U-Toyota Camry

One of the best vehicles on the road is the Toyota Camry. There are more Camry’s on the road than any other vehicle. It was introduced in 1983. Toyota wanted to make a vehicle to replace one of their other vehicles, the Toyota Corona. In 1986 it was rated as a “Best Buy” and has been since then. The Toyota Camry is a front wheel drive sedan. Toyota started to manufacture these cars in the U.S. in 1988. The plant is located in Georgetown, Kentucky. The first generations of Camry’s were produced from 1983 to 1986. The second generation was produced from 1988 to 1992. The second generation had several different engine selections. The smallest was a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder engine. The larger engine was a 2.5 liter v6 engine. This generation also came out with an all-wheel drive option. The third generation Camry’s were built slightly larger and were classified as midsized. The third generation came with a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder engine that produced the same power as the 2.5 liter v6, and was more fuel efficient than the 2.5 v6. The third generation also had a new v6 engine. The new v6 engine was a 3.0 liter. Due to the high costs of manufacturing the all-wheel drive option, Toyota dropped it from their lineup. Toyota started to make their vehicles in 1994 by adding two standard airbags and giving the vehicle a better chance against side impacts. In 1994 Toyota also a U.S. built coupe version with different trim styles and the choice of either the 4 cylinder engine or the v6 engine. The 1997 models were lighter and quieter and more power due to increases to horsepower and torque in the engines. The 1997 Camry’s had a 5 speed manual v6 option. The 1997 cabs on the cars had more space than the older models and it was also the safest vehicle. The 1998 Camry’s had low emissions. In 2002, Toyota was still producing the 3.0 liter v6, and Toyota came out with a new 4 cylinder engine. It was a 2.4 liter engine. Both these engines were fuel efficient and didn’t have many emissions. In 2004 Toyota came out with a new v6 engine. It was a 3.3 liter engine that was also fuel efficient and had low emissions and is still used by Toyota. Overall, everything changed by Toyota to the Camry was the way they looked from 1983 till now. The engines were changed slightly, but still were consistent. These are safe, reliable vehicles and they fold their value.

U-History of the Duramax Diesel

One of the favorite engines of people, especially people who like pickups, is the diesel engine that General Motors puts in their line of heavy duty pickups. This engine is called the Duramax. GM teamed up with Isuzu to produce these engines. They formed a company called DMAX Ltd. The Duramax is a v8 direct injection turbo diesel engine that has 32 valves, the parts in the engine that puts fuel in the cylinders so it can be burnt. When it came out, it was the first “Common Rail” diesel engine. What this is, is a rail in the engine that feeds fuel into the valves at a higher pressure. These engines started to be produced in 1998 and were first on the market in 2000. The first generation was sold until 2004. The first generation was called the LB7. The 6.6 liter LB7 produced 520 lb. ft. of torque. Half way through 2004, the second generation Duramax engine was put on the market. This engine was called the LLY. It produced 605 lb. ft. of torque. The valves were redsigned so the owner can work on the engine easier. The LLY also came out with an intercooler. This helped make the engine more efficient. The air that is recirculated through the engine, through the intercooler, and put back into the engine. The cooler air burns better than warmer air. In 2006 the next generation of Duramax engines was put on the market. This was called the LBZ. The engine was improved to 650 lb. ft. of torque. The engine was designed to be stronger physically so it can take more abuse. This meant that people who like to tune engines to produce more power than they were produced with became attached to this engine. The LBZ also had a bigger intercooler. These were the last Duramax engines were the last one to not have a DPF. The DPF is an abbreviation for diesel particulate filter. This was put on the engine so it can keep the exhaust fumes cleaner when it leaves the vehicle. This was also added so the vehicle was still legal to drive if someone decided to alter the exhaust. The DPF hurts fuel economy. This generation of Duramax engines was also the first to be equipped with the heavy duty Allison transmission. The very next year the LMM engine was on the market. These engines produced 660 lb. ft. of torque. These engines had to meet new environmental standards, but still produced power. In 2010 the current engine was put on the market. This was called the LML. It produces 765 lb. ft. of torque. Everything on the engine was updated so it created more power and ran much cleaner. The Duramax engine is a favorite of many with 1.5 million were sold up to date. These are reliable engines that are put in a sturdy brand of truck.

