid forms, and rigid cross members are also more difficult to weld to side rails. It is tempting for engineers to cut corners on frame design because the consequences often aren’t seen until the first owner has had his lease run out. After that, everyone just shrugs his shoulders when a vehicle model proves to have a fatal flaw. Also, with the turnover you now see in an engineering workforce, when an engineering problem crops up, those who committed the crime usually aren’t around to do the time.

But back to the Dodge Ram. Maybe Chrysler engineers (or the engineering firm to whom they may have subcontracted the design) know something that I don’t. But I’ll say it again, the design of that frame is a complete mystery to me.

Cracks in the cargo box are not the first structural problems in Turbo Diesels. According to what has been published in the TDR, some of the First Generation Rams suffered from sagging door hinges. Stress analysis had progressed far enough that anything designed after 1985 should not have had that problem. But a 2001 Ram experiencing cracks in the cargo box? In my opinion, cracks

Ladder-type frame with torsionally flexible cross members such as thin bar stock or pieces stamped from thin sheetmetal (left) has a torsionally flexible response to twisting forces. Frames with torsionally rigid tubes or other enclosed sections (right) has higher torsional rigidity.

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KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued WHAT IS “PART-TIME” FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE? Stories of the occult often tell us: “There are some things mankind is not meant to know.” Apparently one such mystery is why you can’t use four-wheel drive on dry pavement. Again, this is another topic inspired by something I read in Issue 44, this time by an item on page 39 in the column by Joe Donnelly.

In a clear and complete explanation, he describes how binding of the stub shafts of a four-wheel drive truck causes the vehicle to crow-hop. The topic brought to mind how rarely the typical magazine or newspaper columnist explains the overall peculiarities of FWD. Even owner’s manuals give the subject just a glancing blow that poses more questions than they answer.

When I brought my first FWD vehicle, a 1989 Ford Ranger, the owner’s manual made reference to the fact that the vehicle should not be driven on dry pavement with the FWD engaged. But the statement was cryptic and terse, offering no explanation as to why.

Even in my Dodge manual, the warning is likewise murky, saying merely that keeping FWD engaged on dry pavement may “damage driveline components.” But the all-important unanswered question “why” is not addressed.

Somewhere I ran across the answer. It might have been in a magazine for FWD enthusiasts, but I can’t remember for sure. At any rate, the explanation is quite simple. The problem is that front and rear driveshafts wind up against each other if driven on dry pavement.

Tires and wheels, even of identical size, have small but discreet differences in diameter stemming from manufacturing tolerance and wear. Consequently, the various wheels of a vehicle turn at a slightly different number of revolutions for every mile traveled. That means front and rear driveshafts in FWD also turn a slightly different number of revolutions per mile. If the two shafts are locked together by a transfer case, they gradually “wind up” against each other.

should not be engaged on dry pavement. Such arrangements are said to be “part-time” four wheel drive. This so-called, part-time FWD is normally the type used for serious off-roading or for heavyduty service.

In my opinion, whoever established this terminology got it wrong.

By my sense of logic, front and rear driveshafts forced to turn synchronously are distributing driveline motion as equally as possible to all four wheels and thus are working full time, so to speak.

What the industry calls “full-time,” however, is an arrangement where driveline motion goes to whatever wheels are free to turn.

As a consequence, in slippery conditions individual wheels may be working only part-time, so to speak.

Be advised that there are other ways to relax windup without actually employing a differential. Some systems sense wheel spin and lock and unlock front and rear driveshafts depending upon whether individual wheels have lost traction. Also, some vehicles use viscous couplings to get a differential effect while keeping both driveshafts more or less synchronous. Notable examples of the latter are the V8 Ford Explorer and its derivatives.

All of the above are things you will probably never read in an automotive review in the newspaper or even enthusiasts’ magazines. Most journalists writing for the mass media either feel indepth discussions of FWD are too technical for the average reader, or they themselves are incapable of understanding any aspect of automotive technology that is more than skin deep.

Every time a review of a FWD vehicle appears in a newspaper or mass-circulation magazine, I take care to note how much explanation is given to the FWD principle used in the vehicle. Almost without exception, it is never discussed. This fact convinces me that the typical journalists writing about cars and trucks usually are not qualified to for their jobs.

If the wheels are on a slippery surface, they can slip and relax the wind-up. If they can’t slip, the wind-up can produce a torque overload in universal joints as well as in clutches and gears in the drivetrain.

If the transfer case contains a differential, it prevents wind-up by allowing the two drive shafts to turn at different speeds. Such FWD systems can be operated on dry pavement and are referred to as “full-time” four-wheel drive. The drawback of this arrangement is that the wheel that spins most freely absorbs the most (or sometimes all) drive torque, so you don’t necessarily get the traction of fully engaged FWD. If the transfer case does not have a differential (or if it is in a locked position), both front and rear drive shafts turn synchronously. Then, depending upon whether the axle differentials are limited-slip, you have true FWD or something very close to it. (Often, only the rear differential is of the limited slip type because limited slip differentials on the front axle sometimes make the steering pull to one side.)

Dodge Rams do not have differentials in the transfer case, so front and rear driveshafts want to turn synchronously. That is why FWD

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More SEMA fun.

KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued INTERIOR PANELS ARE TOO TOUGH TO REMOVE Issue 44 also has an item about removing the interior door panels in a 2003 Ram. The mystery of how to remove any automotive interior panel has been a long-standing gripe of mine. Typically, you can’t even begin to guess how to get a panel off unless you have a body manual.

Even worse, if you happen to guess wrong and apply some prying force in the wrong place, you risk either breaking the panel, ruining fasteners, or in some way dinging up the body in a way that is difficult to fix.

Part of the reason removing panels is so difficult is the mania for cheap manufacturing. Panels that are installed by snap-fits are the cheapest and fastest to assemble when the vehicle is being built.

But they are also the most difficult to disassemble when owners try to do their own body maintenance without benefit of a shop manual or prior experience working on the vehicle.

I remember fondly some of the vehicles I have owned where chromium-plated Phillips head screws were profuse throughout the interior. There was never any guesswork involved in removing a panel when the fasteners were in plain view.

Oddly, some journalists reviewing new cars (those apparently with zero aesthetic taste), feel it is disgraceful for screw heads to be visible in a car’s interior. I can recall one automotive review in a newspaper where the writer excoriated one particular American manufacturer because fasteners used on interior panels were visible. The reviewer then went on to praise Japanese manufacturers for the care they took in concealing fasteners.

I think his idea of what looks good is entirely upside down.

Through the years, one of the things I have found unappealing is the increasing tendency for stylists to make the entire car look as though it popped out of a plastic injection-molding die in one piece.

Or to put it another way, too many vehicles now look like bars of soap that have been left in the shower too long. My preference has always been vehicles that have the look of having been put together by craftsmen. Usually this look comes from the use of sharp edges and occasional flat surfaces which, for lack of a better word, is sometimes called a “machined look.”

The next time you visit a classic car show, take a look at the interiors on some of the Rolls Royce or Jaguar cars from the 1950s, 60s, or 70s. You’ll see real wood trim, chromium-plated handles and hinges, and other accouterments that reflect the good taste of people who styled (and bought) these vehicles. And as much as anything, these features suggest that building the car entailed some hand assembly by a craftsman and wasn’t just slapped together by an assembly line worker eagerly looking forward to his break.

Even in modern pickup trucks, the wood plank bed is still considered a high-level dress-up item. But most of all, it is obvious that these vehicles of necessity required some hand crafting. Some elitists criticize such aesthetic touches as nothing more than nostalgic yearnings. Maybe so, but I still think they look better than the bizarre styling now so plentiful in automotive showrooms.

over a bit on both sides of the 50s. Every time I go to one of these events, I return home depressed because there simply isn’t room in my driveway for one of these beauties. And if that isn’t enough, I’d have to store the vehicle all winter to protect it from the insane mania for road salt we go through every winter here in the Great Lakes region.

Typically, you can’t even begin to guess how to get a panel off unless you have a body manual.

I guess I need to live somewhere with a larger garage and in a location south of the Mason-Dixon Line. But, alas, that isn’t likely to happen for a number of logistical and economic reasons.

With regard to cars of the 50s, my all-time favorite is the 1951 Mercury. I would, however, have to have it equipped with a manual transmission and overdrive. The overdrive feature on the Fords of the early 50s was a perfect complement to the smooth and silent flat-head V8s and made the cars excellent long-legged cruisers on the turnpikes.

But I’m a fickle guy. At the recent show I attended, my heart was also stolen by a 1954 Ford Crestline, the first model year that had Ford’s new OHV engine. It was the interior of the Crestline that really caught my eye with its pleated vinyl upholstery that looked like rich leather, complemented by assist handles, and other trim touches that made it look quite classy.

Am I giving Dodge short shrift here? Perhaps, but as a reckless teenager, the only Chrysler products I drove were powered by the old flat-head sixes. With their long strokes and modest displacements, these engines were not exactly sterling performers. And the worst feature was the annoying drone of the engines, which gave an impression of coarseness which was in stark contrast to the smoothas-silk V8s of Fords and GM cars.

What I’ve said here conflicts somewhat with what I said at the opening of this column about the acoustical signatures of airplanes, diesel electric locomotives, and the Turbo Diesel. But those longstroke sixes in 1950s Chrysler cars, with their high numerical axle ratios, had acoustical signatures that were annoying to my ear when they got up to road speed. The overall ambiance was of a “busy” engine compartment.

Dodge introduced a Hemi V8 in 1953, but I have never had occasion to drive or even ride in any of the Chrysler Hemis. So I never placed them in my Pantheon of all-time great cars. It must be mentioned, however, that the Hemi was a big turn-around event for the entire Chrysler line in the early fifties. And a 1953 Dodge Hemi set numerous AAA-sanctioned speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats. From what I remember about the styling and mechanical specifications of the first Dodge Hemi, I wish I had owned one.

A few weeks ago, I attended a show featuring classic cars of the 50s.

The show also included trucks, and the models on display spilled

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KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued ANOTHER GRIPE—LACK OF UNDERDASH REAL-ESTATE

many people to trade-in a vehicle if the air conditioner goes bad.

Complain, complain, complain. I’ll continue in that vein. Another big-time gripe of mine is the shortage of under-dash real estate in modern vehicles. Maybe shortage isn’t the right word. There just isn’t any, to speak of. I blame the situation mainly on the idiotic mandate that vehicles have air bags.

My first hint of this problem was back in the 1960s when a friend of mine was trying to fix something in the heating system of a Chevrolet.

He said that when he went to a shop manual, the first instruction for reaching the heater was, “Cut a hole in the fender liner.”

No, I’m not unmindful of automotive safety. But look at the kinds of crashes NASCAR drivers survive with their five-point restraint systems. Even a four-point restraint system, like that used in some airplane cockpits, would be adequate. And with maybe just a few improvements in the present three-point automotive belts, air bags would be unnecessary.

I’ve been installing CB radios in every vehicle I’ve owned since I bought a 1970 Pontiac. That car swallowed up the CB with no problem, and I even had room to mount a separate speaker for it under the dashboard.

Fitting a CB under the dash in my 1986 Buick was more of a challenge, but it was possible. When I bought a 1989 Ford Ranger, I was able to get both a CB and a scanner radio under the dash. I couldn’t get a CB conveniently under the dash in my 1999 Mercury Moutaineer, but one fit nicely into the center console.

Even though my 2002 Turbo Diesel is a big vehicle, I was just able to get a compact CB squeezed under the dash between the steering column and transfer case shifter. The addition of a scanner radio was out of the question. Without the need for airbags, gobs of under-dash real-estate would open up, permitting larger glove compartments and room to install CBs, global-positioning systems, and scanner radios.

A problem with the heater made me give up my attempt to keep my 1970 Pontiac running forever. I owned the car for 16 years and still hadn’t reached 100,000 miles on the odometer. Nearly all mileage had been on Interstate highways, and the car had never had a brake job. But a strange thing happened when I turned on the defrosters.

As soon as I moved the heater lever to the defroster position, the windshield immediately fogged over so severely that you could barely see where you were headed. That said one thing to me.

Coolant was leaking into the heater ducting. Eyeballing the general arrangement under the dash and in the engine compartment, I concluded that to fix the problem, I had a $1,000 charge staring me in the face. So I sold the car. In all, it is a shame when a simple piece of equipment in a vehicle is virtually unrepairable because of the way parts are jammed together in unreachable confines.

There are federal mandates for just about everything in a modern vehicle, but what is missing are federal mandates regarding repair and maintenance. For example, all dash panels should have a requirement that they be mounted on hinges and held in place by two quick-release knobs so that you could get access to everything behind the panel in a matter of seconds. I need that more than I need rollover protection or crash worthiness.

Editor’s note: I’m betting Joe Donnelly (Issue 46, page 12) and N. Winters, page 36, are also wishing for dash panel hinges.

Complain, complain, complain. I’ll continue in that vein. Another big-time gripe of mine is the shortage of under-dash real estate in modern vehicles.

Ron needs this CB radio mount (CB goes on angled surface) for his interior.

Something that may or may not be blamed on air bags is the difficulty in reaching key parts of the air conditioning and heating systems in cars. I know that ever since the 1960s, the climate-control systems in cars have been all but unreachable, with an exceedingly costly teardown of the dashboard required to maintain them. Modern design has brought us the $1,000 air-conditioner repair, which now induces

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KHOL FUSION . . . . Continued STOP SALTING THE ROADS I’ve never forgotten a conversation I once had with a lady about winter driving. She lived in a community adjacent to mine in northeastern Ohio where a quirk of geography produces great variations in snowfall over just short distances. Her area gets much more snow than mine does, and her daily commute downtown often put her on roads with heavy snowfall.

Since I hate driving in snow, I asked her how she handles commuting over bad roads in the winter. “Oh! Snow doesn’t bother me. The highway department keeps the roads well salted, so there is no problem driving downtown.”

“You are glad they use a lot of salt on the roads?” I inquired. “Aren’t you bothered by how salt destroys your car?” She gave me a blank look. She had no idea that salt destroyed automobiles. And so it goes with the mass of humanity. They always want to see salt trucks on the road at the first sign of snow, but they have no idea how the salt is dissolving their vehicles, often in very dangerous ways.

For my part, I think road salt is the greatest evil ever perpetuated on northern motorists. When I buy a vehicle, my intention is to keep it forever. I once managed to keep a Pontiac Catalina in good shape for 19 years. Our Buick Century lasted 14 years, and my Ford Ranger 12 years. Almost every other vehicle I’ve bought new has lasted at least nine years, except for a Honda Accord which fell apart mechanically after seven years.

I always tried to keep these vehicles in showroom condition. They approached the status of beater only at the very end. All were driven through winters where roads were incessantly over-salted. I was forced to do continuous and relentless maintenance to repair the ravages of salt, but in the end, I was always defeated.

Protests raised against road salt turn out to be nothing more than voices in the wilderness. Average drivers, having zero skill in handling a car, love salt. They want to be able to step on the accelerator and make the car go forward, then step on the brake and make it stop.

Any suggestion that they learn how to manage traction between tires and a slippery surface is out of the question. As a teenager, however, I learned how to handle a car on snowy roads that were almost never salted. It is a skill you can learn if you are forced to.

Alternatively, bring back studded tires. They were banished because they created pavement wear, but they aren’t nearly as destructive as road salt.

ALWAYS LEAVE’EM LAUGHING The following has nothing to do with a Ram Turbo Diesel, but it is too good not to pass along.

In July 2004, North Korea embarked on a campaign to provide quality food to university students. The first two foods introduced in the campaign were hamburgers and French fries. The Korean word for hamburgers is gogigyeopbbang, which means double bread with meat.

