Diesel and the Aftermarket

Given the building demand for diesel power, there's another side of the coin to consider. What sort of aftermarket upgrades can be added to improve performance, so an oil burner is more akin to the gasoline-powered vehicles we're used to driving?

Demands
A number of drivetrain mods are available that can make diesels more user-friendly. With companies like MagnaFlow Performance Exhausts forecasting a 25 percent growth in diesel products per year for the next five years, the aftermarket has been servicing the larger displacement diesels for a long time and is gearing up to meet the need for more mainstream products.


Parley Valora of Premium Performance, a diesel product wholesale/distributor in Idaho, compares the growth with another hot-selling segment. "The diesel market has grown at the same rate as the sport compact market," he says, "The OEs can't keep up with the demand."

Challenges
According to Keith Lockliear of Diesel Dynamics in Las Vegas, Nevada, the main challenge with smaller diesel upgrades will be the engine configuration. "We haven't had a chance to see the Liberty yet," he says, although they have an order in to DaimlerChrysler. "If it follows the pattern of the Dodge Cummins, the research and development shouldn't be a problem."


For instance, the turbocharger on the Ram diesel is mounted on the side of the engine block, offering plenty of space for aftermarket components. Another factor according to Lockliear is the Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT).