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Size matters!

Size matters!

  Some customers will come to us and ask, “why do I need a new intake manifold on my ISX? Isn’t stock good enough?” The short answer is, yes, the stock intake manifold is perfectly adequate… If you’re looking for stock performance! At Pittsburgh power, we offer the FullTilt manifold for ISX that will fit the 2011 to 2019 models, but what’s the big difference, I hear you say? The difference is in the way the manifold is manufactured. I did not believe the differences until we had a side-by-side comparison come into the shop. A customer had just removed...

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Burn out, Fade away

Burn out, Fade away

HIGH-PERFORMANCE DIESELSBurned Turbochargers, there is a reason to have a good working pyrometer, with the thermocouple in the exhaust manifold and a turbo boost gauge, and know what they read and mean. On April 28th, I returned a phone call to an older gentleman, who was, in fact, three years older than me, that sent us a turbocharger off of a 12.7 DD4 Detroit looking for a warranty. The failure on the turbocharger was a burned turbine housing and .025 endplay on the wheel and shaft when there should be no more than .012 endplay. My first question to the...

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2022, DEF, DPF, Emissions -

DEF Shortage and DPF Maintenance

DEF Shortage and DPF Maintenance

Be careful, plan ahead. The shortages our country is experiencing are making their way to diesel fuel and Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).  If the current shortages of mechanics, trucks, and drivers does not improve then shortages may continue to get worse.  As an owner operator you should have oil and filters for at least 2 oil changes, a spare set of tires, and you should also stock up on a few extra gallons of DEF as well.  Since all new diesel engines in semi trucks from 2012 use DEF, a supply chain shortage of DEF could cripple an independent truck...

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2021, scr -

The lifespan of an SCR

The lifespan of an SCR

Repair shops struggle as the scarcity of replacement parts are keeping trucks in shops and drivers in waiting rooms. Here at Pittsburgh Power, we are feeling the impact of these shortages. It is maddening to know the issue but are unable to perform repairs because we can’t get the parts. Detroit’s One Box and the SCR catalyst for Cummins engines are among the many parts that are currently unavailable. In a few paragraphs I will briefly describe parts of the SCR system that fail and what can be done to extend the life of your system.  An SCR (selective catalyst...

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2021, Fuel -

Lightweighting & Bad Fuel

Lightweighting & Bad Fuel

If you’re looking for new ways to increase efficiency, one thing to keep in mind is the overall weight of the tractor. Lightweighting is a popular new trend fleets are using to increase fuel economy, but you can take advantage of leightweighting as well. Efficiency gained can be up to 0.5% to 0.6% for every 1,000 lbs. of weight reduction. If you manage to lose 4,000 pounds of weight, that’s a 2% MPG gain which is significant. Think of all the benefits of a lighter vehicle, less energy is needed to accelerate, brake, and change direction. In addition to using...

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