Why Is Champion Diesel Oil Blue?

There are so many varieties of blue: Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue, Indigo, Navy Blue, Prussian Blue, Electric Blue and Cerulean just to. name a few. 

Blue has been an important color in art since ancient times. For thousand of years the ancient Egyptians produced a blue pigment using calcium copper silicate that is considered the first synthetic pigment. 

Surveys show that blue is the color most commonly associated with security, trust, and loyalty. And it’s chosen by a majority of both men and women around the world as their favorite color. 

Champion dyes its Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils for several reasons. The robust chemical formula is unique and provides an industry-leading performance to meet the needs of both older and next generation heavy-duty engines, thus providing users the security of knowing that the blue oil is protecting them. The blue color also allows the quick-lube, fleet, or end-user to have absolute assurance and trust that no substitute engine oil is being installed. Also, Blue Flame creates a loyalty from followers that always ask for the “Blue Oil”.

 

“Champion Blue Flame Diesel Oils will forever be recognizable and have a distinctive appearance”, said Karl Dedolph, director of racing and performance products at Champion Brands, LLC. “It’s a huge plus when someone doesn’t even have to see the label to know it’s a Blue Flame product – the color alone is enough to identify the diesel engine oil. The dye is chemically balanced when it is blended and does not create any kind of lubricant issue or problem with additives or base stock.”

 

“The blue dye doesn’t leave a residue in the engine. In fact, the oil over time will turn and look black in color. It’s actually soot, which the diesel engine produces in much higher levels than gasoline motors. The soot enters the oil pan from the combustion chamber due to the gap in the piston rings. The black color, which is very common, doesn’t mean the oil has a problem,” added Dedolph.

 

Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils are formulated with workhorse high-zinc performance additives, superior protection, advanced polymer technology, and high TBN, supported by a carrier blend of synthetic fluids.

 

In addition, Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils deliver unmatched high temperature film strength and lubricity protection, with the muscle to combat oil shear and maximize sustained cylinder compression. They also inhibit oxidation, corrosive acids, sludge and varnish build-up.

 

These oils keep your engines going longer by reducing soot-induced engine wear, controlling abrasive soot contamination and preventing high temperature corrosion, even while allowing for improved fuel economy and lower total cost of ownership. They are proven to increase engine horse power and torque.

Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oils are purpose built for extreme protection and performance. https://www.championbrands.com/diesel-engine-oils/

What’s your favorite color? And if it's blue, what kind of blue? Cerulean? Teal? Turquoise? Royal? Tell us in the comments below.

Next time you need oil for your Cummins, Powerstroke or Duramax, ask for that “Blue Oil,” Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil. 

XDP Now Offers Deep Billet Aluminum Lower Oil Pans for Diesel 6.7L Powerstroke

Give your 6.7L Powerstroke an additional two quarts of oil capacity and a custom race-inspired look with the Xtreme Diesel Performance (XDP) X-TRA Deep Billet Aluminum Lower Oil Pan XD454. The XD454 is designed as a direct-fit replacement for the factory plastic pan on the early models and a replacement for the steel oil pans on the late model trucks.

This Lower Oil Pan features a CNC-machined finned bottom for enhanced looks and added strength. Unlike cast pans on the market, this billet pan has a welded design that gives you a high-performance look with a deep sump design for added oil capacity. 
https://www.xtremediesel.com/xdp-x-tra-deep-billet-lower-oil-pan-xd454

Each pan has a machined groove for the built-in O-ring seal and a large magnetic drain plug for easy oil changes. Each pan comes ready to install and is backed by the XDP 1-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

Features:

• O-Ring Gasket
• Magnetic Drain Plug
• Welded Aluminum Construction
• Stainless Steel Mounting Hardware
• 2 Quarts Increased Capacity Over Stock
• CNC-Machined Finned Billet Aluminum Bottom

Products manufactured by XDP carry a 1-Year warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship. The Warranty is Limited to one (1) year from the date of sale and limited solely to the parts contained within the product's kit.  

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Related Link

Looking For Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil? Now Available at Xtreme Diesel Performance

Over-Fueling Causes Black Smoke

Modifying a Cummins, Powerstroke or Duramax diesel engine with some sort of OBD-II plug-in or computer-controlled engine management system is one of the simplest ways to improve power for diesel racing and pulling. It’s really not that complicated. You don’t have to take the diesel engine apart, and the modifications cost far less than what’s required to get similar power gains as, for example, from a gasoline-powered motor. 

Because diesels “throttle-push” the amount of fuel injected into the engine rather than limiting the amount of air entering the engine, notable power gains can be achieved by just increasing the amount of fuel delivered. All that’s required is the aforementioned electronics box to alter the signals from the onboard computer that controls the timing and length of the fuel injector pulse and the fuel pressure. There are all sorts of diesel tuner boxes on the market that promise plenty of big power.  

While you can make more power with more fuel, if you don’t do it right, exhaust gas temperatures can go out of sight. This can spell eventual death for the diesel engine or turbocharger. Many diesel racers and pullers are unfortunately unaware of such potential engine damage. They love to increase power and are willing to assume some ownership of the risk, and that’s just what you do when you over-fuel a diesel. 

It is only after getting more airflow into, and out of, a diesel engine that max-power can be achieved safely.  These enhancements include a bigger or less restrictive intake path, inducting cooler air, bigger valves or different camshaft timing, a less restrictive exhaust system, increasing cylinder head flow through porting, turbocharging, or supercharging.

It’s no secret that max-power increases happen when you control both fuel and the airflow. If you don’t burn the extra fuel, then you’re increasing the exhaust gas temperature of a diesel engine  If the exhaust temperature isn’t too excessive, and if it occurs for only for a matter of a few seconds at a time, most diesel engines can withstand the abuse without incurring permanent damage, but there is always that risk.  

The telltale sign of over-fueling and lack of a balanced air flow strategy is excessive thick black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe.

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Reminder: Be sure to check out the live streaming of this Saturday's Blackout in the Country. To find the feed, click on the button at the top of the right hand column.

Did the Millennium Falcon use OBD-II?

“You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon? It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs,” exclaimed Han Solo, starship pilot. We’re sure they had OBD-II. If dashboard’s ‘check engine’ light came on, Han Solo would have known what to do.

For years vehicle manufacturers have fitted on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems that provide codes to help identify specific issues. You can find the most recent diesel powertrain codes for Duramax, Powerstroke, and Cummins in the right column of this blog. (See the button Diesel Technical Bulletins.)  

But what are these systems and what do these codes mean? Put simply, an OBD system, or on-board diagnostic system, is an on-board computer fitted to your diesel engine that monitors the performance of your truck, including its powertrain, ignition, gearbox and emissions system.

When the truck’s on-board diagnostics system identifies a problem with the vehicle’s performance, it turns on a dashboard warning light and registers a code that identifies the issue.

This engine code, called a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC), is stored in the OBD-II system and can only be accessed by connecting a scan, or diagnostic tool into the OBD-II diagnostic socket and reading the DTC off the display of the scanner.

This light is to let you know that a possible fault has developed in the engine management system or another function and may require attention. When you see this appear, check your handbook for instructions on what action to take for your make and model of vehicle.

Diagnostic Trouble Codes, also known as engine fault codes, are five-digit codes that identify a particular problem in the car. These codes are displayed on the scanning tool when it’s connected to the OBD system.

The five-digit DTC includes one letter usually followed by four numbers (e.g. P1234). Each individual combination of letters and numbers relates to a specific problem within the car, whether a generic issue or a manufacturer-specific error.

A DTC won’t tell you which specific part of your car needs fixing or replacing, but it will tell you -- or your mechanic -- what you need to test in order to diagnose the issue. Within the five-digit DTC, one of four letters (P, B, C, U) always comes first and relates to the part of the car that has the issue: P - powertrain, B - body, C - chassis, and U - network.

