For many owner operators the love of performance runs deep in their soul, and oftentimes extends to their siblings. Mark Dinslage is one such person. At 58 years old, Mark owns a 2016 Peterbilt 579 powered by an ISX Cummins, tuned by the engineering department at Pittsburgh Power, and runs our Max Mileage Fuel Borne Catalyst to keep his engine and emissions system clean of carbon and soot. Mark has two granddaughters – Kaiya (14) and Kendyll (11) – and they love to go to the drag strip with their grandfather. In fact, they held a sign that says “My Grandpa is faster than yours” in the picture they sent me.
You see, Mark has a 2016 Corvette, painted Sunrise Orange Metallic with black stripes, that has been equipped with an A&A Vortech Supercharger that produces 8.7 pounds of boost and over 700 horsepower. Currently, he races the 1/8-mile track at 7 seconds and 103 mph. This summer he is going to the 1/4-mile track and expects to turn 10.9 seconds at 135 mph. This Vette has an 8-speed automatic transmission, and, during a recent speed run, Mark ran the car up to 177 mph and said it was very stable. He was in 6th gear and had two more gears to go! This summer, he has plans to get the Corvette up to over 200 mph.
Kendyll, the younger of Mark’s two grandchildren, did not want to ride in the Vette with grandpa, stating that it was not a “normal” car. He asked her why she felt that way and she said, “I see how you drive it at the racetrack!” By the way, Mark not only runs the Max Mileage Fuel Borne Catalyst in his Peterbilt, but in the Corvette, as well. The catalyst is very powerful when put in gasoline, and if you are racing where the fuel is standardized, you just might get accused of cheating, so be aware of that.
Changing gears to turbo boost and fuel mileage, I have written about this topic many times since 1989 when I began writing articles for the trucking industry. Whether you call me on the phone or call into the Kevin Rutherford Pittsburgh Power Hour on Tuesdays (Channel 146 on Sirius/XM Radio), I am going to ask you how many pounds of boost your engine produces on the level, with no wind, to pull a load at your given speed. The turbo boost gauge is a good indicator of engine load, and engine load directly affects fuel efficiency.
For example, if you’re pulling a heavy load up a hill, the engine is at high load and using more fuel, regardless of the RPMs. Additionally, boost has gone up concurrently with engine load. Having a boost gauge allows you to see when you are putting any unnecessary load on the engine. By keeping a light foot, you will see the turbo boost drop and mileage increase while maintaining a similar speed. The lower you can keep the boost, the better mileage you will see. At just $92.97 for a boost gauge, it is a very cost-effective way to train your driving habits to obtain better fuel mileage.
Lastly for this month, Pittsburgh Power has joined with DPF Alternatives, a national chain of DPF cleaning service centers, to provide customers with a lifetime warranty on their DPF. Yes, that’s right, a lifetime and unlimited mileage warranty on your DPF. You will never have to worry about your DPF again! You can find all the specific requirements for the program on their web page (www.dpfalternatives.com), which is basically that you will need to have your DPF restored with their proprietary ultrasonic cleaning and then maintain the system components with our Max Mileage FBC.
Even if you’re not interested in the warranty, DPF Alternatives provides some top-notch service for all your emissions system related needs. Their high-tech equipment is designed to wash out the soot and ash from the system without any harm to the catalyst element. That honeycomb structure in your DPF and DOC can become brittle over time, so you don’t want to risk taking it to an inexperienced shop. Visit their website for more information or to find one of their 40 nationwide locations. To see all our available products and services, stop by our shop in Saxonburg, PA, call (724) 360-4080, or visit www.pittsburghpower.com.