A Couple of “Weight” Questions to Ponder….

Question 1: How Much Does a Gallon of Diesel Fuel Weigh?  

One U.S. gallon of automotive diesel fuel at 76 degrees Fahrenheit and standard atmospheric pressure weighs 6.91 pounds. That’s equal to 110.54 ounces or 3.13 kilograms. 

The density of fuel can change due to heat and pressure, so this number may change slightly in different environments. Colder temperatures and higher pressures increase the weight of a gallon. It doesn’t, however, change too much under normal conditions, so most would agree that the weight of diesel fuel is at approximately 7 pounds per gallon.

This fuel, which looks clear or brown in liquid form, is made by distilling crude oil at high temperatures. Diesel molecules are large yet quite compact, packing more energy into every gallon. Compared to diesel’s roughly 7 pounds per gallon, the same amount of gasoline weighs only about 6.2 pounds. While diesel fuel can release harmful substances into the air when burned, it’s more fuel efficient.  

Question #2: Is the “The Weight” one of the greatest songs in music history?  

This 1968 song, widely accredited to Robbie Robertson of The Band, defies genre, and it doesn’t need one. The song is about a lone traveler’s encounters with several interesting characters in a town called Nazareth, while on a mission to send regards for a woman named Fanny. You can hear country and hear rock and hear blues and hear folk. More importantly, as you listen you understand and feel the journey it takes you on. 

The Weight is filled with really enjoyable instrumentals, biblical undertones and exchanges between the traveler and the town’s characters that leave one wondering. It is masterful storytelling paired with one of the more memorable musical sounds ever recorded.

* * * 

Here's the song itself. 

The album it appears on was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Diesel Engine Pros and Cons

I was looking at a September 2020 Truck Trend story by K J Jones. Jones had been editor of Diesel Power magazine which is now an online space in the Truck Trend Network. Jones has always been a diesel truck guy. For years he had a passion for Mustangs. Not a crime. I could tell a few Mustang stories myself.

Jones' fave diesel pickup is a 7.3L-powered OBS Ford dualie, which he has nicknamed Big White. Being an editor he probably never stops thinking about story ideas. Being a car guy, though, he enjoys turning a wrench as much as time permits. He also likes drag racing.

The story I found is titled Diesel Engine Pros and Cons, the same as this blog post. I won't try to steal his readers. You should go there when finished here. I just wanted to lay it out there what this car and truck diesel guy listed as the primary pros and cons of the world we write about here: diesels.

Pros
When looking at Ram, Ford and GM full-sized rigs, these are the diesel advantages/

1. Fuel Economy
Here's what I found noteworthy: He writes, "One of the biggest plusses about diesel is that its energy density is greater than that of gas, by nearly 22,000 BTU. Basically, a port-injected gasser will burn much more fuel in order to match a direct-injected diesel's power output—per gallon—unloaded and especially when towing."

2. Performance, Longevity, Reliability
The engine's durability is certainly a feature well-known by diesel owners. As long as you take care of the maintenance regimen they sometimes seem determined to be a friend for life. By way of contrast, he notes that gasoline engines have a much shorter engine life. Jones adds the qualifier that oil service along with air- and fuel-filter changes are key to longer service life for any engine.

3. Flexibility
Jones notes in passing that "although they are not included in the formal/'Flex-Fuel' family of versatile engines, diesels are capable of operating with biodiesel in a truck's fuel tank."

Cons
In a perfect world there would be no cons, but truth be told, we do have this one.

1. Cost
It isn't just the powertrain that bites, but the cost of ultra-low sulfur fuel you must use. It's not an impossible hurdle. You just need to realize that you sometimes have to pay to play. 

Keep in mind, though, that if you get double the life out of your purchase the real cost of that gas guzzling car is doubled. 

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Read the Diesel Power story here:
http://www.trucktrend.com/features/diesel-engine-pros-cons/

Towing Wars: 2021 Chevy Silverado Flexes Its Muscles

Jason Gonderman's October 7 article at TruckTrend.com about the towing wars between the big three U.S. diesel truck manufacturers is a fun read. In racing, it's about speed, but when it comes to diesel power, it's about muscle. Gonderman's story is about how Chevrolet has re-asserted its power with the 2021 Silverado 3500HD now boasting the capability of towing 36,000 pounds. Yes, that is 18 tons. 

