The Western world was on the cusp of revolutionizing the transportation sector around the turn of the 20th century. People of the time had limited options for getting around. They had to take steam-powered ships and trains to travel long distances. Short trips were completed by horse and buggy, with anything more than a few miles away taking the better part of a day.
That all changed with the invention of the automobile in the late 1800s, fueling a period of significant expansion and innovation. Gas-powered vehicles came onto the scene first, thanks to their relative simplicity, but diesel engines arguably had a bigger impact on the movement of goods and services. The U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that diesel engines make up just 2.8% of all passenger vehicle registrations in the U.S., but they account for around 50% in Europe. Diesel also dominates the domestic trucking industry, powering 76% of all commercial vehicles. These vehicles went through dozens of iterations before becoming the efficient machinery we know and love today. Find out how diesel parts and products have changed over the last 125 years.
Compression Competition
Unlike gasoline vehicles, diesel vehicles use highly pressurized air and fuel to trigger combustion. This was seen as a daring new approach during the Industrial Revolution, with multiple engineers developing more efficient ways of converting fossil fuels into mechanical energy. The technology was initially outfitted for stationary power generation and maritime propulsion as an alternative to steam engines. Rudolf Diesel, the father of the diesel engine, developed the first patent in 1893 before launching a successful prototype four years later. He exhibited the process at the World’s Exhibition in Paris in 1898 using peanut oil as fuel.
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His accomplishment increased mechanical efficiency from 10% to 26%. Subsequent attempts would only improve that percentage, with modern diesel engines converting roughly 43% of the energy from fuel into mechanical work.
Diesel faced stiff competition from his peers, including Herbert Akroyd Stuart and Richard Hornsby, who developed a less successful high-pressure diesel engine around the same time. He died under mysterious circumstances in 1913 despite his success or perhaps because of it. Some believe he was killed to prevent him from selling his plans to the British in the leadup to WWI. Others say the crude oil industry had him assassinated to limit the use of biofuels that threatened to put it out of business.
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The Road to Perfection
Diesel opened the door for others to improve his design once the original patent expired. Prosper L’Orange was instrumental in crafting many of the components and systems that go into today’s diesel vehicles, including a funnel pre-combustion chamber with adjustable fuel pumps for injecting the fuel.
A German company called Benz & Cie invented the first diesel truck in 1923, known as the 5K3. It used a four-cylinder 8.8L diesel engine capable of delivering up to 50 horsepower at 1,000 rotations per minute (RPM). Not bad for a first outing!
Two rival European manufacturers released their versions that same year, and the first American diesel truck didn’t arrive until 1929. It featured a Cummins engine and kicked off an international race to increase reliability and efficiency that continues to this day.
Over the next hundred years, U.S. automakers focused on producing gasoline passenger vehicles to keep costs low for consumers, and diesel trucks were mainly used for hauling commercial goods and equipment. However, European companies like Mercedes-Benz used this technology to increase fuel efficiency for everyday drivers. The company released the world’s first diesel passenger car in 1936, netting around 18 mpg.
When the Clean Water Act compelled automakers to reduce emissions that pollute the environment in the 1960s, many American companies got out of the diesel race to conserve costs. Ford and GMC remain the leading diesel truck manufacturers in North America. The former uses Powerstroke engines in the F-Series pickup trucks, while the latter uses Cummins engines.
Ford Powerstroke engines come with high-pressure oil pumps (HPOPs) that lubricate various systems. The oil pressurizes the fuel to inject it as a fine mist, increasing efficiency and power. The HPOP is a durable component that will usually last throughout the vehicle’s lifespan, but water separation can cause corrosion and leaks, inhibiting the engine’s ability to burn the fuel. Replace the HPOP if power and efficiency decrease.
The Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched “Phase 2” of the heavy-duty vehicle proposal in 2007 to further reduce harmful emissions. They introduced after-treatment systems to prevent diesel vehicles from releasing toxic chemicals into the air.
Selective catalytic converters turn nitrogen oxide into naturally occurring atmospheric compounds, while exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers recycle the air-gas mixture instead of sending it out the tailpipe. Coolant reduces the temperature of the exhaust gas before sending it back through the combustion chamber. This also powers the turbocharger to help the engine produce more energy.
These parts ultimately help your truck run more smoothly by removing pollutants from the engine. Previous versions of the EGR are known to crack under pressure, leaking coolant into the crankcase. Replacing the EGR cooler prevents the engine from overheating.
Diesel engines will become more efficient over the next few years as companies and governments push for greater efficiency. But these vehicles will be on the road for many years, thanks to their durability. The best way to make your truck efficient is to replace aging components and change your oil regularly. Find diesel parts for any make and model to get the most out of your workhorse.
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