Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
It sounds good but seems funny the guys who's job it is at Cummins to improve efficiency can't figure that stuff out.
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If an engine manufacturer could deliver the most efficient engine taking into account a lot of external sources, and other pieces, forums such as this would NOT exist..
Every single engine ever made by a manufacturer can be improved upon with aftermarket parts and tuning available.
Pulling a Cummins apart, and rebuilding it to improve V.E. (Basic porting / balancing) will increase its fuel economy greatly, extra parts such as lighter pistons with shorter skirts, removal of parasitic external forces on the engine, transmission improvements, exhaust and inlet improvements all GREATLY enhance fuel economy and can at the same time REDUCE emissions...however, they are costly to perform in the factory, and even more costly in the aftermarket..
Bulk manufacturers are run by bean counters...NOT by the engineers and designers...
I guarantee Cummins could build a 20% more efficient engine without trying too hard...just the cost increases of 40-50% per engine would make that engine unjustifiable..And training the half educated mechanical geniuses in most facilities to service a much higher tech engine with tighter tolerances would be nigh on impossible.
I am looking at simply changing some bolt on equipment, introducing an extra fuel/combustion enhancement (Water in its own right acts in this area!, but is not commercially viable to sell as most fleets are not interested in the training required to give to the drivers).
I am hopeful after introduction of the engine enhancements and tuning, that we may be able to do away with the DPF and Add Blue (Urea) components as well, and still pass the ADR mandated emissions tests...this would further free up more hp..and thus with some potential detuning (RPM limitation or fuel reduction or simple boost reduction (Might have a negative effect on VE reducing boost however)) we should gain significant fuel economy.
However, before I get ahead of myself or ahead of empirical testing results, I am here on a forum like this to obtain as many more ideas as possible, and to ensure I dont go off on any tangents (EG chasing the proverbial Unicorn due to a good sales pitch from some internet savvy salesperson!)
I apologize if I come across harshly, but I know many others get frustrated by naysayers who believe manufacturers are the only people on the world who can improve mileage..and I am VERY surprised to find such a person on a forum such as this.