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Welcome to the OnDemand5.com/ShopKey5.com newsletter.
This newsletter is provided to share information about our users, their shops, automotive industry news, things going on at Mitchell 1 as well as tips for using the OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com products. If you have questions or comments about this newsletter, or ideas for what you'd like to see in it, please .
In this issue:
Missed a previous edition or want to read an article again? Just go to the Newsletter Archive page for a list of links to past headlines.
ProDemand™ and ShopKey®Pro Now Available
FASTER, EASIER, SMARTER
ProDemand and ShopKey Pro are now available to all OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com subscribers at no additional charge. For more information and to request ProDemand™ or ShopKey®Pro to be added to your account, click the link below:
Click here for more information and to request access to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
- FASTER - eliminating the need for multiple information look-ups. By returning relevant content in one look-up, ProDemand and ShopKey Pro quickly give the technicians everything they need to complete the job.
- EASIER - allowing the technician to effortlessly navigate from procedures to TSBs to specifications to wiring diagrams and more. ProDemand and ShopKey Pro bring the information to the technicians so they can focus on the vehicle.
- SMARTER - intelligently cross referencing components, phrases, and codes in the database. Technicians don't have to know the OEM specific term because ProDemand and ShopKey Pro will find the information regardless of term entered.
Want to know more before you sign up?
Join us at one of our training workshops where we show you how the new product works. Workshops are held twice per day, every weekday at 12pm Eastern/9am Pacific and 5pm Eastern/2pm Pacific. You only need to attend one 45 minute session. Click the appropriate link below to visit our training site and to sign up for a workshop.
Now Includes Estimator
ProDemand and ShopKey Pro now include Estimator built right in.
Click here to request access to ProDemand or ShopKey Pro.
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Internet Explorer 9 or 10 Compatibility
Before installing or upgrading to Internet Explorer 9 or 10, please read our page of information detailing what to do and issues that may occur with this update. Some users will get IE9 automatically from Microsoft.
Click here for more information.
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Diesel NOx Sensor Technology
 Urea SCR systems rely on NOx sensors to operate efficiently.
Tony Martin/Motor Age -- It's taken some time, but the diesel world appears to have reached consensus on how to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2010 NOx standards. EPA 2010 was a major milestone in diesel emission control, calling for a 90 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions over the 2007 standards. The magnitude of the reductions required major changes in diesel engine design, and three engineering approaches arose as possible solutions: cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), NOx adsorbers (sometimes referred to as lean NOx traps), and urea selective catalytic reduction (urea SCR).
Chrysler jumped into the fray early, using both cooled EGR and a NOx adsorber on its 2007.5 and newer Cummins-powered pickups. This approach, while expensive, got its trucks EPA 2010-certified three years early and proved to the world that it could be done. Ford and GM both hung back during this time and used cooled EGR and diesel particulate filters (DPFs) to meet the EPA 2007 standards. However, everyone knew that whatever Ford and GM were doing with their diesel pickups at that time wasn't going to make it once 2010 came along.
Most of the issues regarding DEF have now been worked out, and as of the 2013 model year Chrysler, GM and Ford are all using SCR in their diesel-powered pickups. Beyond that, the holdouts in the heavy-duty truck world have also converted to SCR. Now that SCR has been embraced by all sectors of the diesel transportation industry, it is that much more important for automotive service professionals to understand how SCR works and how it is monitored by vehicle onboard diagnostics.
Urea SCR Operation
The heart of the urea SCR system is the catalyst itself, which is based on either an iron or copper zeolite material. As mentioned earlier, DEF is injected into the exhaust stream ahead of the SCR catalyst. DEF (known as AdBlue in Europe) is a mixture of automotive grade urea and deionized water, which decomposes into ammonia and carbon dioxide when exposed to heat from the exhaust gases. Ammonia is the reductant in the SCR reaction, and it enters the SCR catalyst along with the NOx molecules entrained in the exhaust gases. The term "selective" in selective catalytic reduction means that the ammonia prefers to react with the oxygen in the NOx molecules instead of the oxygen in the exhaust stream. The SCR reaction with ammonia reduces the NOx molecules into molecular nitrogen (N2) and water, effectively returning the gases back to their original form when they entered the engine intake manifold.
