Why is diesel so good? - Berrima Diesel Service

Transcription

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www.thedieselexperts.com
© Berrima Diesel 2013
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About Berrima Diesel • page 3
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Why is diesel so good • page 6
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Correct Diesel Tuning • page 8
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Diesel Economy • page 12
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Critical Injector Pressues • page 14
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Aftermarket Turbo Charging • page 16
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Exposing the Myths on Fuel
Pump Compensators • page 18
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Turbo Questions • page 21
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Turbo Myths and Facts • page 26
10 Diesel Fuel Filters and Maintenance • page 29
11 Diesel Filters and Fuel Flow cooling • page 31
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Fuel conditions and Conditioners • page 33
13 Alternative Diesel • page 35
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Improving Commonrail Diesel
Performance • page 38
15 Whats in a Dyno Graph • page 39
About Berrima Diesel
Reinhard Leimroth was trained as a diesel technician by
Robert Bosch in Germany in 1956. He has been working
on diesels since that time and loves nothing more than
to talk about diesel and share his passion with others.
He was sent to Australia as a trouble shooter by Bosch
in 1960 and was based in Sydney. His troubleshooting
and specialist diesel skills meant that he travelled
throughout the country to many unique places solving
diesel problems that others could not. Such jobs
included getting large road train trucks moving again
in the central desert to repairing large ship engines
on Sydney Harbour and tuning Naval Patrol boats for
increased performance.
He was also manager of a large diesel workshop and pump room in western Sydney
for many years before moving to the historic township of Berrima where he set up the
business ‘Berrima Diesel Service’.
Andrew Leimroth was born in 1968 and loved pulling
things apart and putting them back together from an early
age. He followed in his father’s footsteps and studied to
become an automotive technician upon leaving school.
He achieved national recognition awards during his
mechanical studies and is Australia’s premier turbo
installer having personally fitted 3 turbos a week for the
past 20 years. Andrew is now the CEO of AWDTech, the
parent company of Berrima Diesel Service.
Reinhard and Andrew are the original ‘Diesel Gurus’
specialising in the ‘Black Art’ of diesel fuel injection and
are recognized worldwide amongst the 4WD community.
Reinhard and Andrew are a father and son team.
Reinhard was born and trained in the fatherland of
Diesels, Germany. He trained with Bosch Germany and
still employs all the original repair principals.
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We specialise in all aspects of 4WD diesel fuel injection includingspecialised injector
servicing, fuel injection pump tuning, and turbocharging. Berrima is Australia’s leading
4WD Diesel Turbo Centre. We have a range of “power up” options available for all factory
turbo diesels 4WD’s including the Legendary DPCHIP ‘Plug’n’Play power-up module
for NEW Electronic diesels. We have an excellent reputation for our remedial work
with problem diesel vehicles, such as those that smoke or lack power, and numerous
articles discussing our ability to rectify such problems have appeared in the major 4WD
magazines such as 4WD Monthly, Overlander, 4X4 Australia, Caravan World, TRUCK
and The Wanderer. We have diesel vehicles brought to us from 4WD manufacturers
such as Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Ford, Mazda and Land Rover and have performed
specialist work for Government departments such as Australian Defence Force, NSW
Police and numerous State Fire Brigades!
With over 50 years experience in the industry, our satisfied customers come from all
corners of Australia as well as internationally, as we can provide a level of service not
available in their own areas. Once they have experienced the Berrima Diesel Service,
they find that owning and driving a diesel vehicle is no longer a chore but is, in fact, a
pleasure.
WHERE IS BERRIMA?
Berrima is only one hour’s drive from Sydney and the South Coast, and under two hour’s
drive from Canberra.
Many customers travel down for the day, leave their vehicle to be serviced in the morning
and spend the day enjoying the many tourist attractions and facilities in the area before
picking up their freshly serviced vehicle to return home in the afternoon.
WHY BERRIMA?
1. We are Australia’s Premier 4WD Diesel Performance tuning and Turbocharging
Centre.
2. We are a small family owned and operated business working on aspecialised and
personal level providing expertise and service which is hard to find elsewhere.
3. Our experience is unsurpassed as daily we work on vehicles from all over Australia.
Reinhard and Andrew work ‘hands on’ and as a result have full input to the quality
of work.
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Below is a list of the general and specialised motor vehicle services
available at Berrima Diesel Service.
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Excessive smoking, surging or lack of power trouble shooting for all Diesel 4WDs.
Electronic Diesels catered for.
Factory turbo power enhancements.
Diesel Performance tuning.
Australia’s leading Turbo Systems specialists.
Diesel injector and Pump repair and servicing.
Berrima Diesel Specializes in
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Unique Diesel Injector Servicing - Injectors can be sent to us, serviced and returned
by parcel post.
Diesel Performance tuning.
Turbocharger System, Sales and Advice. We can arrange for shipment of our turbo
systems to be delivered and supplied anywhere in the world.
DPCHIP ‘Plug ‘n Play’ Diesel Tuning modules.
Berrima Diesel’s Lucas/CAV fuel filter adaptor kit.
Our range of “Cutting Edge” products from AWD Technologies.
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Phone: +61 2 4877 1256
Fax: +61 2 4877 1239
Email: [email protected]
Address: 3483 Old Hume HWY Berrima NSW Australia 2577
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM(AEST)
Website: www.thedieselexperts.com
When you think diesel…Think Berrima Diesel!
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Why is diesel so good?
The diesel share of the market is growing worldwide at an amazing rate. Well amazing I
suppose to counties dominated by petrol cars. Diesel has always had a strong following
in Europe but, the United States and other countries including Australia are becoming
more convinced of the benefits of the diesel engine right down to even small cars. Just
look at the endless stream of caravans and motor homes we so often see on our roads
nowadays.
Simply put, there are a number of reasons why diesel is so good. Out of all the forms of
propulsion on offer, the diesel engine is arguably the most effective in all areas.
Diesels achieve their high performance and excellent fuel economy by compressing air
to high pressures then injecting a small amount of fuel into the highly compressed and
very hot air.
Besides their fuel economy advantage they emit really low concentrations of both
unburned hydro carbon as well as carbon monoxide emissions. The reason for these
extremely low hydro carbon and carbon monoxide emissions is that diesels operate
generally in a state of lean and clean fuel/air mixture. In diesel engines both hydro
carbon and CO emissions are a small fraction of their petrol counterparts. If a Diesel is
running out of tune it will tell you by emitting black smoke forcing the owner to take action
whereas a Petrol engine running out of tune will generally continue to run unnoticed by
the owner pumping out all sorts of toxic emissions.
Because diesels produce more torque and power at lower engine speeds than petrol
engines, friction losses are reduced which adds to their service life.