That's 2 tons more than the song "16 Tons" and topping the 2020 F-350 Super Duty by 250 pounds, the average weight of many heavyweight boxers.

Gonderman notes that Ford does have an even mightier breed of diesel potency in the F-450, max rating of 37,000 pounds of towing capacity. He disqualifies the F-450 as being in a different class. To use the boxing metaphor again, it's like comparing middleweights and welterweights. 

To learn what Chevrolet did to get the extra 500 pounds of towing capacity over its 2020 offering, the author spoke with two engineers from GM, then converted their answers to layman's terms. They explained that the 2020 truck wasn't "fully optimized" for extreme towing. Thus, they left room for incremental improvements.

In addition to swapping out the wheels (yes, wheels helped make a difference) they made adjustments in the suspension and shock absorbers. The towing capacity actually has a test designed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and this truck's towing capacity has indeed been certified.

The article highlights additional announcements from GM for their 2021 trucks, specifically related to trailering. You can read the full story here: http://www.trucktrend.com/news/2021-chevrolet-silverado-3500hd-tows-best-in-class-36000-pounds

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REMINDER: Beans' Blackout in the Country diesel event it postponed to October 24. 

Photo Credit:  Wolfgang Rottmann courtesy Unsplash.

Breaking: Blackout in the Country Is Happening, But the Live Feed Is Not

A couple weeks ago we got excited and announced a big Tennessee diesel event, Blackout in the Country, that was supposed to happen this weekend, a live -- as opposed to Virtual -- diesel truck event. Unfortunately, Hurricane Sally had something else to say about this. 

Fortunately, Bean's Diesel has re-scheduled. If you're planning to attend, great. As for our live feed, that's just not to be in the cards. Blackout in the Country will be blacked out. But the event is all go. 

Nevertheless, when things open up in 2021, we're planning a number of live streaming events and we hope you'll join us. Push our button: Live Diesel Events and we'll keep you in the loop.

Electronics and Sensors: A Blessing and a Curse

The degree to which technology's tentacles have reached into our lives is quite amazing. Getting our vehicles to run at optimal performance is no longer just a matter of turning wrenches, but involves complex wiring diagrams as well. Sensors and brain boxes talk to one another and we just let it happen. Every year we have more whistles and bells on our devices and, let's face it, our diesel truck is just another device.

I remember when my key fob stopped functioning to open and lock my doors. I didn't know why, until one day I discovered that these fobs are battery powered. All I needed to do was change the battery, an answer I discovered only by accident. (Mentioned it in passing during a conversation with a friend.)

There are other kinds of niggling annoyances that aren't so common. For example, what happens when your radio won't turn off? That's what happened to a fellow with the handle Rescue7 who shared this problem on the Duramax Forum. He described his issue like this: 

Recently on my 07 GMC 2500 HD Classic, my radio doesn't turn off when I stop the engine, remove the key & open the door - as it always has always performed in the past? Now the radio just stays on as if on a timer & will time out after 5-10 min.

As you can imagine, he says he doesn't like walking away from his truck while the radio is still on. And I can't blame him.

Fortunately, a former GMC tech named GMAXfirefighter stepped up to the plate to help him walk it through. First, he needed to get the specifics of what was going on. After a series of back and forth posts, there were enough clues to zero in on the real issue and a solution was found.

Ugh. Fortunately, it's not only the Internet of Things that has been getting connected, but people can get connected as well, through forums and other online communities. In short, if all this high tech occasionally leaves you frustrated, you're not alone. 

But solutions aren't far away either.  We have a list of forums and other resources here in the right hand column. Links to forums are below, or you can just reach out and Ask Jake. If he doesn't have an answer, he'll point you in the right direction.

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Source: https://www.duramaxforum.com/threads/radio-wont-turn-off.1009784/

Can I Drop a Diesel Engine into My Classic Muscle Car?

This weekend I saw this story from Hot Rod in which John Gilbert is working on his tricked out '66 Chevelle. His aim was to get this classic 60's muscle car ready for the ARMO Booth at SEMA this year. ARMO, he explains for the uninitiated, is an acronym for the Automotive Restoration Market Organization.

I clicked on the article because at first I thought it was unusual that John Gilbert was working on an old car. As it turns out, John Gilbert of Hot Rod fame is not the John Gilbert the car guy who had a syndicated column in which he wrote about new cars. 

I had lunch with the latter John Gilbert once. He had some kind of deal with all the Detroit automakers in which he was given new cars to drive around so he could write about his experiences. Free cars for Gilbert, and publicity for the automakers. Kind of a nice gig if you can get it, eh?

John Gilbert the syndicated columnist drove new cars and didn't fuss with what was under the hood, to my knowledge. 

By way of contrast, John Gilbert of Hot Rod is a grease-under-the-fingernails kind of guy. He knows cars inside and out. At one time he was tech editor for Super Chevy magazine and, if I remember correctly, I believe he is also an artist on the side. Of course for many of us, cars and trucks have always been an art form. 

The objective for Gilbert's project car was to incorporate as many convenience and performance upgrades as possible while maintaining the factory appearance. This overhaul went from front to rear, including wire kits and headers, stainless steel mufflers and more. 

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Now to get to my reason for writing all this. The article made stirred my mind with this thought: Is it possible to drop a diesel engine into a vintage muscle car? What I wondered was whether the Daimler diesel engine I wrote about in September could be dropped into a four-barrel SS or Classic Mustang? Or John Gilbert's Chevelle.

One of the first articles I found on this topic is titled 10 Things to Consider Before Swapping and Engine. The answer is yes you can, but you have to be careful. And what kind of money are you prepared to spend? 

Truck Trend has all the relevant information for those who want to drop a high-powered Duramax diesel engine into a gas-powered truck. The article is titled Our Complete Guide to Parts and Providers for Gas-to-Diesel Engine Swaps. Reading the article through makes it apparent that the undertaking, while possible, is not for the faint of heart.

One of the rules of thumb to be aware of is that to satisfy smog rules, you can't install an engine that is older than the year the truck was produced. Just a word to the wise.

As for engine swaps in trucks, have you ever done it yourself? How did it go?

Till next.

Turbos and Heat: They Get Hot, Hot Hot!

One of the most interesting parts of trade shows is the educational aspect. I’m not simply referring to the seminars and classes many shows offer. Rather, I am referring to the displays many companies produce that show us how things work. 

I remember a display at the Louisville Truck Show that had a transmission made of see-thru plastic so one could witness the manner in which gears and fluids interacted. It was fascinating, especially because we’re accustomed to only seeing the opaque external shell. 

This brief blog post has to do with turbochargers and heat. Turbos are a forced air induction device designed to increase an internal combustion engine’s efficiency and power. (Regular engines rely on air pressure and normal air-flow.) Essentially, the turbo is a compressor that enables more air to be forced into the combustion chamber, along with more fuel.

It was at the AAPEX Show during SEMA Week a few years ago that I saw the most interesting cutaway of a turbocharger. In fact, it was a virtual 3-D projection like a hologram. Someone there pointed out several features, and explained how hot this little spinning area gets. In short, if you don’t have a lubricant up to the challenge, it’s going to be trouble for you.

One of the functions of oil is to reduce friction, a major issue when you consider the RPMs at which a turbo spins. (We’re talking 80,000 to 250,000 RPM, if you can wrap your mind around that.) A second function of the oil is to carry heat away from the hot spots to cool elsewhere. Poor quality oil won’t do either job well, if you have really poor oil it can form carbon deposits, which you really don’t want.

 

Another reason this area of the engine gets so doggone hot is that it’s powered by exhaust gases, which are already hotter than blazes.

Heat can be a real problem, which is why there are precautions associated with turbos. First, researchers have noted that turbochargers have to be carefully matched to the engines they serve. Second, because they get so hot, especially after a hard run, you need to let your engine idle a little before shutting it down. I’ve been told that this one little trick will trick can add significantly to the life of your turbo.

Since replacing a turbo can cost a pretty penny, increasing your turbocharger’s service life is a wise thing to do. You may be able to cut costs with aftermarket replacement parts, but you still want to make sure you have someone help who knows how to do the work. 

There are many little things you can do to make your turbocharger last longer. One of the simplest things to do for preventive maintenance is to check you oil and fluid levels. If the supply is not sufficient to properly lubricate the system, a lot of bad things can happen.

Photo: Remanufactured Cummins Turbo