Jasper Engines & Transmissions offers several benefits when it comes to remanufacturing the Bosch VP44 injection pump.

This pump was found on 1998 - 2002 Cummins B Series engines, which were used in Dodge Ram pickups, Freightliner medium-duty trucks and numerous industrial applications. The design was prone to failure for many reasons.

In the early-style pump housing, there was a steel piston, which ran through a brass advance cylinder bore. “The brass bore saw severe wear due from the use of ultra low-sulfur fuel and the different metallurgical factors of the two pieces,” says TJ Abrams, JASPER Diesel Quality Group Leader. “JASPER only uses steel inserts in this advance cylinder bore to eliminate wear and allow the piston to move freely.”

Another common issue involved the electronic pressure sensor glow plug controller (PSG) on top of the pump. “Early-model PSG’s had a limited number of key cycles,” noted Abrams. “So JASPER verifies the date code on the side of the PSG to eliminate this concern and will reflash the PSG to the latest calibrations.”

Perhaps the most common failure on the VP44 is the “216″ code (fuel timing error) and the runability problems that go with it due to supply pump issues and low fuel pressure to the injection pump. “The pump diaphragm can crack inside the pump, causing excessive wear on the housing,” says Abrams. “JASPER installs the later-style diaphragm, which is metal-plated and is thicker than the original, to help eliminate these types of failures.” Abrams added, “On each VP44 replacement, JASPER recommends that the fuel supply pump is also replaced in the vehicle to help eliminate that failure.”

As an authorized Bosch Service Dealer, JASPER uses state-of-the-art calibration equipment. The Bosch 815 test stand, used in our fuel room, is constantly updated with the latest software,” says Abrams.

These updated components, along with JASPER’s up-to-date electronic calibrations, will help keep a vehicle running at peak performance, and meeting the latest emission standards.

For more information on JASPER’s diesel engine fuel system components, please call our sales team at 1-800-827-7455.

Friddle: In what year were import engines added to the JASPER product line?

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

Last Week’s Friddle:  Which U.S. automaker built a high performance SUV named the Typhoon?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: GMC - a division of General Motors

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Don Reid - Petaluma, CA

Jasper Engines and Transmissions has completed its 41,488 square foot expansion to the Crawford County Facility.

September 8, 2010, was when ground was broken on the project. It took approximately eight months to complete, and has effectively increased the size of the Crawford County facility to over 408,000 square feet under roof.

The expansion allows the space needed to merge Jasper Innovative Solutions with the company’s Distribution operations for a more efficient flow of finished product, along with allowing both companies to grow.

“Moving into this new area allows us to expand our presence in the market,” says Luke Bawel, Jasper Innovative Solutions General Manager. “Before, we were limited to the amount of commercial fleets we could take on due to the availability of space for those products. Now we have the space to not only take on those customers, but this also allows us to add additional part lines to better service our customers.

JIS currently has over 12,000 part numbers in stock. With the new expansion, Bawel anticipates the ability to store over 20,000 part numbers, depending on the quantity of each part. This includes components from the recently acquired Canam Marketing Corporation. Canam’s inventory will be moved from their Milwaukee, Wisconsin, distribution center to Crawford County. “We’re bringing on 900 additional product lines with the purchase of Canam, and we still have the capacity to service more fleets,” added Bawel.

Not only does the expansion give JIS the opportunity to fill all orders under one roof, but keeps them involved in new product development. “We feel we have a great advantage when it comes to producing quality products at JASPER, says Bawel. “It’s going to allow us to better suit the customer’s needs and get a hand in production because that is what JASPER excels in.”

The Crawford County facility is located approximately 40 miles east of Jasper, Indiana. Originally constructed in 1998 for the purpose of core processing, the Crawford County facility has evolved into a complete remanufacturing operation in the disassembly, machining, assembly and testing of gas engines, transmissions, transfer cases and select manual transmissions.

JASPER’s Product Distribution Center opened at Crawford County in 2000. Nearly 600 JASPER remanufactured products are shipped from the Distribution Center each day to a network of 40 branch locations throughout the United States. The Distribution Center is also the primary location for the unloading, tagging and identification of core and miscellaneous product from the branch locations.

