Breaking Dynos
The crew at Custom Auto in Boise, Idaho, built this '02 Chevy Duramax Crew Cab truck and it has pulled 1,154 hp on the dyno-they say it's the most hp for an LB7 Duramax in the country. The truck ran an 11.6 on fuel only in Salt Lake on the quarter-mile and an 11.2 with just a little spray. This photo was taken at Bully Dog's Dog Days when the truck broke the dyno.
Diesel-Electric Hybrid
The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Daimler Trucks North America will participate in at least 7 programs and support 638 hybrid and alternative-fuel vehicles that will be used by several leading national fleet operators. This example is a Freightliner M2E diesel-electric hybrid.
EPA At Work
The new 2010 EPA-emissions standards for commercial vehicles and diesel engines are tough, and the addition of diesel exhaust fluid to these trucks will be supplied mostly by truck stops and retail service stations.
Submersion Testing
Have you ever had one of those frustrating transmission leaks that you just can't seem to find? Jasper Engines & Transmissions has created a transmission submersion test to check assembled units for leaks before they are dyno tested. The procedure was initially developed to check Jasper transmissions for the USPS. When the remanufactured transmission is assembled, all external ports and seals are sealed off, then Jasper injects 5 pounds of air through the dipstick hole, and the transmission is then submerged in a large tank of water. Any bubbles indicate a leak.
Recession? What Recession?
Lincoln Electric has been on the throttle...hard...developing new products. Over a nine-month period, the company rolled out 108 new products, more than any other time in the company's history. "The current economic environment challenged us to better leverage our talent, resources, and capabilities for the long term," said George Blankenship, SVP and president of Lincoln Electric North America. Bravo to another company that has figured out how to be better in a bad economy.