GM Rolls Out More Diesel Models Than Ever

There's a saying on Wall Street: "The trend is your friend." Until fundamentals change, an investment will continue to flow in the same direction it had been flowing. Growing companies keep growing, and wise investors buy into it.

EV cars and trucks have seen this kind of growth the past 20 years, some of it driven by hype and much of it by public demand. Every automaker has been active in the development of vehicles that reduce the carbon footprint of gasoline-powered internal combustion engines.

The media coverage of this adoption of EV technologies has been extensive. What's been missed, or seems so at times, are the advances in Clean Diesel technologies. Their reputation as being loud and smelly is so fixed in some peoples' imaginations and memories that they are unable to see the New Diesels in their true light. Fortunately, major automakers recognize the consumer demand.

This week GM Authority published a story by David Finlay about GM's continued commitment to diesel. The December 26 article is titled, "Availability of Diesel Models Has Doubled Since 2016." It begins:

The availability of turbodiesel engines in General Motors vehicles sold in the U.S. has doubled in the past five years. During the 2016 model year, just six GM diesel models were available. In 2021, that number has risen to 12.

The article includes a chart showing which GM models have had diesel engines and what kind of engines they were, from the 1.6L 14 LH7 WhisperDiesel to the 6.6L V8 L5P, which has a toque close to 1,000 pound-feet.

The article includes a chart showing which GM vehicle models have been powered by diesel engines and the kind of engines they've got under the hood. In 2021 you'll find Duramax engines in all its full-sized vehicles include the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Tahoe Suburban, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukons and the Cadillac Esscalade, which we wrote about here.

Finlay points out that GM has been neglecting its EV offerings. Not by a long shot. In fact, the global giant has announced plans to roll out 30 EVs worldwide by 2025. In the meantime, don't expect EVs to outsell diesel powered vehicles in the U.S. anytime soon.

Read the full article here: 
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/12/availability-of-gm-diesel-models-has-doubled-since-2016/

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'93 Dodge Ram with 5.9L Cummins Sells for Twice What It Did When New

This is what happens when you take care of what you own rather than run it into the ground. Yesterday, Auto Evolution published a story by Daniel Patrascu about a 1993 Dodge Power Ram 250 Club Cab in such mint condition that it fetched $50,000 at auction. The two-tone pickup came with a camper shell that no doubt added to its mystique. 

The original price in late 1992 on the diesel-powered pickup was $15K which would be $26K today, adjusted for inflation. So $50K shows how much value is added when you take care of what you own.

Over the course of its lifetime the truck had only accumulated 33,000 original miles, which Patrascu calculated to being about 1200 miles a year. Obviously the vehicle's single owner wasn't using it as a commuter vehicle, nor for annual summer vacations around the country.

Under the hood you'll find a Cummins inline-six diesel engine linked with to a four-speed transmission and a dual-range transfer case. According to Patrascu, "the 5.9-liter unit was originally rated at 160 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque." He suspects that most of that power is still there in the box.

The vehicle, which sold on Monday this week, had spent its life in Utah where dry weather conditions are favorable and kind, unlike regions of the country where humidity is a bane. Other features of the Ram include 16" wheels, bucket seats, air conditioning, cruise control and power windows.

It's noteworthy that in addition to all the original sales documentation, manufacturer's literature, clean title and Carfax report, the late owner kept meticulous service records, which enhances the value of used cars and trucks much the same as your medical records have a bearing on life insurance.

You can read Daniel Patrascu's Auto Evolution story here:
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/camper-shelled-1993-dodge-ram-goes-for-50k-double-what-it-sold-for-new-153707.html# 

For an excellent example of how to sell your own used truck, this listing at the Bring A Trailer auction site is a superb template showing how to present your used equipment so as to get the most buck for your banger:
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1993-dodge-power-ram-250-turbodiesel-4x4/

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Troubleshooting Tip: Getting a Diesel Engine Started When It's Run Out of Fuel

If you ever run out of gas, you know what a hassle it can be. In a gasoline-powered vehicle it's an inconvenience. With a diesel, it's a bit more complicated.

Fuel gauges are especially important when you're on the highway and the exit ramps are limited. I personally believe half full should be treated as "almost empty" so that one is at least beginning to pay attention. Nevertheless, it happens. If you're distracted, for whatever reason, when that first wheezing occurs you know you're in trouble. What do you do?

This summer K.J. Jones wrote an article on the Truck Trend Network addressing this issue. 

He begins by pointing out that technological advances these past two decades have eliminated some of the former hands-on procedures for dealing with this situation, such as manually priming the fuel system. Even so, if you do run out of fuel, the first thing you need to know is what NOT to do. That is, don't try to start the engine on empty, Jones says, because injectors and other parts can be damaged when there's a lack of lubrication.

