EPA is ruining diesel trucks.

In addition to my gun obsession, I am also a bit of a diesel truck aficionado. While I don't currently own one (no money!), I have always loved diesels, and absolutely hate what is happening to them right now. Here's the low down:

Starting in around 2003-2006, diesel trucks had to reach stricter emissions regulations. Consequently, manufacturers began installing a system onboard new diesel engines known as "exhaust gas recirculation", or EGR. EGR systems reduce nitrous oxide in the exhaust, and generally make the truck pollute less. Sounds like a good thing, right? Wrong. While the trucks are better for the environment, the EGR systems generally reduce fuel mileage, and put extensive wear on an engine by recirculating dirty, soot-filled exhaust gas back through the intake. Additionally, when these systems fail, it almost always results in extremely expensive engine damage.

As if the EGR wasn't bad enough, the EPA is now forcing all new diesel trucks to come equipped with a diesel particulate filter, or DPF. The DPF is a filter in the exhaust, which collects soot, reducing harmful particulates from exiting the tailpipe. Eventually the filter gets full of soot, and becomes clogged. At this point, the trucks computer instructs the engine to undergo a "regeneration", which involves injecting large amounts of diesel fuel into the exhaust to heat it up enough to burn off all of the soot in the filter. DPFs increase fuel consumption even more, and when a regeneration occurs, fuel economy and power are drastically reduced, and dilution of the oil with fuel generally occurs. Obviously this is bad for the truck. Additionally, when the DPF finally wears out (which it will), a new unit costs upwards of $7000.

I'll leave you with these sound words...

Up until recently, a solution existed to this EPA bullshit. DPF and EGR delete kits allow the owner of the truck to remove these troublesome systems. However, a programmer is also required to reprogram the engine's computer. There used to be a plethora of delete-capable programmers to choose from, but the EPA has been slowly forcing them out of existence. Last year, H&S Performance, the last company to produce a delete-capable tuner, was forced by the EPA to stop production of these products, despite the companies assurances that the tuners were for off-road use only.

If this continues, diesel truck enthusiasts will be stuck with shitty, fuel guzzling, breakdown prone trucks in the future.

I guess in conclusion, the EPA can go screw themselves. They don't really care about the environment. What's worse for the environment: an old diesel truck with no emissions that gets 20 mpg, or a new one that pollutes less, but gets 12 mpg and lasts half as long?