Torque + Fuel Efficiency = the 2021 Chev Suburban Diesel SUV

It's that time of year. Mother Nature gave us four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and New Car Introductions. When autumn colors appear on the trees, you know that next year's cars will begin appearing in car magazines and other media. 

Every product has a target niche it strives to fill. That includes cars and trucks. The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban Diesel is billing itself as the most fuel-efficient, full-size SUV on the market. Here's what Miguel Cortina said at Motor Trend. 

Cortina begins by stating that efficient full-sized SUVs are rare. Putting a diesel under the hood, though, changes the equation. This vehicle, he says, was, "rated at 20/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined, which makes it the most fuel-efficient four-wheel-drive full-size SUV in the market. Think about that for a sec." 

A diesel Suburban isn't new, he says, but it's not something Chevy has done for a while. The specific model he test drove was the Chev Suburban Diesel High Country, 2021 of course.

First Stop: The Track
The objective at the track is to see how it handles. Cortina clearly enjoyed how it handled, describing it as "buttery smooth and elegantly refined." The Duramaz turbodiesel delivers 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque that gets transmitted to the tires via 10-speed automatic transmission. Yes, it is just a tad louder than the gasoline version but unless you're paying attention you don't really notice.

In addition to exploring how fast it can do the quarter-mile, they tested its braking, as well as handling by  executing figure-eights. When all was said and done, they broke down all the data and compared it to the gas-powered 2021 Chev Suburban. They also compared the diesel 4WD version to a rear-powered. (The latter pulls 8,000 pounds whereas the 4WD a measly 7800.) 

Bottom Line
After using spelling out a few details about pricing and availability, they come to the question. Should I buy? The team at Motor Trend seems enamored by this stylish new machine. Here's their conclusion.

"It doesn't matter what your budget is—if you're looking for a Suburban, the Duramax engine is worth looking at. For less than a grand you will be getting more torque and better fuel economy without much sacrifice in performance. And who doesn't like that?"

For all the nitty gritty details, read the full story here at Motor Trend.

Are You Still Hearing These Common Myths About Diesels?

One of the things every internet junky knows is that there is a lot of information out there in cyberspace, as well as misinformation. On this blog our theme is always Diesel, and by that we don't mean Vin. On this topic there are new stories every day. There's also a massive backlog of archived stories that are still relevant. 

Here's a 2019 story from Hot Cars that caught my eye and is still totally relevant. The article by Goran Radanovic is titled 25 Myths About Diesel Engines That Simply Aren't True.

Radanovic begins with a little history of diesel engines and their development. The significant feature of this power plant design is the manner in which it generates combustion. Ignition is caused by the elevated temperature generated in the cylinder by mechanical compression, which results in the ignition of the fuel. It's a brilliantly simple concept based on an understanding of basic scientific principles. 

Despite their proven track record of more than a century of service, a number of myths have grown up regarding diesel power. The author actually cites 25 here. I'll note a few of them and then send you directly to the source at Hot Cars.

1. Myth: Diesels are the largest cause of air pollution.

When you see that black smoke billow you do have to wonder how this isn't true. But the reality is, there have been great strides taken to clean up diesel. The industry has come a long, long way. Remember how much black smoke steel mills spewed a century ago? You don't see any of that today, and these engines now a different from olden times.What I find interesting is that there is such as thing as being too quiet. I valuely recall reading last year that the EV cars are so quietthey are dangerous for blind people who can't hear them coming. 

2. Myth: Diesels are loud.

That, too, has changed. "Common-rail technology made diesel engines almost as quiet as gas engines," he writes. 

3. Myth: Finding diesel fuel at the pump is impossible.

Not sure why anyone would buy this myth. The infrastructure for diesel is everywhere. I will tell you what IS true. You're not going to have as easy of a time finding charging stations for your Tesla. At leas t not yet.

4. Myth: Diesel engines are only good for towing.

Towing is just one of the advantages of diesel engine technology. Reliability and longevity are additional benefits.

5. Myth: You can't tune a diesel engine. 

This seems strange. If you've ever witnessed or been part of a dyno competition you can see that it's all about tuning for maximum power. According to Radanovic, "The truth is that diesel engines have withstood better tuning than gasoline engines." 

