been away for a while

Working on board of a commercial ship refurbishing JDM car engines. Chinese parts became a popular option to use in the overhauls because they're cheaper and easier available at the time. Toyota is still prevalent, but this time a handful of Isuzu Fargo passenger vans with the 4FC1 engine are going to Suriname. For the first time I saw a Honda Domani with a diesel engine, Isuzu too. Just finished to change its head gasket.

Just arrived Mozambique. Plenty of old JDM diesel cars here. There is no old-school engine for the Hilux, but the 70-series Land Cruiser still relies on the 1HZ engine. Australian-standards 70-series Land Cruisers with the V8 diesel are not so common but can often be found around Maputo.

Brand new diesel small cars are usually sourced from South Africa.

I'm in Angola right now, and back here it's still possible to buy a Hilux with the nearly indestructible 5L-E engine, reported to be more suitable to dirtier diesel fuels and even better to use vegetable oil as a fuel alternative due to the low-tech indirect injection. A cheaper engine, easier to perform PMS. Only downside it lacks a turbo. Diesel Corollas are not officially available thru Toyota dealers, but can be sourced from Morocco either with the same 1.4 D4-D it spots in Europe or the good ole 2C used in Philippine Corollas before the Altis.

Start-stop system, overcoming hybrids only with diesel power

Taking into account the long idling times at the rush time in EDSA, Roxas Blvd. and many other roadways, the hybrid system appeal to unadviced buyers seeking for lower fuel consumptions. By the other side, there's nothing preventing a vehicle powered only by an internal combustion engine to get an even better efficiency.

Relying on a diesel engine, which has a higher thermal efficiency than any spark-ignition petrol engine, getting an automatic idle-stop system even without any auxiliary electric traction motor, is perfectly possible to achieve higher kmpl figures. Who would need a Prius delivering 21kmpl when a Corolla or a Yaris with a diesel engine could reach from 25 to 30kmpl for a significantly lower price?

Engine swap: the way to overcome difficult to find OEM replacements sa grey market

Many of us enjoy the style and smoothness of Amerikano car, pero fuel efficiency sucks talaga. Diesel swap solves this problem, and also gets advantage sa parts replacement. We see many AUV and vans kay small engines fullfitting performance needs, frequently more loaded than marami trak Amerikano would ever get.

Para sa Chevy Astro van, electronics in the automatic transmission are many times a pain to deal with, so no sorpresa there are complete swaps including engine at transmission sa Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu at ng Mitsubishi sa palibot 2.5-3.0litre.

Full-size SUV type katulad Chevy Tahoe/Suburban are possible receivers sa Diesel, pero bigger ones provide more suitable torque even while small ones under 3-litre are providing each times higher power. I performed myself a handful sucessful engine swaps using mainly Isuzu 4HF1 sa NPR, surplus Toyota 14B sa Daihatsu Delta/Toyota Dyna, and very few ones kay entire drivelines buhat sa Nissan Patrol Safari. Old TD42 inline-six was one of the best engines to use, pero ngayon malaganap ZD30 shared with Urvan Escapade being shorter can easily fit in engine bays each time tighter dahil sa comfort features like aircon, power steering, anti-lock brakes, sa gitna ng others. Automatic transmission available sa Patrol Safari is better than re-use OEM units sa Amerikano, pagka't yung torque converter ay na designed para sa torque input in a lower revving engine. Even in a 4-speed layout, fuel efficiency advantages are not so far from what a heavier 6-speed currently fitted in many full-size American rigs would do.

4WD: it's always better to enjoy with (bio)diesel

Extreme environments usually demand engines to show toughness at its best, so diesel is the best answer.

No matter if it's for leisure or work, greatest aptitude to meet many different terrains and weather conditions is a major advantage sa diesel.

A good example is the Jeep Wrangler: its OEM petrol engines have large power and even torque, pero diesel engines usually supplied by Isuzu like the C240 and the 4JB1 match it better sa tough terrain ng bayan.

Other great example is Nissan Patrol: extremely powerful petrol engines above 4-litre are available sa Middle East, walang dito sa Pinas currently only a 3-litre diesel 4-cylinder ZD30 ay available. Doesn't feel underpowered at all...

Sometimes, absence of diesel engines is pointed as a reason to the end of the line to the Hummer...