The second digit (either 0 or 1) relates to whether it’s a general issue (0) or a manufacturer specific problem (1), while the third corresponds to the specific system with the issue, such as the ignition, and can be either a number or letter. The final two digits are numbers that relate to the specific fault description, and there is no pre-approved key to help decode these final two digits. 

“May the Force be with you,” --Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Master.

Where Do You Turn When You Have Trouble?

I'm not talking about trouble with the law here. I mean, who do you turn to when the Check Engine light comes on or you fry some wires, or your engine keeps shutting off while driving?

In the old days, it helped to have a friend who was a mechanic whom you could call in time of need, assuming you were near a phone. We didn't have cell phones then. (Even better would be a brother.) Today we have something still better. Diesel forums.

Yesterday someone had a dash fire in their Powerstroke and has been dealing with shorted brake light switch wires. Within 16 hours he had five people discussing the situation with him.

Nine hours ago someone named Juniebuck posted some steps they had taken to resolve some issues in their Powerstroke and less than an hour ago there were suggestions of steps that could be taken.

In short, online forums have been a real life saver for all kinds of vehicle owners, especially those in the Diesel World. Instead of relying on your brother, you have a whole family of diesel lovers, many of them directly experienced with your engine type, whether Duramax, Powerstroke or Cummins.

IF YOU LOOK below in the right hand column you'll find links to a full range of diesel forums. If yours isn't listed I would like to add it. Please leave the name and URL in the comments.

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First Mods for Your New Diesel Pickup

This past week I came across a video titled Top 5 Mods for Your Powerstroke Diesel and it got me thinking about the countless ways our trucks can be enhanced, either for looks or for power. The YouTube video is one in a series of vids by TopCorey, whose YouTube channel currently has over 42 thousand subscribers. There's a link down below.

Thinking about modifications led me to do a quick search for other sites with recommendations of where to begin. This article by Trent McGee at Diesel Power Products's website seemed especially useful for guys and gals seeking max power for competition. According to McGee, these are the three critical areas where you need to invest.

What I like about this article is that it begins by explaining what an engine really is. "An engine is essentially a giant air pump," McGee writes. "It draws in outside air, compresses and injects fuel for ignition, then exhales the spent gasses." That's a very concise and explicit explanation. In other words, it's an efficient form of creating power but requires sufficient air and fuel, and a means for getting rid of the spent gases. For optimal power you also need a way to control that air-fuel mix ratio. 

In short, once you understand this, you understand why this article proposes the three following modifications. Once you process the previous paragraph, the essential modifications are three in number.

1) Cold Air Intake

2) Exhaust System Upgrade

3) In-line Programmer or Tuner
Installed between the ECM and the engine, think of it as A.I. for your performance diesel. 

The article goes into depth on each of these three vehicle enhancements. You can find it here:
THE TRIFECTA: THE BEST FIRST MODS FOR YOUR DIESEL TRUCK 

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The video shares TopCorey's Top 5 Mods for Your Powerstroke Diesel  which are directed more to Powerstrokes, but have application to all diesel owners. You can see that the first three mods are identical to the Trifecta above, except in a different order. The last two items on his list of five are more in the realm of cosmetics.

1) Custom Tuning via Easylink ("Unlocks a truck's true potential")

2) Exhaust Upgrade (5 inch pipe recommended)

3) Factory modified VGT Turbo from SPE

4) Wheels, Tires, Lift Kit

5) Window Tinting

Some of us like to get information through reading, others through seeing. The options are many and it sometimes helps to get guidance from people who have been there and done that. 

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Afterword: The Trifecta article has the words "Written by Trent McGee" in the title, but at the beginning of the article itself are the words "Written By: Diesel Josh" For what it's worth, I want to make sure whoever actually wrote this gets credit. Good stuff.