Unlike Petrol, Diesel fuel is not volatile and is therefore safer to handle, even in cases of
spills relating to road accidents.
The compression ratio (the pressure to which the air is compressed during the
compression stroke) in diesel engines is approximately twice as high as in petrol engines
so the expansion ratio during which energy is released is also greater in diesel engines
than petrol engines.
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Diesel engines are known for their long useful life which may be up to 3 or 4 times that
of petrol engines. In trucking and other heavy duty applications it is not unusual to have
diesel engines last close to 2 million kilometres. This durability is of strong concern to the
trucking industry and indeed anyone who tows or carries large weights. Drivers of diesel
engines have realised the reliability of their vehicles despite the demanding applications
and tough environments in which they work.
To summarise, the advantages of the diesel engine are as follows: fuel economy,
durability, high torque for towing, low emissions and reliability.
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Correct Diesel Tuning
Diesel tuning is more important than we think.
Let’s get down to the basics...
Diesel is an oil. Oil as we know does not ignite easily if it is left as a liquid. If we atomize
it though, it will burn readily, if a little smoky. The diesel principle relies on the air being
compressed to high pressure in order to heat the air as diesels don’t have igniters such
as spark plugs. Keep in mind, the glow plug only glows on cold start-up to warm up the
air in the combustion chamber, a bit like when you are pumping up a push-bike tire, the
pump gets warm. So you now have very hot air and you inject diesel in through a poor
spraying injector. Because it is not atomizing the diesel enough, the fuel volume burns
erratically and slowly as the flame burns through the large droplets of oily fuel. If you
were to light up a drum of oil, you would see a similar effect of slow burning and smoke.
You can imagine that by now the timing of the combustion process is also upset.
Throw in an injector that is spraying at a lower pressure than normal, due to age, and
you have the timing of the fuel ignition point changing even more. The injectors doing
this alone can make a diesel smoky and sluggish. Throw in a cold morning and the
combustion is even further retarded due to cold cylinders and cool combustion.
So, throw the scenario into a correctly set up injector. Remember the drum of oil?
Well, if you could fill the drum with a misty vapor of oil and light it up, you would not only
get a large bang but it would be over within a flash. So now, as the good injector sprays
fuel out as a mist, the fuel burns rapidly and relatively clean as the droplets are so small
that they burn with a puff! The injector’s pressure is also now on spec so the spray is
even more fierce and timed.
Now, the injectors are perfect but the injection pump could be slightly out of tune. Timing
has to be set. If it is too early, the vehicle can smoke and become quite “diesel noisy”
and if it’s too late, the vehicle can feel sluggish. Imagine the spray of fuel as a fist about
to hit the piston. If it is too far before top dead center, it would not only hurt your fist and
the piston but it would make a louder than normal bang as the two things hit head on. If
the piston had gone past top dead center and was hit, the force of the hit would be going
down with the piston so you would have too little impact on it. So you can see why timing
is critical for maximum hit effect!
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Other things need to be checked like the fuel volume delivered by the pump. Too much
is power but with smoke, too little is low power with absolutely NO smoke... and just right
is on the verge of no smoke, to “is it or isn’t it” smoke! There are a few more complex
settings on the pump that are checked and adjusted but these are the main ones.
Now to add to all these, let us run through it quickly. Ok, there are 6 injectors supplying
fuel to the engine... imagining it being a 6- cylinder diesel. Looks like it has no problems
getting fuel. What about the important part that we forgot about--AIR? Well... It has to
draw the air through a maze. Filter, pipes, inlet manifold and a tiny valve. This has to
happen in a split second and the piston going down has to do all the sucking. That’s the
governing part of a diesel engine’s performance. Remember, more fuel for more power
is just more smoke!
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So we have to do something about the air to keep things clean.
This is where a Turbo system comes into its own with Diesel engines. With a huge
amount of air now available due to the turbo supplying air right to the inlet valve, the
piston only has to suck air from there. Let’s not forget that 1 cylinder has a suction
stroke many times a second, so these fallacies of air being forced into the engine and
blowing heads off are only that! Now that we have more air, the fuel system can be set
up accordingly for more power. This is where the whole equation can come adrift with
overheating, etc. Things have to be set up by a professional and a professional that
knows his job.
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The diesel system that is on all 4WD diesels was designed to run on a fuel with certain
burning characteristics. Often fuel quality can be a problem, particularly in the bush. We
have new vehicles smoking that obviously are not designed to smoke when running on
real diesel.
So when we are setting up a fuel injection system for tuning, we have to take the burning
characteristics of this poor diesel into consideration. Try to get your fuel from a reputable
and “known brand” garage and keep your receipts. If you have problems, you have as
much “come-back” on the garage as you have with a faulty product from a shop.
** The modern diesel has come a long way from its beginnings! Well... so we are all led to believe!
That’s where it all stops. In fact, about the only thing that could compare is reinventing the round
wheel! That’s right. Nothing has really changed. A diesel still needs fuel and air. Even though we
now have trendy things like “Common-rail High Pressure Injection and Electronics” controlling
everything, it is still the same old principle. The only major change appears to be the repair costs...
as usual. Most injector pumps are becoming “throw-away” at a cost of thousands of dollars. Where
will it end?
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Diesel Economy
Diesel Economy
Its one of those questions that sounds like ‘How long is a Piece of String?’ Let’s face it…
Diesel isn’t getting any cheaper and travelling isn’t getting any lighter. With these 2 items
working against us we continue to search for the best driving practices for economy. But
to do so one must first understand the mechanics of how to set up your Motorhome or
Tow vehicle/van combination.
Tyres size and tread pattern choice play an important starting point to economy. We have
proven on our dyno that even a simple tyre change on a Land Cruiser from a 265/70-16
to a 275/75-16 can ‘wipe off’ 10% power at the rubber wheels.
As an example we need 200 NM of Torque to maintain 90km/h on a road at 20% engine
load. After installing the only ‘slightly’ bigger tyres we have lost 10% power at the rubber
wheels and now produce 180NM of Torque for the same 20% engine load. So to now
maintain 90km/h with 200NM Torque like before we need to ‘put down the foot a little
more’ on the throttle to offset the loss of power at the wheels equating to now 30%
engine load.
Gear choice when towing is another important factor when heavily loaded. Diesel Engine
Torque is magnified by gears. The lower the gear, for example 3rd gear, the higher the
Torque and slower the wheels spin. The higher the gear, for example 5th gear, the lower
the Torque is magnified and the faster the wheels spin. To gain one thing is to lose
another and Vice Versa!
