Posts Tagged ‘lubricants distributor denver’

This is a great article discussing the recent claims by Navistar that their advanced EGR engines have the best overall ‘fluid economy’.  This has set off a fire storm in the industry, with most fingers pointing back to Navistar for less than spectacular testing methods.

Daimler Responds to Navistar ‘Fluid Economy’ Claim

By Jack Roberts

Daimler Trucks North America and Volvo Trucks North America on Thursday, July 22, issued a sharp condemnation of a “fluid economy” road test commissioned by Navistar comparing the performance of trucks equipped with selective catalytic reduction and trucks equipped with exhaust gas reduction technology to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide.

Navistar is the only U.S. heavy-duty truck manufacturer to use an “EGR only” solution to meet stringent 2010 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations limiting the amount of pollutants a diesel truck engine can emit into the atmosphere. All other North American engine manufacturers have elected to use SCR technology, which sprays hot diesel exhaust gas with a urea-based diesel exhaust fluid. The resulting chemical reaction removes virtually all NOx from the exhaust gas stream. In contrast, EGR systems continually recirculate exhaust gas into the engine’s combustion chamber, where NOx is burned up.

The new regulations, which came into effect this year, allow only .02 grams of NOx to be present in exhaust leaving a diesel engine. SCR systems meet this current standard, while Navistar’s EGR-only engines currently emit .05 grams of NOx into the atmosphere. Technically, this amount of NOx is in excess of the EPA standard, but Navistar has bankrolled a large number of EPA emissions “credits,” which reward the manufacturer for its early compliance and superior performance in meeting 2007 emissions regulations. Navistar repeatedly has declined to say when these emissions credits while expire, but they insist that their EGR-only engines will be able to meet the current standard when they do.

Earlier in the week, Navistar announced that it was challenging claims by its competitors that diesel trucks equipped with SCR were achieving notably improved fuel economy with a series of side-by-side tests carried out by the Transportation Research Center of East Liberty, Ohio. The center used “fluid economy” as its measuring stick – in essence, tracking the consumption of both DEF and diesel fuel as a means for determining diesel engine efficiency and performance. Click herefor a full report on the Navistar test.

Responding to the Navistar test today, Freightliner issued the following statement: “The credibility or validity of the test published by Navistar cannot be judged without revelation of more details. We run stringent fuel economy tests at Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), which are both accurate and substantiated. We test back-to-back componentry, which is comparable from both a truck and an engine perspective. Ratings, displacements, truck configuration and more are matched to achieve valid results. The combination chosen by our competitor does not comply with these basic premises for proper engineering work and thus doesn’t provide a trustworthy result.

“The 440-mile test run by our competitor is not appropriate for testing modern EPA 2010-compliant trucks. Running such a short distance test tampers with the outcome by calibrating regeneration intervals to occur immediately before and immediately after the test is completed. DTNA’s BlueTec Detroit Diesel engines regenerate after thousands of miles, not hundreds of miles. The longer the test, the more realistic the results and the closer they are to what a customer would experience in real-world operations. DTNA has built more than 3,000 EPA 2010-compliant Cascadias with DD15 engines, and more than 2,000 full production vehicles are currently running every day in customer fleets. Numerous customers running real-life tests had completely different results, and they have found Freightliner to be the best solution.

“In order to get a truly accurate and reliable comparison between vehicles, the use of comparable products with equivalent drivetrain components is a must. We’re eagerly anticipating acquiring an EPA 2010-certified series production 12.4L MaxxForce engine in order to run our own comparison study.

“In the end, customers have voted loud and clear for Daimler’s BlueTec solution. Daimler Trucks North America has logged more than 25,000 EPA 2010 SCR-equipped orders. We are unaware of any announcements made by Navistar on their sales track record in this category to date.

“It is neither appropriate nor credible to compare the 12.4L MaxxForce ‘mystery’ engine with proven technology available in the market. A statement by J.P. Morgan issued just yesterday in an investor guidance statement picked up on public websites effectively refutes Navistar inferences from the study. In it, J.P. Morgan clearly articulates ‘the apples-and-oranges flaw in the comparison and questions Navistar’s intent in commissioning the study.’ We agree with that statement.”

