What Are the Three Main Causes of Diesel Engines Overheating?

On Monday Truck Parts & Service published an article about the causes of diesel engines overheating. Being that we are currently experiencing one of our hotter summers on record, it seems like a good time to review causes of overheating diesels. This particular article by Bill Grabarek is addressed to heavy diesel equipment, but it applies to all hardworking diesel engines. 

An overheating engine can produce serious damage. Head gasket failure and cracked cylinder heads will give you more than a head-ache. Sometimes the damage is so severe, such as a cracked engine block, that it is irreparable.

Perhaps you have had the experience of trying to remove a metal lid that is stuck on a glass jar. One way that often works is to run it under hot water. The heat causes the metal to expand, liberating the lid from where it has adhered to the glass. 

This principle of thermal expansion is what's going on when your engine gets hot. The author points out that the normal operating temps for an engine should be between 190 and 220 degrees. Increased temperatures beyond that will put stress on the cylinder head, liners and engine block, he says. Overheating beyond these acceptable ranges "causes these parts to expand beyond the engine's tolerances." To fix the damage can run into thousands of dollars, and for larger heavy equipment the bill can amount to tens of thousands of dollars. 

All this to say that it's worth reminding ourselves of a few basic steps to avoid such a disaster. In short, a stitch in time saves nine. This is the essence of preventative maintenance.

Mr. Grabarek cites three basic causes of diesels overheating. 

Low Coolant Level or Coolant Loss
One cannot assume that they won't overheat, even if they have the correct coolant level according to the manufacturer's recommendation. Nevertheless, it is important to routinely check fluid levels because this is the first sign you'll have that there is coolant loss taking place. 

There are a variety of areas where one can have coolant leaks. Hoses, gaskets, water pump, thermostat, heater or freeze plugs are just a few places to look. Often you can smell a coolant leak. A cracked cylinder head can also be the culprit, which will sometimes produce white smoke from the tailpipe. 

Air Pockets in the Cooling System
This is a problem that can develop when replacing coolant, or when the  coolant has been drained for a repair job. Air pockets may form when refilling. These air bubbles can interfere with the flow of coolant through the hoses. If these air pockets aren't bled from the system the engine can overheat. 

Faulty Thermostat
Thermostats regulate the amount and flow of coolant by responding to temperature changes in the engine. When the engine gets too hot the thermostat opens to allow more coolant to flow through. Thermostats are a valve that can sometimes get stuck, however. In such cases they need to be replaced.

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The article ends with instructions on how to bleed the air from your cooling system. You can read the full story here.

'58 Oldsmobile 88 Diesel Rat Rod Lowrider Makes Waves on Social Media

1958 Olds, getting the Rat Rod treatment.

The SoCal street rod scene has deep roots stretching back seven decades. Through the medium of Hollywood, street rodding became a transcontinental phenomenon. 

During that evolution, car collectors invested increasing amounts of time and money into creating pristine showcase vehicles that are strikingly beautiful. Just as a few of today's billionaires compete in a rich man's space race, so we've found others who seek out premiere builders to win them awards. "Whatever it costs, I want you to win me a Ridler Award." 

It was against this backdrop of perfection and prestige that the rat rod scene emerged. Instead of seeing who could spend the most money to re-create the perfect dream car from the past, rat rods allowed wrench-turners and welders to focus on creative self-expression. You didn't have to worry about a perfect paint job. In fact, the grittier the better.

A lowrider look is the final vision for this build.

What caught our eye about this rat rod build featured at autoevolution.com was how they dropped a diesel engine into a 1958 Oldsmobile 88. Those were the days when an auto body was truly substantial. Some cars were built like a tank. Fuel was abundant and cheap. Style took precedence over aerodynamics. Fuel economy wasn't even a consideration.

According to the article by Aurel Niculescu, the 88 as a brand was born in 1949 and had a 50 year lifespan. Some considered the late Fifties era to be a forerunner to the 60's Muscle Car era.

The car featured in this story was created by THD Performance. (THD is short for True Horsepower Diesel.) The author notes that THD specializes in all things diesel, including Cummins swaps and fabrication. It's obvious they have fun in the Rat Rod realm as well. 

Now that we live in the social media age, it's no longer good enough to create a car and use it for local cruising. Which leads to the next part of this story. THD Performance asked Dom Höst, a pixel artist, to make a dream version of what they were intending to create so they could share it on Instagram.

There weren't a lot of details posted, other than the fact that it's likely to be powered with a Cummins diesel. The author speculates it will likely be mated with a twin-turbo companion kit. 

If you want to see some very cool builds, you should check out their gallery on Instagram Do a search and you will find them at truehorsepowerdiesel. 

The original article about the build can be found here at Autoevolution.  

