Diesel News – EPA’s Final Rule; Fuel Gelling and more…
Ride Of The Week
Derek Rose Nearly Goes 6’s!
Derek Rose and his infamous blue third-gen Cummins come and go on the racing circuit, but every time they show up big things happen. The same truck that went 4.44 last April and took Second Place at UCC 2022 just went 4.48 at the Cleetus McFarland Christmas Tree World Championship in Bradenton, Florida. But perhaps the bigger news is that Rose coasted to a 7.07 in the quarter-mile on the same pass! According to data logs, Rose lifted at 5.58 seconds. So the question is, how deep into the 6’s can the baddest 4×4 Dodge in the land go? Not a bad performance for a truck that was discovered to have suffered a broken steering rack after the race… Stay safe Derek!
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuMMcVzWdL0
Highlights
Somebody Buy This!
Remember the Ripsaw you read about in the pages of Diesel World? These Duramax-powered, Allison-equipped, Howe and Howe-built tracked machines can go virtually anywhere and do pretty much anything. Two feet of ground clearance, 16-inches worth of suspension travel, 112-inches of track on the ground, a floating cockpit and 800 hp sound like a good deal? How about the fact that the Ripsaw is the fastest tank, and a “luxury tank,” in existence? Garrett Mitchell has this one up for sale for $420,000. Serious inquiries only, please.
‘Tis The Season
For gel-ups! With arctic-like cold fronts blasting across the northern U.S., take RCD Performance’s winter weather advice for your diesel: if you haven’t changed your fuel filters yet, get it done ASAP. It doesn’t matter what additive you add to your tank if your water separator is already full of water… That water will crystalize and freeze, leaving you stranded. Additionally, quadruple treat the amount of anti-gel you run until below 0 temps subside, not to mention avoid filling stations dispensing biodiesel. Modern injection systems are beyond expensive to repair, easily costing you $5,000 to $10,000. If you start to lose power, pull over somewhere safe and call a tow truck. It could save you thousands.
Source: https://www.rcdperformance.com/
History
Anyone Old Enough To Remember This?
If only this could be a thing again… Anyone remember when Dodge gave you a free pickup truck with the purchase of a heavy-duty? It was a promotional deal Chrysler ran back in the day to gain more of the over-the-road market share. The pickup (or light-duty) might’ve only been a D100 Custom Special, but it did come with a V-8. Does anyone else remember the screaming Perkins diesel that came under the hood of the heavy-duty’s? For a more modern version of this, Ford offered a free Ranger with the purchase of an F-250 in the late 1990s. Remember that? Anyway, good luck seeing these kinds of offers from an OEM ever again.
Emissions
The EPA’s Budget Will Increase For 2023
Hold on to your hats. According to a White House proposal the EPA’s budget will increase by $1.5 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) for the new year. Of the federal bureaucracy’s $11.881 billion budget, $5.7 billion will be used toward efforts to support environmental justice and in cleanup efforts with tribes, states and localities. A whopping $3.3 billion will be used to further renewable energy. Per the agency: “This budget is rooted in the EPA’s commitment to advancing environmental justice, tackling climate change, protecting public health, improving infrastructure, and rebuilding the EPA workforce to accomplish the EPA’s mission.”
Source: https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/cj
EPA Adopts Final Rule On Pollution From New Motor Vehicles
On December 22, the Environmental Protection Agency adopted a final rule that sets in place more stringent emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles and engines beginning in model year 2027. The rule is designed to cover a wide range of engine operating conditions, but also includes provisions for longer useful life and warranty periods. It also requires that manufacturers implement more tamper-proof engines by limiting “tamper-prone access to electronic pollution controls.” This final rule is one of three being taken by the EPA on behalf of the “Clean Trucks Plan.” The remaining two regulations are believed to be made final in March of 2023.
Source: https://dieselnet.com/news/2022/12epa2.php
Parts Rack
Duramax Owners: Avoid Gelling With This Kit
Tired of fighting the cold with your Duramax? Fleece Performance Engineering is making things easier for LML owners with this auxiliary heated fuel filter kit. The system installs in the factory location of your ’11-’16 GM, integrates the OEM water-in-fuel (WIF) sensor, and comes with a 3-micron Donaldson canister-style, spin-on filter. The included fuel filter base, with integral high-flow capability, eliminates the factory fuel primer bulb and is intended for use with a positive pressure lift pump (such as a PowerFlo unit, or FASS, AirDog, etc.). Pre-formed hose, hose clamps, a wiring harness, and fuse taps are included, and the all-inclusive kit retails for $418.95.
