TDReprint (Issue 41)
Your Story - Aircraft Diesels
(Issue 41, pages 62 - 65)

Who among us ever thought we would live to see the day when airplanes - especially light aircraft - would be powered by diesel engines? But it is happening. All the more astounding, the successful aircraft diesel is derived from an automotive engine. Until now, automotive engines converted for use in aircraft have not had an illustrious history.

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Member2Member (Issue 41)
Members' Solutions To Members' Questions
Brake Pad Selection
(Issue 41, pages 10 - 12)

In issue 40 we asked engineer-writer James Walker to adapt his article on brake systems for the TDR audience. I had found James' original in Grassroots Motorsports and was impressed by his common-sense writing style. As an introduction to this issue's "Brake Pad Selection," I'll pull a quote from his Issue 40 article, "Modifying our brakes to address the presence of high temperatures (brake pad material and brake fluid composition) should be considered if your thermal concerns cannot be addressed by super-sizing." Super-sizing sounds expensive, so let's hear what James has to say about brake pad selection.

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TDReview (Issue 40)
A Product, Event Or Article Review
Braking Systems In Plain English
(Issue 40, pages 96 - 101)

Readers of this publication often see advertisements describing brake upgrades available to diesel enthusiasts. However, before any of us go running off to the aftermarket for our own NASCAR six-piston calipers, F1 carbon-fiber rotors, and 50 feet of stainless steel braided brake lines, it would be wise to take a deeper look into braking systems.

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From The Shop Floor (Issue 40)
Tips From Turbo Diesel Repair Shops
TST's Dowel Pin Solution
(Issue 40, pages 148 - 150)

Always on the lookout for a better way to accomplish a task, the folks at TST products have developed a common-sensical (is that a word?) method to correct the dowel pin problem that many owners have seen with their 12-valve engines. Before I present their solution, let's provide a brief history of the problem.

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The Way We Were (Issue 40)
Crank Up The Way-Back Machine To Review Old Topics
Horsepower Calculations And Expectations
(Issue 40, pages 132 - 135)

Hi folks. I'm going to give you some excerpts from a letter to our technical advisor, Jim Anderson. Perhaps it was not meant for review by the editor. We've located this in the TDResource heading of the magazine as we used a Cummins factory resource (computer program) to analyze and set realistic expectations for the driving scenario. I will withhold the name of the TDR member. I'm confident the writer has had the opportunity to read several TDR magazines, as the title of his correspondence gives him away.

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The Way We Were (Issue 39)
A Product, Event Or Article Review
Gasoline In Diesel
(Issue 39, pages 138 - 139)

My wise old mechanic who has worked on Mercedes for years told me that if I put one gallon regular gas into a tank full of diesel after about every four tanks, that it would perform essentially the same job as a fuel injector cleaner at a fraction of the cost. I would like to hear a technical opinion.

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Technical Topics (Issue 38)
Service/Parts Update
Diesel Power In The USA
(Issue 38, pages 28 - 33)

As you read in the last issue's, "Tailgating" editorial, there is a new addition in my automotive family, a '98 Volkswagen Beetle with the turbo diesel engine (TDI). This 1.9 liter, four cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled engine is rated at 90 horsepower at 3750 rpm; 149 torque at 1900 rpm. Interestingly, the car's diesel engine already has exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) that is cooled with a separate circuit of the engine's coolant. The engine also has an engine blowby and breather system whereby the vented gasses are plumbed (positive crankcase ventilation, PCV) directly into the air intake system just after the air cleaner.

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The Shade Tree (Issue 37)
Back To The Basics
Liquids In Your Truck
(Issue 37, pages 104 - 107)

Servicing a new and unfamiliar vehicle model for the first time can be frustrating. As I thumbed through the Volkswagen New Beetle (diesel) Owner's Manual, there were many listings for lubricants that only showed the manufacturer's part numbers. Purchase of the Robert Bentley shop manual did not give any further insight. Nor did a visit to the local parts counter unlock the mystery of the specification of the lubricants needed for routine maintenance. Case in point, what is the specification for and, thus, alternate (read: less expensive?) for the lubricant needed for the five-speed gearbox?

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Technical Topics (Issue 34)
Service/Parts Update
Exhaust Gas Temperature Gauge Evaluation
(Issue 34, pages 20 - 29)

It appears that there is a great deal of myth, supposition and innuendo floating about regarding the care and feeding of exhaust gas temperature gauges (EGT or pyrometer, same animal). I've seen some comments that go something like, " . . . well, it's got 'Super Series' in the title and costs twice as much, so it must be better." That's a little like saying that I pour rotgut moonshine into a Black Label bottle, it will taste twice as good. It just ain't so..

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Technical Topics (Issue 32)
Service/Parts Update
Oil Filter Expose
(Issue 32, pages 26 - 32)

Oil filters! Who cares? Just grab one from the auto supply store or Wal-Mart and put it on when you change the oil. That rugged diesel under the hood of your RAM won't notice the difference, right?

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