Diesels In The Sky: The Marriage of Light Aircraft and Diesel Technology

Diesel engines are all around us. Some in places we don't ordinarily expect. For example, I recently watched some railroad workers perform an oil change on a railroad car. No, it wasn't a railroad engine. It was a passenger car who lights, kitchen appliances and other needs were diesel powered. I never knew that. 

A day later I received an email with a link to an article about diesel engines in aviation. This, too, had some interesting surprises. The intriguing article by Trevor Anderson appeared on the Engine Labs site in December 2015. 

Anderson began by noting all the familiar places we find diesel to be the engine of choice. Heavy equipment, tractors, earth movers and their ilk depend on compression ignition power for a range of good reasons. But what about the other end of the spectrum, he asks. That is, what about the light weight, more delicate forms found in the aviation community?

Many of us might be surprised when we learn of the inroads of diesel in small aircraft. This article explains part of the reason this has been happening.

A little history is in order here. It's been less than 120 years since the Wright brothers took flight at Kitty Hawk. Diesel power has only been used in aircraft for a little over 80 years. It's hard to image the Wright brothers getting off the ground with those first monstrous diesels, though the reason diesel engines have been second string power sources for planes has more to do with the fuel than the engine.

This latter issue is actually what has incentivized the choice of diesel engines in more light aircraft today, the two primary reasons being lower cost and more widespread availability.

Anderson notes how light aircraft have historically run on Avgas, which is a gasoline-based fuel specially designed for aviation. Avgas chemistry is akin to racing fuel. It's available at U.S airports, but for aviators flying into remote areas of South America or other places off the beaten path -- places where pilots fly humanitarian missions in the Third World or remote parts of Australia -- it is not always available.

Diesel, on the other hand, is really available nearly everywhere. When you fly, your topmost concern is reliability. It's not like driving a car where you can just pull over and see what that sound is that your engine is making.

What's more is the simplicity of a diesel engine's design. With half as many moving part in a two-stroke diesel, you have half as many things that can go wrong.

There are, however, a few drawbacks to diesel, the author reminds us. He's not trying to sell us. He's just her to inform us of our options and why diesel in aircraft has been growing.

Avgas is designed for "the specific needs of aviation," especially in high altitudes. One of its properties is the ability to avoid vapor lock. That is, it's designed to resist becoming vapor in the lines, cutting off the flow of fuel to the engine. Diesel is subject to gelling, icing and the problem of microbial growth in the fuel.

The Arctic regions and dense tropical rainforests will present problems for diesel planes that Avgas-powered engines will shrug off.

Naming Names

There is only one left. Diesel-powered Junkers 
took to the air during WWII

In the latter part of this article the author begins by taking us back to the first diesel-powered aircraft, the German-engineered Junkers JU-86. The plane was produced specifically for the Luftwaffe initially. It had a variety of looks and was the first to have diesel engines. It was a twin engine bomber and transport craft. 

A unique feature of these engines is that they had vertically opposed six-cylinder, 12-piston, liquid cooled, supercharged engines that generated 868 hp each. It could climb 900 feet per minutes and carry 11,000 pounds. Not too shabby.

Nowadays there are a number of aircraft builders who use diesel power in some of their planes including Diamond Aircraft Industries, which is discussed in detail. Diesel engine suppliers are also noted, including unique engines like Superior Gemini, DeltaHawk and Centurion. The big two engine builders, Lycoming and Continental, primarily make Avgas powered engines, but have also produced some diesel engines on a limited scale.

The article has lots of photo and goes into more depth on the diesel engine builders near the end. You can find the full story here at EngineLabs.

How Garrett Turbochargers Contribute to the Success of BMW B57 Diesel Engines

A car is the sum of its parts. The performance of each of these parts contributes to the performance of the whole.  Brakes, electrical systems, sensors, transmissions, injectors, spark plugs -- each component has been significantly fine tuned over the past many decades to produce more power and efficiency than ever before while reducing the car's environmental impact.

