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

Last Week’s Friddle: Which car company’s logo from September 1962 through 1976 featured a fractured deltoid, composed of three arrowhead shapes, forming a three-pointed star?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Dodge

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

Last Week’s Friddle: What body design characteristic from 1963 is General Motors planning to reintroduce on the 2012 Corvette C7?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: The split rear window

Each injector body and intermediate disk of the GM 6.5L TE Running Complete is lapped on a lapping machine to help eliminate any type of warpage and safeguard against leaks.

Jasper Engines & Transmissions, the nation’s leader in remanufactured drivetrain components, has incorporated the following updates into the GM 6.5L TE Running Complete diesel engine fuel system to prevent unnecessary failures.

“The weakest link on the 6.5L injection pump is the pump mounted driver, or PMD,” says Ryan Dooley,  JASPER Fuel Room Manager.  “To guard against unnecessary failures, JASPER installs 100% new Stanadyne PMDs across the board.”

Another common problem with this engine is a “hard start” or “no start” situation, stalling or smoking problems.  These problems may be the result of a defective pump armature.  To help prevent this problem, JASPER installs 100% new armatures, each equipped with a special coating to increase pump longevity.

Additional updates to the 6.5L TE Running Complete center around the injectors.  “Every injector body and intermediate disk is lapped on a lapping machine to help eliminate any type of warpage and safeguard against leaks,” says Dooley.  JASPER has also developed a process to vacuum check the return post of each injector.  “We’ve discovered there is an issue with fuel leaks at these return posts,” added Dooley.  “When we vacuum check these posts, 20% of the time we find these posts leak and have to be discarded.”

Finally, JASPER uses 100% new center sections in the turbo charger.  “Due to the design of the center section of this turbo, debris will lodge in the cavities, making it virtually impossible to clean during the remanufacturing process,” says Dooley.  Use of the new center sections helps prevent this type of problem.  The GM 6.5L TE Running Complete is covered by a Two-Year Parts and Labor warranty, and a One-Year warranty on the fuel system.

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

Last Week’s Friddle: The Batmobile, from the Batman TV series, is a modified version of what exotic concept car?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: 1955 Lincoln Futura

We’re in the preliminary stages for our 2011 calendar.  Do you, or any of your customers, have a vehicle that’s calendar worthy? Why don’t you send in your entry?

Entrants must submit a digital color photograph and information about their unique vehicle, or performance car or truck, along with the JASPER remanufactured product that has been installed. Vehicles should be placed in a “show” type setting.  Polaroid pictures and low-resolution digital images transferred onto photo paper cannot be accepted. High-resolution digital images, 8″ x 10″ at 350 dpi, are preferred.

All entries will be judged based on adherence to the category, equipment appearance and the quality of the photograph.  Entries should be mailed to:

Jasper Engines & Transmissions
P.O.Box 650
Jasper, IN 47547-0650
Attn: Roxanne Sherman
rsherman@jasperengines.com

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

Last Week’s Friddle: What car company, founded in 2003, offers a high performance electric car that accelerates 0-60 in 3.7 seconds?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Tesla Motors

Catastrophic damage to GM aluminum front housings is being researched by the Differential Division at Jasper Engines & Transmissions.  Many of the cores from 2002-2006 GMC Trailblazer and Chevrolet Equinox SUVs are sent to JASPER with either cracked housings or holes blown out the side
(see figure 1).

“Several things could come into play with these premature failures,” says Wayne Mehringer, JASPER Differential Division Manager. One such issue is failure of the outer pinion bearing. “The bearings in these units are very small and cannot stand any sideward or abnormal pressure,” says Mehringer.
Another issue could involve the transfer case. “Problems either with a viscous coupler, or the internal gearing, can put extreme pressure on the drivetrain,” says Mehringer. “This extreme pressure can make the outer pinion bearing heat up and fail.”

Issues with tire circumference can also cause differential housing failure, especially with all-wheel drive vehicles. “If one of the tires on the vehicle measures larger, or smaller, than the other three, this puts extreme pressure on the outer pinion bearing,” says Mehringer. “The bearing will eventually heat up and come through the side of the housing.

During the remanufacturing process, JASPER utilizes a retaining compound to help keep the outer pinion bearing from spinning within the aluminum housing (see figure 2). “JASPER will also use new ring and pinion gear sets, pinion bearings, differential case bearings, axle shaft bearings, a collapsible spacer, thrust washers, pinion seal and axle shaft seals,” added Mehringer.

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

Last Week’s Friddle: What year did Porsche discontinue air-cooled engines in 911 models?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Production of the (993) Carrera Coupe and Cabriolet ceased with the end of the 1997 model year, with the exception of a very few produced in early 1998.