* * *  

The author lists 20 more common myths about diesels. It's actually quite surprising how much misinformation people take for granted. You can read the who story here:

25 Myths About Diesel That Simply Aren't True
https://www.hotcars.com/myths-about-diesel-engines-that-simply-arent-true/

How Oil Analysis Helps You Diagnose Engine Health

Diagnosis is the process of identifying the nature of an illness or other problem by examining symptoms. In the Year of Covid, diagnostics has been much discussed in the news. Developing accurate diagnostic tools was an essential first step in the battle against its spread. 

Diagnosing engine wear may not be as life and death a matter as the coronavirus, but the concept of oil analysis operates on the same principle You use tools that have been designed to help identify things that are going on that you can't see. In other words, the data you can read will help you see that which is hidden from view, much the way x-ray machines hep doctors identify broken bones and ultrasound identifies what is happening in our internal organs.

This week an article by Karl Dedolph in the January 2021 edition of The Shop magazine goes into detail about the benefits of oil analysis for racers. Dedolph, director of racing and performance products for Champion Brands, begins by comparing oil analysis to a dyno. "Our complete oil analysis kit with mailer and sample bottle is just like using a dyno to measure horsepower," he writes.

The article discusses how sophisticated the process has become, using spectrometers to identify the metals and fluids found in a sample. Each element has its origin, enabling trained specialists to recognize where the wear might be occurring inside the engine and how serious it is. 

In addition to explaining what oil analysis is, the author addresses some common misconceptions about performance aftermarket oils and fluids. 

You can find a digital copy of this  article here in the January online edition of The Shop.

Related Links

Things You Can Learn from Oil Analysis

Champion Offers Free Oil Analysis Kits

RV Industry Gets a Boost from Lockdown Blues

That this has been a year like no other goes without saying. Much has been written about the the financial hardships generated by the lockdowns and the psychological impacts. The hunkering down that took place in 2020 made me wonder how the RV business went this year. As I checked a few sites I saw that things took a turn for the worse in March, in part because there were so many unknowns regarding the "novel coronavirus" as they were calling it. Sales were down 20% that month according to one story I read and 80% in April.

Then, things shifted. People did not want to be locked down, and saw the RV lifestyle as a means of escape. According to stats from the RV Industry Association, sales of began to take off in June, which had the most RV sales in over two years, and by fall motorhome and RV sales were so robust that by October Barrron's was writing about the best RV stocks to buy during this travel revival.

Recreatiional Vehicles (RVs) come in all shapes and sizes. Those that are motorized are categorized by class -- Class A, B or C, and a Super C that uses the same diesel power plant that you find in 18-wheelers. There are also those that people tow, including pop-up trailers and fifth wheels. My first trip into Mexico was in a pickup fitted with an over-the-cab camper that sat in the pickup bed.

According to the RVIA the RV industry makes a big footprint in our economy. More than 25 million Americans go RVing each year and we spend more than 60 billion dollars on maintenance and services. With sales of RVs and all that is involved in providing campgrounds and accessories, it's a 114 billion dollar industry. And 98% of all RVs are made in the USA. It's nearly a unique industry in that way. 

Here's an excerpt from their October 2020 Market Report:

The RV Industry Association's October 2020 survey of manufacturers found that total RV shipments finished the month with 47,326 units, an increase of 21.4% from the 38,972 units shipped in October 2019. This represents the second highest October on record.

Towable RVs, led by conventional travel trailers, totaled 42,854 units for the month, an increase of 22.9% compared to last October’s total of 34,866 units. Motorhomes finished the month with 4,472 units, up 8.9% compared to the October 2019 total of 4,106 units.

I've always know that diesel engines were a big part of the power in motorhomes and RVs but I was surprised to learn that only 50% of motorhomes are diesel. For sure diesels will give you more power if you're climbing through the Rockies, but there are evidently pros and cons to everything in life. Here is a great debate about Gas vs. Diesel when it comes to RVs.

* * *  

Vintage camper trailer. Wanna get away?

