Diesel trucks today come off of the assembly line generating very little emissions. If that is true, then why are people looking into deleting their diesel truck? Should you delete your diesel? A closer look reveals it is about more than just emissions. This article will focus on the Pros and Cons of deleting your diesel truck.
The Federal Government continues to put restrictions on emissions from automobiles and trucks. Because of this, automobile manufacturers consequently have to come up with new ways to reduce emissions. Now please don’t start screaming about climate change or jumping on your political soap box. This article is to help explain what deleting a diesel truck means, and as a result, why someone might want to delete a diesel truck.
What Does Deleting Your Diesel Mean?
Basically, deleting a diesel truck means to remove the emissions equipment. It also refers to installing a part or device to bypass emissions controls. With this in mind, some people refer to the process as putting their diesel on a diet or weight loss program.
Please Read This Warning!
Before we go any further, I must let you know:
It is a federal crime to willingly remove emissions equipment and controls from an automobile, truck, or other equipment.
Section 203(a)(3)(B) of the Clean Air Act makes it a violation for any person to manufacture or sell, or offer to sell, or install, any part or component (i.e., “defeat device”) intended for use with, or as part of, any motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine, where a principal effect of the part or component is to bypass, defeat, or render inoperative any device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine in compliance with regulations under Title II of the Clean Air Act, and where the person knows or should know that such part or component is being offered for sale or installed for such use or put to such use.
Also, section 203(a)(3)(A) of the Clean Air Act prohibits any person from knowingly removing or rendering inoperative (i.e., “tampering”) any such emissions control device or element of design.
As a result, the Environmental Protection Agency has released an Enforcement Alert putting all regulated entities on notice.
Bapas Online is not suggesting that anyone perform the delete process on any vehicle. Above all, this article is only to explain the process and also provide more information to why someone would consider it.
What Parts Are Affected With a Diesel Delete?
Basically, any part, device, or elements of design of the emissions system. These are the parts by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The parts are for the specific purpose of controlling emissions.
Examples of such parts, devices, and elements of design include:
- the on-board diagnostic system (OBD);
- diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs);
- sensors for oxygen, oxides of nitrogen (NOx), ammonia, particulate matter (PM), urea quality, and exhaust gas temperature;
- diesel particulate filters (DPFs) and their sensors;
- exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems;
- diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs);
- selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems;
- NOx adsorber catalyst (NAC) systems;
- engine calibrations that affect engine combustion (e.g., fuel injection or ignition timing, injection pattern, fuel injection mass for each injection event, fuel injection pressure, EGR flowrate, mass air flowrate, and EGR cooler bypassing);
- and any other part, device, or element of design installed on certified vehicles or engines in compliance with Title II of the Clean Air Act and its regulations. Additionally, this includes parts and specifications included in the manufacturer’s tested prototype.
What is the Diesel Delete Process?
The delete process covers three (3) basic steps:
- Remove emissions control equipment from the vehicle.
- Purchase and install a programmer or connection device.
- Purchase and install a tuning package on the vehicle computer.
Lets take a look at each one of these a little more.
Removing Emissions Control Equipment
This step would include removing parts such as catalytic converters, EGR valves, diesel particulate filters (DPF), or any other part listed above.
If the catalytic converter(s) or diesel particulate filter are removed, a section of straight exhaust pipe is put in its place.
If the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is removed, block-off plates are usually used to cover the openings.
Sensors that are connected to this equipment are unplugged and secured out of the way.
Purchase and Install a Programmer/Connection Device
There are many different programmers and connection devices on the market. Because of the increased enforcement from EPA, I am not going to list specific manufacturers here. Do your own research! You should be able to find the information.
The devices connect to the vehicle computer. They also provide the path to install any vehicle-specific tuning packages and to change settings.
Purchase and Install a Tuning Package on the Vehicle Computer
For the same reason above, we will not list any company names that sell the tuning packages (tunes).