Pictures sourced sa http://engineeringworkarounds.blogspot.com/
http://dzulnutz.blogspot.com/

Ethanol/Gasohol in diesel engine, what to consider about

Ethanol mix in regular gasoline, hence called Gasohol, varies usually from the more conservative E5 (5% ethanol) up to E25 (25% ethanol, available regularly in Brazil, not even during the entire year, with limited availability in Paraguay too). Since there is not too much lubricity neither in gasoline or ethanol, they are not recommended to be constantly used in a diesel engine, pero sa emergency is acceptable. To avoid damages to the injection pump, considering a mechanical injection (assuming CRDi engines doesn't tollerate gasoline since electronic modules don't provide an injection tuning pattern for it), supplementary lube blend into fuel is extremely recommended, like it's done in a 2-stroke spark-ignited engine.

Ethanol has presented greater results in compression-ignition engines than gasoline, and is widely used in Sweden to power urban transit buses.

Direct injection is a must while operating ethanol in a diesel engine, since its higher volatility would lead to pre-ignition inside prechambers in an IDI.

What the advantages from a turbocharger into a Diesel engine?

More air getting into the engine improves the combustion, reducing the soot amount. It does help while driving thru high lands too, due to the intake pressure increasing.

Formspring doesn't feed Blogger anymore but I've felt should share this. In a simple way, GO TURBO!!!

I'm on a boat!

Gone fishing some bangus, now heading to Palawan island. 1st xperience sa smartphone, might buy one to ease contacts walang offshore.

Toyota: bring Diesel Corolla back to the Philippines

10 years ago, when the first Corolla Altis was released, it had the 2C Diesel engine phased out. Meanwhile, in many other markets there are still Diesels available for the Corolla. In Europe, the D4-D series with direct injection, turbocharging and intercooler made its way, while the old 2C prechamber, naturally-aspirated and full-mechanical design remained on less emissions-enforced countries. Currently, in India the Corolla is fitted with the 1.4 D4-D while in Pakistan the 2C is still the only Diesel available. In the Philippines, the D4-D can be perceived as expensive, thus unattractive, while the 2C is still beloved by many owners and commercial operators. There are still many customers who would consider to get a new Corolla if there was still Diesel engine available. No wonder I've seen Hyundai i30 and Ford Focus in considerable numbers.

Direct or Indirect: different injection setups, each one with its own advantages

The adaptability of the Diesel cycle to some alternative fuels like biodiesel , pure vegetable oils (either straight or waste) and ethanol is already known, but due to specific characteristics of each fuel, different fuel injection systems are most suitable for each application.

Indirect injection, more used in older engines, usually has higher combustion temperatures, which are better to handle a vegetable oil due to the amount of glycerin, that is harder to burn completely and thus taken away from biodiesel. Prechamber design also has lower injection pressures, what leads a cheaper hardware to have a satisfactory performance. In the Philippines, it basically remains on the market in older models such as the Mitsubishi L300, Hyundai H100 and Nissan Urvan Escapade.


Direct injection requires higher pressures to get a proper combustion because of the lower temperatures demanding a smaller contact surface between the fuel and the hot compressed air inside the combustion chambers. An advantage from this setup, by the other side, is a reduction in NOx emissions, what Diesels are hardly blamed for.




Ang kaya sa pagbagay ng diesel cycle sa ilang mga alternatibo fuels katulad biodiesel, purong langis ng gulayin (alinman diretsong o basurang) at ethanol na tinatawag, ngunit dahil tukoy na mga katangian sa bawat gasolina, magkakaibang mga sistema ng gasolina iniksyon ay karamihan-naaangkop para sa bawat application.


Indirekta iniksyon, mas ginamit sa mga lumang engine, kadalasan ay may mas mataas na temperatura ng pagkasunogna mga mas mabuting upang pangasiwaan ang sa isang gulay langis angkop sa ang dami ng gliserin, na mahirap sumilab sa kumpleto at kaya dadalhin ang palayo sa biodiesel. Prechamber disenyo din ay may mas mababang pressures iniksyon, kung anong humahantong ng mas mura hardware na magkaroon ng maimis pagganap. Sa Pilipinas, nanatiling talaga nito sa merkado sa mas lumang mga modelo tulad ng Mitsubishi L300, Hyundai H100 at Nissan Urvan Escapade.
 