To further support its position, DTNA cited recent findings from a workshop co-hosted by EPA and the California Air Resources Board:

• Data collected by DTNA and reported to agencies for compliance certification of its Detroit Diesel engines with BlueTec emissions systems comes after completion of more than 30 million test miles, including several million customer freight-hauling miles in DTNA EPA2010 trucks;
• DTNA’s EPA2010 trucks have been built on the assembly line in full production mode since the beginning of 2010, and to date, Freightliner has built more than 3,000 EPA2010-compliant Cascadias with DD15 engines. More than 2,000 DTNA EPA2010-compliant trucks are running in customer fleets already, with customer orders for more than 25,000 EPA10 vehicles to date, including 16,565 Freightliner-brand trucks;
• DTNA’s BlueTec emissions systems operate as designed, meeting federal and state air quality standards that reduce particulate matter and nitrogen oxides to near-zero levels without the use of credits;
• DTNA testing and customer experiences also validate that DEF refilling inducements work to consistently and effectively keep each DTNA vehicle operating in compliance with 2010 emissions standards; and
• The company will not comment on technologies manufactured or actions taken by other companies

About Pynergy Petroleum Company

Pynergy Petroleum Company was founded in August 1999 when it acquired three Conoco Branded retail locations in the Denver, CO area.  Since then, Pynergy has been devoted to providing high quality fuels, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, equipment and service to the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.  Please visit us at www.pynergypetroleum.com

For release: Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc has introduced its new 12,000-lbs GVWR

NPR ECO-MAX low cab forward truck, offering up to 20% improved fuel economy and increased payload capacity compared to previous NPR models.

The new 2011 model year truck is powered by Isuzu’s next-generation 4JJ1-TC diesel engine, which has operated globally in Isuzu’s N-Series models for the last five years. The 4J engine family dates back to 1984 and is the highest volume engine produced by Isuzu. This is the first time the engine will be utilized in the U.S. market.

The turbocharged, 4-cylinder, 3-liter engine delivers 150 horsepower and 282 lbs.-ft torque. The 4J engine is 2010 EPA and CARB OBD compliant. It offers a B10 engine life rating of 310,000 miles, which means 90 percent of the engines should reach this mileage before needing an overhaul. The engine is mated to an Aisin heavy-duty, six-speed automatic transmission with double overdrive and lockup PTO function.

“The NPR ECO-MAX is the result of Isuzu’s commitment to help our environment by significantly reducing emissions and fuel usage,” said Shaun Skinner, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc. “This truck is a product of our SEE design philosophy, which stands for Safety, Economy and Environment. This model has been specifically created to reduce the cost of ownership while meeting the world’s most stringent emissions requirements. We accomplished this without sacrificing performance, durability, or operating costs. Due to its broad torque curve, power density and 6-speed transmission, the NPR ECO-MAX has shown better hill climbing ability than the model it replaces. It’s also up to

170 lbs. lighter, so it offers increased payload capacity. We expect this unit to deliver enhanced productivity, minimum downtime and the lowest operating cost in the Class 3 truck segment.”

The cab of the NPR ECO-MAX is the same size as the previous NPR and offers 3-across seating. The cab tilts for easier servicing of the engine and transmission.

Wheelbase choices of 110 inches, 134 inches and 151 inches accommodate bodies up to 16 feet in length.

In addition to the NPR ECO-MAX, Isuzu is also pleased to introduce the 2011 model year NPR-HD (14,500 lbs GVWR), NQR (17,950 lbs GVWR) and NRR (19,500 lbs GVWR) models. These higher GVWR N-series models will be powered by a heavily revised version of the 5.2L 4HK1-TC engine first introduced in the 2005 model year. For 2011, the 4HK features increased power output (from 205 to 210 hp with an automatic transmission, and from 175 to 190hp with manual transmission) and up to 8% better fuel economy. Like the 4JJ1-TC engine powering the new NPR ECO-MAX, this revised 4HK1 engine is both EPA 2010 and CARB HD-OBD emissions compliant.

“Isuzu’s 2011 N-Series will be the only low cab forward trucks available for sale this year that meet the EPA’s 2010 emissions requirement with not only one engine but two engines,” Skinner added. “Isuzu is proud to introduce a product that meets the world’s most stringent emissions standards while reducing our customer’s cost of ownership through significantly improved vehicle fuel economy”.

