Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Brings Funding to Upgrade the Nation's Diesel Fleets

Diesel powered trucks are becoming cleaner and more efficient than ever.

If someone were to write a history of the last half century of the transportation industry, it really has been a remarkable era of change. Emerging technologies of all kinds have been and are being incorporated into our vehicles of today and tomorrow. How many sensors were there in a first generation F-Series pickup? Considering where things were at the end of the muscle car era, when some clattering over-the-road trucks were still spewing black contrails, it's remarkable how far the industry has come.

It's not that the automakers are opposed to making adjustments, but the technical hurdles have been many. Nevertheless, as the saying goes, "We've come a long ways, baby." And EPA incentivizing doesn't hurt any.

As everyone knows, incentives matter. So it was gratifying to see a story this past week about the EPA announcing 46 million dollars in grant money to implement projects that reduce emissions from our nation's existing diesel fleets.

Key points are summarized in this blog article but you can find the official EPA announcement here: EPA Announces $46 Million Available to Reduce Emissions from Diesel Engines.

The January 15 announcement is titled the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) with grant funding to be awarded to eligible applicants. The initial focus will be on "areas facing air quality challenges."

According to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler the EPA has provided nearly $300 million in grants and rebates over the past few years to help fleets modernize with cleaner heavy duty trucks and equipment.

The announcement goes on to acknowledge that "Diesel-powered engines move most  of the nation’s freight tonnage, and today nearly all highway freight trucks, locomotives, and commercial marine vessels are powered by diesel engines." 

Deadline for Applications

The deadline for applications is March 26, 2021.

Stipulations

Applicants may request funding to upgrade or replace diesel-powered buses, trucks, marine engines, locomotives and nonroad equipment with newer, cleaner technologies. Priority for funding will also be given to projects that engage and benefit local communities and applicants that demonstrate their ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.

  

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include regional, state, local or tribal agencies, or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality. Nonprofit organizations may apply if they provide pollution reduction or educational services to diesel fleet owners or promote air quality and clean transportation.

 

Applicants must request funding from the EPA regional office which covers the geographic project location. The maximum amount of federal funding that may be requested per application varies by Region:

• Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) will accept applications requesting up to $1,000,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 3 (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 4 (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) will accept applications requesting up to $2,000,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin) will accept applications requesting up to $3,000,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska will accept applications requesting up to $1,500,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming) will accept applications requesting up to $2,600,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands) will accept applications requesting up to $4,000,000 in grant funds.
  
• Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington) will accept applications requesting up to $1,000,000 in grant funds.
  

Background
Since the first year of the DERA program in 2008, EPA has competitively awarded over 850 grants and 450 rebates across the country. Many of these projects funded cleaner engines that operate in economically disadvantaged communities whose residents suffer from higher-than-average instances of asthma, heart and lung disease.

For more information and to access the Request for Applications, visit www.epa.gov/dera/national.

For more information on the DERA Funding Program, visit www.epa.gov/dera.

Cool Story About Innovation, Diesel Engines and Real World Problem Solving

Here's something you don't see every day. It's called a Fat Truck by Zeal Motor, Inc. The story by Chad Elmore of how this versatile mobile power plant came into existence is a very good read. It was published in the December issue of Diesel Progress and titled Fat Truck uses Cat diesel power to go anywhere it wants.

Whether it's and ad agency executive coming up with a creative solution for a new campaign or R&D technologists creating a new product, the process for coming up with new ideas is similar. to that spelled out in James Young's classic, A Technique for Producing Ideas. Young explains that “knowledge is basic to good creative thinking,” but that this is not enough. Rather, “knowledge must be digested and eventually emerge in the form of fresh, new combinations and relationships.” And what constitutes an "idea" you may ask. According to Vilfredo Pareto "an idea is nothing more nor less than a new combination of old elements." 

This is exactly what the Fat Truck is. Or as Chad Elmore describes it, an innovative use of horsepower.

Here's the problem Zeal Motor sought to find a solution for. Power lines, wind farms, telecommunications towers and pipelines are seldom located where there's easy access. The businesses and utilities companies that own and maintain them need to be able to transport people and equipment to these locations. Pickups, side-by-sides and school buses have their limitations. Would it be possible to design something suited for these near impossible situations?

This is how the Fat Truck came to be. 

Elmore begins his story with the testimony of one of Zeal's customers:

 

A customer of Zeal Motor recently told co-founder Amine Khimjee that their new industrial off-road utility vehicle saved him $10,000 a day. Khimjee was riding with that customer in Minnesota as they inspected power lines that ran above swamp forests far from any roads. The customer explained the flooded areas they were crossing usually required a helicopter that cost thousands of dollars to put in the air. The added benefit to the Zeal Motor’s Fat Truck, he said, was that they could also bring a crew and tools.