The introduction of gogigyeopbbang to North Korea could bring entirely new catch phrases to the Korean language. For example, in a Korean fast-food restaurant, you might be asked: “Would you like fries with that gogigyeopbbang?” Or when Koreans talk about their career aspirations, they might say: “I want a job with a future.

I don’t want to spend my entire life flipping gogigyeopbbang.”

Ron Khol TDR Writer

Right now, the exteriors of my three-year-old and five-year-old vehicles look good. But when I crawl underneath them, I can see that salt is tearing away at the suspensions, steering systems, brakes, drivetrains, and frames. I can always repair and repaint body rust, but what bothers me is not knowing when salt will crack the frame, break a spring, eat through a brake line, dissolve a fuel line, or fracture a steering link. I know that in the end, the salt will win.

Here is something else interesting. People with high blood pressure should think about what road salt does to the sodium content of their drinking water. You can see mountains of salt around northern cities or along northern Interstates during the winter; and every bit of that salt eventually ends up in the lake, river, or aquifer that is the region’s water supply.

Another deleterious effect is the way salt water dripping from cars destroys parking garages, often much to the surprise and annoyance of local officials. A municipal garage in our downtown had to be torn down and totally rebuilt at a cost of some $25 million thanks to the ravages of salt. In reinforced concrete structures, including highway bridges, salt seeps through porous concrete and attacks the steel reinforcing rods. That is one reason you always see orange barrels and road work being done around bridges all summer long in the north. Incidentally, airports never salt runways because of what it does to aluminum airplanes.

Get the impression that the SEMA show is big?

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Our editor has asked us to bring name recognition and branding into this issue. After countless sleepless nights and much daydreaming (during working hours), here is what I have conjured up.

me wrong, I love my Dodges (three to date, more on that in a few minutes); I just bought the Cummins first and the love affair with the Dodge came later. What are they thinking?

What are they thinking?

I want to add one more thing about the, “What are they thinking?” I just finished reading John Holmes’ articles, which are in this issue (we oftentimes send our articles to one another for proof-reading and criticisms, although I find it hard to criticize any of John’s writing, he is truly the master of easy, arm-chair reading). I loved John’s thought about Stuttgart’s replacing our beloved Cummins and using a Mercedes engine in our Dodges. “Mercedes, ain’t that a girl’s name?” That’s a good one John…you’re truly the master.

As for Dodge, I think the folks at the top are doing a great job with one exception: brand recognition regarding the Cummins engine being used in our trucks. I look at the ads in magazines, I see the commercials on television and I think to myself, “As far as the DaimlerChrysler trade name is concerned, they are doing a bang-up job; however they are really missing the boat and a huge opportunity by not capitalizing on the Cummins name.

We have the most recognizable name in diesel engines and DaimlerChrysler is letting it sink to the bottom of the barrel. They are using the “Hemi” name as a serious selling point (a really good idea). Two trucks pull up to a light and one guy says to the driver of the other truck, “what ya runnin’,” and the guy in the other truck says, “a Hemi, of course” and away he roars, leaving the other truck sitting at the light. They are playing on an engine design from the 50s that only remotely resembles the Hemi of today. Why not use the same scenario and substitute Cummins diesel for the Hemi?

Then have the Cummins-powered truck pull away from the light pulling a trailer carrying a three-bedroom, two-bath house. How about pointing out that we are running the basic engine that is being used in military landing crafts? Cummins engines today are powering large contingencies of eighteen-wheelers on our roads.

The dependable Cummins engines power Onan generators and many makes of motor homes; I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. What are they thinking over in Stuttgart? In Detroit?

There is a gold mine here in the Cummins name brand and it is being wasted. Now, I’m no rocket scientist, but it doesn’t take one to figure out, that “when you have a name brand engine such as Cummins in your truck you need to play it up.” I mean, “Hey, if we were running an International, such as in brand F, would we want everyone to know it?” How about brand C, isn’t theirs made by Isuzu?

Here’s another one. How about the Turbo Diesel Register? The guys in Detroit again are missing the boat. They have a built-in following with us, over fifteen thousand strong and growing. Neither Ford nor Chevy come close to having the loyal following that we have with the TDR. Sure, there is a PowerStroke Registry, but it pales in comparison to our rag. I’m not even sure if Chevy has a following.

With a little promotion on the part of DaimlerChrysler, they could increase their loyal following by a considerable number. Oh well, what do I know, I’m only one lowly Dodge/Cummins owner that has spent well over 100k in the last six years on his passion, the Cummins-powered Dodge. Some of you have heard me say this before: “I bought a Cummins engine, I didn’t care what they put it in, I wanted a Cummins.” Heck, they could have stuck the darn thing in a Yugo, and that would have been my truck. Now, don’t get

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BEWARE OF THE KINGFISH Back in August of ’04, Nanci (my wife) and I were invited up to Reno, Nevada, for the annual Air Races. Naturally, on the way through Carson City, we stopped by to say hello to our good friend John Holmes at Carson Dodge. As many of you know, John spends his days there as a Customer Service Specialist (quality control). What that means is, when a vehicle comes in for service, John makes sure that everything was preformed correctly. John is one reason Carson Dodge is ranked the best in the west for service.

Nanci and I were exchanging our hellos with John “The Kingfish” Holmes when all of a sudden John suggested we take a look at a ‘04, 3500 Turbo Diesel, 4x4, single tire, short-bed, Quad-Cab, Laramie, High Output diesel, with everything one could possibly install on a truck. The Kingfish went on to tell us this particular truck had had a shudder at sixty to sixty-five miles an hour and that service had tried various remedies to no avail. John told us, “After much thought, he had suggested they loosen the motor and transmission mounts and re-align the motor and transmission.” In doing so, it completely eliminated the problem. I wasn’t sure why he was showing us this truck, because we sure were not in the market for a new truck. Our ‘99 2500 was the perfect truck; we had added everything that we wanted, nothing more to do. Anyway, we went along with John as he was walking us to “our new truck.” Yes, you read it right, our new truck. John suggested we go for a ride. I asked why? The Kingfish said, “I just want to show you what a good job they did in service, fixing the shudder problem.” He went on to tell us the dealer was on the verge of sending this unit back to the factory as a “buy back.”

I drove it for a few blocks and then Nanci drove it the rest of time (about twenty minutes). I located myself in the backseat, while The Kingfish gave Nanci the cook’s tour of the various amenities of the 3500. I overheard him telling Nanci how the dual climate controls worked, when all of a sudden, I had a sinking feeling in the bottom of my stomach; I knew I had been had. As some of you know, my wife Nanci is the “Queen of freeze;” whenever the temperature drops below seventy-five degrees the heater goes on. With this new dual climate control setup the driver and passenger are able to

LIFE’S A BEACH . . . . Continued enjoy totally different levels of comfort. Yep, you guessed it. Within an hour we were signing the papers on that truck and I might add “We really love it.”

The purpose of this story is to alert all my friends in the TDR: DO NOT STOP BY CARSON DODGE TO SEE “THE KINGFISH,” UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO RECEIVE THE BEST DARN DEAL IMAGINABLE ON A NEW OR PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLE. John Kingfish Holmes, thanks for being a great friend and a good sport. I only know of three guys I could rail-on and feel comfortable doing so. You are one of them.

I now have a mint ‘99 2500 for sale. It is a standard cab, 4x4, six-speed, long bed, with a Banks Power Pack, Warn hubs, Dyna Trac axles, ARB Air Locker, exhaust brake, and fifth-wheel tailgate. $16,000 for the truck. The mileage is 95,000. (conflictdr@yahoo. com)

Jerry Nielsen at the SEMA show talking to BD’s Brian Roth.

You May Be An Engineer If . . .

1. You can remember seven computer passwords but not your anniversary.

2. Your ideal evening consists of fast-forwarding through the latest sci-fi movie looking for technical inaccuracies.

3. You have Dilbert comics displayed anywhere in your work area.

4. You carry on a one-hour debate over the expected results of a test that actually takes five minutes to run.

5. You are convinced that you can build a phaser out of your garage door opener and your camera’s flash attachment.

6. You have modified your can opener to be microprocessor driven.

7. You rotate your screen savers more frequently than your automobile tires.

8. You have a functioning home copier machine, but every toaster you own turns bread into charcoal.

9. You have more toys than your kids.

10. You have a habit of destroying things in order to see how they work.

Submitted by Loren Bengtson

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LIFE’S A BEACH . . . . Continued PULLRITE SUPER GLIDE 16K FIFTH-WHEEL HITCH As reported, I recently purchased a ’04 3500, short bed, Quad Cab. This purchase was an impulse buy, without a great deal of forethought. After signing the papers it dawned on me that my current fifth-wheel hitch would not work in my new short bed. I looked at the various choices available. I even considered converting my old hitch into an adjustable slider to accommodate the lack of clearance.

After several days of research I finally settled on a PullRite Super Glide 16K (Issue 42, page 163 has a write-up on the PullRite line of hitches). This unit is certainly not the least expensive unit on the market (about $2500 + installation). There were several other units that would have handled the job, but none that would do it without the driver having to exit the cab and pull a lever to actuate a sliding mechanism. PullRite has the automatic sliding hitch market all to themselves.

Again, this is not an inexpensive unit. However, when you consider the possible damage to the cab of your truck and/or the damage to your trailer, the price looks really good. I thought about the many times I have pulled into a tight spot at a service station or backed into a tight spot at an RV park, and the decision to purchase the automatic slider from PullRite became the correct one to make.

Now, on to the unit itself. This is a highly evolved unit, utilizing the action of a cam to facilitate the sliding mechanism. The unit no longer pivots between the pin box and the fifth-wheel hitch. An adapter plate is installed on the pin box that actuates a cam within the fifth-wheel hitch. When the truck starts a turn and passes 15 degrees, the hitch unit starts a smooth descent aft. This movement is not noticed and the driver is able to concentrate on the turn and not on the possibility of the corner of the cab making contact with the corner of the trailer.

the work. Don’t skimp on this part. If you’re going to spend $2500 bucks on a hitch, have it installed by the pros. Make sure you ask questions and verify they have installed a few before you give them your new truck to work on.

The PullRite hitch is nicely welded together and all the parts used to encapsulate the frame are then powder coated black. This is an extremely well made and well-engineered hitch. I can certainly see how PullRite has risen to the forefront of the fifth-wheel hitch market.

My next chore was to try out my new hitch. I had left my trailer in Auburn, California, which is almost five hundred miles from where I live. I arrived with my friend “Uncle Buck.” Buck went to work on the adapter plate for the pin-box. The adapter plate should be welded to the pin-box. However, we did not have a welder on hand, so we bolted the plate on and planned to weld it on later.

The hookup went without a hitch (no pun intended). One hour later we were on the road. I was a little concerned about the bolts on the pin box working loose. We stopped every couple of hours to check them, only to find they were as tight as when we had installed them.

My fifth-wheel weighs in at 11,000 pounds, and I was expecting a smooth journey home and a smooth journey is what I received.

PullRite has delivered a quality product to the fifth-wheel market. I can, with good conscience recommend the Super Glide by PullRite to anyone with a short box truck and interested in pulling a fifthwheel. Thanks PullRite, this hitch is a winner.

Contact information: Pullrite: www.pullrite.com or 1-800-443-2307 Classic RV www.classicrv.com or 1-800-995-7929

The Installation A word of caution here. The installation is not for the timid.

First, the unit itself is very heavy, about 150 pounds. Second, it is recommended by Dodge that welding or drilling to the Third Generation truck’s hydroformed frame be avoided or kept to a minimum (Issue 39, page 51, and TSB 13-001-03). The PullRite mounting brackets must be clamped around the frame rails. This alone takes more than two hands. The only special tool needed would be a hole saw for drilling four large holes in the bed of the truck.

I chose to have the installation preformed by Classic RV in Irvine.

Two mechanics and the service manager worked on the installation, which lasted the better part of the morning. I can only guess how long it would have taken my buddy Fred and me (no offense Fred) to do the installation. While I was hanging around taking pictures and notes, I noticed another ’04 Turbo Diesel pull in and park. I overheard the owner of the truck tell the service manager that he had purchased a PullRite hitch from a competitor. He went on to tell him how the other RV dealer had botched the installation. I walked over to the bed of his truck and witnessed how even professionals can make mistakes. Michael (the service manager) explained to the gentleman that he would be able to help him; however, some of the previous install was irreversible (the four large holes in the bed of the truck were drilled in the wrong place). The only alternative was to re-drill the large holes and cover the bed with a quarter inch rubber mat. So much for having the lowest priced dealer do

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Support rails and pins.

LIFE’S A BEACH . . . . Continued

Brackets used to encapsulate frame also hold and support corner pins

Frame brackets showing cutout for shock supports

Hitch installed over support rails.

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LIFE’S A BEACH . . . . Continued BD’s New Single Turbo System I received a call from Brian Roth (Owner of BD Diesel Performance) in February of ’04. Brian and I had previously discussed two new turbo systems that his company was preparing to release: the first one was a single turbo system; the second, will be a twin turbo system. Brian wanted to work out some particulars, then have me install one on a ’98.5 – ‘02 24-valve truck and do an evaluation and article. Well, here it is, so hold on to your seat. I think you’re going to like what you read.

This single turbo system by BD starts with a Borg Warner/Schwitzer turbo, which was designed by BD and is marketed exclusively by BD Diesel Performance. The package also includes 275 injectors, an aFe air filtration system, BD X-Monitor, BD exhaust brake, Edge Comp Box, and a four-inch exhaust system (the exhaust system was already in place). All parts including down tube, clamps and connections were delivered, packaged and received in perfect condition.

Fred (my sidekick) and I looked things over and decided to install this system on his pristine ‘99, 2500, six-speed, 4x4, Quad cab, long bed. The installation went together without a hitch. We (I mean Fred) had everything in and connected in about 12 hours total (the actual installation was spread out over a couple of days). I frequently stopped by to photograph the progress. (I felt as if I was invited to a party and the party started without me).

Schwitzer Single Turbo with down pipe.

I contacted aFe in Corona, California, and asked if they would allow us to use their Mustang dyno to do some testing. They were more than willing to oblige. We would also make the most of the runs while utilizing one of their air filtration systems. We were greeted by two technicians. Eric (one of the techs) pulled Fred’s truck onto the dyno and strapped her down. The Edge Comp Box has five power levels and five sub levels. Fred set the power level at four and the sub level (which controls the flow of fuel) at three. We had predetermined this setting by making a few runs up a steep hill by Fred’s home. The most important issue to us is not how much power will this setup make, but how much usable power will it make (usable power being determined by the exhaust gas temperatures). The BD X-Monitor has the ability to preset an EGT figure that when reached, will alert the driver. We chose 1350 degrees as our upper limit.

The following are the figures and measures resulting from our day on the dyno at aFe with BD’s new and impressive Single Turbo System.

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Inside the Schwitzer compressor.

aFe 6” Stage 1 Boost Torque HP 28.3 506 @ 2480 rpm 249 @ 2600 rpm 33.5 806 @ 1725 rpm 342 @ 2310 rpm 33.7 802 @ 1725 rpm 351 @ 2400 rpm 34.8 801 @ 1725 rpm 356 @ 2400 rpm 36.4 807 @ 1725 rpm 356 @ 2400 rpm 34.5 806 @ 1725 rpm 357 @ 2400 rpm 33.6 792 @ 2140 rpm 354 @ 2480 rpm

Test #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7

EGT 1054 1182 1230 1250 1247 1243 1162

#8

1347 35.8

874 @ 1725 rpm

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372 @ 2400 rpm

Notes Box off Box set 4 and 3 Same as above Same as above Same as above Same as above Speed constant at 70 mph Box set 5 and 5

LIFE’S A BEACH . . . . Continued

Inside the Schwitzer Turbo.