If you're tired of being cooped up and feel a need to get away, motorhomes and RVs have given lot of people wings to fly with the breeze when the urge possesses. If this is all new to you, here is a blog post at KOA that serves as a Beginner's Guide to Buying an RV or Motorhomes.

Sources
Travel & Leisure
Barron's
KOA.com
Town & Country

The Legendary First-Generation Cummins 6BT Diesel Engine

You can tell who the diesel guys are by the way the write about diesel engines and diesel power. From the getgo, there's a sense in which we're always having to be a little defensive, write in a more calculated manner. 

So it is that Henry Cesari's article Monday at Hot Cars begins with this observation: "Diesel engines are divisive: there are many unfair myths surrounding diesel engines." It's almost as if he's saying, "Let's get this out of the way. If you don't like it when I write about diesels, go read something else." We like it and yes, we know diesels have pros and cons, but they're not going to be extinct any time soon. Their role is currently too important.

This article is about when Dodge trucks were mated with Cummins engines to produce the popular, much-heralded 1989 Dodge Ram. It's titled, Looking Back At The First Generation Cummins-Powered Dodge Ram Truck.

It's a great story. From initial vision to completion it took more than five years. When I think about how impatient everyone is today it's obvious that it takes real resolve to complete truly great projects. In most cases--the exception being the Harrier jet--the bigger the plane, the longer the runway required to get it off the ground. Kudos to Dodge and Cummins for their determination and commitment.

Dodge was famous for its trucks long before the Cummins-powered Dodge Ram. The Power Wagon and the Li'l Red Express, for example, were exceedingly popular. Today, 75% of Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 buyers opt for the Cummins engine option, which is able to tow nearly 15 tons with ease.

Cesari not only did his homework, he produces a stimulating read, writing "when thirty years ago, Dodge shoe-horned a Cummins-built diesel engine--intended for heavy equipment use--into their Ram pickups, the two companies incited a diesel revolution. Today, we're looking back at the Cummins-powered 1989-93 Dodge Rams." 

It's surprising how much was involved with making it work. In addition to an impressive engine makeover they followed up with 11 million miles of testing to ensure they'd actually produced a a power plant that was strong but that would also last.

According to Cesari, the Cummins team overbuilt every aspect of the new 6BT engine. The engineers incorporated "seven main bearings on the crankshaft, and six head bolts for every single cylinder. The company built both the block and head out of cast iron. They spared no expense in forging, hardening, and testing components such as the crankshaft, the connecting rods, and the pistons. When Cummins purchased components from outside vendors, they opted for the highest possible quality: the injector pump and the injectors are all durable Bosche units." 

The Cummins-powered 1989-93 Dodge Rams were pretty special. They set the bar high for everything that would follow. The Dodge team knew there could be no shortcuts. Their reputation was on the line.

Read the full article HERE at HotCars..com

For another fun Cummins/Dodge related read this one by Michael Van Runkle also, about a slammed 2019 SEMA special that features a 5.9-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine, stacks, and drop dead good looks.

Diesel Power Helps Deliver Vaccines for the Holidays and Beyond

Refrigerated trucks will be essential to Operation Warp Speed

Most people don't give much thought to what's involved in delivering food to our neighborhood grocery shelves. It's some kind of magical process that we take for granted, though farmers and cattle ranchers have never taken it for granted. Every cog in the distribution chain wheel knows they are just a cog but also integral to a bigger whole: feeding our nation's families.

The same applies to energy transfer. How energy gets created and how it gets distributed are things most of us don't give much thought to. Fortunately there are people who do all that thinking for us, so that we can recharge the batteries on our laptops, iPhones and other devices every day.

This week I saw a story in the Diesel Technology Forum about the role diesel will play in getting Covid under control and our nation working again. The article begins with a paragraph about the strain this pandemic had put on the trucking industry this summer simply to keep the food supply going. The second paragraph notes that getting Operation Warp Speed up to speed, rolling out 300 million vaccines to our entire population, is going to be a challenge but that our nation's diesel-powered haulers are already preparing to play their role, do their part.

The author states that our nation's trucking network "is up to the challenge thanks to diesel power, keeping critical supply chains moving for decades and most recently, ensuring essential goods are available during the pandemic. Today, the fleet of commercial vehicles is predominantly powered by diesel engines and fuel with nearly all – 97 percent – of the fleet of tractor-trailers being powered by diesel."