Back to that speed example above. You need 200NM of Torque to maintain that 90 km/h
and in 4th gear you get 200NM of Torque at 20% engine load. Change up to 5th gear
(and without going into the mechanics of an overdrive gear) and all of a sudden you now
produce only 150NM of Torque for the same engine load of 20%. You begin to slowly
loose speed so you need to depress the throttle pedal ‘only so little’ more to get 200NM
of Torque coming out of the gearbox to maintain the 90km/h increasing engine load to
40%.
In summary two simple things have quite dramatic effects on engine power. We have
seen this time and time again on our 4WD dyno. That is tyre size and the gear used
to tow under heavy loads. Consider next time the effects when you are about to go for
bigger tyres and will the benefits outweigh the potential economy effects.
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Diesel Economy
More importantly light throttle cruising in a high gear is fine towing a load BUT as soon
as you feel you are starting to apply more and more throttle due to ever increasing
headwinds and hills think about ‘changing back a gear’ earlier to keep the throttle load
light and let the gearbox do the work instead of the engine. The above were examples
BUT in reality a 1HZ recently on our dyno was producing 278NM in 3rd gear and 146NM
in 4th. You can see gearing dramatically effects ‘pulling power’. Next time your vehicle is
on a dyno get the operator to do a 3rd and 4th gear test and show you the results.
Safe Driving !
Andrew
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Critical Injector Pressures
Diesel really is oily. It certainly doesn’t burn like Hollywood would portray it when a
truck loaded with Diesel Fuel explodes like an atomic bomb! Well the Diesel Liquid Fuel
wouldn’t blow up like that BUT if it was broken down into a vapour it would. Remember
Petrol appears highly explosive but it really is the vapour that catches on fire well ahead
of the liquid. So how then does Diesel Fuel contain so much energy? In fact it has so
much energy stored in it that a modern day small 3 Litre Diesel engine can have much
more Torque than a 6.5 Litre V8 Petrol.
Well it’s possible all due to Injector pressure and design. From a design and spray pattern
point of view the Diesel injector has the job of spraying the fuel proportionally around the
combustion chamber for an even burn.
That’s an easy one.
Pressure is where it all starts to become a little more complex. Many people get mixed up
when it comes to Injector opening pressure and Injector line pressure. Most petrol engine
injectors open at around 50 PSI whilst a modern day Diesel injector opens at pressures
above 2,000 PSI on average. Common Rail Diesel “Fuel line” pressures climb rapidly to
above 20,000 PSI BUT remember this is the “Fuel line supply pressure” NOT the injector
opening pressure…Common Rail injectors still have springs inside and effectively open
at the “usual” injector pressures. It is just the high supply pressure of Common Rail that
blasts the fuel through a Common Rail injector for even more atomisation again.
At any of these high pressures the Diesel Fuel is broken down to very tiny droplets which
brings the Fuel particle closer to that volatile vapour which is great for burning. Now you
can see how Diesel gets its power.
These pressures are set with the injector pump and injector matching in design. This is
why ‘modifying’ or ‘raising’ injector pressure above specifications on a older Diesel with
a Fuel injection pump is not always a good thing. To ‘de-bunk’ this theory of ‘wind the
Injector opening pressures up and she’ll get more power’, we did some testing on our old
Nissan GQ Patrol with the trusty 4.2 Diesel.
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First run was with Injector pressures at a standard 1,600 PSI: No smoke and power was
normal.
Second Run was with Injector pressures lowered to 800 PSI: Very smokey and possibly
1 or 2 HP more power on average. Reason: The lower pressures meant that the injector
was not spraying well, opening earlier and closing later and letting in more fuel generally.
Too much fuel meant smoke and maybe a tiny increase in power offset by all that excess
fuel.
Third Run with Injector pressures were raised to 2,400 PSI: No smoke and a lot less
power. Reason: The higher injector pressure was spraying well but opened later and
closed earlier lowering the overall fuel volume. Less Fuel means less power.
In the end it was clear that injector pressures must be kept to within a manufacturer’s
specification to get the best overall power and efficiency.
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Aftermarket Turbo Charging
Aftermarket Turbo Charging has come a long way in the past 10 years. We can thank the
Diesel 4WD scene as this is the No. 1 segment for Aftermarket Turbo Charging. It has
grown from the first of the Old 60 series Landcruisers with the 2H 4-litre diesel to the
modern day 100 series 1 HZ 4.2-litre diesel.
At the end of the day, other than the hike in the new vehicle price, nothing has really
changed with the principle of a diesel. Regardless of engine technology, the diesel
engine needs lots of air. A diesel has an injector for each cylinder and a pump to supply
fuel but it still sucks the air all by itself via a multitude of filters, pipes and ducts !
A brief run down on the process of a turbo...
As revs rise, due to the increase in fuel supply by simply applying the right foot to the
throttle in a diesel, so should the air supply. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen due to the
restrictions we previously mentioned. So at this point, we tend to see smoke out of the
rear of a diesel (if it’s tuned properly, hopefully none) and not going too well up that hill
either ! The obvious way to overcome this point is to get air to match in this equation.
This is where Turbo Charging comes in...
Without getting too technical, a turbo charger is a device that uses exhaust gas pressure
to drive a fan that supplies air to the engine. Due to the fact that a waste product from
the engine is being used for a purpose, the efficiency of a diesel is greatly increased.
Remember the engine having to suck air by itself?
Now it has the incoming air supplied to it via the turbo right up to the inlet valve. When
the inlet valve opens to start the inlet cycle, the air only has to be sucked via the valve.
Yes, it’s probably hard to get rid of all that misinformation in your mind but it is in fact still
the air being sucked in! The piston is traveling at such a speed that the old “Myth” of air
being forced hard into the combustion chamber by the turbo is only that, a “Myth”! So
once those old stories are forgotten of “heads being blown clean off” and “crankshafts
being blown out the bottom”, you can get on with the thought of getting a turbo fitted for
pleasure of driving and towing.
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We have said it many times before:
The turbo is the innocent part of the equation. It is the installation of the system
and, in particular, the setting up of the injection system that is crucial to a long
trouble-free run.
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Exposing the Myths on Fuel Pump
Compensators
Exposing the Myths on Fuel Pump Compensators
(Aneroid) added to After Market Turbo Systems
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There is quite a debate raging about Diesel Fuel Pump Modifications as people
strive for more power than is standard from their After Market Turbo Charged 4WD!
One of the main reasons driving this topic though is misinformation from diesel
pump shops promising a large increase in power in addition to the gain obtained
from the turbo! I have put our views below in point form.
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An Aneroid is a $1000 to $1800 addition to the existing injection pump. It is solely
classified by the component manufacturer as a ‘Pollution Control Device’ fitted to
factory turbo diesels.