Exhaust pipe cut, ready for exhaust brake.

BD “down-line” exhaust brake.

Exhaust brake installed.

As you can see from the dyno runs, this is an impressive setup. The two most interesting runs for me were #7, which held a constant speed at 70 mph (notice the EGTs), and also run #8, where the box was set at 5 and 5 (max). We had lots of smoke on run #8, and the EGTs were almost acceptable. Remember, horsepower means less to us than torque.

you need to do is add the second turbo and injectors. Both systems are compatible and the parts and pieces are interchangeable. I must say that BD has raised the bar with this system. I’m really anxious to install that second turbo on Fred’s truck. “More power, more power, more power. Will I ever be satisfied?”

Give the guys at BD Diesel Performance a call. They will help you choose the correct setup for your needs. Next edition of the TDR I will be doing a product review of BD’s Twin Turbo setup. BD tells me that, the systems are identical with the exception of a large secondary turbo and higher-flow injectors. With BD’s system approach you can start with the single turbo system and if that doesn’t do it for you, all

Contact information for BD: www.dieselperformance.com or 1-800-887-5030 Till next time, consider me gone, surfing that is, Jerry Nielsen TDR Writer

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In this issue the “Outstanding” column will highlight upcoming Turbo Diesel events and gatherings of special interest. My thanks to those TDR members, friends and companies that spend countless hours preparing to host the TDR membership at the various events.

EVENTS 2004 Realizing that many TDR members like to attend motorsports/open house/seminar/rally events with a common theme of Turbo Diesel ownership and camaraderie, we have put together a listing of events in 2005. The calendar includes events tailored specifically for Dodge/ Cummins Turbo Diesel owners (TURBO DIESEL EVENTS). Such events are sponsored by a variety of business and club entities.

The events may or may not have a charge for admission. Please check the headings closely for details.

As the number of Turbo Diesel related events increases, it is necessary to add several points of clarification. First, the TDR staff is thankful for the contributions and volunteer efforts of local chapters in hosting, organizing and facilitating these local and regional gatherings. Appreciation and thanks should also be extended to the local event sponsor—typically a Dodge dealership, Cummins distributorship, or local performance shop. If you plan to attend, note that you will be required to send a check made out to the sponsor of the local event. The events require an enormous amount of time and resources.

The TDR staff’s role in the planning, organizing, and logistics is limited and minimal. Credit for these events should be given to the event sponsor and local organizing personnel. A sincere “thank you” and a follow-up card from attendees can make a big difference in the scheduling of subsequent gatherings.

Secondly, in the past the TDR and its paid staff have been involved in several national-type events. At those gatherings, your payment (albeit discounted, thanks to the financial support of DaimlerChrysler and Cummins) is made to the TDR. These national events carry with them an expectation for factory participation, organization, promptness, recognition, awards, vendor displays, entertainment, a chance to drive test vehicles, and—best of all—a chance to meet and renew friendships. As you make plans for travel to various events, you should calibrate your expectations accordingly.

To complete the calendar, there are other events of interest to drivers of all makes and models of diesel pickups. These events (listed as OTHER DIESEL EVENTS) cater to a wider audience.

Because we are writing this article in mid-December, the information presented is subject to change. Please realize that many people and groups—including Dodge, Cummins, TDR chapters, Dodge dealerships, Cummins distributors, independent shops—will be your hosts and are working to make it happen, and in some cases complete event details are not available at this time.

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REGIONAL/LOCAL TURBO DIESEL EVENTS FEBRUARY 2005 What: Third Annual ATS Summit—Arvada, Colorado When: Saturday, February 12, 9AM-until Host/Where: ATS Diesel Performance and the Rocky Mountain TDR chapter invite you to the annual business open house and Summit meeting.

More Information: More information is found on page 143.

MAY 2005 What: Eleventh Annual May Madness 2005—Las Vegas, Nevada When: Wednesday, May 4 – Saturday, May 7, 2005 Host/Where: TDR member Joe Donnelly and crew invite you to join them at Arizona Charlie’s-East for a fun filled weekend.

More Information: More information on the following page and an event registration form is on page 142.

OTHER DIESEL EVENTS JUNE 2005 What: Thunder in Muncie When: Saturday, June 25; Sunday June 26 Host/Where: TiM is organized by Eric McBride of the DHRA. Held annually since 2000, the event will be held at historic Indianapolis Raceway Park in Clermont, Indiana (Clermont is on the west side of Indianapolis). Last year there were 1500 trucks at TiM as the owners participated in show-n-shine, sled pulls, dyno runs and drag race activities. Admission price varies based on your level of participation.

More Information: See the Thunder in Muncie web site at www. thunderinmuncie.com.

JULY 2005 What: Cummins Rocky Mountain Truck Fest When: Saturday, July 23; Sunday, July 24 Host/Where: Cummins Rocky Mountain and Bandimere Dragway, Denver, CO, host the 12th annual Thunder Mountain Truck Fest, an all-truck drag racing event. Saturday will be the day for diesel pickups. Sunday will be the day for the big rigs.

More Information: Call Cummins Rocky Mountain at (303) 2870201. Future TDR magazines will have detailed information on the Truck Fest.

Out Standing In The Field . . . . Continued AUGUST 2005 What: Scheid Diesel’s Diesel Extravaganza ‘05 When: Friday, August 26 – Sunday, August 28 Host/Where: Scheid Diesel’s annual open house, product fair, show-n-shine, dyno testing, tractor pull, and DHRA drag racing show. The event is held at the Wabash Valley Fairgrounds in Terre Haute, IN. Last year’s attendance was over 600 trucks per day. Mark your calendars to attend!

More Information: Call Scheid Diesel at (800) 669-1593.

MAY MADNESS 2005 The Eleventh-Annual Turbo Diesel Register (TDR) Western Regional Rally The Eleventh Annual May Madness will be held on May 4-7, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other brands of diesel trucks will be welcome in addition to Cummins-powered Dodges. We plan to hold most events at Arizona Charlie’s-East (the host hotel/RV park and location for show-n-shine, seminars, and vendor booths). The following is a tentative schedule of events.

The vendors’ Hall of Gottahavits will be open, at the parking garage of Arizona Charlie’s—East on Wednesday morning, and all day Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday nights we will have a build-your-own dinner spread, courtesy of our vendors. We have a tentative commitment from Cummins to give seminars on one or both of those nights.

We have set up Dyno Days on Thursday (5/5) and Friday (5/6) at Silver State Motorsports. Vendors are invited to attend the Dyno Days. Here is your chance to test that new [censored] and see just how much horsepower it really gives your Ram at the wheels! Last year, about 50 trucks ran on the dynamometer. The top horsepower number was over 800! No other TDR meet has such high numbers as May Madness. Most regional rallies seldom see numbers over 500 horsepower. I can think of five reasons (undoubtedly there are more) for participating in the Dyno Days. First, one may want a baseline horsepower for a stock Turbo Diesel. Second, one may want to compare the improvement from a set of standard changes—like injectors, or a power box—to the truck’s previous number or to others’ results from the same kind of modifications.

Third is the desire to “beat” others with similar configurations.

Fourth is the desire for all-out competition. Fifth is the desire just to participate with others.

Silver State is located at the Las Vegas Speedway, I-15 Exit 54, Building Q, Suite 103 (vendors are welcome). Turn right at the bottom of Exit 54 off-ramp, right again after the Petro truck stop and before the Shelby building, and left through the gate to Bldg.

Q. You can also get to Q by turning right after the Shelby building and taking the internal access road. Their new exhaust system will work with normal tailpipes up to 5” outside diameter; if you have stacks or an odd, one-off system, bring an adapter so the shop won’t be filled with soot.

Midnight Mayhem “grudge” matches (10PM – 2AM). The dragstrip is an official National Hot Rod Association track. It is modern and spacious, and has excellent traction.

Lake Mead Cruises will give us a group rate of $36 for their two hour (6:30 to 8:30 PM) dinner cruise on Lake Mead, Thursday, May 5.

To get this rate, you have to send the funds with your registration.

They won’t accept individual payments at the group rate.

On Saturday May 7, we will hold a Best Dressed/Show-n-Shine Truck contest, have vendors in a Hall-of-Gottahavits, and offer technical seminars on popular issues such as power, maintenance, drivetrain upgrades, etc., in the meeting room at the RV park office. Several vendors have also volunteered for these 20-minute seminars. The seminars will be technical; significant product features and advances will be presented. At the awards banquet on Saturday evening, we give away about $10,000 in prizes on a random-drawing basis, so each attendee has a chance to win something of value.

Attendees should plan to conduct their own tours of Vegas Valley attractions! Each tour might include one or more local attractions such as Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Mount Charleston, Caesar’s or Fashion Show shopping mall, Southern Nevada historical museum, Liberace museum, Ethel M candy factory, Hoover Dam, Pahrump winery, etc. Some of these tours will require admission fees, to be paid by the participants. Each participant will pay for individual dyno runs, boat cruise/dinners, entrance fee at the drag strip, fees for museums, etc. That way you pay only for what you want to attend.

Arizona Charlie’s-East is the host hotel and RV park. They have about 300 rooms and 200 RV spaces. Register with them early. Not only can other attendees beat you to the rooms/spaces, but other groups may make reservations unrelated to May Madness. Just as for the river cruise, we don’t have unlimited credit to guarantee reservations for blocks of rooms and spaces. Other hotels and RV parks are close by on Boulder Highway. If you register late, you should be able to find a room/space, but you can expect to be somewhat inconvenienced, and may have to pay more.

Call our official hotel/RV park, Arizona Charlie’s-East, 4575 S. Boulder Hwy., Las Vegas, NV for reservations. To get the group hotel or RV space low rates, specify May Madness when you call. Call 702-951-5900 or 800-362-4040 for the hotel. Rates are $40 including tax for weekdays, $55 including tax for Friday and Saturday nights.

For an RV space at $18 including tax per night, call 702-951-5911 or 800-970-7280.

It is very important to register early for the Eleventh May Madness— 2005 so that we can plan better. Both the hotel and the RV park were filled last year. On the registration form you will note there is a discount for early registration! If you need a one-day pass, vendor space, or special accommodations, contact Joe Donnelly for arrangements.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway (www.lvms.com) has not finalized its 2005 schedule yet, but it should have drag racing on Friday night.

The Speedway will hold both test-n-tune time trials (6-10 PM) and

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Out Standing In The Field . . . . Continued

ELEVENTH ANNUAL WESTERN REGIONAL “MAY MADNESS” RALLY MAY 4-7, 2005 REGISTRATION FORM

Please print clearly or affix your personal address label.

Registration # ______________________ (assigned by staff)

Name:_________________________________________________________________________________________ Guest(s) Name:__________________________________________________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________________________________________________________ City:_________________________________________________________State:____________ Zip:________________________ Phone:________________________________ E-mail Address______________________________________________ Early event registration through January 14, 2005, will be $70 for driver, passenger(s), and truck (includes registration, one t-shirt, one goody bag, one banquet ticket, and all activities without a price tag). Note that some activities have entrance fees that you must pay, such as the drag strip, your individual dyno runs, access to state/national parks. From January 15 through March 11, 2005, registration cost is $75. From March 12 through April 29, registration is $80. Registration at the door is $85.

Year of truck ___________ (Dodge Ram _____; other _________________) Basic registration which includes one banquet ticket [$70, $75, or $80 (see sign-up dates above)]............................. $_______ Shirt Size (circle): M L XL XXL XXXL Additional shirts (fill in numbers): _____M _____L

_____XL @ $11.00 each................................................. $_______ _____XXL @ $12.00 each................................................. $_______ _____XXXL @ $13.00 each................................................. $_______

Additional banquet tickets for 5/07/05 @$28 each......................................................................................................... $_______ Dinner cruise of Lake Mead (evening) 5/5/05 @ $36 each (include funds NOW).......................................................... $_______ Total Enclosed for Registration ($70/$75/$80 event registration; extra T-shirts @$11/$12/$13; $36 each cruise ticket; extra banquet tickets @$28):...................................................................................... $_______ Please send completed registration form by mail with your check or money order made out to May Madness–2005, 12101 Coronado Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122; Donnellyj@msn.com; (505) 858-1966.

Please note that some events and schedules are dependent upon availability and the number of early registrations received.

Please register as soon as possible. Cancellations will be accepted until 4/15/05 with a $10 handling fee. No refunds will normally be made after 4/15/05.

LIABILITY RELEASE

The Undersigned releases the Turbo Diesel Register, its officers and staff, Arizona Charlie’s, Silver State Motorsports, Clark County, the State of Nevada, any sponsors or vendors and all others connected with this event from all known liability, property damages, injuries or losses, judgments and/or claims resulting from entrant’s participation in this event. Entrant also relinquishes any rights to any photos or videos taken in connection with this event.

SIGNATURE:_____________________________________________________ DATE:____________________ Questions: Joseph Donnelly Donnellyj@msn.com

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Out Standing In The Field . . . . Continued ROCKY MOUNTAIN TDR SUMMIT MEETING 2005

AUGE’S JEEP/DODGE FOUR-WHEELING FUN IN APRIL

The Rocky Mountain TDR chapter and ATS Diesel Performance invite you to the third annual Summit meeting. This past fall ATS completed a move into their new 100,000 square foot facility in Arvada, Colorado. This year’s Summit will be held at ATS’s new facility and include product clinics and seminars from vendors such as Pacbrake and Snow Performance, as well as guest speakers Scott Bentz (Cummins Rocky Mountain) and Clint Cannon (ATS).

Food and drink will be served, and there will be plenty of chances to meet-n-greet other TDR members and others in the diesel community. There is no charge to attend, however, please RSVP to ATS Diesel Performance to insure that there is ample food and drink for everyone.

In April 2005 Auge’s Dodge will put on their annual seminar and clinic on four-wheel drive function, engineering, usage, and techniques at their dealership in Belen, New Mexico (30 miles south of Albuquerque). The New Mexico Four Wheelers organization works with Auge’s in putting on this event. Owners and enthusiasts of four-wheel drive vehicles manufactured by DaimlerChrysler are welcome. For more information, call Auge’s at (505) 864- 4482 or visit their website www.augeboys.com or visit the new Mexico Four Wheelers Club at www.nm4w.org.

Join us at ATS on Saturday, February 12, from 9 AM until.

ATS Diesel Performance 5293 Ward Road Unit #11 Arvada, CO 80002

Auges Dodge 650 East River Road Belen, New Mexico (505) 864-4482

(800) 949-6002 (303) 431-7973

Join us at a TDR event.

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TDR/REFERRAL/RECOGNITION/REWARD

Recognition

Thank you for your help in increasing the TDR membership. Your efforts via discussions, copies, and brochures handed out to other Turbo Diesel owners are noted each time a new owner joins us.

How do you participate? It’s easy. On the TDR brochures that you pass out in a “grass roots photo-copy membership drive,” or on an original TDR brochure, be sure to include your name and subscription number. As new subscribers join us, we’ll check the application for a referral name/number. Then, we will recognize TDR members for their participation in the “TDReferral/Recognition/ Reward” column each quarter.

This referral program is ever more important. Previously, the TDR has had support from DaimlerChrysler in the form of new truck owner information. With internal changes at DaimlerChrysler, this information is no longer available. Thus, the TDR membership has to be self-reliant in its marketing initiatives.

