Friddle: Which British automaker produces the DB9?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: What does the automotive-related acronym CUV stand for?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Crossover Utility Vehicle

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Bob R.

JET Transit driver, Robert Pickett, (at right) receives the Master Truck Driver
award from Barry Miller of the IMTA. JET Transit now has ten drivers with
Master Truck Driver Certification.

Robert Pickett was awarded the Indiana Motor Truck Association Master Truck Driver Award. Robert received his award from Barry Miller of IMTA. Robert started with JET Transit on 01/06/2003 and
has over 1,000,000 safe-driving miles.

The IMTA awards the professional certification of Master Truck Driver to drivers of commercial motor vehicles who meet high standards for educational achievement, professional conduct and accident-free driving. The Master Truck Driver Award qualifications include: an accident-free driving record for one million miles, or ten years; no traffic citations within the past three years; and a record of community service or continuing professional education. It is estimated that less than 2% percent of the nation’s drivers will ever qualify for this award.

Robert joins the following JET Transit drivers that have earned Master Truck Driver certification:
Allen Matthews
Jeff Matthews
Ernie Mehling
Rich Mehling
Bill Nicholson
Steve Pancake
Denny Schepers
Tony Striegel
Ron Tobin

Congratulations to Robert on his acceptance into this very prestigious group.

A Dynaflow automatic transmission, from a 1954 Buick, originally remanufactured by JASPER
in the late 1960’s made its way back to the Jasper Facility for yet another new lease on life.

Long-time JASPER Associate, Cletus Brinkman (now deceased), originally assembled this
particular transmission in either 1968 or 1969. The Dynaflow still had the original JASPER
identification tag attached when it arrived at Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains. The tag
showed the transmission’s stock number, serial number and the initial of the tester.

It just goes to show that JASPER’s remanufactured products are built to last. Perhaps this
Dynaflow will come back in another 40+ years.

Friddle: What does the automotive-related acronym CUV stand for?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: Which automaker manufactures the Flex crossover?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Ford

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Efren S.

Friddle: Which automaker manufactures the Flex crossover?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: What year did GM cease production of the Pontiac Firebird?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: 2002

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Julie

An integral part of JASPER staying focused on what is important to their customers and the Automotive Repair Industry, comes from the commitment of its Customer Advisory Council. For over twenty years, Jasper Engines and Transmissions has used a Customer Advisory Council made up of Independent Repair Facility owners and managers. The members make a commitment to meet twice a year and serve for a two-year period. Half of the group rotates off, every year, with new members coming on. The council consists of repair facilities from coast to coast.

The primary focus of the Council is to discuss what changes are going on in the automotive repair industry, current and future, and what JASPER’s roll should be in that change. Marketing ideas are discussed, as well as what JASPER can do to be a better supplier and partner with our customers.

JASPER would like to thank all our past Customer Advisory Council members who have helped us continue to change and grow over the years. A special thank you goes to the following members who rotated off the council after this last meeting: Tracey Davis, Marty Weimer, Jim and Merleen VanDyke, Vernie and Barb Menke, John Firm, and Chip Shockley.

When it comes to gas engine remanufacturing at Jasper Engines & Transmissions, the subject of valve seat concentricity is taken very seriously.

JASPER is moving toward seat and guide machines with a “dead pilot” design that remains stationary in the guide as the cutting head rotates around it. This design will replace machines with a “live pilot” setup that spins with the cutting head in the guide.

Concentricity, as we are discussing here, is the relation between the centers of the valve guides and the centers of the valve seat surfaces. “If two circles, one within another, share the same center, they are considered concentric,” says Randy Bauer, JASPER Gas Engine Division Manager. “The circles are non-concentric if one of the circles has a center that is not equal to the other.”

Valve seat concentricity is calculated by the variance between the two centers. “JASPER’s valve seat concentricity specification is .002 of an inch for every 1½ inches of valve seat diameter,” says Bauer. “The dead pilot setup has proven to give JASPER concentricity values into the tens of thousandths of an inch, well within our specifications.”

If the valve seats are not concentric to the valve guides, the valves will not seal effectively. “Non-concentric valves affect proper heat transfer from the valve to the valve seat and put undo stress on the valve head itself,” added Bauer. “Over time, the valve will fatigue as it tries to conform to the seat. Eventually, the valve stem will break, dropping the valve into the cylinder.”

For more information on the remanufactured gas engines of Jasper Engines & Transmissions, please call 1-800-827-7455.

Friddle: What year did GM cease production of the Pontiac Firebird?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: The Z06 is a high-performance version of what sports car?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Chevrolet Corvette

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Bob Robinson

Have you considered how your decision to make a major repair to your vehicle affects our environment?

In 2008, we researched how much energy JASPER utilizes in the remanufacturing process and compared it with information from the Argonne National Lab, a research center for the U.S. Department of Energy. By averaging the curb weight of three vehicles: a Mercedes-Benz W126, a Hummer H2 and a Toyota Prius, a determination was made on the average amount of energy required in manufacturing vehicles. Energy usage at JASPER, per drivetrain component, was figured and, on the average, only 1% of the energy is consumed in remanufacturing a drivetrain component in comparison to manufacturing the entire vehicle. In tangible terms, that is an energy savings of nearly six tons of coal or 1008 gallons of crude oil.

Last year, JASPER recycled approximately 248,000 lbs. of cardboard, 824,000 lbs. of scrap wood material and 10,224,000 lbs. of various scrap metal. That’s huge! Future ecological challenges will be greatly reduced if consumers are driven by environmentally conscientious decisions. By purchasing a JASPER product, not only are you buying the best drivetrain component in the industry, you are contributing to environmental preservation.

Friddle: The Z06 is a high-performance version of what sports car?

Check our blog next Friday for the answer and another Friddle.

Last Week’s Friddle: How many stars can be found on the present-day
Subaru logo?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Six

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Kyle Wright