The SCR process works very well, provided the catalyst is at the right temperature (570 to 750o F) and the correct amount of DEF is used. If too little DEF is injected, conversion efficiency drops and NOx emissions increase. Conversely, too much DEF will result in a phenomenon known as ammonia slip, where unprocessed ammonia exits the SCR catalyst. Thus, the SCR system will operate efficiently only if accurate measurements can be made of the exhaust temperature and the NOx in the exhaust gases.
Source: Tony Martin/Motor Age
Diesel Turbocharger Technology
New turbocharger designs are helping to improve diesel engine performance.
Tony Martin/Motor Age -- The diesel engine would be a shadow of its current self if it weren't for the turbocharger. Having said that, when was the last time you saw a new diesel that didn't have a turbocharger? Aside from small tractor engines and the like, the naturally-aspirated (non turbo) diesel has pretty much gone the way of the dodo.
 This makes sense, because the turbocharger has made the diesel engine better in virtually every respect. Diesels are now more efficient, produce more torque and horsepower, and have much cleaner emissions than ever before. While a host of technologies have been utilized to make this happen, a good deal of the credit has to go to the turbocharger.
Diesel engines have gotten better over time, and this has been enabled by an evolution in turbocharger technology. Early turbos were limited in their capabilities, and these shortcomings had a proportional negative effect on diesel engine performance. The diesel turbocharger of today is capable of performing across a much broader engine speed and load range, yielding tremendous efficiency and emissions benefits. And we can expect even more from our diesel powertrains as new generations of turbocharger technology are introduced.
Turbochargers are relatively simple machines and are very reliable overall. But like everything else, things can and do go wrong, and automotive service professionals are called on to make them right again. Even if you only work on gasoline engines, turbochargers are becoming more common and you will need to become familiar with them. Let's start by looking at basic turbocharger operation.
Laws of Physics
 A turbocharger is constructed by attaching a turbine to the end of a shaft with a compressor wheel at the opposite end. The turbine is located in the engine exhaust stream, so it sees very high temperatures. This requires the use of materials such as ductile iron for the housing and nickel or titanium alloys for the turbine wheel. The compressor, on the other hand, operates much cooler because it handles filtered air at ambient temperatures. Thus, the compressor end of the turbocharger typically uses aluminum for both the housing and the compressor wheel. The turbocharger may also incorporate a wastegate, which would allow exhaust gases to bypass the turbine wheel if boost pressure rises above a certain threshold.
Source: Tony Martin/Motor Age
How To Get Featured In The Newsletter
Would you or one of your techs like to be profiled in the newsletter? How about your shop? We're looking for techs and/or shops to feature in this spot. This is an opportunity to let other techs know about you and your shop. You can share information on what your specialties are, what special conditions you have to deal with in your area, anything interesting about your shop or even what you like to do in your free time.
We will also list your shop's information such as location, phone number, web site, or any other information you'd like to provide.
- Send your story and photos for consideration to . Please also include your account number.
- Click here for an example of a past Tech Profile.
- Click here for an example of a past Shop Profile.
Did you know...
 When you post a tip or question in the OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tips system, there is a spell checker available. It is the right-most button on the tool bar above the text box. Just click the button before you click the post button.
Click here for more hints on using OnDemand5 and ShopKey5.
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OnDemand5/ShopKey5 Live Tip Contest Winners
Mitchell 1 is running a tip contest for a limited time in OnDemand5.com and ShopKey5.com. Below are the latest winners of the contest. Each of these tips earned the tech a $100 prize. Click the links below to see the complete tips and for more information on how you can enter.
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Want to discuss subjects on running your shop?
Join the free Mitchell 1 product users forum today. Click here to check it out.
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Click here for information on training resources available for OnDemand and ShopKey repair users.
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