Many members have asked for additional brochures and have commented about their work distributing the material. For the efforts put forth, you would expect a higher number of responses. Don’t be discouraged!! Your positive discussions may not immediately net a new TDR member. Many people have the intention, yet find it hard to part with dollars.

Referral The subscription number listed on the top of your address label is a valuable tool that the TDR uses to keep track of subscriptions and to recognize/reward those TDR members who are active in new subscription referrals.

George E. Anderson Jr. Eugene and Susan Leadbetter Jerry and Nanci Nielsen Richard L. Shakespeare Don Angelechio Johnny Barr Duane Bennett Johnny Berzas Jack R. Bish Richard Brown Tom Bryan Ken Cooper LLoyd Cushman Arlen Cutsforth Mark Davis Douglas DeCosta Chris Dubie Ken Eckler Leo E. Eisert Randal S Evanoff Robert Farr Bruce Flood Chuck Foley Timothy Frane John Franklin

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Hank Freeman Randy Gajewsky Ron Geis Jamie Given Sam Goodwin John Gridley Dave Grindstaff Terry Grost Richard Guffey Chip Hacking Harold Hearon Craig Higley George Ihrig Terry J Jackson Russell Kaplan Tom Kerrigan Ronald Large Park Leachman Justin Lett Leon E. Livingston Art Looney Casey MacGregor H.C. Martin Lee McClellan William McKee

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Reward Recognition is great, but how about a WIIFM (what’s in it for me)?

How does this sound? For your help in expanding the membership of the TDR, we will send you a Cummins Diesel Power cab plate.

I love incentives, don’t you?

Let’s give away some money. It’s fun to get a surprise cab plate in the mail. But we would like to add a bit of excitement to the TDR/R/R program. Here is the “deal.” For each referral, we will put your name into a hat for a quarterly prize of $100. Obviously, numerous referrals per quarter increase your chances of winning.

Our winner this quarter is Richard Shakespeare.

Mike McLain Garry McQue Gale McRae Billy Mixon W.C. Nasburg Noel Olebos Bill Peaslee Steve Pellegrino Gary Phillips William Poole Bill Prewitt Scott Smith Thomas Snyder Tom S. Stone Jeremy Straley Randy Surman Betty Sutherland Bill Tiner Scott Ulrich Andrew Varella Curt Vaughn Blair Ward Gary Wells Philip A. Williams Richard Witt

Kevin Yeend Tim Zenke Anthony Fischer Gary Gaudreault Fred Sievert Wayne Elit Robert Krueger Michael Barrett Aaron Harrow Fred Garland Steve Bova Greg Van Dyke Eric Willson James Walker John Williams Joe Glasby Mike Winschel Chip Luke Randy Garst Mark Ray Mike Chambers Millard Johnson Charles Snyder Richard Wilms Don Garver

James Dixon John Witmer John Falkner Rob Wilson Herman Yentz Ollie Stroh Derek Holeman Mike McIlroy Dave Richards Scott Tripp Dale Bult Warren Urbowicz Kevin Wieland Kirk Gallaher Cliff Seward Jerry Sooter Shannon Cosgriff Leon Weldy Philip Waloski Tim Redding Bob Carter Shawn Ely Bart Meisner David Corrie Sr

TDR/R/R . . . . Continued NEW TDR NAMEPLATE

TcDR

Numerous requests have been received for some type of TDR identification placard. I, as editor, and you, as members, should be flattered by the request.

Anyone who has been stranded in a not-so-familiar part of the country can attest to the value of having a copy of the Travel Companion book in their glove box. We have received phone calls, e-mails, and letters that have confirmed the effectiveness of the Travel Companion book. Thanks to all 678 members who volunteered for the 2005 edition. The next Travel Companion is distributed with this issue of the magazine.

No doubt, an identifying emblem will result in an instant conversation between TDR truck owners. At the fuel island, campsite or overthe-road, I’m hopeful you will take time to meet and greet your fellow TDR driver/owner. Below are several ways to identify an affiliation.

TDR embossed nameplate and license tag.

If you would like one of the TDR nameplates, please send $1.00 or $3.95 (stamps, cash, or check) for the TDR license tag, stating the quantity desired, to the TDR office. The $1.00/$3.95 will help offset the cost of postage and the mailer used to send the nameplate or tag to you. Thanks for your support!

TDR Decals

Recognition of those individuals who have gone out of their way to help a fellow TDR truck owner is important. Therefore, we have developed a grill badge that we will send out to those in the Travel Companion book when we learn of their assistance to a machinedown traveler. The award is called the TcDR: Travel Companion Distinguished Recognition. The TcDR badge will look great on that big Dodge Ram grill.

While I would like to give the TcDR badge out to all 678 Travel Companion participants, that type of distribution would indicate too much misfortune. Seriously, the generally accepted rules for TcDR badge distribution simply require an e-mail or letter (something for documentation purposes) from the traveler who was offered and received assistance. The correspondence should include the traveler’s name, address and phone number; the nature of the problem and how the Travel Companion listing was able to help.

Most important, please give the phone number of the member who was called and provided the assistance so that we can research and find where the TcDR grill badge should be sent. We will also recognize TcDR helpful heroes in the magazine. Please send in your referrals.

For this issue we would like to recognize: Bob Wagner Auburn, WA Justin Pitts West Valley City, UT David Shuart Wind Lake, WI Don Simmons Spearfish, SD

There have been numerous requests for TDR decal(s). They have been printed and are ready for distribution. To receive your decal(s), please forward a self-addressed, stamped envelope (55¢) and specify the type of decal(s) you want (turbodieselregister.com, TDR 5”, TDR 4”, TDR website) to: TDR Decal, 1150 Samples Industrial Drive, Cumming, GA 30041.

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TDR/R/R . . . . Continued TDR EMBLEMS Another way to identify your TDR affiliation (and initiate a conversation) is to display a TDR emblem on a grill badge or a receiver cover. We found a cost-effective vendor that made these emblems in a pewter/colored finish. The emblems are sold at cost: The grill badge is $10.00; the receiver cover is $15.00. To order these items please see the Geno’s Garage catalog insert.

REWARD/HIGH MILEAGE In Issue 22 (Fall ‘98) we started a program to recognize/reward high mileage Turbo Diesel trucks. We developed a TDR milestone tag to commemorate mileage achievements. The tags are sent at no charge to members. Proofs of mileage via a photo of the outside of the truck and a picture of the odometer are appreciated. (If you can’t get a good focus on the odometer, we’ll trust you.)

Gary Busko (100K) Tom Chamberlain Sauk Rapids, MN Duvall, WA

(100K)

Gene Feldman (100K) Yuma, AZ

Richard Floyd Inverness, FL

(115K)

Tony Gugy (100K) Overgaard, AZ

Michael Morrell West Chester, PA

(101K)

Frank Naugle (100K) The Woodlands, TX

Harry Olsson Camp Verde, AZ

(103K)

Charles Topp (100K) Charlotte, NC

Jerry Ward Santa Teresa, NM

(100K)

Bob Spathelf (175K) Duryea, PA

Eric Ross Loveland, CO

(100K)

Tom Reedy (100K) Canterbury, CT

Bruce Warner Chino Valley, AZ

(186K)

David Corrie (100K) Jeffersonville, IN

David Corrie Sr. Guntersville, AL

(100K)

This quarter we sent 200K tags to: Phillip Toth (200K) Tom Reedy Floyd, VA Canterbury, CT

If you would like a high mileage tag, please send in your photos.

Include $3.95 in postage or cash to cover shipment of your nocharge tag. Tags are given out at 100,000 mile increments, i.e., 100, 200, and 300K miles. Over 300K miles? Sorry, we’ve not yet developed a tag, but we’ll send additional 100K tags to collect and display.

While we would like to report 100% utilization of owner pictures, please realize that a photo of your truck may or may not be in the magazine because of page layout and spacing constraints.

This quarter we sent 100K tags to: Robert Spathelf – Duryea, PA (175K)

Bruce Warner – Chino Valley, AZ (186K)

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Richard Floyd – Inverness, FL (115K)

(200K)

TDR/R/R . . . . Continued

Tony Gugy – Overgaard, AZ (100K)

Phillip Toth – Floyd, VA (200K)

Charles Topp – Charlotte, NC (100K)

Gary Busko – Sauk Rapids, MN (100K)

Frank Naugle – The Woodlands, TX (100K)

Eric Ross – Loveland, CO (100K)

Harry Olsson – Camp Verde, AZ (103K)

Jerry Ward – Santa Teresa, NM (100K)

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A forum for posting TDR Chapter activities.

TEXAS RALLY 2004 The fourth-annual Lone Star Texas Rally was held October 9th and 10th at Buckhorn Lakes RV Resort in Kerrville, Texas, in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The Buckhorn Resort is considered to be the nicest RV park in Texas, and they have excellent facilities for meetings and rallies. The weather was perfect with cool mornings and warm partly-cloudy afternoons. In attendance were approximately two hundred members, including about a dozen members from the Big D Dodge Diesel Club. All of us who attended extend our thanks to Michael Watkins, his wife Pam, and Curtis Harris for all the hard work and planning that went into hosting such an event.

Saturday morning the Turbo Diesels began streaming in. The parking lot and main entrance street filled with arriving trucks.

After lunch, drawings were held for many nice door prizes. Thanks to all the vendors (South Bend Clutch, Piers Diesel Research, Laredo Performance Diesel, HotRodDiesels.com, Banks, BD Power, Centramatic, TST, Mac’s Performance, and PolyDyn) who donated door prizes.

The highlight of this year’s rally was the opportunity to test your truck on a Dyno Dynamics Model 450 portable dynamometer that was set up by Brian Kennedy of Dyno Dynamics.

Members spent the early morning looking over the trucks, talking with friends, meeting new members, and greeting those members who we had not seen since last year’s rally. After introductions and announcements were made, Piers Harry of Piers Diesel Research, Surrey B.C., held a question and answer discussion on maintenance guidelines, proper driving techniques, towing and hauling, and various engine horsepower upgrades to the Cummins engine and their effects on powertrain performance and durability. Thanks, Piers and Louise for taking the time to come to Texas.

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Chapter News . . . . Continued The dyno runs began after lunch and lasted all afternoon until sundown. Sunday morning members continued testing their trucks on the dyno. There was lots of smoke and noise as the powerenhanced trucks were turning in some impressive numbers. Each member who wanted to participate was allowed three runs on the dyno. The $45 per truck cost of running on the dyno was subsidized

by Peter Pyfer of South Bend Clutch. Thanks, Peter and South Bend Clutch. Their contribution of $25 brought the member price down to $20.

Rodney Blauvelt 175 Paul Otis 223 Bill Lins 240 Andrew Bell 258 Corey Finley 267 Russell Caldwell 268 John Conley 318 Brandon Gilleland 322 Greg Collver 330 Chris Harlan 341 Todd Gentry 343 Tom Wolfe 344 Justin Mersiousky 347 Clide Nichols 349 Vivian Prothro 349

Dyno results Cody Bruner 351 Chris Maestas 363 Tom Haggstrom 366 Jerry Wallace 385 Scott Kerns 386 Ron Prothro 395 Ray Salters 396 David Serafine 418 Merrick Cummings Jr. 431 J.B. Hale 468.5 Ross Bayer 425 Jared Maness 466 Russell Walker 567 Nick Almaquer 612 Michael Watkins 664

As usual, everyone had a good time seeing the trucks, watching the dyno runs, and meeting and visiting with everyone. We’re already looking forward to next year!

For many more photos of the 2004 Texas Rally 2004 taken by TDR member Curtis Harris, and photos of previous Texas Rallies, log on to the Lone Star TDR web site at: http://www.lstdr.org/Events/ Bill Stockard TDR Writer

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Chapter News . . . . Continued TDR LOCAL CHAPTERS—WHAT AND WHO ARE THEY?

Great Lakes, MI Area Great Lakes Turbo Diesel Registry Steve St. Laurent PO Box 214048 Auburn Hills, MI 48321 (517/566-3417) www.gltdr.org

Connecticut (New England) Area New England Turbo Diesel Power Tim Taylor 120 Fairfax Drive Stratford, CT 06614 (203/375-1453) ToolManTimTaylor@aol.com netdp.proboards14.com

Cincinnati, OH Area Cincinnati Area TDR Paul Odegard 150 Farragut Road Cincinnati, OH 45218 (513/825-8338) odegardpma@worldnet.att.net

Upper New York State Area Central New York Turbo Diesel Owner’s United Walt Koziarz 7311 Canterbury Hill Rome, NY 13440 (315/336-4247) cnytdou@hotmail.com

St. Louis, MO Area Gateway Chapter Keith Livingstone 18375 County Road 1000 Saint James, MO 65559 (573/265-5595)

Metro New York/Long Island Area Long Island Cummins Ram Owners Club Artie Johnsen PO Box 324 Remsenburg, NY 11960 (631/325-3516) bronna@gbronline.com

Colorodo Area Rocky Mtn TDR Mike Lockner 6180 Everett St. Arvada, CO 80004 (303/423-8417) mlockner@prodigy.net www.RMTDR.com

East TN/South KY Area TDR “Dodgers” David Wheeler 10965 Twin Harbour Dr. Knoxville, TN 37922 cdwheeler@chartertn.net

WV, VA, MD Area Mason Dixon TDR John Styer 98 Sprinkle Mill Rd Martinsburg, WV 25401 jstyer@aol.com

San Jose, CA Area TDR Ramrunners Mike Stanley 1649 Ida St. Dos Palos, CA 93620 (209/392-9204) www.ramrunners.org

Houston, TX Area Lone Star TDR Curtis Harris 11667 Sagewind Drive Houston, TX 77089 (281/380-6512) curtis@lstdr.org www.lstdr.org

Mid-Tennessee Area Mid-Tenn TDR Wade Patton 591 Petty Gap Road Woodbury, TN 37190 (615/765-5522) wade@heartoftn.net

Southeast Area Southeastern Turbo Diesel Registry Josiah Loverin 134 Alston Road Beaufort, SC 29902 (843/524-1504) bigugly@setdr.org www.setdr.org

Antelope Valley, CA Area Leon R. Mendenhall 2807 West Avenue M12 Palmdale, CA 93551 (661/265-6310)

Dallas, TX Area Big D Dodge Diesel Club Lance A. Poole 2300 High County Way Plano, TX 75025 (214/509-9262) lpoole@cisco.com

The following members have expressed an interest in kicking off a local Chapter, meeting at a local pizza or steak house on a regular basis, discussing or cussing experiences, organizing local events, and/or telling lies to one another.

These members have volunteered to be contact persons in their respective geographic regions. If you have a question about your Turbo Diesel, you now have a local point of contact. Please note that I underscored “volunteered.”

These are very good people who are offering to be friendly. Respect their sanity and their evening hours with family. Work with them to get your local chapter up and operational.

Oregon, Washington, Idaho Area Northwest Bombers Rob Hanson (360/802-4419) webmaster@nwbombers.com www.nwbombers.com

Orange County and Los Angeles, CA Area So Cal Rattlin’ Rams Kevin Marlin 2703 N. Dunfield St. Orange, CA 92865 (714/283-3236} OCTDR@southcoastphotographic. com www.socialrattlinrams.org

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Nebraska Area Mid West TDR (MWTDR) Rob Gilreath 2110 Randall Drive Bellevue, NE 68005 rgilreath@cox.net mkitchell@tconl.com eric@farmgirl.net www.MWTDR.com

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Central Florida Area Central Florida Turbo Diesel Rams Dick Floyd 1003 Tulane Terrace Inverness, FL 34450 (352/726-5031) rnbfloyd@tampabay.rr.com

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In previous TDR magazines we’ve had input from repair shop locations and we’ve scattered the articles throughout the magazine.