An Autoevolution article this week takes a deep dive into one specific innovation that has increased the power and efficiency of BMW's B57 diesel engine while lowering emissions. The focus is on the Garrett Turbocharger. The innovation is a variable nozzle turbine. The article is titled "The Tech Behind the Garrett Turbochargers That Keep BMW B57 Diesel Engines Alive."

Here's the story.

Diesel automobile sales in the U.S. dropped off after the Dieselgate scandal of 2015. This event did not, however, disrupt the popularity of diesel cars in Europe. BMW is one of the automakers that sells plenty of diesel-powered vehicles across the pond. The important thing is to satisfy the new Euro 6d emission standards. To do this the company has done a complete makeover of its most popular diesel engine, the 3.0 B57 six-cylinder.

It is now assisted by a mild hybrid system which includes a 48-volt starter generator that provides 11 hp (8 kW) of additional power, author Vlad Radu writes. "More importantly, it optimizes the engine's load range and reduces consumption."

The improvement in efficiency is achieved by means of two-stage variable nozzle/geometry turbochargers. The end result is better fuel consumption and performance.

BMWs 3.0-liter B57 inline-six diesel engine.

Several technical innovations are involved. One has to do with seven ports integrated on the exhaust manifold, six on the exhaust and one on the EGR. The ports address exhaust pressure variations with improvements on both the high and lower pressures of the VNT. We're talking about serious fine tuning here while the engine is in action.

There's some sophisticated electronics involved as well that works together with the two VNT actuators, improving engine responsiveness. "According to Garrett, throttle response and torque deliver are smoother and more powerful when compared to single turbo or conventional two-stage turbo systems," he writes.

Relying on information from Garrett, Radu shares additional benefits. The new system setup improves boost at low rpms. And the setup also reduces the production of harmful gases even before they go through the treatment devices.

Though the two-stage NOx exhaust gas treatment system was introduced in 2012, it has gone through extensive upgrades since that time. These are areas that companies can't sit back on their haunches about. Continuous improvement is the name of the game as they perpetually push the envelope. The BMW is the epitome of sophisticated engineering, inside and out.

The redesigned B57 3.0 liter, with assistance from a 48V hybrid system, produces 340 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, all this while becoming compliant with the EU's stringent emissions standards that have recently come into effect. 

What will they think of next?

Read the full story here: The New Tech Behind the Garret Turbchargers.

Photos on this page: BMW AG

Tips for Hunters On Buying a Used Truck Whether Diesel or Gas

Photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash

So much of life is about making good decisions. Choosing where you want to live and who you want to live with are big ones. Choosing a career path is another biggie. 

For hunters -- North, South, East or West -- one of the decisions you'll be making is what kind of used truck you need and how to find it. I say used because it's doubtful that you want to be abusing a shiny new $70,000 pickup into the hardscrabble canyons or timber-strewn back woods to get your next buck. 

Last week, Outdoor Life published a useful article on this very topic titled "The Best Used Trucks For Hunters." The story by Scott Murdock carries an informative subhead that explains why this subject is important. "There is no hierarchy of brands in the truck market. Every auto manufacturer has made quality vehicles, clunkers, and everything in between." 

The problem emerges when you try to find a suitable, reliable vehicle in the used truck market. Whether pursuing a diesel or gas guzzler, Murdock believes the right truck for you is not impossible to find. First, however, you need to get a clear picture of what your looking for. 

PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS

1. A truck that can go where other vehicles can't.
In response to this first point the author gets into a little breakdown of the difference between AWD and 4-wheel drive. The latter is stronger and more capable driving over obstacles.

2. Consider cargo room.
An SUV might be fine if you are hunting small game and have a dog or two. On the other hand, for deer or elk, a truck bed is pretty much a requirement. Easy to hose out afterwards, too.

3. Are you towing?
If you're bringing a boat, camper or trailer loaded with ATVs and gear, then you need to consider what you've got under the hood. Half-ton trucks will suffice in most situations, but for heavier loads you'll be best served by a heavy-duty truck with a diesel power plant.