Khimjee had enough experience and enough connections with major OEMs to believe they could find a solution to the accessibility problem. Partnering with Maxim O’Shaughnessy and Benoit Marleau, "the team launched its first product, the Fat Truck 2.8 C, in January 2019. With tires 5 ft. high, a nearly imperceptible wheelbase and a maximum speed of 25 mph, the amphibious truck can hold up to eight people inside its ROPS-certified cabin. Or it can be outfitted to carry equipment such as a welder or generator thanks to its 2200 lb payload rating."

They weren't designing "just another pickup." The Fat Truck was purpose built, picking up where the pickup stops.

What caught our eye was beefy diesel power plant they chose to install. With help from Toromont, the Cat dealer for Eastern Canada, a mid-mounted Cat C.2.2 turbocharged diesel, a Tier 4 final 2.2 L four-cylinder engine was installed and insulated against noise, heat and water. Elmore details the impressive specifics of the complicated engineering involved. The collaboration has produced a superb result. 

If you go to the Zeal Motor website, you'll see just how many crazy environments these vehicles need to operate in. Transporting equipment as well as people is no easy task in swamps or rugged terrain in treacherous winters and torrential summers.

 

Early in the article Elmore compares the vehicle to radio-control model. The driver even operates it with a joystick. Almost seems like the engineers who designed the Fat Truck are still kids trying to see just how much fun they can have. 

 

You can read the full story here:
https://www.dieselprogress.com/news/Fat-Truck-uses-Cat-diesel-power-to-go-anywhere-it-wants/8009672.article

Here's a gallery of photos showing its application versatility:  

https://www.fattruck.com/gallery.php#options

Highlighting A New All-Season Air Brake Anti-Freeze from Champion Brands

Water is one of the most important substances on earth, essential for all plant and animal life. It is as essential as the sun. If there were no water, there would be no life on earth. It has many uses including cooking, washing and cleaning. But it can also be problematic, as it can also be destructive. It can rot wood, corrode engines, freeze in pipes and cause them to burst, and more. 

When it comes to air brakes, moisture can shorten the life of components and in winter can freeze to cause ice jams. For this reason Champion Oil has introduced a professional grade air brake antifreeze for trucks and off-road equipment to prevent freezing of the brake-system and protect older braking systems against damages caused by the frozen water of condensation.

Champion Air Brake Anti-Freeze is a methanol-based antifreeze designed to prevent frozen air lines and remove moisture from air brake systems. Special additives leave an anti-corrosive film which will help extend the life of air-line components and ensure positive protection to all steel, rubber, and brake line parts. https://www.championbrands.com/air-brake-anti-freeze/

 

Cold temperatures and water can lead to only one outcome – and ice has no place in a truck's air system. Frozen moisture can disable compressors, along with any of the multitude of air valves in the system. Plunging temperatures, like we have seen across the United States in recent weeks, will put air systems to the test, especially in older vehicle applications.

 

Compressed air always contains moisture, and when the air leaves the compressor, it’s hot. But as it travels through the line from the compressor to the air dryer, it cools, and that’s when the moisture in the compressed air condenses to liquid. If it's cold enough, that liquid will freeze, threatening the air supply to various systems, including transmissions, suspensions and of course, brakes.

 

A heavy truck's air compressor puts out 4-6 ounces of water during an average day’s operation; more when operating in regions of high relative humidity, and less when air is cold and dry. If all that water is sloshing around in your air reservoirs or some other spot further downstream, you could be in trouble when temperatures plummet.

 

Your first line of defense is the air dryer, but many older trucks do not have one. If the vehicle uses an alcohol injector/evaporator, fill it up with approved air brake anti-freeze. Typically, these are not needed in today’s air systems using air dryers but they can be a good supplement to the air dryer that may not be working properly in colder climates. Never add air brake anti-freeze directly into air lines.

Air Brake Anti-Freeze is specially developed as an additive for air brake systems of trucks and other heavy vehicles to prevent freezing of the brake-system. Protect system against damages caused by frozen-water of condensation.

 

Champion Air-Brake Anti-Freeze is recommended for use in air brake lines to prevent line freeze ups, and to absorb moisture in the system. It contains a mixture of balanced additives that lubricate the moving parts (valves, packings) of the brake system. Safe for rubbers-, plastic- and metal parts. It protects and keeps air brake systems clean. Champion Air-Brake Anti-Freeze protects the system from rust and corrosion when used regularly in both the winter and the summer.  https://www.championbrands.com/air-brake-anti-freeze/

• Part# 4137H 12/1 QT.
• Part# 4137N 4/1 Gal.
• Part# 4137AP 55 Gal.