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Contrary to this it is promoted by Diesel Injection shops as a performance device
for after market turbo installations! What people don’t understand is that the same
heavy fuel loadings obtainable with an Aneroid installed to a Diesel Injection Pump
can also be obtained easily at no cost without it!!
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A correctly set up diesel injection system in conjunction with an After Market Turbo
Installation, will perform nearly as well as the equivalent Factory Turbo vehicle. This
is the way the After Market Turbo System has been developed and it should stay
that way. As we say at Berrima Diesel- “The Turbo System should perform ’Stand
Alone’ with no additions like large exhausts and fuel pump modifications!!”
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An Aneroid fitted to the injection pump of an After Market Turbo diesel makes it
magically outperform a factory turbo equivalent safely. The reason for this is obvious‘Over fuelling above the recommended levels UNSAFELY!’
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Over fuelling outside the Aftermarket Turbo System Manufacturers Specs may
mean more power but this is unsafe for the engine.
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The addition of an Aneroid to a fuel pump is not accepted by most aftermarket turbo
manufacturers as it promotes over fuelling which in turn can create a huge reliability
cloud over their product!
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Compensators
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Our biggest concern is, “What specification is the Aneroid set to?” Again the usual
story given to a potential customer by the diesel pump shop is that it is set to factory
fuel specs. For starters there are NO factory fuel specs for After Market Turbo
installations supplied by either the Original Vehicle Manufacturer or the After Market
Turbo Manufacturer. Secondly the fuel spec that the diesel pump shop usually is
talking about is the Genuine Factory turbo specs for fuel loadings. This is a real worry
as the Factory turbo is usually a completely different combustion system with much
more durable pistons to cope with heavy fuel loadings. To set up an After Market
Turbo to match these fuel loadings would lead to an obvious eventual outcome! A
damaged engine. Unfortunately this damage is not short term. It happens over time
and usually rears its ugly head gradually.
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The only Specifications supplied by Turbo System manufacturers are Boost
Pressure, Air/Fuel ratios and Exhaust Temperatures (No engine output figures are
ever supplied)! These were obviously not developed with a Fuel Pump Aneroid and
so could not accurately be used with one!
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At the end of the day it is a fact that if the fuel loadings are kept within the After
Market Turbo Manufacturers specifications via Boost and Exhaust readings you will
not only keep your warranty (which will most likely become Void if an Aneroid is
fitted) you will have your diesel engine for the long term!!
This leads to the next common area of misinformation: Dyno Tuning.
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A Dyno is a device used for measuring power output at the wheels.
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They are a being pushed as a real ‘must have’ in the automotive scene of late as
workshops compete for a selling edge. ‘If you don’t have one you mustn’t know what
you are doing.’ says the catch phrase.
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The truth is that they are not a ‘must have’. The real fact is that they are required
more by suburban workshops due to the fact that they have no real road test areas!
And again the ‘Bells and Whistles’ must be good??
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Compensators
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Berrima Diesel have found that ‘seat of the pants’ driving experience with test gear
(air/fuel ratio meter - boost gauge) attached to the 4WD is the only way to obtain a
true indication of “real time” operating conditions. An example of this is looking at
factory development of vehicles and race vehicle testing. At the end of the day it is
km after km of road testing that seals the job!
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A concern that we have is the ‘Smudging’ of dyno figures. Dyno figures can be
smudged to give a false impression of gains. This is noted by us in the number of
4WD diesels we have seen through our workshop with impressive dyno figures
but in the true world, ‘lack lustre’ performance! It is even addressed by Dyno
manufacturers.
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Again… No 4WD manufacturer or After Market Turbo manufacturer supplies rear
wheel dyno figures to set things to. So question the workshop if they say they are
setting the power output to a given figure!! It might be well intentioned to set up
a 4WD based on rear wheel output but identical 4WD diesel engines are slightly
different from one to the next and even atmospheric conditions play a varying factor!
In summary it pays be educated in making decisions in life. We at Berrima Diesel are
here to educate and have been for many years. We are not here to ‘knock’ products or
services but to educate on the true facts so as you can make an informed decision! With
the amount of misinformation out there on diesel and turbo charging diesels we feel
obliged to inform you of the facts !
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‘Turbo Questions’
Your turbocharger is engineered to match the specific requirements of the engine it
is fitted to. Each is dependent on the other to maintain optimum performance. Don’t
think of the turbo as a bolt-on accessory, rather as an integral part of the engine. The
turbos requirements are similar to the engine’s. It is, therefore, essential that scheduled
servicing, using good quality oils and parts, is central to caring for your turbo.
In many instances Berrima Diesel receive turbochargers which have been
misdiagnosed as having a turbo problem, when actually the turbo is not at fault. Incorrect
fault finding is often caused by a lack of product knowledge. Many contributory items
around the engine bay can trick the unsuspecting into believing the turbo is the culprit,
when in fact it is not. Unfortunately, if the real problem is not diagnosed before a
replacement turbocharger is fitted, the problem still exists!
“Turbos don’t die. They are killed”. A turbo can be killed in many ways.
Foreign object damage results in either the air intake “compressor wheel” or exhaust
“turbine” wheel being damaged. The former is often caused by someone accidentally
leaving a nut or other foreign body in the air induction hoses. Please be extremely careful
if going to an aftermarket air-filter. Genuine is bests there! In the latter case, this may be
caused by part of an engine component, such as a piece of valve, exiting the engine in
rather a hurry! In both cases it results in severe turbocharger damage instantly.
Turbochargers are simple in operation, but manufactured to precise tolerances as
fine as 1/ 1,000,000 of an inch. The turbo unit manufacturers balance and test every
single turbocharger many times, including final assembly. The balancing methods and
procedures are unique. Without them, no turbocharger can be balanced to the ultra-fine
tolerances required for today’s high speed turbos. It is now common for turbochargers to
spin up to 150,000 rpm +.
That’s approximately 35 times faster than most diesel engines rev at the red line!
Sophisticated machinery and highly trained factory staff ensure that the highest standards
are always maintained.
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When driving any turbocharged engine, whether it be petrol or diesel, always allow the
engine to warm-up fully, until the water temperature gauge reaches normal, before full
throttle is used. Try to plan the end of your journey sympathetically. Don’t use full throttle
or allow the engine to labour during the last few miles. This will prevent excessive heat
build-up within the turbo when the engine is turned off. Also, when coming to a standstill,
try to leave the engine idling for a few extra seconds to allow the heat to decrease.
No need for a timer though, just undo your seat belt first and then turn off the engine.