* * *

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS

If you buy something small that doesn't work out, you can always use it as a doorstop. But if you buy a used truck that's a lemon, it's much more difficult to recycle. Here are some suggestions on how to find a good one, according to Outdoor Life.

1. Put brand loyalty aside.
Probably a hard one for some folks who might consider such a purchase to be almost like cheating. Murdock notes that every brand has both great vehicles and clunkers. Be open-minded, he suggests.

2. Only pay for features you want.
You're buying a hunting truck, not a Lexus. Four-wheel drive and towing capacity is all you really need. If you want more than that, upgrade your hunting shack.

3. Do your homework.
Avoid the temptation to buy on impulse. Make a list of wants and needs, then go looking. Murdock writes, "Your next step should be an online forum dedicated to the exact year, make, and model of the truck(s) that interest you." (NOTE: There is a list of diesel forums in the right hand column here at the Blue Flame Blog which can help you in your search.) Pay attention to the pros and cons from others' experiences.

4. Read the signs.
By this he means, look closely to see if the truck has been maintained. Ask for maintenance records as well, if available. If you find a truck that has been taken care of, it will probably take care of you, even if it has high mileage.

* * *
This is a superb article with a lot more useful information. The next section goes into the matter of how much you should expect to spend on a suitable used truck. The following section discusses mileage matters and why lower miles isn't always better. From there he makes a case for four-wheel drive. After this he gives his opinion regarding gas or diesel. He gives a strong thumbs up to diesel power if your towing because of the torque these engines generate.

The last section gets brand specific. The author says the best half ton to look for is a 1990-2006 Chevrolet 1500 or GMC 1500. And the best diesel, in his view is the 1994-1998 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500. If you're going midsize, he likes the 2015 to present Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. In the SUV category he directs readers to the 1997-2001 Jeep Cherokee. For Best Bargain, he suggests the 2000-2006 Toyota Tundra. And for Best Sport Truck, yes, it's the 2010-2014 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.

* * * 

The article is packed with details in every one of these sections. He makes a strong defense of his selections in the latter portion when naming names. It's a well constructed argument for buying used, and loaded with insights. We recommend you bookmark this page, even if you aren't a hunter:

Buying Used Trucks for Hunting

Was This the World's First Diesel Truck?

There's something about firsts that fascinates us. First president. First manned airplane flight. First solo flight across the Atlantic. First man to walk on the moon.

So I found it intriguing to see this article by Cristina Mircea at Autoevolution.com about the First Diesel Truck. 

The first diesel truck was built in 1923 by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG), a company founded in 1890 by German engineer Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach. Their big project at the time was the development of a small, high speed engine whose speed could be regulated to go faster or slower. Their first such engine was called Daimler's Dream. They sold their first automobile in 1892, which ran on liquid petroleum. It was another three decades before DMG dropped their first diesel engine into a truck.

That first truck was a behemoth, weighing five tons and powered by a four-cylinder diesel OB 2 engine. The engine produced 45 hp at 1000 rpm. It took automaker Benz & Cie a full year to build that truck engine. (Trivia Note: In 2012 Cummins annunced it had built its two millionth diesel engine for Ram trucks alone. Mr Daimler and Mr. Diesel would be astounded at these kinds of numbers.)

According to Mircea, that first Benz diesel truck made quite an impression with regards to fuel economy when compared to petrol engines. It reduced fuel usage by 25% without losing any power. The brown tar oil that fueled it was less expensive. 

In addition to taking a year to build the engine, it actually took 12 years to design a compact engine that could work. Keep in mind there was a brutal four year war in there  which no doubt interfered some.

So it was that DMG produced its first air-injected diesel truck in 1923. Mircea writes that it took the diesel truck 10 days to get from DMG's plant in Berlin to get to their Stuttgart plant and back to Berlin. This was considered an "enormous" distance at the time, which helped sell their trucks to the public. (Today it is easily less than a seven hour drive.)