Jasper Innovative Solutions, a sister company to JASPER, moved to the Crawford County facility in 2008. JIS is a supplier of vehicle parts to the United States Postal Service Vehicle Maintenance Facilities and other fleets throughout the United States.

Friddle: Which U.S. automaker built a high performance SUV named the Typhoon?

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

Last Week’s Friddle:  Who was the first driver to win an IROC Championship?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Mark Donohue

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Paul Hardy

Bob Goodman, of the Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrain Transmission Department, poses with the finished Buick transmission.

The title of this story is a little misleading… because nothing is new when it comes to the Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains division. In fact, it’s all old.

Case in point: the Dynaflow “Dual Path Turbine Drive” two-speed automatic. This transmission was built from 1961 to 1963 and was used in the Buick Special. The Special was Buick’s answer to customers shopping for a smaller car, as opposed to the heavy, oversized cars produced in the day.

The concept of the car was light and fuel efficient, but the engineering of the transmission was unique. It was the perfect project for 22-year JASPER Associate, Bob Goodman, now with the Transmission Department of Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains. Bob has a special knack for how transmissions work.

“In terms of the philosophy behind how clutches and pumps work in most transmissions, there are inherent characteristics that apply from one transmission to another,” says Goodman. “This transmission was different from all of them, and that’s probably why it had such a short production life.” “The design of the clutch packs is quite unique… they don’t apply with pistons alone, but with a fulcrum and lever,” added Goodman. “It’s an air-cooled transmission, with cooling vanes on the torque converter to dissipate heat.”

Other engineering oddities include the “skillet-type” pan cover, held in place with a single bolt through its center. “The governor on this transmission has a big pivot lever in the back and looks like weights off an old steam engine on the output shaft that would generate a fulcrum effect,” says Goodman. “It would push in a valve on the valve body to generate governor pressure. It’s very abstract in terms of the thought process behind the way it was designed.”

“Most importantly,” added Goodman, “Due to the transmission’s short production life, along with its design issues, it is very hard to find parts. This is not a cheap unit!” But that’s the point of Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains. These Associates specialize in remanufacturing engines and transmissions that are currently no longer offered, or have been turned away in the past because they did not fit into a production remanufacturing system.

“One type of client that would benefit from our division, for instance, is the individual restoring a ‘69 Corvette who wants his or her serial numbers to match, and wants their engine to be hand-built by experienced professionals,” says Alex Ernst, Jasper Authentic Group Leader.

“With Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains, we spend extra time remanufacturing an engine or transmission,” Ernst added. “We give the customer that hands-on, hand-built treatment that our target customer base is looking for.” In addition, Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains provides some extras for the enthusiast. “Customers can opt to have their engine dynamometer tested, in addition to the live-run test we perform on most applications,” said Ernst. “And we can provide the customer with documentation of the remanufacturing process. With a login name and password, they will be able to go to our web site and check the daily progress of their engine or transmission.”

“If a customer opts for the documentation package, Jasper Authentic Custom Drivetrains will provide a binder and CD with pictures & specifications,” added Ernst. “Now the customer can archive the documentation for their own records, or use it to authenticate their unit as they show their vehicle.”

Friddle: Who was the first driver to win an IROC Championship?

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

Last Week’s Friddle:  Who founded Jasper Engines & Transmissions?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: Alvin C. Ruxer

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Rachel Englert - Huntingburg, IN

It takes a boom truck from Jasper Electric Motors, and a couple of Maintenance Associates, to position the drivetrain onto its lofty, spinning, perch.

The spinning engine and transmission near JASPER’s Wernsing Road entrance has been a landmark of the city of Jasper, Indiana, since the company moved to this location in 1965.

For a few days in June, the Ford 351 Cleveland V8 and C6 transmission was taken off its lofty perch for a sprucing up by Associates Lauren Newkirk and Keith Recker of JASPER Certified Components. This procedure is done every four years… the last time in 2007.

The engine and transmission received a fresh coat of paint, while new chrome air cleaner, valve covers and pans were attached, giving this engine/transmission combination a new lease on life - for display purposes, that is.

Friddle: Who founded Jasper Engines & Transmissions?

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

Last Week’s Friddle:  In what year was Jasper Engines & Transmissions founded?

Last Week’s Friddle Answer: 1942

Last Week’s Friddle Contest Winner: Ryan Lee Abbott - Fairview, TN