Never rev the engine just as the ignition is turned off. Remember the turbo spins at a far
greater speed then the engine, but is lubricated with engine oil. Once the engine stops
the oil supply ceases within a few seconds. In reality, none of the above traits will cause
a turbocharger to fail immediately, but repeatedly over a long period, they could reduce
the life of your turbocharger.
If it becomes necessary to seek advice about a turbocharger or a turbo related problem,
always rely on a professional. Berrima Diesel, together with DTS turbochargers,
are Australia’s leading turbo specialist, and are acknowledged as one of the most
experienced turbo installation companies in the world. We can advise customers with
turbocharged 4WD’s on a wide variety of questions and issues relating to owning and
running a turbo car.
It cannot be stressed too much how important it is, when purchasing turbocharger
system, always to choose the top brand name -Berrima Diesel. Consider this. As with
so many things in life, quality costs, and there are sometimes cheaper turbos for sale.
Without the safeguard of using a Berrima Diesel turbocharger, you run a serious risk that
your short-term saving may turn out to be a long-term nightmare.
What is ‘Boost’?
Boost is a term used to describe the increase in pressure, provided by the turbocharger,
to the volume of air, entering the engine. This pressure is expressed in a number of
different units, (BAR, ATM, Kpa, P.S.I.), but they all mean the same thing. For purposes
of approximate comparison; 1 BAR = 1 ATM = 100 Kpa 14.7P.S.1. When the pressure of
the engine’s inlet air is increased, the engine’s power output is increased. This pressure
increase is called ‘boost’.
22
How does fitting a “The Diesel Experts” Turbo system effect the power of my
vehicle?
Modern 4WD diesel engines, typically produce peak torque (pulling power), at around
2,000-2,500 R.P.M. and peak horsepower at around 3,500-4,000 R.P.M. Turbo boost
starts at approximately 750 R.P.M. and rises progressively to its maximum pressure of
approx. 70 Kpa (10 P.S.I.) by approx. 2,000 R.P.M. At this point, the percentage torque
increase of a correctly tuned installation is approx. 40%, at the wheels. This continues
to the peak horsepower point of 3,500-4,000 R.P.M. At no point is it ever any less than
standard. e.g. at 1500 R.P.M. it is at least 25% greater than the standard vehicle at the
same R.P.M.
Can I fit a “The Diesel Experts” Turbo system myself and, if not, how long and
what is the cost of having it fitted for me ?
While most competent mechanics could probably fit a “The Diesel Experts” Turbo
system, tuning requires specialised knowledge. The lack of this knowledge could have
serious consequences. In addition, warranty can only be provided on Dynamic Turbo
systems which are installed by authorised facilities.
The cost of having the installation performed by Andrew at Berrima Diesel is only about
10% of the total purchase price. This provides a warranted, correctly tuned, “no hassle”
installation for the customer. All diesel vehicle installation can be performed in one day.
What creates the most heat? Fuel or turbo boost?
Diesels do not need an air control (eg. manifold butterfly valve. The only ones requiring
a butterfly are vacuum operated governor pumps) to operate. The more air the better.
Add too much fuel to the equation and the exhaust gas temperature rises rapidly.
What type of oil and how often should it be changed ?
Turbos must have good quality oil. Use either a mineral, semi or fully-synthetic engine
oil. Berrima Diesel recommends Shell Rimula range or Shell Helix Ultra . Change oil at
intervals recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
How long does a turbo last ?
On average, as long as the engine or longer with regular engine servicing and good
quality engine oil.
23
What is a ‘dump’ valve or ‘blow-off‘ valve ?
A valve which relieves boost-pressure between the compressor outlet and engine as
the throttle is closed (Only required on throttle valve controlled diesels which are rarely
seen these days). These are commonly fitted to hotted up petrol cars so it sounds good
changing gears among other reasons!
Can I fit a turbo from another 4WD ?
No, virtually all turbocharger are different inside, even if they appear similar on the
outside. The turbo model e.g. Mitsubishi TD04, is only the model, not the specification.
Should I leave my engine ‘ticking over’ before it is turned off ?
Not for normal every day driving, but still worthwhile if the engine has been under load
or raced before being turned off. e.g. Towing a caravan or after climbing a long incline.
Why is it important to balance a turbocharger ?
Without highly accurate balancing, vibration will create a whining noise, reduce turbo
bearing life and reduce turbo efficiency.
How much boost does my turbo produce?
Correctly set up diesel 4WD turbochargers run up to between 10 PSI to12 PSI with
Intercooler turbocharged engines running upwards of 13PSI.
How many psi in one bar ?
14.7 psi = 1 bar.
Are all actuators the same ?
No, each has a different opening pressure and rate.
Oil in the turbo inlet pipe - Should I be concerned ?
A small amount of oil usually exists, drawn in from the engine’s crankcase breather
system. High engine wear will increase the amount of oil found, and will require further
engine tests (not turbo).
Should a turbo be serviced ?
No specific turbo servicing is required, but regular quality engine servicing is needed to
reduce the chance of turbocharger problems.
24
What is a water-cooled turbo ?
The central part of the turbo, housing the bearings, is surrounded by a water jacket
through which the engine’s water coolant is passed. This water continues to circulate
after the engine is turned off, cooling the turbo, and preventing heat soak.
Do I need to up grade my exhaust ?
Generally not. Our systems are designed to run utilising as much genuine component as
possible. Some systems on the market promote exhaust change as it is required by that
particular turbo. Doing so usually picks up more noise than performance.
How noisy should a turbo be ?
Only an unbalanced, worn out or damaged turbo will produce any significant turbo noise.
What is an intercooler ?
A special type of radiator which cools air before it enters the engine. As a turbo
compresses air, the air heats up. Power can be increased if the air entering the engine
is cooler. The cooler air is more dense meaning that more fuel can be injected for more
power.
Will my vehicle run ‘cooler’ with an intercooler ?
Theoretically, but not always the case! We commonly find Intercooled 4WD vehicles
running hot due to over-fuelling and radiator restriction. Restriction meaning that hot air
passes out of the Intercooler over the air conditioning condenser and finally the radiator.
The poor old radiator is left with scraps of extremely hot air and then is expected to cool
the engine. We don’t advise fitting them as hot Australian conditions can often be the
catalyst for engine heat problems.
What will happen to my fuel consumption?
More power generally means more fuel. With a diesel turbo system, fuel consumption
stays generally the same and can become better under towing conditions
25
‘Turbo Myths and Facts’
Myth - This turbo is totally oil cooled as water cooling is troublesome.