The two approved vaccines have special handling criteria that present special problems. For example, typical "reefer trucks" (refrigerated trucks) only have to keep frozen foods at a temperature below freezing. These vaccines must be maintained in extremely cold temperatures, and that extreme cold chain must not be broken.

The reliability of diesel transport trucks is one reason the fight against Covid needs our trucking industry. In addition, only diesel trucks have the range and capacity to make the long distance deliveries they have to make. 

No other fuel or technology type has a more extensive global goods movement network of trucks, trains, ships and planes that will meet this challenge all the while continuing to deliver essential goods and the expected increase in online shopping for gifts for the holiday season. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) alone is ready to deliver more than 28 million packages per day between Dec. 16-21 and will average 20.5 million packages per day through the remainder of the year.

As I noted above, we take a lot for granted and seldom appreciate the shipping industry the way we should. Add in FedEx and UPS numbers, and the mind-boggling efficiencies that have been developed in order to make fast, accurate deliveries is something that did not happen overnight. We've come a long ways from the Pony Express. 

You can read the full story here.

Related Links
Safe and Efficient Transport: Why Choose A Refrigerated Truck?
The Impact of Refrigeration (History Magazine)

Blue Flame Diesel Oil: Buy Now Before the End of the Year

Oil rig photo by WORKSITE Ltd. on Unsplash

The price of oil has certainly been herky-jerky this year. Pandemic shutdowns in the spring resulted in a sharp decline in fuel prices to the extent that it was more profitable for many oil companies to leave it in the ground than pay to extract and transport it.

Prices at the pump declined as well, which was appreciated by those who were still on the road even though a lot of us were on the sidelines for a spell. By mid-summer, though, crude futures recovered to their target base of $40 and climbing, which helps keep oil companies solvent and truckers on the road. Then again, downstream fuel and oil prices are impacted. 

Apparently oil companies are not losing sleep over that short term hit and things are feeling pretty hopeful going forward. 

In the meantime, however, I saw some news from Champion that came across the wire today. The company has announced a price increase, which means that December might be a good time to stock up for 2021. Here's the story:

Champion Oil Announces MWD Price Increase Effective 2021  

(Clinton, MO 12.08.20) Champion Oil, a major player in development and manufacturing of semi-synthetic and full synthetic motor oils, announced that effective January 1st, 2021 there will be a price increase for Master Warehouse Distributors (MWD) and Private Label Customers.

 

“Champion attributes the increase to a number of factors, one being the recent round of base oil posting increases”, said Karl Dedolph of Champion Brands in Clinton, MO. “In addition, higher freight rates, corrugated packaging, and high demand for resin, caps and bottles due to the massive new/increased demand for cleaning/disinfecting products, which has caused the prices for those commodities to spike. And as is the case with nearly all businesses during the pandemic, the high cost to maintain safe operations and keep plant staffing levels sufficient to run as efficiently as possible.”

 

Why the price increase? https://jobbersworld.com/2020/10/20/why-the-price-increases/

 

It should be noted that Champion Oil, who manufactures primarily synthetic and semi-synthetic motor and engine oils, is not in a direct parallel or correlation with crude oil pricing volatility. The development in creating the base stocks and additives for these oils is a very arduous and expensive process and only in a very small part associated with crude oil.

 

There's little doubt today that synthetics are now superior over conventional mineral based products in almost all scenarios. They feature resistance to high temperature oxidation, good film strength, lower volatility, stable viscosity, improved cold-flow and extended drain interval opportunities.  These properties ultimately result in better operation and life expectancy of engines, gears and other equipment.  This is especially true under harsh or extreme operating conditions.

 

About the company: Champion Brands, LLC, is a globally recognized industry leader in specialty lubricants for over 645 years. Champion also produces and blends over 350 products including fuel, oil, engine additives, and lubricants for the racing, automotive, heavy truck, agricultural, industrial, and specialty markets. For more information call Champion at 660-890-6231. Champion Brands, LLC; 1001 Golden Drive, Clinton, MO, or go to http://www.championbrands.com