Tech Talk – Engine Innovations to Reach Government Fuel Standards
In recent years, the primary driving force behind engine innovation has been the never-ending quest for better fuel economy with little or no sacrifice in performance. Government regulations and rising fuel prices are forcing automakers to develop new technologies and powertrains that squeeze more power out of every drop of fuel while producing less pollution and greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) emissions.
Getting Stoked to Service the 6.0L Power Stroke
If there were one engine that plagues the mid-size diesel world, you would have to say that it is the 6.0L Power Stroke. The 6.0L came into existence because the EPA demanded tighter emissions laws for diesel engines. Even though the 7.3L was branded as the reliable workhorse for Ford, it would never be able to pass the tighter emissions laws that were going to come into effect for 2004.
Diagnostic Dilemmas: Going with the Flow
This month’s Diagnostic Dilemma is headlined by a loss of power complaint in a 2002 Toyota 4-Runner equipped with the 3.4L V6 engine and automatic transmission. The 4-Runner had a relatively smooth idle, but wouldn’t shift gears at wide-open throttle (WOT). Because I live high in the Colorado mountains, loss of power complaints are relatively common and, in most cases, can be confirmed by test-driving the vehicle up one of the mountainous inclines in my area.
Clean Diesel Surge Offers Diagnostic and Repair Opportunities for the Aftermarket
There’s a bright future for the latest generation of clean diesel cars and trucks, thanks to common rail high-pressure, direct-injection systems with sophisticated electronic controls that have transformed today’s diesels into clean-running, quiet and powerful power plants. As these vehicles come out of warranty, it will create new diagnostic and repair opportunities for the aftermarket.
Diagnostic Solutions: Exhaust Restriction Diagnosis
To put exhaust restriction diagnostics in perspective, import specialist shops have been dealing with loss-of-power complaints caused by exhaust restriction since catalytic converters were popularly introduced in 1974. Early “cats” experienced frequent failure because the carbureted engines of that era were notorious for poor fuel control.
Tech Feature: Common Rail Systems May Soon Be Commonplace
Due to the conflict between consumer performance demands and more stringent EPA standards, the use of
Tech Feature: Sports Compacts – Performing in a ‘Maturing’ Market
What started out in the 1990s as an affordable way for kids to bang around with cars that were often handed down from their parents or siblings, later grew into a fledgling market all its own.
Tech Spec: 100 Years of Changing Internal Combustion Technology
It would be interesting to hear what Nicolaus Otto, credited as the father of the first functional four-stroke IC engine, would say after seeing some of the advanced powerplants dropped into vehicles today.
Tech Feature: Northstar Supernova
Introduced in 1993, GM’s 4.6L 32-valve dual overhead cam all-aluminum V8 engine – housed in the Cadillac Allante, Eldorado and Seville STS – was considered a quantum leap forward for U.S. automakers. Initially rated at 295 horsepower, the Northstar V8 has grown over the years to an incredible 469 hp at 6,400 rpm (STS-V Supercharged Northstar engine).
New Emissions Technology: Fuel Economy, Global Warming & Alternative Fuels
We can expect to see more innovations designed to improve fuel economy and/or eliminate our dependence on oil altogether, says Technical