HEADLINES: Greg A. Joins The 3,000HP Club
Engines making AND living at 3,000 hp, the importance of turbo safety, a race truck revival, and Cummins goes back on the emissions hot seat.
When we saw Greg Alberalla’s ’05 Dodge going together back in February, we knew it would have a chance of clearing 3,000-rwhp by the time it was running. What we didn’t anticipate happening was the truck pulling off the feat just a few weeks later. Over the weekend, and after getting the full MoTeC treatment at S&S Diesel Motorsport, Greg A.’s Freedom Racing Engines-powered third-gen laid down 3,059 hp aboard the (U.C.C.) Northwest Dyno Series’ mobile SuperFlow at FP Truck Fest. With only a handful of trucks part of the 3,000hp club, you could say the WrenchWorkz team is in very good company. Our first question: how much more is left in this setup? Because you know they won’t be stopping there.
Drag Racing
Wrecked To Racing Again
Remember the Cummins-powered, “Crazy Horse” Ford that appeared all but obliterated in a crash last fall? It’s back. And if you thought Nathan Wheeler was going to pull the plug and walk away, you were sorely mistaken. His 2010 F-250 has been in the care of Truck Source Diesel since the wreck and, once it receives a new wrap, it’ll be ready to race again. S&S fueling, a big Hart’s turbo, multiple stages of Nitrous Outlet giggle gas, and a Rossler TH400 remain part of the puzzle, but without question the toughest piece is the driver. Kudos to Nathan for shaking off the mishap and getting back behind the wheel.
Pushing The Limits
This Is Why Turbo Safety Is So Important
Apex Diesel recently served up an educational dose of why turbo safety is so vital in the modern era of diesel performance, where horsepower numbers keep finding new ceilings. Especially in sled pulling applications, where wastegates often aren’t employed, overspeed is always a threat when engines and parts are living on the ragged edge each pass. Hence the reason why Apex is now building turbine cross guards into its V-band assemblies. It’s a design that keeps the exhaust wheel contained within the housing should it decide to check out. Such wasn’t the case here, as the older, cross bolt (2-inches or more behind the housing) solution was in place, and actually allowed a piece of the turbine wheel to escape.
What Keeps Pistons Alive In 3,000 HP Diesel Engines?
In a time not that long ago, keeping pistons alive in high-horsepower engines for 30 to 40 drag strip passes was unheard of. Now it’s possible, and in a recent video with Total Seal Rings, Jeremy Wagler of Wagler Competiton Products explains why. His remedy was multi-faceted but began with allowing the engine’s valve reliefs to exist in the head(s) and not the Ross Racing pistons he uses. This keeps fuel off of the cylinder wall—fuel which previously would work itself down the side of the pistons and into the ring packs. Different honing techniques and guidelines also played a key role in the improvement in piston reliability. You can watch the complete, highly informative video here.
Emissions
Cummins Settles With CARB Regarding Nissan Titan XD Clean Air Violations
On the heels of Cummins’ December settlement with the EPA (to the tune of $1.675 billion), the Columbus, Indiana based engine maker has settled with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) over alleged emission violations in Nissan Titan XD’s equipped with the 5.0L V-8. CARB and the Department of Justice maintain that Cummins made software changes to roughly 120,000 engines intended for 2016-2019 model year Titan XD trucks in California after CARB had certified the engines for sale. The undisclosed, unauthorized auxiliary emission control devices (AECDs) are alleged to have decreased the effectiveness of the vehicle’s emission control systems. The settlement will cost Cummins $46 million.
Written by Mike McGlothlin