In this issue my thanks goes to TDR member Andy Redmond.

Andy operates a one-man, specialized repair shop in the north Dallas, Texas, suburb of Plano. His article covers the installation of a steering stabilizer on a Second Generation, four-wheel drive truck.

The call goes out to service locations—send us your tips. It is the best advertising you can do for your shop.

Darin’s Steering Stabilizer and Power Steering Gear Upgrades Installation and product review for Second Generation Turbo Diesels

By Andy Redmond Redmond Enterprises & Engine Repair Plano, TX After my article in Issue 46, “From the Shop Floor” (Third Generation track bar retrofit to a Second Generation truck), the editor asked me to install a companion Solid Steel Industries product, Darin’s Steering Stabilizer (DSS). Solid Steel Industries is located in Weyburn, SK, Canada [phone (306) 842-4346 or (306) 861-9193 or www.solidsteel.biz]. I used my Turbo Diesel as the test mule. I was curious as to how the track bar retrofit and DSS would work in combination. My truck is a ‘95 Turbo Diesel 2500, which happens to be four-wheel drive.

The steering stabilizer was the first product offered to Turbo Diesel owners by Solid Steel (SSI). The purpose of the product is to provide a brace or support for the sector/pitman arm shaft as it gets worn

The DSS bar at bottom. In the upper left are the bolts, washers and nuts that hold the flange bearing to the DSS bar, and four metric replacement bolts (longer), which replace the fasteners in your front sway bar. Finally, the pitman arm nut/extension, bearing locking collar and flange bearing are pictured. Not pictured are the excellent instructions provided by SSI. NOT included are the tools and new Moog sway bar bushings. The socket pictured is a deep 32MM axle nut socket available from KD, Lisle, etc.

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over time. The sector shaft in your power steering gear is supported on the top by an upper bearing/bushing and a bushing on the lower end of the shaft. Over time the sector shaft will see some wear, as the tie rod forces a load on the lower end of the shaft when the steering wheel is moved. The DSS moves the strain of the push/ pull of the tie rod to the rigidly supported frame rails. Several part numbers are available to cover all Second Generation Turbo Diesels.

Let’s open the well-packed box from our Northern friends.

First, I inspected the truck for suspension component wear.

Have an assistant move the wheel back and forth and watch for excessive joint movement in pitman arm-to-tie rod joint as well as the tie rod and drag link. Also notice the track bar (4wd) and the pitman arm (2wd). The moveable tie-rod ends may roll some, which is normal. You may even note some minor movement in the sector shaft. At this time of this inspection you will want to reread and possibly perform the service described in TSB 19-10-97, which involves pre-load and over-center adjustment to power steering gear.

From The Shop Floor . . . . Continued Learn from my mistake on an evening installation job that went awry . . .

Removal of the pitman arm nut requires a 1 5/16” socket, breaker bar and cheater bar. Place the lock-washer you just removed on the pitman arm shaft and spin on the new pitman arm nut. Torque to 185 ft-lbs. Since I did this at the house one Sunday afternoon, I’ll also share my torque tip. Lie down on your side facing the left front wheel and then brace your torso on the wheel while pulling on the torque wrench. You will need an impact-grade deep socket.

Size is 32mm, which costs $7-12 and is easily sourced at any auto parts store. I have several of them from KD and Lisle for such purposes.

Learn from my mistake on an evening installation job that went awry (my first DSS install), and purchase the impact-grade deep socket before starting the job. Source a small jack stand, or my personal favorite a 4x4 block and a small bottle jack. Remove the four sway bar bolts (15mm socket) and let the sway bar fall down. I like to shoot the threaded frame inserts with some brake cleaner then follow up with some penetrating oil or a dab of grease or never-seize. Now would also be the time to inspect, and likely replace, those worn out sway bar bushings. I sourced some 32mm ones from Moog (part number K7353). I have seen various bushing sizes based on model year and series (2500/3500). I suggest measuring the bar near to the current bushings with your micrometer or veniers/ dial calipers.

I had a guy use a Sharpie marker and a piece of paper once. He read his measurement in inches between the marks made on the paper. I had to dust off the cobwebs from my study of geometry, but I believe if you would divide by pi or 3.14, then multiply your result by 25.40 you will arrive at the approximate size in millimeters. He didn’t return the bushings that were sent, so I presumed my math was okay.

On four-wheel drive trucks, insert the DSS from the front (two-wheel drives from the rear) of the vehicle and slide the sway bar back up.

Then start one of your new bolts with a 17mm socket. This is the awkward part, as my bottle jack was in the way of where I needed to lie. A third hand would be nice to get a bolt started. Carefully assuring no cross-threading, loosely fasten the DSS bar to the truck frame and center the hole where the bearing will attach around the wrench flats on the pitman arm nut. Then torque to 40 ft-lbs.

Next apply some never seize or grease to the inside of the bearing collar and to the inside diameter of the bearing race. Slide the bearing up onto the extended pitman arm nut/bearing shaft, then insert and torque the 1/2” bolts and related hardware to 50 ft-lbs.

A 3/4” box combination wrench and a 3/4” socket will work for this task. Next, install the locking collar until it fits against the bearing race, rotate either direction until the collar stops, and then tap the provided hole with a punch until snug. Now tighten the 1/8” allen head socket screw. The bearing is a self-centering design. Next grease the bearing with chassis lube. Your first DSS bar will take an hour to install. I have installed a few, and I can now turn one around in fifteen minutes.

Completed installation.

Now for the test drive…Uh-oh, Mr. Murphy has arrived. Power steering fluid is dripping onto the beautiful powder coated DSS bar.

After the install of the DSS my AGR steering gear seemed to be worn sufficiently to start weeping at the lower sector shaft seals. I removed the DSS. As luck would have it, I found a used steering gear that was recently removed as a preventative maintenance measure for another customer. I considered resealing the steering box myself. However, talking to Tom at Power Steering Components (PSC) in Weatherford, TX, I decided to have the box refurbished then rebuilt with some upgraded parts. I also asked Tom if modifications to the spool valve could be made to reduce steering effort at low speeds/engine rpms. The answer was yes, so off goes the gear on the “brown” truck. Tom exceeded my standards in every way and the gear was returned before his promised date. See Tom’s website: http://www.pscpowersteer.com/contact_PSC.cfm. The part number is 841M.

Secure the wheel. Disconnect both batteries and allow several minutes for the air bag capacitors to discharge. I also like to touch the horn button and/or the dimmer switch a few times to ensure a drain.

Where was my steering wheel holder when I needed it?

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TDR 153

From The Shop Floor . . . . Continued STEERING BOX-REMOVAL Well, it looks like I can continue my column by discussing removal and installation of the steering box. For steering box removal you’ll want to have a small pan ready, since you have to empty the power steering pump reservoir. The lines are different sizes (metric ports) so the pressure and return lines cannot be inadvertently swapped (20 ft-lbs is the torque spec). They both share a common external flare nut size (16mm). I have some Snap-On and KD/Matco flare nut wrenches that are similar to a crowfoot wrench in 3/8” drive.

They wrap around the fastener like a flare nut wrench. They make a job like this a snap.

I have some Snap-On and KD/Matco flare nut wrenches that are similar to a crowfoot wrench . . .

They make a job like this a snap.

Next remove the pitman arm nut and lock washer and install the pitman arm remover onto the pitman arm. Pull the pitman arm off the steering gear. The sector shaft and pitman arm are splined to allow one of four installation positions at ninety degree angles. Note the position for re-installation and as long as the steering gear is centered everything goes back together nicely.

After removal of the pinch bolt spread the steering coupler with a screwdriver or pry bar. If the shaft doesn’t slide towards the firewall, then the shaft is rusty and may need removal from the truck for maintenance or replacement. The shaft has an index flat that matches up with the flat on the steering gear.

Notice the three bolts that retain the steering gear to the frame.

They are very tight! Torque specifications range from 125-185 ftlbs varying by frame coating type and model year, so consult the factory service manual for your truck.

To install, reverse the order of the directions. The power steering bleeding method is covered in great detail in the factory service manual. Place jack stands under the front axle so that wheels clear the ground. With the engine off, turn the wheel to the left and fill the power steering fluid reservoir to the fill mark. Rotate the steering wheel lock-to-lock or to the end of the steering travel each way, about five times slowly, and refill fluid reservoir as necessary.

Turn the wheel lock to lock slowly, about fifty times. Plan on using at least one quart of power steering fluid. Third Generation trucks (2003-2005) require the use of ATF +4, rather than power steering fluid. See TSB 19-005-03, discussed in Issue 46.

In retrospect, I knew my steering gear was worn, but I didn’t expect the concurrent leak problem. Perhaps the DSS bar would have prevented the wear! I noticed a huge difference when I installed the SSI track bar kit that I discussed in Issue 46. I did notice a difference in tighter road feel after adding the DSS. Although I do not recommend this, you can loosely grasp the steering wheel when driving and not worry about wandering out of your lane. I have installed the DSS on other Turbo Diesels and the customers have been more than satisfied with the outcome. Most customers have stated that it exceeded their expectations. How’s that for brand satisfaction? Am I happy? You bet! I wish the DSS bar had been available earlier so my steering box wouldn’t have worn out.

In retrospect, I knew my steering gear was worn . . .

For the next issue I’ll present another episode on wandering Turbo Diesels that involves caster and camber settings and instructions for adjusting them. Stay tuned.

Capped ports for the pressure and return lines. Also notice the pinch bolt on the steering shaft coupler (13mm socket).

TDR 154

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Andy Redmond TDR Writer

From The Shop Floor . . . . Continued SOLID STEEL INDUSTRIES – US DEALERS Source Automotive – Milwakie, Oregon (866) 211-1533 Performance Steering Components – Weatherford, Texas (817) 270-0102 Enterprise Engine Performance – Thornville, Ohio (740) 246-6329 Mr. Bobs Distributing – Frazier Park, California (877) 543-7563 Geno’s Garage – Cumming, Georgia (800) 755-1715 Piers Diesel Research – Surrey, BC, Canada (866) 888-9396 Power Mod Industries – Weyburn, SK, Canada (306) 861-3373

Yet another SEMA photo.

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TDR 155

From The Shop Floor . . . . Continued Transfer Case Snap Ring Failure and Upgrade Repair Second Generation Trucks: 1994-2000?

Transfer Case Models NV231, 241 and some 241DHD/241HD

By Andy Redmond Has your snap ring failed? Recently I had a customer call stating that he had a clunking and a mechanical grinding noise in the transfer case area of his four-wheel drive Turbo Diesel. He had stopped for fuel and heard the noise when leaving the station. He pulled over to an uncrowded area of the truck stop to make the necessary repair.

If this problem had been ignored, it would have caused internal damage to the transfer case, probably requiring rebuild.

The noise could signal a myriad of problems, but I suggested looking at the snap ring inside the extension housing of the NV241 transfer case. The customer was in the Houston, Texas, area making a road call impractical. Since he was very mechanical, I suggested that he remove the rear drive shaft (propeller shaft according the factory service manual). You do carry tools when traveling, right?

The next step is removal of the four bolts that hold the extension housing onto the transfer case (15mm bolt head). Tap the extension with a rubber mallet to break the rtv gasket sealer that seals the housing to the transfer case.

At this point the phone rang again, “What snap ring?” he asked.

After looking inside the extension housing he had found most of the snap ring was there, however, in the form of small pieces. I suggested that he find a good four-wheel drive or transmission shop to locate another snap ring or, better yet, a locking collar. He was able to locate a locking collar as an upgrade repair solution. This story had a happy ending.

This is a picture of an installed upgraded locking collar. The clamshell design forms a super-duty snap ring. The socket head bolts require red lock-tite and 12-15 ft-lbs of torque. Assure that it seats in the groove in the transfer case shaft properly. Notice the paint mark indexing the case/ housing for re-assembly.

Wipe the surface of the transfer case and the extension housing clean. Then add a small bead of black rtv sealer and reinstall the four bolts and torque to 20 ft-lbs. Next reinstall the drive shaft. You shouldn’t have to add any automatic transmission fluid (ATF) to the case if this is performed on level ground. I lost a few tablespoons of ATF from the extension housing. You can re check the level of the transfer case with the “rusty” fill plug in the left corner of photo number three.

Most shops will charge about an hour’s labor if you do not want to tackle this job yourself. The locking collar is available commercially or from us for about $25.

This is a 241DHD transfer case that was about to lose its snap ring.

Notice the arrow near the fingertip. Move to the right about an inch and notice the other end. Both ends of the snap rings are missing about one-half inch of their original length. Eventually the snap ring would have broken, allowing the shaft to move fore and aft, not good!

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Application: Most Turbo Diesels up to model year 2000 can use this locking collar upgrade. Some time after 2000, the transfer case was changed slightly, as it does not use the four bolt-style extension housing. I’m not aware of a commercially available collar for the new style transfer case housing extension. If you require transfer case repair/overhaul or transmission repair/overhaul, please consider our

From The Shop Floor . . . . Continued vendor: Dallas, Texas TDR member, James Northum (inarush76@ aol.com). James is a ASE master transmission technician/builder whose shop is located in Midlothian, Texas.

Andy Redmond Redmond Enterprises & Engine Repair Plano, TX Post Script Just a quick note about the small antique travel trailer. My daughter begged me to buy it. “Daddy, it’s a cow,” she said. It’s a 40’s era trailer and it sleeps two people. The back folds out to make a cooking table and, before it’s closed, a bit of storage space. The price had been reduced from $1500 to $700. Location: Austin, TX. It fits perfectly in the blind spot of the Turbo Diesel. I asked the proprietor at the Antique Store to let me hitch it up to the truck for better estimation of its size, but he declined.

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TDR 157

It is a pleasure to receive pictures and descriptions of your trucking pride-and-joys in the mail. Each quarter we feature the pictures and story of an All Dressed Up owner.

My first diesel truck was a ‘95 Turbo Diesel, 2500, extended cab.

As my kids grew, I needed to go to a four-door truck. So my wife, the kids and I piled in the ‘95 and went to test drive the new Ford and Dodge trucks. We looked at the Ford because it had more back seat leg room. My wife was a Ford fan until we test drove the two trucks side-by-side. There was no comparison. My wife is now a Dodge fan, and of course the kids all voted for the Dodge. I sold my ‘95 to a good friend because the truck is still primo, even with 170,000 miles on it.

We ordered a ’04.5, 3500, Quad Cab with four-wheel drive and the Laramie trim package. We added the T. Rex Engineering, Bilstein shock suspension, steering stabilizer and a lot of other things. Basically, the T. Rex Engineering suspension is like no other available on the market. The truck performs like a sports car when cornering and like a trail-blazer off-road. I have never seen anything like this. Standard lift kits pale in comparison.

All of the suspension and engine upgrades were installed by Outlaw Diesel in the Portland, Oregon, area. The truck has a deep, throaty, big-truck sound with the exhaust upgrade, and can almost give you whiplash with the extra power upgrades it has! Upgrades are: •

Overhead console with DVD player (long trips with kids)

•

Satellite Radio

•

RB1 navigation system

•

Front cattle-guard bumper from EagleCarriage in LaGrande, Oregon.

•

15,000 pound Warn Winch

•

Bushwhacker fender flares

•

T. Rex Bilstein suspension with mini-leaf pack (not a lift kit)

•

T. Rex Fox steering stabilizer

•

T. Rex Weld 18-inch rims (These are the only rims that will fit the 35-inch tire without body modifications or without a 6-inch lift!)

