It has always been a known thing in the trade that keeping up with the times and technology is hard work. It can be tiring and constantly changing, making it hard to keep up. We call it tap dancing on a moving carpet. That said, as part of our company culture at Country Diesel Maintenance, we actively try to stay ahead of changes. We achieve this by providing high-quality training and ensuring that we offer competitive compensation for valuable skills. If there is no training available, which can be a challenge when operating in a remote region like Alice Springs. There is always the whiteboard in the workshop that can also deliver in-depth training, based on our lived experience. It’s the same whiteboard that I have spent countless hours learning my trade, the old-fashioned way, before online training was at a high enough standard to be considered worth it. For many years, post-training information in Alice has been, at best, a once-or-twice-a-year event. Often, that was as long as you were within the right circles. Since COVID, it is more or less non-existent. At Country Diesel, we want our staff to have opportunities to upskill and train, keep up with the industry, and improve our services.
Recently, through this training, we received, be it Hino or aftermarket, the pleasure of gaining a good understanding of modern emissions control, Advanced Driver Assist Systems, hybrid and electric vehicles, heating and ventilation systems, and a new term I have come across: Thermal Management Systems. Since 2005, the cooling system has been forced to adapt as Australia aligned with the global emissions-reduction target. This saw a shift in technologies aimed at lowering vehicle emissions and cooling system output. The term cooling system quickly became outdated, and this is where the rise of the term thermal management system (TMS) originated.
It was interesting to find out that the days of the old thermostat and water pump, working its butt off to keep up, are no longer the case. Nowadays, they are talking about maintaining what was considered nearly boiling temperatures on a Petrol engine just to reduce emissions and enhance fuel efficiency. Higher operating temperatures minimise heat loss during combustion, allowing more of the energy from the vehicle’s fuel to be converted into usable work. It’s fascinating to learn how they are now tap dancing on a fine line between engine failure and perfect operation. If the temperature rises too high, pre-ignition or knocking can occur, resulting in low efficiency and potentially causing engine damage. To prevent this, the solution is to balance operating temperatures based on light-load vs. high-load usage. It’s hard to get your head around, intentionally making the temperatures as hot as possible without it causing the vehicle to knock or damage components. Really tittering on the edge, isn’t it? This type of temperature control can only be done with an advanced system such as the thermal-management module (TMM).
It was highlighted that for mechanical workshops in Australia, understanding this modern system and approach to thermal management is particularly important due to the rise of hybrid and electric vehicles. However, it makes maintenance more fussy, as there is now no buffer between a slight imperfection and engine damage. It’s a very fine line, and it makes me wonder whether this thermal system approach in a dry, hot climate like Alice Springs could leave people in isolated, dangerous situations. Service intervals and part life cycles will need even more stringent care to ensure that your complex motor and thermal management system can indeed do its job effectively.
At Country Diesel Maintenance, we are constantly learning and upskilling to provide our customers with the best service possible. With technology ever evolving and living and working in such a unique environment as Alice Springs, constant adaptation is required. After so much change to the cooling system over the past 20 years, it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve in the future.
Book your next service with Country Diesel Maintenance today to ensure your cooling system operates at peak efficiency, especially in the challenging Alice Springs summer climate.
Call us on 0889521712, text 0483908173 or visit our workshop to schedule your next appointment!