To help reduce operating costs further, Isuzu’s exclusive Data Recording Module can provide a Vehicle Health Report showing the condition of the engine, transmission, emission system and brakes, plus fuel economy and driver operating habits. A new Multi-Information Display on the dashboard shows the driver real-time engine and truck operational performance data at a glance.

Isuzu’s 2011 model N-series product line uses selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to achieve the 2010 EPA emission standards. SCR is an after-treatment technology that involves injecting Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) (a water-based solution containing urea) into the hot exhaust stream of an engine. This Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), working with a catalyst in the exhaust after-treatment system, breaks down harmful oxides of nitrogen (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water vapor.

Isuzu’s N-series trucks feature large panoramic windows that provide exceptional visibility for driver safety. The low cab forward design affords unsurpassed maneuverability. For the 2011 model year, wheel cut angles have been increased to 50 degrees, to provide a curb-to-curb turning circle diameter as little as 31.5 feet.

To extend durability, the cab has rust and corrosion protection provided by galvanized steel panels, electro-deposit paint primer and enamel paint topcoat. Unitary construction and strong reinforcements add to cab durability and safety.

Isuzu opened 2011 model year N-Series ordering on Monday, March 1, 2010. Isuzu’s N-diesel models are available from the factory in a variety of exterior cab colors: Arc White (standard), Wheatland Yellow, Woodland Green, Cardinal Red, Dark Blue and Ebony Black II.

Isuzu low cab forward trucks are distributed through 260 Isuzu truck dealers nationwide. Isuzu trucks have been the best-selling low cab forward brand in the U.S. every year since 1986.

About Pynergy Petroleum Company

Pynergy Petroleum Company was founded in August 1999 when it acquired three Conoco Branded retail locations in the Denver, CO area.  Since then, Pynergy has been devoted to providing high quality fuels, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, equipment and service to the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.  Please visit us at www.pynergypetroleum.com

PORTLAND, Ore. – Penske Truck Leasing has placed an order for 750 Freightliner Cascadias with the company’s BlueTec selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, Daimler Trucks North America has announced.

DTNA points out the purchase makes Freightliner the majority supplier of EPA2010-compliant tractors to Penske Truck Leasing.

The order includes: 50 Cascadia 113-inch single-axle day cab tractors equipped with Detroit Diesel DD13 engines; 450 Cascadia 125-inch tandem-axle day cab tractors equipped with DD13engines; and 250 Cascadia 125-inch tractors with a 72-inch raised roof and Detroit Diesel DD15 engines.

Penske previously ordered 132 Freightliner Business Class M2 medium-duty trucks with SCR-equipped Cummins engines and 50 Freightliner Cascadia tractors with a mix of Cummins ISX, Detroit Diesel DD13 and DD15 engines, Daimler announced.

“Based on our own research and field testing, we determined that SCR emissions technology was the right fit for Penske and our customers to comply with the 2010 standards,” said Marc Althen, senior vice-president, administration and procurement for Penske. “And, when coupled with the advanced performance of the Cascadia, our customers get a powerful and efficient business tool that positively impacts their bottom line.”

“We are pleased to build upon our long-term relationship with Penske Truck Leasing by supplying the majority of their 2010 solution,” added Mark Lampert, senior vice-president, sales and marketing for Daimler Trucks North America.

About Pynergy Petroleum Company

Pynergy Petroleum Company was founded in August 1999 when it acquired three Conoco Branded retail locations in the Denver, CO area.  Since then, Pynergy has been devoted to providing high quality fuels, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, equipment and service to the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.  Please visit us at www.pynergypetroleum.com

Transformers: Women And The Automotive Industry

Maddy Dychtwald, 05.18.10, 05:00 PM EDT

Women buy 52% of all new cars and influence more than 85% of car sales. So why aren’t the car dealerships paying attention?

You don’t have to look far to find women who have had a bad car buying experience.

“One of my colleagues was buying a car recently, and she became more and more irritated because the car salesman was talking only to her husband,” says Mary Lou Quinlan of Just Ask a Woman, a marketing consultancy targeting women. “So she said, ‘You know, I feel like you’re not paying any attention to what I say.’” The car salesman, surprised, insisted he was paying attention to her. “Oh yeah?” she replied. “What’s my name?” The dealer–who had made a point of using her husband’s name repeatedly–was speechless.