•

Toyo M/T tires, 35/12.5

•

AirRaid air filter upgrade

•

High performance injectors

•

Four-inch custom exhaust with high-flow muffler

•

Polished steel four-inch exhaust tip

•

Gauges and mount for boost, EGT and transmission temperature

•

60-gallon replacement fuel tank

•

Amsoil filter, engine oil and transmission fluid

Kent Mazzia

TDR 158

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The 24x7 column is dedicated to the Turbo Diesel working trucks.

For work or for play, these rigs are available for use 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Send us pictures and text discussion on how you use your Turbo Diesel!

The development of the Kelderman Air Ride Lift Kit.

relocation bracket; and sway bar drop. We also used a taller airbag to make up for the extra three inches.

On the rear, we redesigned the kit to allow for the top trailing arm to go to the original front leaf spring perch. In the original design we had used two 20-inch trailing arms which mounted into a large bracket that fastened into the original front leaf spring perch. Since we were going with a taller lift, we needed longer arms. We made a bracket that clamped to the side of the frame for the lower, and now longer, trailing arm to fasten to. Everything else pretty much stayed the same.

The first significant test for this kit was in a drive from our factory in Oskaloosa, Iowa, to Riverside, California. We took it there for a technical article for Off Road magazine. It drove great and we were very happy with the results. The only change we have made to the six-inch kit since then has been a minor modification using a new Pitman arm with a deeper drop that keeps the steering arms at a better angle.

Our ’03, 3500, 4x4 was delivered in September 2002. We purchased it from Stew Hanson’s Dodge City in Des Moines, which is one of the largest Dodge dealers in the Midwest. It was the first 3500 in the area. Everywhere we went guys driving trucks were rubbernecking, trying to catch a glimpse of the cool new Dodge. Our initial plan was to use the truck in developing our traditional two-stage, rear air bag system (our air ride kit that attaches to the end of the factory leaf springs) and a four-link system that replaces the rear leaf springs and increases the truck’s load carrying capacity.

We quickly developed the four-link system, and actually had it on display at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas, in November of 2002. We then developed the two-stage system and brought it to market in the beginning of 2003.

Next, we started on the lift kits with a three-inch version. The lift kit idea actually came from numerous calls from customers asking if our air suspension kits could be used to lift their trucks. We decided to develop a bolt-on, total air ride suspension lift kit. As soon as we completed the three-inch kit and started advertising it, we received calls asking for a six-inch kit. So, we tore the truck back down and developed the six-inch kit. The front six-inch kit consisted of longer trailing arms; a deeper, dropped Pitman arm; a panhard bar

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After completion of the six-inch kit, we began getting calls for an even bigger kit. Hence, the ten-inch kit was created. Four-inches may not sound like much, but in the suspension world it is significant.

It was fairly easy to go from three to six inches, but it was much more difficult to go up to ten inches. We initially wanted to do a twelve-inch lift, but we were limited by what was available for Pitman arms. The new Dodges run a two-piece drag link across the front of the axle, so when you change the angle of the steering arm you change the toe-in. If you get too steep on the steering arm, the result is rapid tire wear and the handling of the truck is compromised. Once we got a Pitman arm that fit, we were able to design the trailing arm mounts, air bag risers and sway bar drops.

24x7 . . . . Continued On the rear, we were able to use the same trailing arm mounts and trailing arms as in the six-inch kit, but we used a taller air bag. It was also necessary to redesign the panhard bar to accommodate the bigger lift.

The test drive for this unit was a trip back to Las Vegas for the 2003 SEMA show. We pulled a 28’ enclosed trailer with our display, two motorcycles, and the tires for the show. We ran 235/80/22.5 Michelin semi tires on the highway, and once we arrived at the show we installed a set of 37.5 x 12.50 x 17 Parnelli Jones Dirt Grip tires. A Firestone Intelli-ride computerized ride control, Oasis air compressor, and Bilstein 7100 series remote reservoir shocks rounded out the suspension package.

We didn’t want to risk anything happening that would cause us to miss the show, so the front drive shaft was disconnected during the 1750-mile trip to Las Vegas. We were happy with the ride and handling of the truck. Overall, we knew we were on the right track.

We have continued to put some miles on the truck, always looking for things to improve. The CV end of the front drive shaft wore out after about 10,000 miles. Now we install an indexing ring on the transfer case where it attaches to the transmission and extend the drive shaft 1.5-inches. We do this on all our six-inch and 10-inch lift kits.

Kelderman rear suspension.

Other than developing a cross-over steering system for the 10-inch system, no other design changes are anticipated. We will be testing different bushing hardness, Hiem ends and sway bars. We don’t haul this truck to shows. Every road trip we take is another research and development session. The only way to build a quality product is to get out and use it every day. Just like our customers do.

Another problem we had was eliminating vibration from the rear driveline. We were able to get most of the pinion angle shimmy out, but never all of it. We had the center carrier spaced down and angled, so that the drive shaft was perfectly straight, and we had the pinion angle reading the same as the angle coming out of the transmission. The most annoying thing about the situation was that whenever we went down a hill or let off the throttle, there would be a terrible groaning noise, similar to a worn-out bearing or gear howl.

We had several theories to explain the problem, mainly having to do with the center carrier bearing or the rear axle differential. We checked out the differential and it was fine, so we pulled the rear drive shaft and sent it up to Certified Power Train in Des Moines.

They were able to make us a one-piece drive shaft.

Installing the one-piece drive shaft made a huge difference. It got rid of the pinion shimmy, and the obnoxious growl was almost completely gone. We have about 5000 miles on the new drive shaft (30,000 miles total on the truck), and it is working great.

The latest modifications to the 10-inch kit have been done to help reduce the sway. The panhard bar has been moved up closer to the frame to help reduce the roll when cornering. A 1.5-inch sway bar was also added to the rear. Besides adding the indexing ring to the transfer case, adding the rear sway bar has been the most significant improvement so far. The stock front sway bar and dual shocks did fine up front, but the rear would get a little top heavy when you had anything in the box. Empty it was fine; but once more than 500 pounds was added to the box it felt like you had a slide-in camper back there. The sway bar has solved this issue. We will be trying a 1.5-inch front sway bar soon. It will be interesting to see how that affects the handling of the truck.

Kelderman front suspension.

Jeff Kelderman Vice President, Kelderman Mfg. Inc. Oskaloosa, IA www.keldermanmfg.com

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TDR 161

Do You Want an Auxiliary Transmission?

Gear Vendors

Five-speed drivers, have you ever wished for another gear? Do you want to get one step ahead of those smug drivers with their sixspeed transmissions? Have you ever thought of how nice it would be to have a ten-speed transmission?

The Gear Vendors Under/Overdrive refers to a type of overdrive (meaning you can overdrive 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, for the exact same benefit as you would have underdriving 2nd, 3rd, and 4th). This unit will get you all the power normally associated with an underdrive except that it will not get you a gear below first. Gear Vendors principal belief is that more people want and need overdrive and the gearsplits between each gear than a gear lower than first. If you do need a gear lower than first, the Gear Vendors will not rectify that.

But if you need power for towing and climbing hills, this unit will split your forward ratios and on automatics give you those splits at full throttle without letting off. The Gear Vendors is an excellent unit, used on many Dodge diesels as well as motorhomes, and because of its powershifting abilities it is also found in both drag racing and off-road racing applications.

Six-speed drivers, when you=re pulling into traffic, uphill, with that 10,000 pound trailer, do you wish for an extra half-gear between your full steps so that you can keep your heavy rig accelerating?

Automatic drivers, don=t you wish that Dodge had given us one or two more gears for better acceleration with a big load? This is especially likely if you have a 12-valve engine, with its torque dropoff at higher rpm’s.

If any of these questions have crossed your mind, you may be a candidate for an auxiliary overdrive or underdrive transmission. I have found that many Dodge diesel drivers are interested in one, but don=t have enough knowledge about them to make an informed decision. I hope to remedy this.

First things first. Let’s talk about economics. Don’t imagine that you will pay for an overdrive unit with the fuel savings. Even if you are able to improve fuel mileage from, say, 18 mpg to 20 mpg, you will save only 56 gallons of fuel in 10,000 miles. At $1.70 per gallon, this amounts to $95.20. In 100,000 miles you will have saved $952, which is about half the cost of one of these units. If it takes you 7 years to drive the 100,000 miles, that money would have lost several hundred dollars in interest that it could have earned. Unless you put 40,000–100,000 miles on your truck each year, this is not a money-saving proposition.

Did you pass the Economics 101 test? Still interested? Okay, let’s start with the basics: what is an auxiliary transmission, what does it do, and how does it work? An auxiliary transmission, as commonly available for the Dodge pickups, is a two-speed transmission that mounts somewhere between your truck=s transmission and the driveshaft. On two-wheel-drive trucks, this is directly behind the transmission and ahead of the driveshaft. On four-wheel-drive trucks, this can be between the truck=s transmission and the transfer case, or between the transfer case and the rear drive shaft, depending on the brand of the auxiliary transmission.

There are two major suppliers of these auxiliary transmissions, U.S. Gear and Gear Vendors. They both make rugged, reliable transmissions, but each works a bit differently from the other. I’ll discuss both brands.

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Gear Vendors mounts their overdrive right behind the transfer case and makes individual kits for each transfer case type from the early 60’s cast iron units to the current NV271 and 273. Because it is mounted behind the transfer case, it is automatically locked out when you are in the 4x4 mode (can’t have the rear wheels going faster than the front). Other manufacturers mount between the transfer case and transmission which allows those brands to be used in four-wheel lock; but this requires modifying more of the vehicle (i.e.: moving the transfer case, lengthening the front driveline, and shortening the rear driveline). Gear Vendors believes that by making specific tailhousings for each transfer case (as opposed to one model that fits between all cases) that this engineering reaps benefits related to installation ease, driveline vibrations, ground clearance, gear backlash, etc. Gear Vendors does make an in-between kit, but only makes those available for racing and slow moving applications like snow plows etc.

The Gear Vendors is an electronically controlled, planetary gear transmission, similar to an automatic transmission. The unit requires a minimum oil pressure to operate, and the oil is supplied by a pump which is driven by the unit itself. If the transmission is not turning fast enough, the oil pressure is insufficient to operate the overdrive.

The result is that the Gear Vendors unit will not shift into overdrive until the vehicle is moving at 20 mph or faster. With most manual transmissions, it will not provide an overdrive for first gear. This is not as much of a drawback is it may initially seem. “First-over,” the term used to designate first gear in the main transmission with overdrive selected on the auxiliary transmission, is not a very useful gear. You can almost always get into second easily, and then you’ll be over 20mph, and the Gear Vendors overdrive will work well.

You may have heard that the Gear Vendors unit will not work with an exhaust brake. This is not really correct. You may use an exhaust brake in conjunction with a Gear Vendors overdrive, but

PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued you may not engage both the overdrive and the exhaust brake at the same time. Whenever the exhaust brake is activated, the Gear Vendors transmission will shift into direct drive mode. The logic in the controller for the transmission handles this for you. In use, I have found that exhaust brakes provide better braking when lower gears are selected, so this is no great drawback either.

The installation is straightforward and simple. The overdrive unit is mounted to the rear of the transfer case, or truck=s transmission for two-wheel-drive trucks, and the driveshaft is attached to the overdrive. The driveshaft must be shortened in order to fit the new installation. On four-wheel-drive trucks, no changes are made to the front drivetrain.

The wiring is then routed, and the master controller is mounted in the cab. The job is completed with the installation of the shift control switch on the shift lever (manual transmissions) or on the floor (automatics).

On manual transmission trucks shifting is straightforward. The truck is shifted normally up to second or third gear (remember, over 20mph). When overdrive is desired, the driver merely selects the overdrive position with the push-pull switch mounted on the gearshift lever. The master controller signals the Gear Vendors unit to engage high range and the shift is completed. It is not necessary to depress the clutch when shifting the Gear Vendors transmission.

Depending on the driver’s selection (standard gearing or over/under drive) the gear box can be shifted in a normal fashion to the higher gears, fourth, fifth and sixth. Or the driver can split gears using the Gear Vendors over/under gearbox and the push-pull switch.

Because of the nature of the planetary gear system used on the Gear Vendors transmission, shifting is quiet, unlike the clunk that is heard when the U.S. Gear transmission is shifted.

Automatic transmission drivers lose many of the automatic shifting benefits if they want to split gears with the Gear Vendors overdrive.

One advantage to the automatic is the higher ratio gears. This allows use of first-over, so your four-speed auto becomes a true eightspeed. To split gears with an automatic, the truck=s gear selector lever is moved to first gear. As the truck accelerates, the push-button Gear Vendors switch mounted on the floor is depressed and the Gear Vendors unit shifts into first-over. The push-button is similar to the old-style headlight dimmer switches before manufacturers moved that function to the stalk on the steering column.

Cutaway shows internal operation of Gear Vendors auxiliary transmissions.

Many drivers, especially those with automatic transmissions, will not use an auxiliary transmission for splitting gears while accelerating.

These drivers are mostly looking for a top gear that is a bit higher than the one provided by Dodge. If this describes you, Gear Vendors has a feature that will make you happy. For installations with automatic transmissions only, the master controller allows selection of AAutodrive.@ Selecting this on the controller will leave the Gear Vendors transmission in direct drive until a programmed speed, typically 45-50 mph, is reached. At that speed, the Gear Vendors unit will shift into overdrive. If the truck=s torque converter is locked at the time of the shift, the Gear Vendors controller will unlock it for the shift to prevent an annoying lurch. This feature would be very handy for owners who share the truck with another driver who may not like all the complications of shifting an additional transmission.

Autodrive is also useful because it allows you to select “Overdrive Off” on the truck’s transmission while allowing the Gear Vendors unit to shift into overdrive automatically. This will keep temperatures somewhat lower in the truck’s transmission and still allow an overdrive gear. Since Autodrive is selectable, you can always turn it off in order to split gears as desired or to find just the right one for a long hill climb with the trailer.

To shift from first-over to second-direct, the gear selector lever is moved to second. After the truck shifts into second-over, the Gear Vendors foot switch is pushed to select direct drive. This puts the driver in second-direct. To select second-over, just mash the foot switch again, and so on.

Group photo shows how Gear Vendors mounts to the back of the transfer case and a variety of extension housings they manufacture for 4x4 models.

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TDR 163

PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued U.S. Gear Because the U.S. Gear Dual Range transmission is available as either an overdrive or an underdrive unit, you will have to decide which one to buy. This decision is much easier than it initially appears. You don’t need to study gear ratios or do any math.

Since both of the U.S. Gear units will split the gears, the only significant difference is whether you get an extra half-step above high or below low.

Have you ever felt that you needed a gear lower than first? If so, then get an underdrive. Have you ever felt that you needed a gear higher than your highest gear? If so, get an overdrive. If you have been in both situations, you’ll have to decide which is more important to you. There, wasn’t that easy? If you are truly undecided, I recommend an overdrive.

The U.S. Gear transmission mounts just behind the transmission.

On two-wheel-drive trucks there is no installation difference between it and the Gear Vendors unit. On four-wheel-drive trucks, however, the U.S. Gear unit mounts between the transmission and the transfer case. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that this unit can be used in four-wheel-drive. The disadvantage is that the transfer case is displaced aft by about a foot. Depending upon the configuration of your truck, this may be much more significant than it seems.

The problems with mounting the U.S. Gear transmission seem to be limited to trucks with the six-speed transmission. The six-speed transmission is so much longer than either the automatic or the five speed that when an additional foot-long transmission is added to the drive train, the transfer case now interferes with the fuel tank on some trucks. There is really only one practical way to address this problem: shorten or replace the fuel tank. The installation can be done, but fuel tank modifications add labor and expense to the job. You can easily check your truck to see if this is a problem by examining the relationship between the transfer case and the fuel tank. To install a U.S. Gear transmission, you will need 12-13 inches of space between them.