Follow THD Performance on Facebook here.

Here's another build they've been working on at THD.

Do you have a cool diesel ride that you're proud of an want to share? Tell us about it in the Comments section and leave your contact info. We'd like to see it and share it here.

Grass Roots Diesel Truck Shows as American as Apple Pie

Photo courtesy Diesel Motorsports

Now that the Covid tide has receded things are beginning to open up again. What many people seem to be noticing is how much people have been flocking to diesel events across the country. Over the weekend I saw this story about a Diesel Jam that was used to raise money for scholarships in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. 

Next I came across a story about the Western Nebraska Truck Show that was coming to Bridgeport. That event will take place this coming weekend, same time as the NADM East Coast Nationals sponsored in part by Blue Flame Diesel Oil.

All this grass roots diesel enthusiasm has not gone unnoticed by sports journalist. That's why on July 1 PRI's Drew Hardin published Alive & Growing, a story detailing this surge in diesel enthusiasm. 

The article begins with a question. Is diesel racing dead? Gregg Holley of the Outlaw Diesel Super Series (ODSS) assures us that diesel is hardly dead. In fact, it may be more popular than ever. According to Jolley, attendance has tripled over the past three years. Even during the pandemic it was huge. This year ODSS is setting record sales number. 

But it's not just diesel drag racing that gets the blood flowing. Greg Lussetto of the Heartland Pulling Series shared with Hardin how truck and tractor pulling has begun expanding to the further reaches of the country from East to West. 

One reason diesel action is getting so furiously flavorful is because these diesel drag racers have become so fast, faster than ever imagined. For those not paying attention, dragways switched from running quarter-mile passes to eighth-mile. Why? Because these diesel trucks have become so darn fast it was getting dangerous.

The growth in popularity of diesel drag racing has spawned a new series called the Hole Shot Diesel Series. The HSDS was created by the Ultimate Callout Challenge in partnership with Hole Shot's Secret. The new series helps fill the void left by the demise of the National Hot Rod Diesel Series two years ago.

The Texas Truck Jam is being expanded to a two day circus now, especially since everything else is big in Texas.

Ron Knoch of the National Association of Diesel Motorsports noted that at their Numidia, PA East Coast Nationals the drag strip and pulling track are adjacent to one another and run simultaneously. "People can watch both. If there's a lull duringthe drag racing, they can watch sled pulling."

Photo courtesy Diesel Motorsports

Hardin also spoke with Jared Jones of the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza in Indiana where they have a similar setup to Numidia. The tractor pulling takes places just a few hundred feet from the drag strip.

Chris Searle of the Ultimate Callout Challenge (UCC) pointed out one difference between their event and most others. The UCC requires competitors use the same truck setup for the pulling as the racing. You're always looking for that sweet spot. It's tricky because you want a lighter vehicle for racing and a beefier truck for the pulling. UCC is also different because they specify a limited number of competitors, 30 in all. 

What's apparent to everyone is that diesel is still alive and well. And by being family oriented, the kids get an early introduction to activities that may inspire them to carry the torch to future generations.

Read the full article here at the Performance Racing (PRI) website. 

Shopping for a Used Diesel Truck? Here's the Best and the Worst

Dodge W250 (1991½-1993) --This is a Winner, if you can find one.

In April, Autowise.com published their recommendations as regards the best and worst diesel trucks to consider when buying used. These kinds of lists are always fun to review, just to see if the author's views are in alignment with your own.

Personally, I think choosing the best is a more difficult task than identifying the worst. We may have built in biases regarding which features are of greater value to us personally. As we've written about before, it depends a lot on what you're using your truck for.

On the other hand, picking the worst is much easier. Why? Because the bad trucks, like those selected by Riley, the author of this piece, have a reputation. We're not talking about "Friday trucks" or "Monday trucks" where assembly workers are distracted or foggy. We're talking about bad engineering. 

The one positive about some problems is that it gives aftermarket engineers an opportunity to create fixes for some of these mistakes. Not all design flaws are that easy to resolve however. Which leads to our story.

The title of the piece is 8 Best Diesel Trucks You Can Buy & 4 of the Worst. 

The article begins with the basic reasons why people buy diesel trucks. First, they're workhorses. If you're towing a boat, ATVs, a camper trailer or hauling bricks, you know the importance of having equipment that's up for the task. 

Riley's concise description of the benefits of diesel is worth memorizing. Diesel engines "get better fuel economy, are often easy to modify with aftermarket parts, and, when properly maintained, will basically run forever. This makes them a great deal if you are looking for a used truck." 

All this is a plus for diesels, but there's a minus, too. A well maintained, low-mileage vehicle can cost a pretty penny. That's OK with some of the best trucks, and totally not OK if you select a clunker.