Direct iniksyon ay nangangailangan ng mas mataas pressures makakuha ng maayos pagkasunog dahilan sa ang mas mababa mga temperatura demanding isang mas maliliit na balat ng contact pagitan ng gasolina at ang hot compressed air sa loob pagkasunog kamara. Ang isang bentahe sa setup na ito, pamamagitan ng iba pang mga panig, ay isang pagbaba NOx emissions, ano ang Diesels ay para bagang blamed sa mga.

new project in mind, retrofit a Diesel engine in a light motorcycle

I have some interests in motorcycles for a long time, and after a recent trip to China last month this has grown um on me stronger. I'm seriously considering to buy a motorcycle, but for budget reasons it must be a compact one, in a displacement range no bigger than 400cc.

Actually, after a few sucessful Diesel engine retrofits into some Honda VT600C, Yamaha Virago, Suzuki M800 and even into a Harley-Davidson Sportster, now I want my own Diesel motorcycle. Altough I'm currently very busy to focus on this personal project, might be starting it in a few months.

A personal reflection about alternatives to the Mid-East oil imports

Since '73, after an Arab-Israeli war known as Yom Kippur war when a coalition led by Egypt attacked Israel at the Forgiveness Day (one of the most important Jewish holidays) which Israeli Defense Forces promptly responded, the Islamic oil traders impose their terror agenda to an apathetical world that prefers to rely on a cheap fossil energy resource instead of investing in the research for cleaner fuels.

It's not so unusual to meet fellow Philippine workers who went to the Arab lands looking for jobs that pay better than in the Philippines, altough working conditions are harder and their Christian beliefs are usually persecuted. It's not so unusual for the Islamic contractors to mandate their overseas non-Muslim workers to avoid eat or drink water at the daylight during Ramadan, a rule that actually should be followed by Muslims only, altough now some clerics allow the Muslim workers to drink water because of the high temperatures there, often beyond the 50°C. When there were only non-Muslim craftsmen dying at the jobsite they really didn't care at all...

A high price is paid for the Arab oil, financing the death of innocent people who would have an opportunity in their own homeland if biofuels were taken more seriously. The only problem is the lack of politic willing to change the povertry status-quo. For the Philippines there is a wide range of possibilities, not just improving the economy but also social and environmental standards.

Instead of spending money with overseas oil that costs the life of Pinoy workers, either vegetable-based or animal fat-based fuels and lubes could improve our energy safety and generate job opportunities and income in our own homeland for our kababayans who wouldn't need to search for a death trap outside our own borders. Also, it's a chance to reduce the starvation: for example, if there were some "sea farms" like the Chilean "haciendas marinas" raising fish that could have its oil (mainly concentrated in the liver of some fish species) processed into lube and heavy fuels (and some of its entrails turned into glue for industrial applications), the carcasses would be a good protein source while some byproducts of the industrial processing could be turned into agricultural fertilizers. It's worth to note that fish usually have a better organic matter-to-protein conversion ratio than poultry or cattle.

Some of the shanty towns and squats around our main cities and municipalities could actually be turned into green belts, replacing the enormous amounts of sheds with some 4-story buildings more widely spaced between, increasing the air flow around and the natural thermal regulation while also leaving space for some small plantations (country-chicken raising can be held alongside, contributing to a biological pest control and increasing the profitability of the operation) that can go from staple foods like yam, sweet potato, cassava, banana and pineapple to oilseeds like castorbean and Jatropha, that can be easily turned into biodiesel and motor oil - the byproducts of its processing can also be turned into organic agricultural fertilizer, therefore another job-creation opportunity to improve both economic and social development.

It can be considered only a daydream by many people, but that's what I honestly think about a better way to deal with energy and food safety.

I'm back

I had been away from the Philippines for a while, working overseas in fishing vessels, and didn't have too many time to update the blog. At least I've had some time to try fish liver oils as an alternative fuel, with outstanding results as an alternative to get lower particulate matter emissions in 2-stroke marine diesels.

Ako ay naging palayo sa Pilipinas para samantalang, nagsusumikap sa ibayong dagat nasa vessels ng isda, at hindi masyadong maraming oras sa update ang blog. Hindi bababa ko nang may ilang panahon na subukan ang mga langis isda otoy tulad ng kahalili pampaningas, na sa natitirang mga resulta ng bilang kahaliling upang makuha mas mababa particulate bagay emissions 2-stroke pandagat diesels.