Fact - There is no such thing as a small oil cooled turbo charger!! All turbo chargers
are oil fed due to the fact that they all have bearings that need lubricating. Turbocharger
units are either water-cooled or not! Full Stop!! Unfortunately most aftermarket turbo
kit manufacturers specify a non-water cooled or use the water-cooled turbo, but leave
the water-cooling disconnected. All for a cost sake!! As usual, the excuses used leave
the customer confused! Water cooling came about to increase the durability and life
expectancy of a turbo unit. This is visible if we look at factory turbo charged 4WD’s. They
nearly all use water-cooling.
Myth - The engine will run a much lower engine temperature if it is Intercooled.
Fact - A diesel engine compresses the cylinder air charge to approx. 500PSI. This is
done as the air needs to be red hot so that when the diesel fuel is injected, it immediately
ignites. As we can see, hot air for a diesel is not a problem. Intercoolers are generally sold
with the myth of running cooler denser air and lower temperatures, whilst dramatically
increasing power. The temperature part would be true only if the increased power part
was left out. To get the increase in power sold with an Intercooler we now have to
increase the fuel loading higher. As I always say, more fuel makes more power with the
offset of more heat.
Let’s now look at the other possible problems associated with Intercooling. Over fuelling
and hungry for power is the biggest one which definitely ‘cooks’ engines. The most
common of all though is radiator air flow restriction. The radiator needs cool air to cool
the hot engine coolant. Generally up front we have a bullbar, driving lights, bug screens
(all diverting small amounts of air flow), we then have the introduced Intercooler dumping
hot air over the air conditioning condenser (most air conditioners shut off if the engine
coolant starts to get too hot to try and aid in keeping cool air going to the radiator) which
is dumping now extremely hot air over the poor old radiator. The radiator is now getting
the leftovers and is expected to cool the power enhanced, hard working engine. This
problem gets worse as the ambient air temperature increases.
So... an Intercooler added to a turbo system might not run cooler.
26
Myth - Particular companies don’t increase the engine output too much ,when
turbocharging, so as to keep long engine life.
Fact - This comment is alarmist! It is impossible to gauge the original life of a diesel
engine let alone one that is now turbo charged. If a turbo system is set up correctly, it will
have no effect on engine life. We suggest that engine life could be possibly lengthened,
with the install of a correctly set up turbo system, due to the fact that it is now running with
increased efficiency which can help with reducing soot build up in engine oil and around
piston rings etc! We see vehicles that we turbo charged many years ago coming back
with 500,000+ km on the engine and no sign of it wearing out. Diesels last if correctly
maintained!
Myth - You must fit a Fuel pump aneroid (fuel compensator) when you fit a turbo as it
will run better and give you more power.
Fact - For starters the addition of an aneroid to your injection pump will cost upwards of
$1000-$1800 on top of a turbo system. It is specifically designed as a Pollution Control
Device and is fitted only to factory turbo diesels. Unfortunately in aftermarket turbo
fitment, an aneroid can be used as a device to mask over fuelling and over powering the
engine. I find it most amusing when I hear comments from ‘Diesel Pump Shops’ like:- ‘If
it runs too lean it will burn holes through the pistons so it must be fuelled up well. With an
aneroid we can fuel it up!’ This is only technically possible with a Petrol engine!!!
Remember this: ‘Rich is Hot (more Fuel) Lean is Cool (less Fuel)!!
Myth - Some companies promote large, low boost, cool running turbo units!!!
Fact - It‘s simple physics. Pressure and volume are relative to each other. A turbo
running higher boost gets higher volumes of air to an engine than the one running lower
boost. The higher the boost the more air volume! A turbo is only an air supply device.
Boost pressures used in turbo charging are relatively low and don’t generate much heat
if any. If we kept compressing the air to a couple of hundred PSI though, air would soon
heat up. It still stands that fuel makes the heat in the equation!! Loads of fuel means
loads of heat. A correctly matched turbo spins up fast so as to keep a nice lean mixture
down low and to get a torque increase early in the rev range (a lean mixture is cool and
clean in a diesel!!). As we know, diesel engines produce maximum torque at low engine
revs so we need a turbo to be at maximum boost at those low engine revs.
27
What’s happened now to the ‘large low revving turbo‘? Not much, until the engine revs
get up high. Too late for the boost to arrive at high revs! In fact if the boost is kept low
and the turbo spins up slowly, the fuel and air mixture can be quite rich in the low to mid
working range of the engine. ‘Rich means heat in a diesel‘. That’s why using a large ‘cool’
turbo charger is a fallacy! With the high revving diesels of today, a turbo needs to boost
early and hold the boost through the large rev range. The variation in a 4WD diesel rev
range can be 4000RPM between idle and redline.
Myth - Use the old manifold and just adapt the turbo to it.
Fact - This is a real worry. The original exhaust manifold is not designed to have the
weight of a turbo unit swinging off it or the increased backpressure that a turbo creates
in the system. Having a specifically designed new exhaust manifold for the turbo to bolt
to is only common sense. A specific turbo exhaust manifold is internally split for cylinders
1,2,3 from 4,5,6. This is specific for exhaust flow and increased low speed torque.
Myth - The turbo must be mounted high up in the engine bay so as not to crack in water.
Fact - High mounting in certain engine bays can lead to excessive engine bay
temperature. We have seen some funny cases! The most common is systems using a
high mount position, for the turbo, in the Nissan Patrol. We have seen some melted glove
boxes, cooked batteries and even paint damage to bonnets. As far as water crossings
cracking turbo housings go, I don’t know who would drive at full speed long enough to
get the turbo orange hot and then plough into a river deep enough to fill the engine bay.
You can imagine the picture let alone the splash! The castings are strong enough to
withstand splashing and possible immersion ,whilst hot, under most conditions.
Myth - You need a high flow foam filter when turbo charging.
Fact - If you don’t know our stance on this subject just ask! Ask the turbo reconditioning
industry how much foam they find behind compressor wheels in turbo chargers when
they are being rebuilt!
Myth - The problem is they use a petrol turbo unit.
Fact - No such thing. A turbo is a turbo. Turbo units are designed on exhaust flow not
the fuel used!
28
Diesel Fuel, Filters and Maintenance
As Fuel quality appears to be getting better horror stories still abound of damaged
injectors or pumps and huge repair bills all relating to dirty fuel or is it just misguided
maintenance? Sure a good old Landcruiser 60 series can run on bio fuel and irregular
maintenance but anyone with a late model Diesel (and that means most Diesels from
year 2000 on) running Electronic injection need be much more aware of basic rules.
Just to kick you into life repair bills above $10,000 are not uncommon from repairs on
common rail Diesels.
Rule number 1: Buy known Major brands of Diesel.
Reason: Because they are representing a ‘brand’ there are rules and guidelines that are
followed in relation to fuel handling and cleanliness.