The U.S. Gear overdrive, like the Gear Vendors, is a heavy-duty piece of equipment, but it operates differently. Instead of the planetary gears used in the Gear Vendors, the U.S. Gear uses helical-cut gears, more like those in a manual transmission. The shifting is controlled electrically, but there is no signal processing nor logic computer between the switch and the transmission. When you select direct or overdrive, the transmission shifts, period. The only exception to this is attempting to shift the transmission with the truck stopped. This action is prohibited by U.S. Gear, and may result in damage.

The U.S. Gear shift is driven by an electric motor. When the driver selects overdrive, the motor drives a spring-loaded shifting fork to the overdrive position, but the transmission will not shift under load.

On manual transmission trucks, after allowing about two seconds for the shifting fork spring to preload, the driver disengages the clutch for a split second, unloading the transmission and allowing it to shift.

If your truck has an automatic, you merely let off the accelerator pedal momentarily to unload the transmission. At low speeds this

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NV 241 HD transfer case (top) with U.S. gear overdrive transmission. The U.S. gear unit weighs about 75 pounds.

shift is inaudible, but at highway speeds the shift is accompanied by a clunk, which can be disconcerting to some drivers. U.S. Gear assures owners that this noise is normal and will not harm either the auxiliary transmission or anything else on your truck.

While both the U.S. Gear and Gear Vendors transmissions operate in what is basically a manual mode, the U.S. Gear is a bit more manual than the Gear Vendors. Since U.S. Gear does not use a computer to control the shifting, you enjoy more exact control over shifts. The other side of that coin is that you do not enjoy the automatic shifting that is provided by Gear Vendors= AAutodrive@ feature.

Other than not attempting to shift the unit while the truck is stopped, there are no restrictions on the use of the U.S. Gear transmission.

It can be used in two- or four-wheel drive, low or high range on the transfer case, with or without an exhaust brake, and at any speed.

Choosing an auxiliary transmission Both U.S. Gear and Gear Vendors have their followers. Each unit has its advantages, which I have tried to present fairly here. Both are rugged units which should provide years of trouble-free service.

In spite of claims to the contrary, both units allow splitting gears all the way through the transmission’s range.

The Gear Vendors unit may suit drivers of automatic transmission trucks better than the U.S. Gear unit, since the Autodrive feature allows for a more automatic operation.

If you want to use the overdrive in low-range, or any other time four-wheel-drive is engaged, then a U.S. Gear is required. Also, if you want an underdrive unit, you must get the U.S. Gear. Gear Vendors makes only an overdrive.

In the end, as always, the choice is yours. I have a four-wheel-drive truck with a six-speed transmission and an exhaust brake. My truck is already geared fairly high, with 3.54 differential ratios and Rickson 19.5” wheels. In spite of my already high gearing I chose a U.S. Gear

PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued overdrive transmission, mostly so I could use it in four-wheel-drive.

I chose the overdrive rather than the underdrive because I have the low-range available to me through the transfer case for situations requiring lower gears.

Fuel mileage There are many things that will affect your fuel mileage, and gear selection is only one of them. In fact, selecting a higher gear is not even the major factor in determining mileage. That honor belongs to driving style. By this I mean your manner of starting from a dead stop, whether you pass many other vehicles, and how fast you generally drive. Two drivers with different driving styles can drive the same truck, and one may get 21 mpg while the other gets 16 mpg. If you decide that good mileage is important to you, the best thing you can do is slow down. In spite of that, I found that shifting to a higher gear does improve mileage a little.

Special considerations for five-speed drivers Some drivers are trying to decide whether to upgrade their five-speed transmissions to a six-speed or to install an auxiliary overdrive.

A forum user on the TDR web site who was asking for opinions on the two options stated that the costs are comparable. I have not researched the cost of a six-speed installation, but this statement makes sense, since the cost of the six-speed transmission itself must be substantial. I strongly recommend the auxiliary overdrive, however, and I feel that it can be justified for reasons other than cost.

First, the installation is simpler and more straightforward. Both Gear Vendors and U.S. Gear make kits for different vehicles that simplify the work. By and large, these kits contain all the extra do-dads you will need to make the auxiliary transmission work in your truck. By contrast, installing a six-speed in a truck that was originally made for a five-speed means that you will have to create your own kit by finding and buying all the appropriate adaptors, linkages, and other odds and ends yourself.

Second, and more important, is the issue of the versatility of the final product. A ten-speed transmission will outperform a six-speed all day long. If you want to see it more graphically, do the gearing calculations for the six-speed and compare that graph to one for a five-speed with an auxiliary transmission. Sure, the six-speed has nice splits on the gears, but there are still only six of them.

Actually, a five-speed transmission with an auxiliary overdrive may be superior to a six-speed with the same overdrive. With the transmission range spaced out to twelve gears, there is very little difference in many of the choices. A five-speed with overdrive will have more meaningful spaces between each half-step, and would be a very nice combination.

Installation I installed my U.S. Gear overdrive myself, but unless you already understand the significance of phasing of universal joints, the importance of equal angles at each end of the driveshaft, and are good at solving mechanical problems that are not addressed by the instructions, I recommend having an overdrive installed by a professional.

My installation involved having the fuel tank shortened, cutting and welding to get the linkage correct, omitting one adaptor ring that was called for in the instructions, having one driveshaft shortened and the other lengthened, and custom manufacturing a mounting bracket with rubber shock mounts. Virtually none of these issues were addressed in the instructions.

In spite of the trouble, I prefer to do my own work, since then I am the one in charge of quality. It took a long time, with the truck out of commission during most of the installation, but I am very pleased with the result. Whether you will do your own or leave it to an installer will depend on your abilities and your confidence in them, as well as how much you value your time.

Summary and Driving with an Auxiliary Transmission If you are considering an auxiliary transmission you will almost certainly be happier with an overdrive unit rather than an underdrive.

How often do you want a gear that’s only slightly lower than first anyway? Compare that to how often you would like one a bit higher than your current highest gear.

There are two basic advantages to either brand of auxiliary overdrive: an additional higher gear, and the additional gears between the factory ratios. With my truck’s gearing, the ability to split gears is much more useful than the additional gear at the top.

If your truck has a 4.10 differential ratio, though, you will certainly appreciate that extra high gear.

By providing closer gear ratios, my overdrive allows me to accelerate with a trailer up hills that I would normally not be able to. I don’t shift into sixth-over very often, but when I am traveling along the interstate with no trailer at speeds that may exceed the speed limit, I enjoy the somewhat quieter cab provided by the lower engine rpm as well as the better fuel mileage. For me it is worth the significant expense and the work of installing it.

I couldn’t really justify the purchase of the transmission, either by fuel savings or by a true requirement for additional gears. With six of them already, plus the low range provided by the transfer case, I really don’t need a gear-splitter/overdrive. In spite of that, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Except for the exhaust brake, a safety item for pulling a trailer in mountains, I consider my auxiliary overdrive transmission the best accessory I’ve added to my truck.

Loren Bengtson Rising Sun, IN

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued Gearing (supplementary article to auxiliary transmissions) Many drivers will want to research their truck’s gearing prior to spending the substantial sum required for an auxiliary overdrive transmission. It’s certainly possible to drive a truck with an auxiliary transmission without studying the gearing, but an understanding of the subject will help in deciding whether or not you will find the expense to be worth it.

Transmission designers choose gear spacings to allow certain rpm changes as you shift to the next higher or lower gear. While accelerating, for example, the designer assumes that you will rev the engine to a certain rpm, and then shift to the next higher gear.

This will cause the rpm to drop a certain amount, depending on the designer’s gear selections. The designer is trying to provide gears that will keep the engine close to its torque peak after the shift, in order to allow the truck to pull the next higher gear. If the gear spacing is too large, the torque produced by the engine at the new, lower rpm will be insufficient to drive the truck; and it will slow down, requiring a shift back into the next lower gear. If the gear spacing is too small, then more gears will be required; and the size, weight, and cost of the transmission will go up. These are some of the compromises that designers must deal with.

24-Valve Torque (ft-lb)

Owners with the 24-valve engine have a definite advantage in gear selection because of the flat torque curve of that engine (see graphs). The 12-valve engine, however, produces its peak torque at about 1600 rpm. As that engine accelerates past 1600 rpm, the torque decreases. Since torque at the wheels, not horsepower, is what will determine whether a truck is able to accelerate in any given situation, the driver takes a double hit. First, shifting to a higher gear applies a lower torque multiplier to the final drive (less torque at the wheels); and second, as the engine rpm climbs, the torque available from the engine itself drops. Sometimes 12-valve drivers can decelerate under a load to a point where the truck can maintain speed without requiring a shift to a lower gear, because the engine produces more torque at the lower rpm. If you are driving a 24-valve engine and the truck decelerates due to the load, you may as well shift down, because your truck is not going to produce any more torque as rpms drop the way a 12-valve will.

Situations like these are what cause the auxiliary overdrive transmission to shine. With the auxiliary transmission, you don’t have to shift down the full step in order to get a higher torque multiplier, you can shift down a half step. There are many occasions, especially with a load in hilly terrain, where a half step between gears will get the driver an extra 10 or 15 mph. The half step may also allow you to climb a hill without revving the engine all the way up to its rpm limit. According to Cummins, we can run these engines against the redline all day long without hurting them, and I believe that. I still don’t like to do it if I can ease the load a bit by choosing a different gear.

Okay, so how do I analyze my transmission and potential auxiliary overdrive combination to see what I’ll get before I spend all that money? The easiest way to get an overview of your transmission is to plot the gear ratios on a graph. A simple linear graph is misleading, however. Because each step is meant to drop the engine rpm by a set amount, the numerical gear ratios get closer together as the gears get higher. Here are the gear ratios for the transmissions in Dodge diesel trucks:

Input: Output Ratios 12-Valve Torque (ft-lb)

Getrag

47RE/RH (auto)

NV4500

NV5600

1

st

5.53

2.45

5.61

5.63

2nd

3.02

1.45

3.04

3.38

rd

3

1.60

1.00

1.67

2.04

4th

1.00

0.69

1.00

1.39

5

0.77

0.74

1.00

th

6

th

0.73

Rev. 5.03 2.21 5.61 5.63 In order to get a more meaningful presentation of how the gears in your transmission will operate in a real truck, we need to graph the logarithm of the ratio. Don’t get excited. It’s not as difficult as it seems, and you don’t have to know what a logarithm is in order to do it.

There are two ways to graph a logarithm (log). One is to get graph paper that has a log scale along one edge. The other is to calculate the log using a calculator and graph that number on regular graph

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued paper. Since my calculator has a log function, that’s the way I’ll do it here. Also, in order to avoid negative numbers on the graph, I’ll calculate the final drive ratio for a 3.54 differential and use that for the graph. Stick with me; you’ll see.

Since the principles are the same for all transmissions, I will use the NV4500 five-speed. The math is the same for all transmissions too, so if you have a different one or if you are considering an underdrive unit, you can work it out and plot your own graphs for your specific combination by following these examples.

To get the final drive ratios for the NV4500 five-speed transmission with a 3.54 differential, all we do is multiply the transmission ratios by 3.54. Here are the results: Input: Output and logarithm for NV4500 five-speed with a 3.54 differential

1

st

2nd 3

rd

NV4500 w/3.54 differential 19.86 10.76 5.91

Input: Output and log for NV4500 five-speed with 3.54 differential and an auxiliary overdrive NV4500 w/3.54 differential 19.86

1.298 1.201

2nd

10.76

1.032

nd

2 over

8.60

0.934

3rd

5.91

0.772

(log)

rd

3 over

4.73

0.675

1.298

4th

3.54

0.549

1.032

4 over

2.83

0.452

0.772

5

5th over

3.54

0.549

5th

2.62

0.418

1

(log)

15.88

4

NV4500 five-speed (log)

How will installing an auxiliary overdrive transmission help out here?

Let’s show this same transmission with the addition of a U.S. Gear overdrive. The ratios and logarithms are:

1st over

th

Here is a graph of these ratios:

The reason for graphing gear ratios as a logarithm is that it more readily shows poor ratios. Ideally spaced ratios will plot as a straight line on a logarithmic graph. On this graph, notice the dip at 4th gear.

This tells us that the step between 3rd and 4th is a bit too big and the step between 4th and 5th is a bit too small. Five-speed drivers already know this.

st

th th

2.62

0.418

2.09

0.320

Here is a graph of these ratios: NV4500 five-speed (log)

Okay, the first thing we notice is that this line is not straight either.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE . . . . Continued In fact, it’s more crooked than the original one. However (you knew there was a “however” coming, didn’t you?), the first thing to do is mentally discount the hump at 1st over. This is such a low gear that you will find that it is virtually never used. If you eliminate that bump in the line, notice how it transitions between the remaining gears. Admittedly, there are some slight ups and downs, but overall this combination provides many very useful new gears among those the factory provided. The big jump between 3rd and 4th is smoothed out with a half-step that allows an easy transition up the ratios, and an extra half-step above 5th is provided to allow lower rpm’s at highway speeds when traveling empty. All in all, this is a very nice combination.

The graphs and calculations are similar for the other transmissions, and you can follow my examples to get the numbers you need to chart your particular transmission and differential ratio. I think you will find that most combinations will show similar advantages.

If you have four-wheel-drive, and the low range that comes with it, you may want to graph the numbers for that as well. If you do, you will need to know that the low range gear ratio in the NV241

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transfer case is 2.72:1. For what it’s worth, though, I have found that in low range my gears are so close together that the half-steps are meaningless. Even the extra half-step at the top doesn’t provide significant additional speed. The benefit of an auxiliary overdrive is in high range.

Doing all this extra work may make you feel better about installing an expensive auxiliary transmission, but nothing will convince you faster than driving a truck with one. If you install it, you will like it.

Whether it’s worth the money or not is entirely your call.

Loren Bengtson Rising Sun, IN

TDRelease is a quarterly column that features press releases from Turbo Diesel vendors.

BORLA XR-1 CAT-BACK EXHAUST SYSTEM Borla Performance Industries has once again developed a great exhaust system for one of the top dogs in the diesel pickup truck market—the Dodge Ram 2500/3500 series Turbo Diesel (part number 140094). As with all the new Borla diesel truck exhausts, we have incorporated our patented XR-1 race muffler with clean, smooth four-inch mandrel-bent T-304 stainless steel pipes. The business end of the system is a massive, polished five-inch, rolled and angle-cut tip that has serious attitude. Designed as a great total performance system, the kit fits both the short bed crew cab and extended cab. Borla engineers have designed this oversized exhaust system to be a true bolt-on for either two or four-wheel drive, automatic or manual transmission models. Once again, Borla technology delivers a sound resembling the polite growl indicative of an old school big block while being tame enough for a cross country run. The brawny exhaust weighs significantly less than the factory system while having great air flow and more power.

This flow improvement accounts for the horsepower increase with even greater potential if the engine is modified with induction and computer upgrades because all Borla exhaust components are tuned for maximum output from any aftermarket performance upgrade.

Borla, original pioneers of aerospace-grade T-304 stainless steel (superior to 409 or aluminized) free-flow exhaust utilizes patented award and race winning technology to deliver quality, sound performance gains and enhanced fuel economy—all with an easy bolt-on installation. All Borla street products are backed by an unsurpassed written million-mile warranty.