That is why this article was written, to help us avoid purchasing a truck that has little more value than a lawn ornament. 

The Autowise article begins with the 8 champion selections, then flashes warning signs regarding the losers. I will discuss the worst first, and list the 8 trucks they have labelled "the best." 

THE WORST

Here are the four diesel trucks that this article recommends you avoid. Sadly, these  trucks that have helped give diesel a bad name in some circles. 

Chevy & GMC C/K 5.7L (1978-1981)

Older folk are familiar with the Oldsmobile debacle in which GM dropped a 5.7L diesel engine into an Olds. It went down in history as one very bad decision. Ironically, GM took this same engine and decided maybe it would work in a pickup. Two wrongs don't make a right. One problem was that this particular engine was a gas 5.7L converted into a diesel. There were other problems as well, Riley writes. Ultimately, the only thing going for this truck is the vintage look. Buyer beware.

Chevy & GMC C/K 6.2L (1982-1993)

GM learned some lessons by this point in time and decided to exit the diesel engine building business. They turned to a neighbor, Detroit Diesel, to undertake this task. Unfortunately, what they delivered was a 6.2L engine that looked like it should have power because of its size. Such was not the case. The 130 horsepower it delivered is only 40 hp more than today's Smart Car. The other problem this engine had was a tendency to leak oil from the rear main seal. Not good. To fix this issue required removing the tranny, and you can be sure that was neither easy nor cheap.

Chevy & GMC C/K 6.5L (1994-2001)

You'd think by '94 GM would have this diesel business figured out, but no. The turbocharged Detroit-built 6.5L had a new set of problems. It was also behind the curve with regards to its indirect injection and couldn't compete with the Cummins and Powerstroke engines of the same time period, engines with 50% more power. Add to this the mechanical issues and your best best is to avoid them altogether. Riley says, "Get a Duramax."

Ford Super Duty 6.0L Turbo(2003-2007)

The article tags this engine as "by far the worst modern diesel engine." The engine was so bad that there were legal battles between Ford and Navistar (the parent company of the Powerstroke.) The list of problems this engine had includes head gasket issues and catastrophic fuel system failures. To make matter worse, to do some of these repairs required removing the cab in order to access the parts. Yikes. Riley recommends avoiding this one as well and find a 7.3L Powerstroke. You will be much happier.

THE 8 BEST DIESEL TRUCKS YOU CAN BUY 

If you're brand loyal, there's something for everyone here. You can read about each of these at Autowise. If you have different opinions here, feel free to leave a comment. 

Chevy/GMC 2500 & 3500 (2006-2007)

Dodge Ram HD (2003-2004)

Ford F-250/F-350 (2008-2010)

Dodge Ram 1500 (2014)

Chevy Silverado HD (2012)

Dodge W250 (1991½-1993)

Ford Super Duty (1999½-2000)

Dodge Ram 2500HD (2010)

Source: https://autowise.com/best-diesel-truck/

NADM East Coast Diesel Nationals Is Happening July 17: A Dozen Cool Photos To Warm Up Your Engines

All photos courtesy Diesel Motorsports

Although nothing has been entirely normal during the past 18 months, there are signs that things are coming back. Car shows and diesel events are back on track. Next week the East Coast Diesel Nationals will be coming to Pennsylvania's Numidia Dragway with Blue Flame as the Official Diesel Oil. 

The East Coast Nationals, which bills itself as the "Largest Diesel Show in the East," is an all-day family event that includes drag racing pickups (both diesel and gas this year), rat rods, sled pulling, dyno competition and show-n-shine, as well as vendors. Whichever direction you go you'll find activities and action.

It's easy to get jaded when you've been around a while, but it's my experience that you'll always see or experience something that will surprise you if your eyes are open.

Champion continues to support racers with its Blue Flame Contingency Program. You can click on the Orange Button (right hand column) to sign up or read more about our contingency details here.

Competition is good. It's our competitors
who keep us on our toes, pushing us further to do
things we never thought possible. 

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Update: 2WD Mods have been added as a pulling class this year. If you have a 2wd bring it to the East Coast Diesel Nationals July 17th!

And finally, a special shout out to NADM's Ron Knoch for all his hard work to make these events possible for diesel enthusiasts and fans. (Follow Diesel Motorsports on Facebook.)

UNOH Now Offering A Diesel Technology Associate Degree

In May an economic report announced that there were more than 8 million unfilled positions in the U.S. job market. Another article I read stated that there were 5 million job openings for people with specialized skills. These were better paying jobs that differed from service sector positions.