Rule number 2: “Nicht Bio Diesel”! as the Fuel cap on the $500,000 worth of 2010
model MAN Truck says.
Reason: I stick with the vehicle manufacturers on this. No Bio Fuel in anything with
electronic control. Maybe that’s another days writing.
Rule number 3: Keep at least a dozen of your fuel receipts handy in the vehicle.
Reason: If you get a bad load of fuel you have an available history. Meaning if you
bought Brand “X” fuel regularly and got bad fuel you have a clear history of fuel from that
company. Generally the one that has his documents in order wins the battle.
Rule number 4: Have your vehicles Fuel Filter changed regularly. I usually recommend
every 10,000km.
Reason: “Prevention is better than the Cure”. The longer a fuel filter is exposed to
contamination the more chance you have of a problem. Dirt as such may not get through
a blocked filter for sure but water, if it builds up too much in the filter bowl, can. Heavily
restricted filters put strain on the injection system. We regularly see newer common rail
Diesels coming in with performance issues only to find a blocked filter. You see most
manufacturers recommend NOT to change the fuel filter or to ‘inspect it’. By not changing
it the manufacturer’s logic behind that is this- If you change the fuel filter it increases
the chance of contamination getting to the clean side of the fuel line....so leave it to the
dealer when a warning light comes on and they will change it safely?
29
Could be a good argument BUT I have seen many more problems from blocked filters
than from incorrectly changed filters. Again I would rely on about 10,000km change
intervals.
Rule number 5: Be careful ‘how much’ fuel conditioner you use.
Reason: Good quality Diesel has all the right additives already in it- Anti-foam agents
for easy filling and Anti-algae agents to kill algae and disperse water. This doesn’t mean
Good Diesel is always perfect and some of us choose to use additives. Just be careful
because most Diesel fuel additive are corrosive and not good at lubricating so overdosing
may lead to other issues.
Safe 4Wheeling!
30
Diesel Filters and Fuel Flow cooling
Just remember “Genuine is Best”. I always lead off with this comment about Fuel filters
because the Fuel Injection system is such an expensive area to repair yet so cheap to
maintain. As a general guide, Diesel fuel systems ‘before’ common rail would be filtered
at about 5 Microns whilst latest common rail systems would be filtered down to about 2
Microns. So far the aftermarket filter makers have had no problems filtering at 5 Microns
BUT I can’t get ANY of the current aftermarket filter companies to commit to the fact that
their replacement original look-alike filter is going down to 2 Microns. Please do your
homework if you are going to be using non-Genuine replacement Fuel filters on your
common rail Diesel.
There are some full replacement Fuel filter systems around that do offer a range of filter
sizes and can be successfully used in common rail applications because you can choose
with some of these full replacement systems from 50, 30, 5 and 2 Micron. Also you can
usually equip these with hand primers to make bleeding a new filter easier and even
glass bowls. Just be sure you choose the right Micron rating for the job. 50 and 30 micron
filters are used more as pre-filters.
This leads me to a common misconception about filters. “Run 2 fuel filters inline to be
safe…more is better”? Well this is great on an old Toyota LC60 with a 2H Diesel but not
advisable on a Toyota LC200 with the V8 CRD engine. Reason being ‘cooling fuel flow’.
The good old 2H engine sucked only the fuel it needed to run on up through the filter and
to the pump. 1 litre sucked up and 1 litre consumed. New common rail engines like the
Toyota V8 CRD engine ‘may’ suck up 10 litres of fuel from the tank and ‘may’ use as little
as only 1 litre to run the engine. The rest of the fuel is pushed back to the fuel tank via a
large fuel cooler. This is all done in the interest of fuel cooling because with these ultrahigh fuel pressures comes very high fuel temperatures which in turn require fuel cooling
and flow to keep the fuel system freshly lubricated and cooled with Diesel.
This high fuel flow also still requires very fine filtering and it is very advisable to not add
additional filters but more so use only 1 x good quality 2 micron fuel filter. If you are
going to modify filtration on the ‘new breed’ of CRD engines then consider using 1 x 50
Micron filter to assist pre-filtering the fuel without really causing a flow restriction and 1
x 2 Micron filter with glass bowl for correct particle catching and the added benefit of
seeing the fuel.
31
Just always remember to use filters that are of the right Micron for the Injection system.
Not doing so may void your warranty as well as expose you to thousands of dollars of
repair bills from a damaged Fuel system.
Safe Travelling!
Andrew Leimroth - Berrima Diesel
32
Fuel conditions and Conditioners
“Our Diesel Fuel is getting better”!?!?
Well yes it is but that doesn’t mean we can all become complacent with what we are
buying. Yep sure the level of Sulphur has been removed to nearly none in Diesel now
and the side benefit of that is less soot (smoke) coming out the tailpipe but all the usual
things that were a problem before are still there.
One consistently that comes up in our workshop is water and algae growth. So Diesel
has Algae growing in it?
Well actually not, it grows in the water. Luckily the dreaded algaes that you have probably
seen when you have changed a fuel filter in the form of black jelly like goop are pretty
easy to stop. Keep the water out of your Diesel and you stop the algae. I have previously
mentioned to buy your fuel from reputable garages. If you’re using drum fuel, always
make sure you keep the breather lids on after re-fuelling.
Fuel from smaller drums and even your vehicles tank fuel can be more prone to water
and algae than big underground tanks. Size matters in this area as the small volume
of fuel in a drum or fuel tank heats up during the day and the air is pushed out. During
the night, and probably many hours after the sun goes down, the cooler moist air starts
coming back into the tank.
This has plenty of moisture in it and so this is where after even buying really good fuel
you can get moisture into your fuel tank.
So just to cap it off; Algae grows in Water NOT Diesel. It becomes a problem for us
Diesel owners because water is easily separated from oils. Add the fact that water will sit
under Diesel in the bottom of a filter or tank where all the yucky stuff sits and you have
a growing problem.
33
How do you stop it? Again, buy fuel from regulated fuel garages. Good Diesel has all the
right additives including water dispersants. These additives will break down the water so
that it basically becomes so small in particle size that it mixes with the Diesel and never
allows enough volume for the Algae to grow. Some also have a poisonous chemical to
kill any remaining Algae. So generally you don’t really need to put in additives for this as
regular filter changes and good buying Diesel practices will reduce the chance of water
contamination. There are additives around that can give additional help though. They
have the same stuff the fuel manufacturer puts in their Diesel BUT if you have suspicious
fuel and have been getting blocked filters from the black goop, then certainly use some
for a few tank fills at the recommended dose. Be careful not to overdose as some fuel
conditioners are very high in hydrocarbons or burn enhancers too and can damage the
injection system if used above recommendations.