Contact information: Borla Performance Industries 5901 Edison Drive Oxnard, CA 93033

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HEAVY DUTY FUEL DELIVERY PUMP Diesel Performance Products, Inc. introduced the FASS Fuel System (a high performance fuel delivery system) about two years ago to the diesel pickup market. We have enjoyed great success, mainly because of the tremendous help from TDR members, Thank You TDR members!

Over time we have received many inquiries asking, “Would you sell your heavy duty fuel pump?” The Dodge/Cummins owners would like to use our pump as a replacement pump on their 24-valve engines or as a pusher pump for the older 12-valve engines. “Why not?” was our response. Our fuel pumps are now offered in either the 95 or 150 gph version, the same as the FASS Fuel Systems. The average life of these pumps ranges from about 600,000-800,000 miles. This stand-alone pump mounts in about 30-45 minutes (average time) and comes with all the hardware to install the pump on your truck.

The kit even includes a larger diameter fuel line. The pump kits are retailing for $369 to 399, depending on the year of the truck. Both of our systems perform great in cold weather due to the pure brute strength of the pump.

Contact Information: Diesel Performance Products 905 Camelot Acres Drive Villa Ridge, MO 63089 www.dieselpp.com (866) POWERHP ((769-3747)

TDRelease . . . . Continued Cold Weather AccessorY

BD SUPER B TURBOCHARGERS

Geno’s Garage is pleased to announce the availability of a new cold weather accessory. We noticed this product in November at the SEMA show. We ordered and installed the product, and tested it over the winter.

BD Power unveiled its new Super B Single and Super B Twin turbocharger systems designed for Cummins 5.9 liter engines at the 2004 SEMA show. BorgWarner Turbo Systems via its BW-AirWerks performance program is the turbo supplier for these two models.

The staff gives two thumbs up (technically, five employees would equal ten thumbs up) to the Rostra seat heater kit.

“This relationship has been a long time in the making,” says Brian Roth, President of BD-Power. “The result is the development of two exciting turbo configurations that are optimum in performance and reliability for the Cummins 5.9 engine.”

Hot Washer Fluid Tired of scraping snow, ice, and frost off your windshield? Hot washer fluid can quickly cut snow and ice deposits on the windshield.

Rostra Controls’ Safe-Vue washer fluid heater kit offers you an easy-to-install unit that can simplify your early morning, gotta-cleanthe-windshield, it’s-cold-outside routine.

Washer fluid heaters have been around for years as an option on high-end luxury cars. Now affordably priced as an aftermarket kit, this convenience item can be added to your truck. The benefits of hot washer fluid are not realized in the winter months alone.

Summer bug deposits and road grime can more easily be cleaned up with 170° fluid.

Final note: the hot fluid/cold temperature differential will not cause a windshield to crack. However, if there is a star crack in your windshield, the problem can be aggravated. Closely inspect your windshield prior to purchase and installation.

Super B Single Turbo BD’s new BW-AirWerks S300G series is specifically engineered for the Cummins 5.9 liter engine with additional 75-200 horsepower modifications. This unit contains the extended tip compressor wheel that provides a better flow of air over the entire engine operating range. The BD kit comes complete with the exhaust and intake adapters required for a drop-in installation. The Super B Single is warranted against defects in manufacturing.

Super B Twin Turbos BD’s Super B Twin turbo kit is designed for Cummins 5.9 engines that are capable of developing 350-500 rear wheel horsepower with the proper fuel and air modifications. Boost developed by the smaller high-pressure turbo, provides quick low engine rpm response. This air charge is then compounded by the low-pressure turbo, which has a broad compressor map for higher engine RPMs. The highpressure turbo is the same one used in the Super B Single kit.

Another feature of this compound turbo setup is the reduction of exhaust emissions and exhaust temperatures. The kit is complete with a SS X intake, exhaust and intake piping, oil drains and heat shields. The ‘03/’04 engine application comes with a three-piece pulse exhaust manifold to bolt on.

ROSTRA-250-6652 – Safe-Vue Hot Washer Fluid Kit - $85.70 Contact information: Geno’s Garage 1150 Samples Industrial Drive Cumming, GA 30041 (800) 755-1715

BD Diesel Performance800)887-5030 www.dieselperformance.com

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Thought Provoking Discussions with Automotive/Motorcycle Journalist Kevin Cameron STAYING IN ONE PIECE As you put your foot down and hear the thin rising whistle of your turbocharger spooling up, do you ever wonder how the rotor, incandescent from its high temperature, can stand the centrifugal stress of spinning over 100,000-rpm? The simple answer is “nickelbased jet engine superalloys,” but that doesn’t tell us anything about how such materials work.

Just having a high melting point—as such materials do—is not enough. There are other problems to be solved. One is simply strength. Metals are composed of a jumble of tiny crystals, usually oriented every which-way. Metal atoms bond to each other by sharing their more or less plentiful bonding electrons. Because these electrons form a kind of gas in metal crystals, the forces that hold atoms together are delocalized—that is, the material holds itself together even if its shape changes. In a crystal, the atoms assume ordered positions, but yielding takes place as sheets of atoms slide across each other, or as defects in the crystal’s order propagate through it. One way to strengthen metals is to mix in atoms of one or more other metals, having a different size from those of the basic material. The local strain created by their presence makes it more difficult to make sheets of atoms glide past each other, or to push crystal defects from place to place. Adding other metal atoms in this way is called solution strengthening.

Unfortunately, alloying usually reduces the melting point. This brings us to another problem of high-temperature materials subject to stress—creep. Creep is the slow yielding of a material under stress, at temperatures that are more than halfway to that material’s melting-point. The classic example of creep is the slow movement of glaciers. Snows fall on the glacier, increasing its thickness, being compacted over time by its own weight into ice. Gravity acts on this thickness of ice, causing it to slowly spread like silly putty. How can it flow without melting?

In the lattice of each ice crystal, water molecules cling to each other, tending to keep the material solid. But each molecule must also resist the force of gravity, adding a small bias to the forces acting on it. On the average, the vibrational energy of a given molecule is much less than what it would take to dislodge it from its position. But, when through the statistics of energy distribution, a given water molecule does get enough energy to change position, it usually changes in the direction that relaxes the forces acting on it. It “makes itself more comfortable.” Summed over the millions of tons of ice in the glacier, the result is a slow net motion—creep.

The higher the temperature of the material, the more rapid is the creep in response to strain.

In early jet engines, creep was so rapid that new turbine blades were

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required after as little as 25-100 operating hours. Blades grew in length until they either scraped on the housing in which they spun, or necked-down so much that they failed in tension. The blades weren’t melting, for they were operating far below the actual melting point of their materials. They were creeping.

Metallurgists soon discovered means of making materials resist creep. They could, for example, include in the material enough carbon to form zillions of tiny, dispersed particles of metal carbides.

Because these particles are extremely hard (you may have heard of TiC, titanium carbide, used as a wear-resistant hard coating on metal-cutting tools), they act as physical barriers to the motion of crystal defects through material. They can also make it very brittle—a very un-useful quality. A major reason for the usefulness of metals is that they can yield under stress, rather than just snap off. This allows metals to survive sudden loads well, and makes it possible to bend, forge, and otherwise form them into desired shapes. Losing this quality is usually a disaster for a metal alloy.

Another method of providing creep resistance was to cause a second phase to form within the matrix of the metal as a whole. So-called “intermetallic” compounds such as nickel or titanium aluminide form small islands within the metal, acting like extremely hard bricks in a matrix of softer, more ductile “mortar”—the original alloy. This kind of material acted very rigid and strong up to a very high level, then very slowly yielded as the “mortar” permitted some motion—without allowing cracks to suddenly shoot through the material.

Promising though this was, it too had problems. In service, the material would at first display all the strength and creep resistance designed into it, but after some hundreds of hours at operating temperature, failures occurred that should not have taken place.

The material had lost strength. Samples of the failed blades were cut through and the cut surfaces were then highly polished. Special reagents were used to etch the polished surfaces, revealing the microstructure of the metal to the metallographic microscope. It was found that during long operation, the islands of hard intermetallics were growing in size and becoming fewer in number. This is a familiar thing for anyone who keeps ice cream in the refrigerator too long. Ice cream is cold-worked during freezing to prevent the formation of large ice crystals that would give it a coarse, granular texture. Kept too long in the fridge, and fairly close to its melting point, the larger of these tiny crystals grow at the expense of the even smaller ones. By the time I think “Hey, I could have some ice cream!” the large crystals may have grown so big that the formerly creamy stuff has acquired a gritty texture.

Something similar happened to the islands of hard intermetallics in turbine blade materials. Since the strength of the material depended on having a great many tiny “bricks” to give it hardness, when those bricks became larger and fewer from prolonged exposure to high temperature, the material lost strength. At one time, and because of this, the turbine blades of some British jet engines had

EXHAUST NOTE . . . . Continued to be removed and re-heat-treated every 900 hours. This heating caused the intermetallics to go back into solution, and the following cooling schedule would cause the re-formation of the desired size and number of precipitated intermetallics.

Later, means were found by which to greatly slow such changes, giving the resulting alloys much longer service lives.

Another problem was that while a given alloy might perform very well when very hot—as in a turbine blade—when used in a cooler part of the engine, such as in a turbine rotor disk, that same material would be unacceptably brittle. This is one reason why, in aircraft turbine engines, the blades and their rotor disks are seldom cast in one piece. Instead, the disk is made from a material whose properties are optimum for its operating temperature, while the blades that are fitted into the fir-tree slots in its rim are made from something quite different, whose properties become useful only at higher temperatures. For commercial power-generation turbines, special materials had to be developed to allow blades and disks to be cast in one piece. It is such materials that have been used to make turbocharger turbine wheels.

Anyone who has been around automotive engines has heard the term “nodular iron.” Crankshafts for low-to-moderate duty are plain old cast iron, but to resist higher stress levels nodular, or ductile iron will be specified. For the highest duty crankshafts, forgings are almost always employed. We all know that ordinary cast iron doesn’t bend much before it breaks—it is brittle. Nodular iron has more ductility—the ability to change shape under stress rather than simply to fracture. The difference in the behaviors of these two materials arises from how they deal with small cracks. Cast iron contains a lot of carbon. In the molten state, this carbon is dissolved in the iron, but as the melt cools after casting, the iron becomes less able to hold this much carbon in solution. The carbon is therefore precipitated out of the melt, forming long, needle-like crystals that branch in all directions. This “acicular” carbon is like a superhighway for any crack that forms under stress, giving it an easy path of least resistance.

This is why, as we sat in study hall, our desk lids propped open against the tops of our heads, perusing a concealed Hot Rod magazine, we learned that if we wanted to hop up certain engines, we had to look for the particular manufacturer’s symbol on the crank that would indicate that it was of the more durable nodular iron. In nodular iron, changes are made to the chemistry of the melt and to the heat treatment, which cause the carbon to assume the form of ball-like nodules rather than long needles. This eliminated most of the easy pathways for cracks, causing them to remain dormant for much longer periods of time.

Similar undesirable needle-like phases can also form in high temperature superalloys, rendering them brittle. As was done for acicular carbon, means were found by which to convert the crackinviting needle form into a less harmful blocky form. In such ways it was found possible to create alloys which could be cast to make turbine wheels with integral rather than separate blades. It is from such materials that turbocharger turbine rotors are cast.

The design of metal alloys is very much like tire engineering.

Because everything affects everything else, it is seldom possible to go after an increase in a single property (such as ductility, or creep resistance, or oxidation resistance) without having a potentially harmful effect on one or more other, equally essential properties.

Therefore, once a useful alloy is developed and engineers become skilled in using it successfully, it tends to remain in production for many years.

Material properties also depend on processing during manufacture.

Making a flaky pastry requires that the shortening be added cold, so after blending it remains in the form of small fragments rather than melting uniformly throughout the dough. When baked, the fragments separate the pastry into layers, causing your baking skill to be admired. Some superalloys are melted just as in the case of general-purpose steel alloys. The right amounts of the various elements are put into the pot, the induction heating is switched on, and presently the material melts and can be brought to the desired temperature for pouring. After cooling, it can then be heat-treated as desired. Other advanced materials contain elements that would, if melted in this way, not dissolve into the others. They would either remain separate, or would tend to form undesirable phases. In these cases, the material may be prepared as an extremely fine powder mixture of its elements, then pressed into final shape, followed by heating (“sintering”) to cause it to fuse into a solid part. This, by eliminating outright melting, avoids the segregation of the insoluble elements. As long as this kind of material is used at temperatures too low to bring about segregation of the insoluble elements, it can retain remarkable properties. This is powder metallurgy.

Alloying and heat-treating can create within a metal the desired phases and can precipitate out useful small particles that act as pins to prevent movement. If that works, then why not just make the kind of particles you want, and then add them to the material?

This is done—very hard, temperature-resistant oxide particles are prepared in the desired form and can be added to “powder parts” during manufacture. This usefully widens the range of strengthening mechanisms available to the metallurgist.

The spinning, glowing little wheel inside your turbo is the result of decades of research and service experience with many families of superalloys. In jet engines, higher fuel efficiency has required a steady increase in hot gas temperature, and this has driven a continuous process of materials development. This has provided a menu of proven materials options from which to make cost-effective and durable turbocharger turbine wheels.

Kevin Cameron TDR Writer

www.turbodieselregister.com

TDR 177

Advertiser...........................................................................Page Number A&M Turbo Diesel..................................................................................67 AFE ..................................................................................................30/31 Aero Tanks Enterprises........................................................................143 AirTabs................................................................................................. 113 Amsoil.....................................................................................................79 Amsoil...................................................................................................125 ANSA Automotive.................................................................................159 Association of Diesel Specialist............................................................ 151 Automotive Transmission Specialist.................................................. 24/25 Banks Power..........................................................................................21 Beveridge Truck Sales.........................................................................175 Blumenthal Heavy Duty, Inc...................................................................19 Borgeson Universal Co..........................................................................65 Bully Dog................................................................................................95 Centramatic Wheel Balance...................................................................43 Cowboy Sales......................................................................................169 Cummins Inc..........................................................................Inside Cover Denver Off-Road....................................................................................79 Dial-A-Clutch..........................................................................................83 Diamond Hitch......................................................................................149 Diesel Performance Parts......................................................................13 Diesel Performance Products.................................................................85 Diesel Pro.................................................................................................5 Dunrite Converters.................................................................................27 EGR Brakes...........................................................................................87 Edge Products........................................................................................89 Ekstam Worldwide..................................................................................93 Evans Cooling........................................................................................97 Gomer’s Warehouse...............................................................................51 Geno’s Garage.....................................................................................151 High-Tech Turbo..................................................................................... 11 Kelderman Air Ride..............................................................................174 Kore Performance..................................................................................91 Larry Buck............................................................................................169 Luke’s Link..............................................................................................43 Mag-Hytec.....................................................................................135/137 PDQ Performance/Diablo Sport........................................................... 159 Pacbrake..............................................................................................107 Performance Motorsports.....................................................................168 PML Inc..................................................................................................26 Power Vision.........................................................................................102 Premier Performance...........................................................................169 Pro Parts................................................................................................37 Reliance Truck and Auto..........................................................................5 Rickson.................................................................................................174 Snow Performance.................................................................................29 South Bend Clutch...............................................................................155 Southwest Diesel Service.....................................................................175 Stanadyne..............................................................................................75 Standard Transmission and Gear........................................................... 98 Stan’s Headers.....................................................................................121 Sun Coast Converters/PRO-LOC........................................................... 33 TST Products........................................................................... Inside Back Transfer Flow Inc...................................................................Outside Back Xtreme Diesel Performance............................................................... 1121

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