With long hours on the go, hauling supplies and ensuring your gear is ready to go, ensuring your engine is ready for anything is our top priority. Diesel engines are powerhouses, but even with the best care they can start to break down over time. Speed of Air’s Hyperformance Piston is designed with you in mind to give your engine a longer-lasting life and save you money to invest back into your work.
The 3 most common pitfalls for fuel efficiency in diesel engines
Diesel engines are known for their consistency, and that can extend to common troubles that people encounter over time that can dramatically impact fuel efficiency. The three most common pitfalls include carbon deposits, glow plug replacements, and engine oil oxidation.Â
Carbon deposits, or carbon build-up, take first place for being one of the most common causes of decreased fuel efficiency in diesel engines. Due to the high temperatures within the combustion chamber, carbon soot can form within the chamber and around the piston and injectors over time, preventing it from reaching the necessary temperature.Â
In diesel engines, glow plugs are heating elements used to preheat the air in the combustion chamber before the engine starts, allowing the fuel to ignite faster for a smoother start. Along with improved cold weather starts, glow plugs can improve combustion efficiency, but they are designed with a limited lifespan due to corrosion and increased wear and tear from high temperatures. For more information on glow plugs, check out our previous blog post.
The last common pitfall is engine oil oxidation, which can cause the formation of deposits or sludge, increased oil degradation and decreased fuel efficiency. Like each of the other issues we have covered, this cannot be avoided but the use of engine oil additives can greatly improve the oil quality.
What makes the Hyperperformance Pistons more fuel efficient?
The unique design of Speed of Air’s Hyperformance Pistons was made with customers in mind by focusing on the challenge of carbon build-up within the chamber. In testing, flow bench techniques revealed the fuel wash areas on a typical diesel engine piston crown to determine where carbon is most likely to build up. The turbulators, or dimple effect, are optimized for medium-duty vehicles with Powerstroke, Duramax, and Cummins engine pistons.
So how does it work?Â
The turbulent layers and surfaces allow for the flames within the chamber to burn closer to the cool metal surface of the combustion chamber wall, thereby making it difficult for carbon to form with each use. Each Hyperformance Piston is crafted with a thermal barrier and anti-friction coating on the crowns and skirts of the piston, which help to keep the heat in the combustion process while minimizing resistance. The result means more power within your engine and greater fuel efficiency.
At DFC Diesel, we are committed to offering high-quality products and services to ensure you are getting the best quality engine for your money. For two years, we have been independent testers of Speed of Air Technologies with over a dozen models found in Dodge, Ford, and Chevy trucks. As of 2023, we now offer a full range of Speed of Air remanufactured engines.
Under work conditions, our real-life testing of Speed of Air Hyperformance Pistons found that they offer:Â
20% or more fuel consumption reductions based on your engine tuning
Reduced engine maintenance
Reduced emissions ranging from 20 – 80%
Smoother running engines
Reduced operating costs
Increased power
What are the benefits for commercial diesel trucks?
Finding ways to keep your operating costs low can be a challenge, but it is possible. We have found that Speed of Air Hyperformance Pistons can help you to reduce your overall fuel expenses, while also staying with safety regulations. With after-gas modifications factored in, they can also help to stay within your emissions requirements across Canada and the United States.
How do I calculate my fuel savings?
On average, there are more than 20% for fuel savings with a Speed of Air remanufactured engine, but it can vary. Determining your fuel savings can depend on several factors including:
Vehicle maintenance
Engine application
Altitude and temperature
Idle time
Driver habits
As a side note, when compared to gasoline engines, diesel engines operate with greater fuel efficiency at higher altitudes because they do not have a throttle.
Interested in what you could save? For our calculations, we compared the saves for 100,000 km based off oil change extensions of 50%
Under normal usage, with oil changes every 10,000 km: $5450
Under moderate usage, with oil changes every 7,500 km: $5700
Under heavy usage, with oil changes every 5,000 km: $6200
Did you know that you can test your own fuel savings? Check out our fuel savings calculator!
We currently carry Speed of Air remanufactured engines for DFC Long Blocks, Street Series, Tow/Haul Series, and Tow / Haul HD Series engines at DFC Diesel. For up to 24 months, we offer 0% financing on all SOA engines for our Canadian customers. Interested in learning more about Speed of Air Technologies? Contact us today for a custom quote for your engine type and pre-order your DFC Diesel SOA Series with Hyperformance Pistons!