Actually, he doesn't promise a lot of detail here in this article, but it's information that diesel owners should be aware of, foremost being that the task can be messy and is more than inconvenient. 

Putting fuel in the tank is the first step. Unfortunately, that isn't the end of it. You're not going to be able to start the engine again after you refuel because there's air in the lines.

The next step, logically, is to bleed the lines and injectors, a task not too unlike bleeding your brakes. You'll likely want to have your owners manual handy to locate the bleed screws, especially if you have never done that before on this vehicle. Have a few rags handy as well as a bottle to collect the priming fluid.

BLUE FLAME TIP: If you're a rookie on bleeding air from your lines, there are diesel forums for every make of engine listed here in the right hand column. You can find the help you need by doing a search. For example, here's what I found at the Diesel Hub when I asked about bleed procedures for a 6.5 diesel fuel system: https://www.dieselhub.com/maintenance/6.5-diesel-fuel-system-bleed-procedures.html

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The Jones article has some helpful photos, but keep in mind that vehicles are not uniform. The Truck Trend article aims to get you thinking in the right direction, though. The next steps are up to you.

Here's the Link:
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/engine/how-to-start-a-diesel-engine-when-it-runs-out-of-fuel

The Diesel in Saving Private Ryan

A couple weeks ago I went through a Tom Hanks binge which included, among others, the powerful Spielberg WW2 epic, Saving Private Ryan. I was actually surprised by how many movies Hanks and director Steven Spielberg have teamed up on, Saving Private Ryan was only the first, and four more big screen hits followed: Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, Bridge of Spies, The Post. (They also teamed up for the TV series Band of Brothers.) I was also surprised by how many other familiar actors were part of this production, people I didn't expect.

So it was fun finding an article about Saving Private Ryan this weekend, the day after Christmas, and the writer made the same observation that I did. The article by Jerrica Tisdale is titled Saving Private Ryan: 10 Actors You Probably Forgot Were In The Movie.

I remembered Matt Damon as Private Ryan, of course, and Hanks, but was quite surprised how many other familiar faces there were. Ted Danson, Bryan Cranston, Tom Sizemore (A standout in Black Hawk Down), Paul Giamatti (Surprise! Yes, he was there), Joe Farina (Great roles in two Elmore Leonard flicks, Get Shorty and Out of Sight) and several other recognizable names and faces. 

SPOILER ALERT

Vin Diesel as Private Adrian Caparzo

The big surprise--only because he was such an unknown then and is anything but that today--was seeing Vin Diesel as Private Adrian Caparzo. Now working on his 10th Fast and Furious flick, he's been versatile on a range of projects that have made him diesel-powered truckloads of money.

If it's been a while since you saw the film, you'll remember Vin Diesel's last scene, surprisingly early in the film. Hanks, as Captain  Miller, has been tasked with a mission, to locate locate Private Ryan, played by another familiar name, Matt Damon, to send him home because his three brothers have been killed in other action. Hanks and his small band of men are looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

As they pass through a bombed out city, Hanks and company are pinned down by a sniper. A French family in a semi-demolished apartment complex is pleading with the soldiers to bring their daughter to safety. Hanks says "No, this is not our mission." 

Soft-hearted Vin Diesel ignores the Captain's orders. He defends his decision because she reminds him of his niece. Tragically, he gets picked off by the sniper and bleeds out right in front of the others who must watch helplessly from behind walls and debris.

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German Panzers were not diesel powered as you might have supposed.

Another surprise for me was learning that Vin Diesel was the only diesel in this film. That is, until researching for this blog post I always assumed that the German tanks in WW2 were diesel-powered. It would have made sense for this to be so, but in reality (according to my research) they, like the America-made Sherman tanks, ran on gasoline or petrol. This made being a tank driver quite hazardous, as gasoline is much more volatile than diesel fuel. Hence, when you see tanks get shelled and men leaping out covered with flames, that's a pretty accurate portrayal of a common hazard for tank drivers and their passengers.

In the final battle, we see a pair of German tanks similar to these Panzers above and a half-track, that hybrid transport vehicle that is half-truck, half tread. By utilizing a single fuel source, all the equipment could be kept powered from one stock pile.

Interestingly enough, the Soviet army did have diesel-powered tanks, supplied by the United States via lend lease. U.S. Sherman tanks and British tanks were all gasoline powered.

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LINKS
Jerrica Tisdale's "Saving Private Ryan: Actors You Forgot Were in the Movie"
Adrian Caparzo @ Saving Private Ryan Fandom  
Which WW2 Tanks were Diesel Powered? 

Are These the Best Special Edition Pickup Trucks Ever?