About the company: Champion Brands, LLC, is a globally recognized industry leader in specialty lubricants for over 65 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

How Old Is Your Diesel Exhaust Fluid?

Photo source: American Petroleum Institute

A few weeks back we shared some important information about winterizing your DEF. This weekend Trucking Info published information from the American Petroleum Institute (API) about another important facet of keeping Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) effective. 

The article begins by noting that the Covid pandemic resulted in many diesel-powered trucks, buses and fleets sitting idle for much of 2020. Putting idled vehicles back in service involves a number of steps, but according to Jeffrey Harmening of the API, DEF maintenance is one of those things that can get overlooked.

DEF has a limited life span and may need to be changed before boing put back into service.

The American Petroleum Institute recommends that you determine when DEF was put in the vehicle. The storage life of DEF is about 12 months in optimal conditions. If DEF has been stored in the vehicle over the past 12 months, it is recommended that it be drained and replaced. 

The author goes so far as to say you should check the expiration dates on the DEF you have stored on your shelves. You should dispose of the expired DEF in accordance with local regulations and order new DEF.

Harmening addresses the winterizing issue (DEF expands when it freezes) by reminding us not to have the DEF tank too full in freezing temperatures. Don't use additives to melt the DEF if it freezes. Your engine will start as normal and heaters will warm it to a working temperature.

After elaborating on purchasing and managing DEF in your shop, he closes with this summing up:

For shops and drivers, it’s important to know what you are putting into your DEF tank. The quality of the DEF going into your vehicle is as important as the quality of the engine oils or fuels used in your vehicles. Use of API-licensed Diesel Exhaust Fluid will ensure that it meets the high standards required by engine and vehicle manufacturers.

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You can read the full story here.

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Related Links
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Q&A (Cummins)
What Happens When the DEF Runs Dry?
20 Facts You Need To Know About DEF

Turning Lemons Into Lemonade: What Is Happening with All That Unused Jet Fuel?

As everyone knows, the airline industry took a major hit in the year of Covid. International travel was curtailed and domestic travel minimized. Bailouts helped the industry stay afloat, only because if all the airlines went bankrupt how will e get around when the curfews lift?

All these issues were in the news this past year, but a story in Ag Week yesterday gave us a glimpse of another facet of the restricted air travel. Because less jet fuel was needed for air travel, more was available to be converted to diesel fuel. As a result, the price of diesel could remain stable or even better for 2021.

The Ag Week article by Jonathan Knutson cited remarks from bioenergy and bioproducts economist David Ripplinger, who spoke (virtually) at a farm show in North Dakota. 

"This is really important to agriculture. We can convert and modify jet fuel into diesel fuel, which is great (for agriculture.). They're trying to find a home for all of this fuel that used to be jet fuel. That's a really bullish thing for agriculture" as the new crop season approaches, he said.

"It's a good sign that diesel fuel (prices) will be low. This is good for North Dakota farmers who might be looking to go into those diesel markets to buy fuel, including early for spring. I don't see any reason why we would see the significant disruptions and storage issues that we saw in the spring of 2020," he said.

We've all had to make many adjustments this year. It's not a stretch to say that it has been a year that's made us seek out new ways to turn lemons into lemonade.

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You can read the full story here. 

Champion Oil's Winter-Blend Diesel Flo Fuel Additive Gets an Upgrade

It's wintertime and Champion Oil has been active making sure our diesel equipment is being taken care of with a variety of new or enhanced products. This week Champion announced the launch of an enhanced "winter-blend" Diesel Flo Fuel Additive with Cetane.

“Most diesel enthusiasts use fuel additives from time to time, most likely in the winter to prevent gelling,” stated Karl Dedolph of Champion Brands, LLC.  “But there are other diesel enthusiasts or fleet owners that regularly treat their fuel with additives. Some use detergent additives or lubricity agents to make up for the loss of sulfur in diesel fuel, which disappeared 15 years ago under an EPA mandate. Others use fuel stabilizers to offset the effects of minimal use or storage, and cetane improvers to optimize combustion with the intent to reduce emissions and increase horsepower.”

Dedolph went on to cite a number of problems that can be avoided or resolved by means of additives. “One of the most common problems, and perhaps the most easily avoided," he said, "relates to the condition of the injectors. By using the correct fuel additives, injector damage due to water and internal diesel injector deposits can be prevented. When a lubricity additive is used, the life of the injector is increased. Best method is to examine the Bottom of Form condition of an injector is when tearing down the engine. If it didn’t fail over its expected replacement life, perhaps that’s the result of the additives you used. “

Another problem that additives can address is fuel filter plugging.  “If you suffer from fuel filter plugging, an additive can help dissolve the asphaltenes. These are high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons that are usually found on the bottom of the crude. They can also be formed in ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel from the heat created by higher pump pressures inside the fuel system and returned to the tank from your fuel pressure regulator.”