According to a Daimler media release, their "first series built diesel truck finally debuted at the commercial vehicle show in Amsterdam in February 1924." Its prechamber diesel engine had an output of 37 kW (50 hp) at 1000 rpm.

For what it's worth, DMG merged with Benz & Cie three years later (1926) to become Daimlet-Benz. "Daimler AG is now the second largest German carmaker after Volkswagen," Mircea writes.

* * * 

Links

The Autoevolution feature

Daimler Media account

Champion Oil Launches 5-Minute Engine Flush for Diesel Applications

In addition to their reliability over the long haul, today's diesel engines have become increasingly efficient. These benefits, however, are not a given. We as owners need to take care of our engines as well. Here's an announcement from June 15 about a new product from Champion Brands, the 5 Minute Engine Flush.

* * * 
Champion Oil, a global leader in specialty lubricants, has announced the launch of a 5-Minute Engine Flush (Part #4133) with robust solvent characteristics that cleans valves, stubborn engine deposits, sludge, varnish, plus restores lost performance. The product protects, frees sticking valves and removes harmful buildups.

Sludge buildup can be caused by prolonged oil change intervals, stop-and-go driving, or vehicle inactivity for months at a time.

Engine oil is intended to cycle through the engine, lubricating components to help keep them in good working order. Sometimes, however, the manner in which a person drives can interfere with the oil being able to do the job it was meant to do.  

For example, short trips and lots of stop-and-go driving can cause particles in the oil to become deposits in a diesel engine, which builds up over time. If this particulate matter becomes excessive, clean oil is virtually useless in removing it. 

The procedure for this 5-Minute Engine Flush is as follows. Remove a small amount of oil from the engine and add Champion 5-Minute Engine Flush, which is designed to break up carbon, varnish and sludge deposits in the engine. Take the vehicle for a test drive, or idle for 10 minutes while occasionally increasing the RPM to work the chemical throughout the engine. As the deposits are loosened they will become suspended in the oil and trapped in the filter. The vehicle is then ready for a new oil change with a new filter, thereby removing the dirt, gunk and used oil.

There are other benefits to consider. For example, if your diesel vehicle has experienced a head gasket leak where coolant has seeped into the crankcase and mixed with the oil, it is important that this is cleaned out thoroughly. 

A pre-owned vehicle with no maintenance records or recent internal engine repairs would benefit from a flush. And when there have been long intervals between oil changes, a flush would address the matter of oil getting dirtier over time with the likelihood that carbons and other particles have built up in the engine.

Champion 5-Minute Engine Flush is a highly effective cleaning product that gives engines a fresh start. The treat rate is 24 oz. for diesel applications. 

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 about Champion products 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

2021 Champion New Products
and Announcements

Champion Brands Celebrates 65 Years in the Lubricant Business

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

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

Champion’s Classic & Muscle 15W-50 Motor Oil for Vintage Trucks

Blue Flame Contingency Program for Drag Racers: How to Get Your Piece of the Action

Champion Oil Seeking Diesel Vehicle Builds for SEMA 2021

Special Offer For New Champion Diesel Oil Distributors

Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil Recommended for Limited-Edition Shelby F-250 Super Baja Pick-Up

Champion Oil Introduces a Professional Grade 80% Ether Starting Fluid
Champion Blue Flame Diesel Engine Oil Supports OOIDA Members
Champion Offers Power-Shield Assembly Lube & Oil Booster to Diesel Engine Builders

Champion Launches API CK-4 Premium Heavy Duty SAE 10W-30 Diesel Engine Oil

Champion Dot 5 Brake Fluid Is Purpose Built for Classic, Antique and Collector Diesel Vehicles

 

BMW Diesel Coupe Transformed to an M2 with a Trio of Turbos. How Fun Is That?