The tuning package will disable the emission control equipment. Similarly, they trick the computer into thinking the parts are working correctly. As a result, the vehicle can operate without throwing any trouble codes.
A tuning package will normally come with technical assistance. This is a big help if you have any problems.
Why Would You Delete a Diesel Truck?
There are plenty of arguments for and against deleting a diesel truck. As a result, we want you to watch the video below. It does a great job explaining the different systems on a diesel truck. As a result, it provides Pros and Cons for you to think about.
Auto Engineers Know More Than You Do
During our time in the diesel world, the discussion of emissions has come up a lot. You are either against EPA regulations or you are for them. Usually there is little middle ground.
Especially now, when everyone is paying a high dollar amount at the pump. One comment that comes up a lot is, “The engineers at Chevy, Ram, and Ford know more than those people that delete their trucks.”
We agree totally! We are not engineers and we do not build engines for a living. Be that as it may, our response is that the engineers at Chevy, Ram, and Ford build engines the way the Federal Government tells them they have to. Therefore, EPA regulations combined with Government oversight decide how vehicles will be built.
Most of the diesel trucks that come off of the assembly line have little to no emissions. If you were to ask any engineer to build an engine that is powerful and will last a long time, they will not build be building it for fuel economy or to lower emissions. They will want clean air into the engine, and a clean fuel to burn. This will give them the power, reliability, and longevity that all of us want.
To lower emissions, they have to route exhaust gasses and dirty air back into the engine. How can this be good? Dirty air in to get clean air out? This is what that will get you:
There is certainly going to be a sacrifice somewhere. That sacrifice is engine reliability and longevity. You can’t put dirty, oil-filled, and soot-filled air into an engine and expect it to last very long. Internal parts will wear quicker. Repairs will happen more and will cost more.
Diesel Delete and Climate Change
Look around. Listen. Go to social media. Turn on the news. It is everywhere! What, you may ask? Climate change of course!
Furthermore, we hear more and more about electric vehicles. What is the beef with diesel trucks, or oil and gas automobiles anyway? We are not going to get into a full-blown discussion on climate change. Maybe we will cover that at a later date.
Electric vehicles and alternative sources of energy are fine. But, they are not attractive or price competitive until oil and gas are costing us a large amount. What do we have now? That’s right, high oil and gas prices. When oil, gas, and diesel prices are low, electric vehicles are not really thought about.
For example, we briefly mentioned a diesel particulate filter (DPF) earlier. Do you know how those parts are “cleaned” while you drive? A large amount of extra fuel is added to the DPF. This fuel burns and gets the filter hot enough to burn the built-up soot in the filter.
This is called a “Regeneration” or “Regen” mode. When this happens, your fuel mileage drops way down. You have to drive the truck for approximately 20-25 miles to complete the “Regen”.
So let me get this straight. To lower particulate emissions, we are going to inject more fuel and burn hotter to clean the filter? You want to use more natural resources in this process, as well as causing my fuel mileage to bottom out? You want me to drive my diesel vehicle more to clean the filter? In addition, you give a warning to not be near the tailpipe during the “Regeneration” mode because the emissions are highly toxic?
Something Doesn’t Add Up!
It is hard to see where using more fuel and natural resources, lowering fuel mileage, driving the diesel truck more, and releasing highly toxic fumes equals a better climate. But in the eyes of EPA, the Federal Government, and Climate Change fanatics it does!
Please remember, we are only talking about the particulate emissions too. The other emission control systems, and changes to the oil, diesel and gas industry have not been discussed. How does this lead to a vehicle that is price competitive, reliable, and lasts a long time? You’re right, it does not!
There is great debate over Climate Change, and there should be! Unfortunately, we usually only hear one side of the argument. But, it is discussed and taught in schools as pure fact. Further regulation of automobiles is misguided at best.
Now the main question. Should you delete your diesel? That choice is up to you!
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