T- History of Ford's Diesel Pickups

A lot of people want a brand new Ford pickup with a diesel engine, but most do not know the history of Ford’s lineup of diesel pickups. Most people buy a vehicle because it looks good, its reliable, or because it sounds good. People don’t know the history of many lineups of vehicles and what makes them go. Here’s the history of the diesel engines that Ford has used in their ¾ ton and full ton (F-250 and F-350) pickups. In 1982 Ford decided to introduce a line of diesel pickups. Ford partnered up with International Truck and Engine company, or as most people call it International, and would eventually be renamed from International to Navistar. From 1982 to 1988, Ford was putting a 6.9 liter IDI v8 engine in their trucks. These engines were not turbocharged, meaning they did not have a turbo like all modern diesel engines. IDI means indirect injection. This meant that fuel wasn’t injected directly into the engine. This engine made 170 horsepower and 315 lb. ft. of torque. In 1988 Ford put a large7.3 liter IDI v8 in their trucks. These also weren’t turbocharged, at least not until the 90’s. In 1994, Ford discontinued the IDI and came out with the 7.3 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 7.3 Powerstroke was direct injected and came standard with a turbocharger like the other Powerstrokes from then on. It had more power than the IDI’s and was a tough engine. Many of these engines were sold because lots of people liked them. It is even ranked in the top 10 diesel engines. Some Ford truck enthusiasts even believe that Ford should’ve stuck with the 7.3. In 2003 Ford switched from the 7.3 liter v8 to the smaller 6.0 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.0 Powerstroke was the answer to the governments limiting of emissions. The 6.0 created lots of power with low emissions. It produced 570 lb. ft. of torque. These engines had lots of problems due to the emissions control. In 2007 Ford replaced the 6.0 Powerstroke with the 6.4 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.4 was quieter and cleaner than the previous two Powerstroke engines. These engines produced 650 lb. ft. of torque. It had twin turbochargers (two turbochargers). They were supposed to be more reliable than the 6.0, but not as reliable as the 7.3. The 6.4 still had problems. The current engine Ford has in their pickups is the 6.7 liter v8 Powerstroke. The 6.7 is supposed to be more advanced than the previous Powerstroke engines. Ford decided to tear down the Powerstroke and rebuild it and make upgrades to the Powerstroke engine. One of the most important things that were upgraded on these engines is the ability for the engines to start in cold weather. The problem with diesel engines in the cold is that diesel can gel up if it’s too cold. Also if it is too cold, the engine might be too cold for the diesel to ignite. If not all, then most diesel engines have some sort of way to heat the engine before the driver starts the engine so. This is either a block heater, which heats the injectors up and, or glow plugs, which work the same way as the lights in a toaster. Glow plugs heat the inside of the cylinders. All of the diesel engines used in Fords had glow plugs. The pre heating system in the 6.7 is supposed to heat the engine faster. The 6.7 Powerstroke will possibly be upgrade for a better, upgraded version like the other engines, but this one will be around for a while. Ford’s lineup of diesel trucks are reliable and tough. From the beginnings in 1982 with the primitive 6.9 liter v8 IDI, to the beginnings of the Powerstroke name with the 7.3, to the current 6.7 Powerstroke, Ford’s lineup of diesel pickups have been able to compete and perform with the diesel pickups on the market.

T-Dodge Pickups 1961 to Now

Dodge started producing pickups in 1921. But the trucks that everyone knows from Dodge are the trucks from the mid 60’s to early 70’s to now. There are two series that are included in this. The first is the “D-series” that was produced from 1961 to 1993 and the “Ram series” that started production in 1994 and is still being produced. The “D-Series” was bigger than the previous Dodge trucks. Towards the end of the “D-Series”, they were starting to be called “Rams”. At first these trucks had 2 inline 6 engines. One was a 170 cubic inch engine that produced 101 horsepower. These engines were only put in Dodge’s light duty trucks (D-100). The other engine was a 225 cubic inch engine that produced 140 horsepower. These were put in Dodge’s heavier duty trucks up to the full ton trucks. In 1964 Dodge started to come out with a sports version. These trucks had a bigger 426 engine. These engines produced 365 horsepower and 470 ft. lb. of torque. In 1965 they had a standard six cylinder 225 engine and two options of a v8 318 and a v8 361. In 1967 a 383 v8 became an option. It made 258 horsepower and 375 ft. lb. of torque. In 1972, a 400 v8 was produced with 200 horsepower. A 360 v8 was also produced with 180 horsepower. In 1978 the D-150 (half ton) and D-250 (3/4 ton) were offered. These trucks were offered with a Mitsubishi brand no-turbo diesel engine. The highlight of Dodge’s pickup history was the introduction of the Cummins turbodiesel engine in 1989. These engines were originally put inn big rigs and farm tractors. The Cummins engine was more advanced than GM’s or Ford’s Diesel engines. The Cummins had a turbo, which helped produced more power. It also had direct injection. This means that the fuel was put directly into the engine. This created better fuel efficiency and had lower emissions. The first generation Cummins that was put in Dodge’s pickups were a straight six cylinder 5.9 liter engine with 12 valves. These engines produced 400 ft. lb. of torque. They were put in Dodge’s ¾ ton (D-250) trucks and full ton (D-350) trucks. The last of the “D-Series” was made in 1993. In 1994, Dodge introduced the new “Ram Series”. In the “Ram Series” the trucks were labeled with a 1500, 2500, and 3500. These trucks had a 5.9 liter gas v8 option and the Cummins as an option. The v8 5.9 liter gas option was later switched for a modern v8 Hemi. The Cummins engine has stayed constant from 1989 until now. There were few modifications to it. The new Cummins and the new Hemi v8’s are very modernized from what these pickups had.

