About this episode
What’s the deal with diesel tuning? Is it really that different? Yes… But also no. This week Matt Smith of Just Autos joins us to discuss all things diesel tuning — operating principles, combustion temperature, reflash options, and a whole lot more. Use JUST50 to get $50 off HPA’s Diesel Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/dieselstarterb Just Autos, based out of Queensland, Australia, specialises in diesel performance tuning — but perhaps not the platforms you’re more familiar with. Matt has gone down the Japanese diesel path — specifically Toyota’s Hilux, Prado, and Landcruiser platforms. These workhorses are common on Aussie roads, and Matt is at the very forefront of developing their stout Toyota diesel motors to get the absolute best performance from them. In this conversation, Matt tells us how he got into the business, and how it’s changed and improved to become the very professional outfit it is today. We then jump into the real meat and potatoes of this episode — a very deep dive into the world of diesel engines and tuning. Matt takes the time to really go through how a diesel engine operates and how that differs from a petrol engine, as well as why we need fuel pulses, the general dos and don'ts of diesel tuning, controlling combustion temperatures, and the usefulness (or not) of exhaust gas temperature sensors in a diesel application. Matt is a great communicator and manages to get tech heavy without leaving the real world, so if you’ve always wanted to better understand diesel technology and how to get the absolute most performance out of it, this episode is a great place to start. Follow Matt here: IG: @justautosmechanical FB: Just Autos YT: Just Autos Mechanical TKTK: justautos WWW: justdieselperfomance.com.au Don’t forget, you can use JUST50 to get $50 off HPA’s Diesel Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/dieselstarterb Timestamps: 0:00 The Dos and Don’ts of Diesel Tuning. 3:41 How did you become interested in cars? 10:57 Are we losing key mechanical skills these days? 15:30 What drove you towards the diesel world? 22:48 How does a diesel engine work? 26:15 Diesel engine timing. 29:16 What is pilot injection for in a diesel engine? 32:36 Diesel fuelling and tuning. 40:12 EGTs on a diesel engine. 50:47 Common rail diesel fuel pressure. 54:19 Diesel fuel system failures. Are people pushing them too hard? 1:03:32 How much power can you pull out of a turbo diesel with just a tune? 1:06:03 How do you go about tuning different engines for different applications? 1:09:39 What instrumentation should we add to help monitor our tuned diesel engine? 1:13:33 Diesel engine flow, intercoolers, exhaust etc. 1:14:39 What do we need to know about sizing a turbo for diesel engines? 1:23:05 Why does Toyota not have good support for reflashing? 1:26:23 How are you reverse engineering the factory Denso ECUs? 1:33:19 What do you think about emission devices? 1:38:49 What does Just Autos look like today? 1:46:03 Final three questions.