Category: Diesel Engine

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You may be waiting at a red light or you may have just started the engine and white smoke coming out of your tailpipe. Should you be alarmed? What should you do? You may want to ditch your truck for the day or you may want to ignore it. Neither is a wise approach. Get accustomed with the white smoke problem which is not normal but quite common with diesel engines.

Why the White Smoke?

There could be one or more reasons for your car exuding white smoke. The volume of white smoke will also vary. It could be insignificant or it could be voluminous. Let us get to the basics that can help you to understand the cause.

If coolant has entered the combustion chamber, then you will have white smoke emitting from the tailpipe. This could also happen if the engine has low compression. You can easily run a test to know for certain what the exact reason is. Pull the breather cap and look for smoke. If the engine is enduring excess blow-by then you would see white smoke emitting from the valve cover. You may need a technician to sort this out.

Worn out injectors can also cause white smoke. The injector may have a cracked tip, bad solenoid or harness. If the injector is damaged or worn out, then it may allow too much fuel in and that will affect the cylinder. If a cylinder goes down, then your diesel car or truck will emit white smoke.

Another common reason for white smoke is dropping coolant level. Some trucks have a perennial issue of dropping coolants. When coolants get into the engine, it can cause some severe damage over time. Don’t try to replenish the coolant and keep driving. Get your engine checked and fix the problem.

There are a few other causes of white smoke. The exact problem will depend on the vehicle and its specifications. In some models, the water and oil gets contaminated. Crankcases often get overwhelmed with water and radiators often have to endure excessive oil. You must try to steer clear from these issues. While these conditions are not entirely avertable, you must be quick to get them remedied. White smoke is just the symptom. You have to get to the root of the problem and fix it.

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Diesel engines have been very popular in commercial vehicle but when people consider buying a personal car, the preference is inevitably the alternative. Diesel engines have become infamous over time but mostly because of certain myths that have remained firmly etched in our minds. It is necessary to debunk these myths. The focus on fuel economy and cost of running a car has ensured that people are getting interested in diesel engines. Time to shed light on a few facts and misconceptions.

  • A popular myth is that diesel is a dirty fuel and that vehicles powered by diesel engines will emit toxic exhausts and particulate matter. It is quite interesting to observe such myths because the EPA emission restrictions are very stringent and they don’t make any exceptions for diesel engines. Diesel powered cars have to adhere to the EPA restrictions so any thought that diesel cars will pump out more harmful gases and particulate matter than gasoline cars is just a figment of imagination. Also, cars today don’t emit the visibly black, white and grey dense smoke unless something is wrong.
  • There is another popular myth that diesel engines will go kaput when the mercury dips. This is a presumption that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There was a time when gasoline cars also didn’t start when it would be freezing outside. The trouble is not with the fuel. The problem is with the engine. Today, technology has ensured that diesel engines can have a cold start. It is true that gasoline is more flammable than diesel but vehicles don’t just start due to the fuel. The engine and the ignition technology play a role too.
  • Diesel engines are feared to be very noisy, sluggish and that they would lack in performance. This perception has developed from the fact that diesel engines have been primarily used in commercial vehicles, aka trucks and buses. Those vehicles are tilted towards viability and not comfort or exuberance. The diesel engines used in cars don’t have the same issues. The focus is on comfort, speed, quietness and all the attributes that one wants in a personal car.
  • Another myth is simply a misconception. That is that diesel fuel is hard to find. Nowadays most gas stations supply both gasoline and diesel.
  • Many people feel that diesel is more expensive. Some diesels can be more expensive than gasoline but most are not.