Fuel additives can help dissolve the asphaltenes in the fuel and also prevent them from forming and plugging filters, he explained, adding, "Many diesel owners suffer from the effects of a low cetane rating within the fuel that causes poor fuel economy and hard starts during the cold months. A good fuel additive should boost the cetane number and solve each most of the fuel and filter related issues.”

The new, more robust formula found in Champion's Diesel Flo with Cetane (part #4183) is a premium diesel fuel anti-gel and de-icer designed to prevent operability issues in diesel fueling systems at sub-zero temperatures. The product disperses and removes water from diesel fuel and prevents icing of fuel filters.  Cold-flow improvers prevent aggregation of diesel wax crystals, allowing for lower pour points, cold-filter plugging points (CFPPs), and gel temperatures in low-sulfur and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels and biodiesel blends.

This is Champion's most concentrated formula ever,  boasting the following features and benefits:

• Reduces solvent load and decreases cost-to-treat
• Performs in low sulfur and ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel blends
• Reduces cold-filter plugging points by as much as 20°C (36°F) in untreated fuels
• Disperses and removes water from fuel
• Reduces the pouring point and gel temperature of fuel
• Helps prevent fuel filter icing and cold-filter plugging
• One quart treats up to 250 US Gallons of diesel fuel

About the company: Champion Brands, LLC, is a globally recognized industry leader in specialty lubricants for over 65 years. Champion also produces and blends over 300 products including fuel, oil, engine additives, and lubricants for the racing, automotive, heavy truck, agricultural, manufacturing, industrial, and specialty markets. For more information about the new Champion Diesel Fuel Additives contact your nearest Champion Distributor, or call Champion at 660-890-6231. Champion Brands, LLC; 1001 Golden Drive, Clinton, MO, 64735 or go to http://www.championbrands.com

Porky's Diesel Story Leads to a Brief Visit with Diesel Enthusiast Artie Maupin

A friend sent me this article a couple weeks back and I knew I had to write about it. It was titled, Making Bacon: 9-Second Cummins Swapped F100 Built By Porky's Diesel. Essentially, it's about some builders who dropped a 12-valve Cummins engine under the hood of a 1957 Ford F100. (OK, "Under the hood" is a misnomer because there is no hood on this beefed up speedster.) 

The Dragzine story opens with a three minute video showcasing the truck's get-up-and-go in a dragstrip setting. The builder's aim was to produce something that could race, but also be driven on the street. 

When I contacted the author of the Dragzine to learn more he directed me to Artie Maupin, a staff writer for Diesel Army who has a passion for anything diesel. 

DieselArmy.com bills itself as the new place where diesel enthusiasts can hang their hats. It's apparent that this is a good place to stay on the forefront of what is happening in the diesel realm. Diesel Army is a branch of Power Automedia whom Maupin has been writing with for the last four years. 

Blue Flame Blogger: How much geographic territory do you cover?

Artie Maupin. Diesel Army.

Artie Maupin: I cover quite a bit. I follow the Outlaw Diesel Super Series which covers Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Ohio, and Virginia. Every other surrounding state is usually having some sort of truck event going on, so I stay pretty busy. Texas, too.

BFB: How long have you been covering drag racing as a journalist?

AM: I have been covering diesel drag racing / drag racing for going on four years in July. I’ve been into drag racing since I was 8 years old, though. I started in a Junior Dragster then and it slowly developed into bigger cars and now diesel trucks.

BFB: What are your favorite drag strips and why?

AM: I have always had a love for Gateway Motorsports Park (Now it's World Wide Technology Raceway) because it's my home 1/4 mile track. I just love that the city of St. Louis, the arch, and my St. Louis Cardinals are within sight while I also enjoy my drag racing. 

Notable mentions, Emerald Coast Dragway in Holt, Florida. A friend of mine owns it and I love that track. Its one of the cleanest facilities around and the fact that its close to the water (Gulf of Mexico). 

BFB: What are your favorite diesel events?

AM: Honestly, I like all of the diesel events. If I had to narrow one down, it would be a close race for first. The Sunshine Showdown in Holt, Florida in September is always great and the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza is too. They both offer fun things to do on and off the event grounds which makes for a fun weekend with friends. 

BFB: Thanks for sharing. 

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Related Links

The original story on Dragzine:
https://www.dragzine.com/news/making-bacon-9-second-cummins-swapped-f100-built-by-porkys-diesel/

Porky's Diesel on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/porkys_diesel/?hl=en

Learn more about Diesel Army here:  
https://www.dieselarmy.com/about/