Safe 4Wheeling!
Andrew Leimroth - Berrima Diesel
34
Alternative Diesel
Alternative Diesel
“Run it on Cooking Oil......Go Squeeze some Coconuts”..... There’s always the ‘other
view’ and this is the ‘conservatives view’. When it comes to choosing a good Diesel
Engine oil there is generally ‘no questions asked’. I mean we just don’t ‘scrimp’ on the
correct oil to lubricate our long lasting Diesels. If this is the case then why don’t we
question “Alternatives to Diesel Fuel”?
Certainly Diesels running older injector pumps seem to survive various forms of
‘Alternative Diesel Fuels’. Taking a look at the ‘good old’ In-line injection pump on a
Toyota LC60 with the 2H Diesel would show you that the majority of that pumps moving
parts are engine oil lubricated. Get Good or Bad Fuel and in a lot of ways it doesn’t really
matter.
But please be careful with anything that has “EFI Diesel” or “CRD” attached to it. EFI
Diesel injection systems cost a very large packet of money when they go wrong and
the last few articles had much time spent on how to stop those repair costs. The latest
Common Rail injection systems have such fine tolerances, down to millionth of an inch
if you could measure it. Generally when things go wrong with them it’s; ‘out with the old
and in with the new’.
35
Alternative Diesel
This ‘throwaway’ idea that we now see means injection system repair costs leaving our
workshops are now in the vicinity of $8,000+ if they are EFI controlled.
Some considerations to think about and to ask about before using any alternative to
Diesel Fuel in your vehicle could be:
•
•
•
What sort of guarantee or support help is available if this fuel damages the
injection system?
Is this Fuel compatible with my vehicle Diesel system?
Can I travel to colder climates with this Alternative Fuel in my tank?
Liability for damage is a big consideration, so is compatibility (remember it may be
safe in your old ‘cruiser but maybe not in your CRD engine) and then there’s the cold
climate issue. Most Alternative Diesel Fuels have poor pour rates at low temperatures.....
probably comparing Normal Diesel to an Alternative might be like comparing a 0W15
Engine Oil with an older 20W50 when temperatures get cold.
36
Alternative Diesel
Please be even more careful if you new Diesel vehicle is a model fitted with a Diesel
Particulate Filter. I have seen these exhaust filters completely blocked and in need of
replacement due to even the wrong engine oil being used let alone a non compatible
Alternative Diesel Fuel. Again ‘Caution’ is the best approach when considering Alternative
Diesel in ANY modern electronically controlled Diesel vehicle.
So next time you are thinking of “Squeezing some Coconuts” Please remember the
ramifications of getting a potentially ‘poor alternative’ to Diesel.
37
Improving Commonrail Diesel
Performance
Improving Commonrail Diesel Performance
Diesel engines run at a high compression ratio and are capable of great economy and
astounding power. When it comes to improving the performance of a diesel engine there
are many options available. Without a doubt the diesel performance chip is the most
popular diesel performance modification available. These diesel chips can work in a
number of different ways such as by enhancing injection timing, line pressure, or just by
dumping in more fuel.
The Injection cycle of a Common Rail Diesel system consists of:
1. The Point that the Injector opens (Start of injection of Fuel:-Timing point)
2. The Fuel Rail Pressure (More load and Revs the higher the pressure. Critical in
getting all the fuel delivered for efficiency)
3. The Point that the injector closes (This is sometimes called injection duration,
bulk fuel delivery time (how long the injector stays open)
A quality diesel chip can affect signals so as to alter all 3 critical areas, manipulating the
injection cycle just like the factory ECU.
Some cheaper chips ONLY affect ‘Point 3’ which only alters bulk fuel delivery by keeping
injectors open longer.
Other simple systems ONLY affect ‘Point 2’ by dramatically increasing fuel rail pressure
to unsafe levels and resulting in dangerous heat in the engine as well as poor fuel
economy.
You don’t have to sacrifice economy to improve diesel performance. The only way to
improve performance and economy is by altering both fuel and timing. The by-product of
this improved engine efficiency is more power and torque as well as improved economy.
38
What’s in a Dyno Graph
You’ve had it all checked and graphed but “what really’ is in a Dyno graph”? More
importantly “what should you be demanding” on the report. Dyno graphs are still probably
the most misrepresented piece of paper received by a Vehicle owner.
The most common Dyno used to date for cars, 4WDs and Motor homes would be a wheel
roller Dyno. Simply put the vehicle is driven onto the Dyno for testing. The steel rollers
of the Dyno that the vehicles tyres will turn generally have a large magnet attached to
them. Electric current is sent to them to prevent the wheels from accelerating away and
is converted by the Dyno computer to read a Power and Torque figure on the screen.
This information will vary from Dyno to Dyno due to various conditions including
atmospheric conditions. Any good dyno operator will do multiple runs to gain a repeatable
average of the dyno result graphs. Meaning the first and 5th run may vary as much
as 10% if the engine started off testing cool and was by the 5th run well at operating
temperature.
The old idea of paying for a ‘single power run’ may as well have been spent on a
something else. So my advice is to take the information and use it more as a guide to
what your vehicle or Motor home obtained on that day. The Dyno operator should explain
the results to you. If you have just had the engine tuned you should be able to see some
power gains as well.
Some other very important information rarely included in results is exhaust gas AFR (Air
Fuel Ratios) and Turbo boost if the engine is turbo charged. The actual power results
are pretty useless if the power gained was through incorrect tuning. The AFR reading
will show you how ‘rich or lean’ the mixture is. This will show how ‘safe’ the results are.
Particularly on a Diesel engine the engine may have been tuned up 20% BUT may have
had the fuel loadings increased substantially to do this. Seeing the AFR graph under
the power graphs will confirm if the power gain was obtained without turning up the
fuel too much (remembering Fuel makes heat in a Diesel). So many times I see what is
excessive overpowering due to over-fuelling in a Diesel. The Dyno graphs looked great
until the AFR reading is taken only to show worrying over-fuelling.
39
Turbo boost being graphed as well will make sure that the boost isn’t slow in responding
or too high for sustained reliability.
The key to your vehicles Dyno result is understanding the graphs and figures. Make sure
you ask questions and feel comfortable with the explanations and through this you will be
sure that your tow vehicle or Motor home is in the best condition to tow safely.
40
Click HERE to access Google Maps
Phone: +61 2 4877 1256
Fax: +61 2 4877 1239
Email: [email protected]
Address: 3483 Old Hume HWY Berrima NSW Australia 2577
Opening Hour: Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM (AEST)

Why is diesel so good? - Berrima Diesel Service

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