A direct-injection turbocharged diesel engine valued at $5,500 has been donated to Pennsylvania College of Technology by VFIS Claims Management Inc. of York.
The 7.3-liter 1999 engine will be used for instructional purposes in the Automotive Technology/Ford ASSET program, according to Colin W. Williamson, dean of the School of Transportation Technology at Penn College.
The donation, presented by Thomas McCullough of VFIS, will enable more students to gain hands-on experience with diesel engines, Williamson said.
"Diesel engines are a popular option, especially in the medium-duty trucks," he added.
What makes the donated engine special is the direct-injection feature, something not typically found in light- or medium-duty trucks, said Medford F. Barton Jr., assistant professor of Automotive Technology/Ford ASSET. With direct injection, the diesel fuel is injected directly into the cylinder, not into precombustion chambers attached to the cylinders, as in the indirect-injection method.
"This type of injection has been used mostly in large diesel engines, whereas most light-truck diesel engines have used indirect injection," Barton said, noting the donated engine also is equipped with a turbocharger.