Photo: Stefan Kotz story at Speedhunters

Philosophers have long wondered where the creative impulse comes from. Is it a fundamental part of what it means to be human? For sure, whatever direction you look, you see the fruit of this creative urge. It's certainly evident in abundance in our contemporary car culture.

The other day we came across this story at Motor1.com titled BMW Never Made an M2 Diesel, But This Guy Did, With Three Turbos. It's a story about a former BMW Master Technician who wanted to try something different, and how he made his vision a reality.

Martins details his build and motivtions.

The builder, Gary Martins, owns a shop called Grease Monkey Motors. He's a huge fan of BMWs and suffice it to say that he knows what he's doing when it comes to these cars. And its apparent that the author of the piece, Adrian Padeanu, is a car guy too. The engine itself makes your heart skip a beat. Of this he writes:

"The bigger engine was mounted without requiring any modifications to the body. Having received the nitrous treatment as well as water-methanol injection, the 3.0 diesel now pumps out 583 horsepower (435 kilowatts) and 1,070 Newton-meters (789 pound-feet) of torque. That's quite a bump from the original 381 hp (284 kW) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft)."

Martins has a long list of modifications going on this machine. Initial visuals such as the front bumper, quad exhaust and carbon fiber rear wing project an image that exceeds expectations for this original BMW 2 Series Coupe. The rear fenders were widened to accommodate bigger wheels.

A lightweight custom-built carbon fiber hood veils the diesel engine compartment with a trunk lid made of the same material. Objective: go fast. Naturally you need suitable brakes for this kind of power, and these he borrowed from the M5 (F 10) for the front, and an M4 for the rear.

With the triple turbos adding all that extra torque, a modified transmission had to be upgraded as well. Its origin was a 330d, as is the differential and prop shaft. As Padeanu says, "The list of changes could go on forever."

Take a quick peak into the cockpit and you'll find M3-sourced front seats plus a roll cage. It's rear-wheel drive and designed to be used as a daily driver or a race car, which is interesting as well. In September, this diesel M2 will be competing in the Simola Hillclimb, South Africa's premiere motorsport lifestyle event. 

* * *

Related Links

Adrian Padeanu's story at Motor1.com: An M2 Diesel with Three Turbos

Stefan Kotz article Forcing Three Into Two: A Triple Turbo-Diesel BMW 2 Series

Four Turbochargers Weren't Enough to Catch the Four Rings (video) 

Ferretti's Diesel-Powered Yacht Is Making Waves in the Luxury Boat Market

The Robb Report is an American luxury and lifestyle magazine that covers automobiles, airplanes, watches, yachts and even real estate. Its beginnings, however, were much narrower.

Now owned by the Penske Media Corporation, it was originally founded by Robert L. "Rusty" White as a newsletter designed to sell his Civil War memorabilia and Rolls Royces. As anyone familiar with the publication will attest, it has truly evolved. 

This past weekend the Robb Report's Boat of the Week feature focused on a cutting edge 100-foot wide-body yacht by the Ferretti Group, an Italian multi-national ship-building organization specializing in the design and production of custom luxury yachts. Ferretti's new yacht, the 1000, is not the largest it has ever built, but it has features that look to disrupt the industry. Stefano de Vivo, Ferretti Group's chief commercial officer. described it as a "crucial" design that will be "a template for other models going forward."

The article spends time detailing the spaciousness of the interior rooms. Photos give the impression that we're looking at restrained extravagance. One rule of thumb here is that design must not defeat functionality. The spaces feel big, and the ocean views are even more vast.

Our fascination with this yacht has to do with its power source. Of this the author writes, "What’s unusual is its 28-knot top speed, thanks to twin 2217-hp MTU diesels. That’s lightning fast for a boat its size." Indeed.

The yacht itself looks like it would be right at home in a James Bond film. And who doesn't like Ferretti's tag line for the 1000: A thousand reasons to fall in love. 

Full story here, with lots of nice photos: 

Why Ferretti’s New 100-Foot Wide-Body Flagship Could Disrupt Its Entire Class