Automotive Articles

As a remanufacturer of heavy-duty diesel engines, Capital Reman has nearly seen it all when it comes to engine failures. We’ve talked to thousands of customers who rely on Capital Reman to replace a failed engine, and have maintained notes over time regarding the nature of failures based on various makes and model of engines. ... read more »

When installing a newly remanufactured long block there are several things to be mindful of to ensure success and longevity of the engine. The most successful installations are performed by qualified shops and/or technicians ... read more »

It is a surprise that Volkswagen hasn't blamed Rudolf Christian Diesel for their recent woes as if he hadn’t invented the damned diesel engine they wouldn’t have had to cheat the emission figures. What is not in doubt is that the man was an engineering genius.

Diesel was born in Paris in 1858 to Bavarian immigrants but when he was 12 years old his parents were forced to flee France because of the Franco-Prussian war. They settled in London but soon after Diesel was dispatched to live with his uncle and aunt in Augsburg, a relatively small Bavarian city, best known for being the birthplace of Mozart’s parents.

The purpose of this was so that Diesel could become fluent in German whilst being educated at Königliche Kreis-Gewerbeschule (Royal Circle Vocational College), where his uncle taught math. ... read more »

Short Blocks are a non-running engine. They consist of an engine block, crankshaft and connecting rods. A short block however does not consist of a cylinder head, liners, gaskets, rings a timed gear-train or any kind of ancillary parts including the fuel system. Advantages: Short blocks are great for customers who have a non-cracked cylinder head but an un-useable crankshaft. Usually when a crankshaft spins a bearing the entire engine seizes up also ruining the head. Customers with a workable head can save a great deal of time and money just opting for a new block/crankshaft combo. ... read more »

Technology is progressing at an ever increasing rate. The future is now! It seems you can’t go a day without reading about robots, self driving cars or even the new Hyperloop projects which will transport people hundreds of miles in mere minutes. Many of those in the automotive and transportation sectors believe diesel engines best days are behind them. A team of scientists however believe there is still use left for the diesel engines in the world of tomorrow. A team of researchers at Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland are working on a different fuel source for the engines known as Dimethyl Ether (DME). DME is a biofuel derived from methane. Methane is commonly captured from decomposing organic material, agriculture, waste and coal and reused as a fuel source. DME is viewed as a clean diesel fuel source and will be able to be used with existing diesel engines. ... read more »

Legendary diesel engine manufacturer, Cummins Inc., has unveiled a revolutionary electric powered semi-truck prototype. The declaration comes just weeks before Tesla’s anticipated announcement of their own electric tractor trailer. The Cummins electric semi-truck will be regarded as a Class 7 Heavy Duty Truck Cab with 140 kWh battery pack. ... read more »

This translates into an engine that produces more horsepower and torque per gallon of fuel than a traditional powered gas engine. The announcement is thrilling environmental activists as this means less harmful emissions output per engine as well as less trips to gas station. Diesel engines for passenger vehicles have been widely popular in Europe years but not so much in the American market. Diesels have the perception of being noisy and polluters. The VW Dieselgate Scandal only further solidified the anti-diesel attitude in America. This new gas powered engine would allow all of the advantages of diesel minus any of the image problems. Some industry analysts have speculated that the only drawback could be the safety concerns with regards to fuel leaks through the cylinders. With diesel it is non-flammable unless it is compressed however a raw gasoline leak on the block or valves could potentially cause major engine fires. Hopefully, Mazda engineers have addressed this issue but this technology is in its infancy. Mazda is proactively thinking about its place in the automotive marketplace of the future. The company announced a plan to build electric cars with rival automaker Toyota. Mazda believes that both traditional combustion engines as well as electric engines will be the lay of the land for the foreseeable future. ... read more »

We here at Capital Reman are experts at grinding and remanufacturing diesel crankshafts. Crankshaft grinding consists of removing a minute amount of finished material from the rod and main journals to rebuild the part back to OEM spec. The full 25 step crankshaft remanufacturing process is quite intensive but is critical to complete engine rebuild. This article will explain the main components of a crankshaft’s design as well as the finer points of crankshaft remanufacturing. ... read more »

A brand new diesel engine running at full load will experience a little bit of blow-by upon startup. Blow-by is a condition where diesel fuel, air and vapor are pushed past the rings into the crankcase of the engine. Correct pressure should be maintained in the cylinder chamber in order for proper combustion to occur. In a new diesel engine the rings need time to seat properly and develop an air-tight seal. After a short period of break-in hours under load, the blow-by problem should correct itself. Consequently, a proper running diesel engine should produce no visible smoke from the exhaust. If there is smoke coming from the exhaust it could indicate a more serious problem with the engine. This article will help diagnose the underlying causes of diesel engine smoke. ... read more »

The diesel engine industry has encountered many changes over the past 20 years or with the advent of the EPA Tier Emissions Regulations on first enacted in 1994. Since then, the regulations and standards of allowable NOx emissions have gotten more strict thus forcing engine manufacturers to make drastic engineering changes to their products. The early years were difficult for the manufactures as emissions technology was often cumbersome, prone to maintenance issues and expensive. However, the DPF, EGR and SCR systems have all gotten much better as the major players in the industry learned to adapt. ... read more »

More than 5 months ago the State of Colorado made history with the debut of the first self-driving tractor trailer test drive in the U.S. The test paired up infamous beer produce Budweiser with Uber Technologies. The tractor trailer was packed with 50,000 beers and drove successfully from Fort Collins, CO to Colorado Springs, CO a trip that encompassed over 120 miles. The journey was accompanied by the Highway Patrol and encountered no problems. ... read more »

The life blood of any diesel engine is lubrication. A good diesel engine can go bad very quickly due to lack of oil. Long before oil enters the engine the assembly grease is the first line of defense against friction that can damage the engine upon startup. This article will explain the various methodologies to applying assembly grease and the best types of lubricants to use during the engine building process. ... read more »

The future is now! Uber Technologies Inc. and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV have teamed up to test the joint venture’s first self-driving semi truck. Recently the company was permitted to test its driverless truck on a stretch of I-25 in Colorado. The tractor trailer was the first in history to make a commercial shipment without a driver. ... read more »

Our good friend "Adept Ape" who is a master engine builder and YouTube Blogger recently released a video breaking down the various reasons why diesel engines last so much longer than gasoline engines. Let's dive in and discuss the three major reasons why diesel engines are so durable: ... read more »

In the automotive industry there are really two options when it comes replacement parts: OEM and Aftermarket Parts. We all know those guys that are die hard OEM people. They will swear to their dying day that OEM parts are vastly superior to their Aftermarket counter parts. They tell tales of “that one time” they got a sensor, gasket or O-Ring from a local auto parts supplier that didn’t fit quite right or failed right away. Expletives fly from their mouth at a rate of 1000 exploding suns as they go on and on about the horrible ordeal and cost them bookoo bucks. That’s all fine and well but what is the real truth? ... read more »