These numbers were in my mind as I read a July 5 story about the University of Northwestern Ohio's new Diesel Technology Associate Degree program that will begin this fall. The new program will include classes that students need to become professional Mack and Volvo technicians upon completion of the program. The program is titled Diesel Technology -- Mack/Volvo DATE. DATE is an acronym for Diesel Advanced Technology Education.

What is clear from the announcement of this program is that diesel truck manufacturers recognize that there will be an increased need for diesel technicians for years to come as professional mechanics retire and exit the field. 

This is the third degree program that UNOH offers related to diesel tech. Last year the school initiated a program for medium/heavy duty diesel vehicles, and the another program has as its focus on light duty vehicle and diesel engines.

Mack diesel engines are built to last.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there will be an additional 24,000 job openings for diesel technicians within the coming 8 years. UNOH is dedicated to filling this unmet need for skilled vehicle service technicians within the diesel industry.

The article makes note that students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average and a 97% attendance record. But it also points out that "upon completion of the program, students will be prepared for immediate employment at any of the hundreds of Mack and Volvo truck dealerships across North America."

What they especially desire is to see the spark of passion for this industry. Courses will include topics specific to Mack and Volvo engines, including a focus on powertrains, electrical and electronic systems. Students will also learn about chassis components, software and engine diagnosis and repair. The school is hands on so that in addition to theory there is shop time, maintenance training and testing.

Investing in yourself is a decision that yields a lifetime of dividends. 

Key Links

10 Reasons to Become a Diesel Mechanic

UNOH: Turn Your Passion Into A Career

UNOH Launches Third Diesel Technology Associate Degree

PLZ Aeroscience Acquires Champion Brands

PLZ Aeroscience Acquires Champion Brands to Expand Full-Service Automotive Capabilities

DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. – July 1, 2021 – PLZ Aeroscience Corporation (“PLZ”), North America’s largest independent specialty aerosol and liquid product manufacturer, today announced the acquisition of Champion Brands, LLC (“Champion”), a leading manufacturer of specialty lubricants for the automotive and industrial markets. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. With this acquisition, PLZ expands its full-service automotive and industrial offering, positioning the company to better serve its customers with a comprehensive suite of aerosol and non-aerosol products.

Founded by Ralph Lowe in 1956 and with more than 65 years of market leadership, Champion has one of the largest product portfolios in the industry. Champion produces more than 300 functional fluids and performance products, including brake fluid, fuel treatments, semi-synthetic and full-synthetic engine additives and specialty motor oils. Champion operates a 450,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Clinton, Mo., and serves customers across automotive, heavy duty, agricultural and performance racing markets. The speed and versatility of Champion’s lines make the company a cost effective solution for many customers.

“We are very excited to welcome Champion Brands to PLZ,” said Aaron Erter, PLZ’s President and CEO. “Champion is a market leader within the automotive aftermarket industry, and we look forward to leveraging their capabilities across our combined enterprise to strengthen the value proposition we bring to our customers. Champion is an incredible addition to PLZ as we continue growing our specialty automotive and industrial footprint across North America.”

Champion is led by Matt Lowe, the third generation of Lowe leadership at the company. Mr. Lowe will remain with Champion following the transaction.

“I am thrilled for Champion to become part of the PLZ family,” said Matt Lowe. “We look forward to leveraging PLZ’s extensive industry experience and national footprint to help grow Champion in the years to come. Together with PLZ, we will propel the combined company forward into its next chapter as we continue to deliver exceptional innovation, quality and service to our customers.”

Headquartered outside Chicago, PLZ is owned by Pritzker Private Capital.  With their support, PLZ has continued to grow organically and through acquisitions, including four in the last two years – Mansfield-King and Custom-Pak Products in 2020 and Liquid Technologies and Precise Packaging in 2019.

About PLZ Aeroscience
PLZ Aeroscience is a leader in specialty aerosol and liquid product technologies.  PLZ specializes in the development, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of a comprehensive line of contract fill, branded and private label products. PLZ has a robust and proprietary portfolio of products in household cleaning, personal care, food service, maintenance, specialty and industrial, and automotive. For more information, visit PLZAeroscience.com.

About Champion Brands, LLC
Champion Brands, LLC has made a name for themselves as a leader in specialty lubricants. Headquartered in Clinton, Missouri and with over 300 products, Champion is always looking for new and better ways to make their customers more efficient with quality products and high standards. Champion products can be found all over North America and have had long-standing relationships with its customers for over 65 years. For more information, visit ChampionBrands.com

About Pritzker Private Capital
Pritzker Private Capital partners with middle-market companies based in North America with leading positions in the manufactured products, services and healthcare sectors. The firm’s differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision-making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. Pritzker Private Capital builds businesses for the long term and is an ideal partner for entrepreneur- and family-owned companies. Pritzker Private Capital is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). For more information, visit PPCPartners.com.