It’s true. Women buy 52% of all new cars sold in the U.S., influence more than 85% of all car purchases and are the fastest growing segment of buyers for new and used cars. All told, women have full or partial say over a staggering $80 billion worth of spending on cars.

But car dealerships do a terrible job communicating with women. Seventy-four percent of women say they feel misunderstood by car marketers.

“The auto industry today is in trouble, and automakers are struggling so hard,” says Jody DeVere, president and CEO of Ask Patty, a site staffed by women car experts who advise other women on car purchases and service. “Yet they’re only doing lip service to women in terms of marketing and selling. When what they need to do is change, and create an environment where women don’t equate buying a car or getting it serviced with going to the dentist.”

It’s an industry that’s owned and operated by men. Some 95% of the country’s 20,000 auto dealers belonging to the National Automobile Dealers Association are male. And it shows.

“It’s a very male culture. They’re family businesses, and they’ve been owned by men for a long time, so that’s part of the culture,” says DeVere. As part of her job she travels around the country, training car salesmen to build better relationships with women. She’s used to the boys’ club vibe–she worked in the male-dominated technology industry for years before moving to the automotive industry in 2000. She became president of the Women’s Automotive Association International, and later launched AskPatty.com.

Still, she wasn’t prepared for the locker-room antics of car salesmen. During one training presentation to a large group of salesmen recently, she explained the importance of careful listening with women customers. “Men and women communicate differently and can misunderstand cues and singles,” she said. “Men need to learn how to listen, and why. It makes women trust you and creates a relationship.” Meanwhile, a group of salesmen in the back was whispering, shuffling papers and giggling.

“When the Q&A time came, they asked me inappropriate questions, which I’m used to. I used humor to deal with it.” At the end, she cleaned up the literature and found the men, all in their 40s, had drawn crude cartoons of her with labels like “Manhater.com.”

She was angry at first but then thought, “at least the management is smart enough to know they have a problem and they need me.” Two weeks later she received a surprise gift–a $275 Mercedes-Benz branded handbag she’d mentioned during the speech. The note read, “Dear Patty: Just wanted you to know that some of us were really listening.”

Isn’t it nice to know that the day is coming when the guys in the front of the room–the ones who sent her the handbag, the ones who sincerely want to listen to women with respect–will get their reward?

Car dealers don’t have to offer cookies and manicures to improve the buying experience. The most important thing they can do is change the way they listen, DeVere says. “Women like to tell stories. We don’t talk in bullet points. When I come in to get my car serviced, I want to tell you the whole history. But men tend to interrupt and cut to the chase, and that makes me feel bad, like they’re not respecting me. Men need to learn how to listen,” she says. Not because it’s polite, but because real listening will sell more cars.

Can small changes, like better listening, really help? Marti Barletta thinks so. “When you’re starting from zero, doing even a little bit to appeal to women in general can make a huge impact. That first 20% of your effort will get you 80% of your value. Most companies are not even in the beginning of the curve.”

From the book: Influence: How Women’s Economic Power Will Transform Our World For The Better by Maddy Dychtwald with Christine Larson. © 2010 Maddy Dychtwald. Published by arrangement with VOICE, an imprint of Hyperion Books.

About Pynergy Petroleum Company

Pynergy Petroleum Company was founded in August 1999 when it acquired three Conoco Branded retail locations in the Denver, CO area.  Since then, Pynergy has been devoted to providing high quality fuels, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, equipment and service to the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.  Please visit us at www.pynergypetroleum.com

Susan McGinnis anchors this afternoon’s Clean Skies News Energy Report from Washington, DC.
On the program:- After months of delay, Sen.’s John Kerry and Joe Lieberman reveal their Senate climate bill. Clean Skies news talks with Sen. Kerry. Click here for the entire interview.- Congressman Henry Waxman says that his energy committee’s investigation into the Gulf oil spill reveals that a key safety device, the blowout preventer, had a leak in a crucial hydraulic system that probably made it inoperable.- EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard says she will present a document within weeks showing how Europe can move to a 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.- Google buys a nearly $40 million stake in two North Dakota wind farms.

About Pynergy Petroleum Company

Pynergy Petroleum Company was founded in August 1999 when it acquired three Conoco Branded retail locations in the Denver, CO area.  Since then, Pynergy has been devoted to providing high quality fuels, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid, equipment and service to the automotive, heavy duty and industrial markets.  Please visit us at www.pynergypetroleum.com