2004-2006 International MXT 4x4

On Christmas Day most of us are getting stuffed with goodies, reading one of the books we got from Santa or playing games with the kids (or grandkids, depending on your age.) Caleb Jacobs offered this present to truck enthusiasts: an article in The Drive about "the Best Special Edition Pickup Trucks Ever Made." 

He doesn't actually declare these the best. Rather, he suggests they are among the best by asking readers the question, Are These the Best Special Edition Pickups? He then produces a set of suggestions for consideration, just the kind of thing truck enthusiasts love to debate over a lengthy, leisurely after-dinner conversation, favorite libations in hand. Here are the trucks he cites, but I'll make you jump to The Drive for the details as regards why they're special.

He begins with that nostalgic fave, the 1978-79 Dodge Ram Li'l Red Express/Midnite Express. Jacobs dives into the key differences between the Li' Red and the Midnite. Whereas there were ample Li' Reds, there were only about 200 Midnites produced, making them rare though not forgotten. The reputation Li'l Red garnered for itself was based on being the first "hot rod pickup" and who doesn't like that notion?

The second truck he cites is the 1989 Dodge Shelby Dakota,  a truck with several special editions, one of them being a convertible. It, too, was quick though not a Li'l Red Express.

The 1991 GMC Syclone comes in with a whirlwind introduction. Supposedly there are some who would suggest that there's nothing left to say after the Syclone. GMC only made 3000 of them, all black except the Marlboro edition.

The 1991 Chevrolet 454 SS gets the next citation. This was another truck with "a menacing black scheme." To establish its reputation they replaced the small block 350 cu. in. engine with a 454 big block with monster oomph.

There's actually an EV here on the list, the 1997-98 Chevrolet S-10 Electric. The battery-powered pickup was targeted at fleet operators who needed highly efficient vehicles for around-town driving. For what it's worth, this fellow was front-wheel drive.

Other vehicles on Jacobs' list include the 1999-2004 Ford Lightning, the 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT-10,  the 2019-20 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison, and (my favorite) the 2006-2008 International MXT 4x4. Of this latter, he points out that International hasn't produced pickup trucks since the 70's, being known for its medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which are reliable workhorses in our economy. 

"Clearly, the MXT rides higher than most factory pickups," Jacobs notes. "That's partially because it rides on 40-inch Pro Comp tires that are also 13.5 inches wide. Its 6.0-liter DT365 turbodiesel engine has no problems turning those, though, as it produces 300 hp and 530 pound-feet of torque." 

Just reading the names of these trucks makes your heart beat faster. What's your favorite?

Here's the link to the full Christmas story:
https://www.thedrive.com/news/38367/these-are-the-best-special-edition-pickup-trucks-ever-made

Merry Christmas to All Vehicle Lovers.

 Now THAT is a Christmas Tree.

(Next year let's make it a Diesel.)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

from Champion Brands and the Blue Flame Blogger
and may 2021 be your best year yet.

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Photo courtesy Gary Firstenberg

2021 Cadillac Escalade Diesel: CNET's First Drive Review

Cadillac. 
The name alone is so pregnant with meaning, synonymous with Luxury. Over the course of its history the heralded brand established itself as "top of the line" in American-made cars.

The name's origin is interesting. What does Cadillac mean? Where did the name come from? Well, when Henry Ford walked out on his original Henry Ford Company, the brokers who came in to liquidate the factory were dissuaded by an engineer named Henry M. Leland, who had been called upon to assess the value of the machinery and equipment. Leland instead saw an opportunity. 

Naming is always a magical experience, hence from the beginning of time people have name plants and planets, animals and rock formations. In naming this new company Leland chose a word rooted in history, specifically the history of Detroit. He named it after the French explorer who founded Detroit in 1701, Antoine Laumet de la Mothe siur de Cadillac. 

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On Tuesday the CNET Road Show featured a review by Steven Ewing of the 2021 Cadillac Escalade Diesel. It's easy to envy these guys who get a first crack at driving these beautiful cars. The article's subhead sums up the story: "A smooth diesel engine only makes Cadillac's new Escalade more enjoyable."

He begins by stating that the new Escalade is very good, that the diesel engine is also very good and when you put the two together you've got something that is very, very good. Citing a review by editor Greg Cole, he affirms that the Escalade is "a flagship model to be proud of." Adding the diesel engine, however, elevates it to a another level, which he coins "super-luxe."

Of the engine Ewing writes:

The diesel powerplant in question is the 3.0-liter Duramax I6 you'll find in GM's full-size trucks and SUVs, everything from the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburband to the GMC Sierra pickup. This engine makes 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough to move the nearly three-ton Escalade with authority.  

The article has more details, including MSRP and a peek under the hood. You can go check it out here and catch a glimpse of how the other half lives.
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2021-cadillac-escalade-2wd-4dr-luxury-preview/

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Happy Holidays 

from Champion Brands

and the Blue Flame Blogger