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When discussing engines, it is important to know that they are the heart of your vehicle. The Detroit Diesel Series 60 Non EGR has been used in large motor vehicles such as 18-wheelers and transport buses for many years. As time has progressed, the engines became more reliable and more affordable to fix with the help of after-market parts. Below are some of the most prevalent differences between the old and new style Series 60 engines.
DDEC I to DDEC IV
To improve the performance and response of diesel engines, they have been governed by various electronic control modules (ECM) throughout the years, starting with the Detroit Diesel Electronic Control or DDEC I and ending with the DDEC IV. The first system, DDEC I, lasted from 1987 to 1992, when it was replaced by DDEC II. All Old Style Series 60 11L & 12.7L engines were controlled by DDEC I, II or III until 1998. In 1999 the New Style Series 60 engine was introduced with a new ECM, DDEC IV. This new, more advanced ECM is one of the major differences between the Old Style and New Style Series 60 12.7L engines. The new ECM allowed for greater control through the use of more engine sensors. The other major change was a new, more durable two piece piston design with a steel crown and aluminum skirt capable of handling more horsepower. By 2001, the Series 60 14L New Style engine was introduced and offered large vehicles a 14L displacement option. The power was increased by up to 575hp and 1850 pounds of torque. This is all because of a large stoke crankshaft being installed.
Reliability and Longevity
The main difference that truck operators will notice between the older, mechanical diesels and the electronic engines of today is their fuel efficiency, reliability and longevity. Even though many believe that things were built better in the past, the newer style engines like the Series 60 have upgraded components designed and built to last an extended period of time. Since trucks now spend many hours on the road, manufacturers are held to higher standards for their engines. Many users find that the Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine is the most reliable engine of all. Lightweight, fuel efficient and great for hauling anything.
Technological Components
When installing a newer electronic engine it is essential that you have a computer and the appropriate software that will help you optimize it, whereas in the past a computer interface was not needed. These programs help to run diagnostic checks of every part of your engine to make sure that it is working efficiently and to its best standard. If not, it will show you what part of the engine needs to be taken care of.

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If you are driving a heavy duty truck from GM or Chevrolet, there is a fairly good chance that you have a Duramax Diesel under the hood. These engines represent an extremely popular line of diesel engine products, produced by General Motors. Both GMC and Chevy heavy-duty trucks utilize these 6.6L V8 engines, which offer three-hundred-and-sixty-five horsepower, as well as six-hundred-and-sixty-five pound-feet of torque.

Second only to Ford’s Powerstroke, this diesel engine is well-reviewed and popular for a number of reasons. There are some fascinating facts behind this diesel engine, as well as something interesting historical tidbits. In other words, there is a lot under your hood, if you have a Duramax.

About The Duramax Diesel
The Duramax diesel was first introduced to the market with a 6.2L displacement. The 6.5L followed soon thereafter. Below are a variety of interesting pieces of information about the Duramax Diesel:

• The current 6.6L Duramax was first announced towards the end of ’98, as a collaborative venture between GM and Isuzu. The project was largely designed to create a viable improvement over the 6.2L and 6.5L, which had failed to find the degree of popularity that GM had been hoping for.
• At present, there are six versions of the Duramax 6.6L. The 7th is slated for release at some point in 2017. The versions produced thus far include LB7, LLY, LBZ, LMM, LML, and LGH.
• 7.8L and 2.8L Duramax engines are also available.
• If you are curious as to which Duramax is under the hood of your truck, finding out is as straightforward as checking out the 8th digit of your VIN number.
• The reason as to why there have been so many different versions of the Duramax is simple. Improvements have been made to not only embrace emissions, but to also take advantage of improvements that will allow vehicles to remain competitive.
• Contrary to popular belief, the aluminum cylinder heads of the Duramax do not cause a significant degree of problems. These cylinder heads have scored big in the reliability department over and over again.
• DEF refers to diesel exhaust fluid, which deals in the component known as urea. This element is crucial, in terms of allowing the SCR to transform nitrous oxides into comparatively safer elements. You may want to familiarize yourself with the Duramax LML Emissions System Overview.
• All Duramax engines include engine block heaters.

These are some of the basic facts you want to keep in mind.