S- Plymouth Road Runner

One of Chrysler’s most recognizable muscle cars, besides the Dodge Super Bee, Charger and the Plymouth Barracuda, is the Plymouth Road Runner. The Road Runner, along with the other cars mentioned above, are a part of the MOPAR car group. The Road Runner is a modified version of the Belvedere car. Plymouth then paid the Warner Bros $50,000 to put the famous cartoon bird, The Road Runner, on the car. Plymouth wanted to go back to making cars that were fast and selling them for cheap like the original muscle cars were. In 1968, the first Plymouth Road Runner was produced. The 1968 Road Runners came with a 383 v8 which produced 335 horsepower. The 383 was the standard engine. But it also came with a second option. This option was the more powerful 426 v8 Hemi engine. It produced 425 horsepower. The interior was basic. It didn’t have a bench seat or a carpeted floor. There were two 2door versions, one was a hard top, and the other was a pillared coupe.The base model was sold for $2896. If you wanted the Hemi version, it cost $3610. The horn on this car was a replica of the Road Runner’s well known “beep-beep” and the hood had vents. In 1969, these cars were offered with a convertible option. There were also two new engine options. The first is a 440 with a four barrel carburetor which produced 375 horsepower. The other is also a 440, but it had a triple-two carburetor, which means it’s a six barrel carburetor. This version of the 440 was called the “440 +6” and it produced 390 horsepower. They also had a hood scoop like the Dodge Super Bee. This helped get more air in to the engine. The 1970 model had a different hood. It had a trap door, that when a switch was hit, a shark cartoon will pop up with the phrase “Air Grabber” on the side. This was meant to help get air into the engine. A 3 speed manual transmission became the standard transmission along with an optional 4 speed manual transmission. 1971 was the beginning of the end if the muscle era. Due to government regulations, the 383 engine and the 440 engines dropped in horsepower. The 383 produced 300 horsepower. The 440 v8 produced 370 horsepower and the “440+6” produced 385 horsepower. The 426 Hemi stayed the same, but it would be dropped the next year. In 1972 the 383 was dropped also with the 426 hemi. The Road Runner still came with the 440 v8 and “440+6”. The 440 v8 only 280 horsepower, and the “440+6” only produced 330 horsepower. The Road Runner gained two new engine options this year to. One was a 340 v8, which produced 240 horsepower. The other was a 400 v8, which produced 255 horsepower. In 1973, the Road Runner only gained one new engine. This was a 318 v8, which produced 170 horsepower. In 1974 the 340 engine was replaced with a 360 v8. This engine produced 245 horsepower. This engine line up lasted until 1976. In 1976 there were only two engine lineups, the 318 v8 which only produced 150 horsepower and the 360 which only produced 170 horsepower. This lineup lasted the rest of the life of the Road Runner. The Road Runner was a big part of the muscle car era and one Chrysler’s most recognizable cars.

S- Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is one of America’s classic muscle cars. It was first produced half way through 1964. The first generation was produced until 1966. They first came out with a few different engine options. The options were a 2.8 liter 6 cylinder, 3.3 liter 6 cylinder, a 4.3 liter v8, 3 different 289 v8’s, one with a 2 barrel carburetor that made 210 horsepower ,one with a 4 barrel carburetor that made 220 horsepower , and a high performance 289 that produced 271 horsepower. Later on a racer named Carroll Shelby introduced the GT 350 v8 engine to Ford. This happened because he wanted to help Ford out sell Chevy and their Corvettes. Besides the high performance 289, the other versions had a 3 speed manual transmission. The 289 high performance engines had a 4 speed manual transmission. The cab of the car was pushed back farther than the other vehicles of the time. The Mustang had a longer hood and had a shorter rear end. They also have the iconic mustang on the side of the vehicle. The v8 mustangs out sold the six cylinder engine versions right away. The second generation was produced from 1967 to 1968. The second generation Mustangs had actual competition. They had to compete with the Chevy Camaro, the Pontiac Firebird, and the Plymouth Barracuda. These new Mustangs were slightly bigger than the first ones. These mustangs still had the 3.3 liter, the 289 v8’s which produced 200 horsepower, 225 horsepower or 271 horsepower. One of the new engines the Mustangs had was a 390 v8 “Big Block” which made 315 horsepower. In 1968, the Mustangs dropped most 289 v8’s and only had one as an option that made 195 horsepower. Ford came out with two different 302 v8’s that year. One had a 2 barrel carburetor that made 220 horsepower and a 4 barrel carburetor that made 230 horsepower. Ford also had two new “Big Blocks” to. One was a 427 v8 and the other was a 428 v8. The 427 made 390 horsepower while the 428 made 335 horsepower. The third generation was from 1969 to 1970. The 289 v8’s were discontinued by this time. These mustangs had a new 351 v8 that made 250 horsepower, a 390 v8 making 320 horsepower, and two different versions of the 428 v8’s. One of the 428’s made 335 horsepower and this was called the “Cobra Jet” and the other 428 made 360 horsepower and this was called the “Super Cobra Jet”. The fourth generation was made from 1971 to 1973. This generation was bland at best. This generation had engines ranging from the 250 to 6 cylinder to a v8 302, to two different forms of the 351 and the Cobra Jet 429 and the Super Cobra Jet. The fifth generation Mustang was not a favorite. It was called the Mustang II. The only thing that came out of this generation was the v8 5.0 engine. The sixth generation lasted a long 15 years, being produced from 1979 1993. The main engine of this generation was the 5.0 v8. It produced the most horsepower for the Mustang. The seventh generation also included the 5.0 v8 engine. Between these two generations, the only thing that changed was the body style. Ford didn’t change the engine until the eighth generation. The eighth generation started production in 1999 and lasted to 2004. Tis generation had the option of a 4.6 liter engine or a Cobra engine. The current generation of Mustangs has an original fell, as Ford put some of the classic look in to the car. The Mustang in general is a favorite for most car collectors.

Q- Dodge Charger

One of the most recognizable muscle cars is the Dodge Charger. They were popular enough that in the TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard, the main characters Bo and Luke Duke drove an orange 1969/1970 Charger that had a confederate flag painted on the roof and was named The General Lee. The first generations of Chargers were produced in 1966 and were produced to 1967. Beside the roof style and some of the trim on the car, this generation of Dodge Charger is the same thing as the Dodge Coronet. Chrysler, the car company that owns Dodge, needed a car that compete against Ford’s Mustang. Dodge had a Charger built for racing that had a 426 v8 Hemi engine. This helped Dodge win 18 wins and a title championship during the 1966 NASCAR Grand national season. When Dodge produced a street version of these cars, they put a 318 v8 engine. Dodge also offered a 361 v8, to versions of a 383 v8, a v8 440 v8, and the what most people say is the best engine Dodge put in the Charger, the 426 v8 Hemi. The 426 Hemi produced the most power out of the engines offered. It produced 425 horsepower. The second generation Charger was produced from 1968 to 1970. The second generation Charger had the same engine options as the first generation Chargers. The second generation Chargers had new body style that everyone loved and still loves. The second generation Chargers were built for stock car racing. When it lost to the Ford Torino Talladega, produced by Ford just for racing. Dodge answer to this was the Charger Daytona, which had a wing sticking out on the back to help keep the car closer to the ground when racing. The Daytona Charger was not offered during the 1970 year. The third generation Chargers looked similar to the second generation, but it still didn’t look as good. They were produced from 1971 to 1974. Besides the engines previously offered with the first two generations, the third generation included a 440 “six pack”, which had three two barrel carburetors. A carburetor is the part of the engine that puts fuel in it. This generation, along with the second generation was successful. The fourth generation wasn’t as successful. It was produced from 1975 to 1977. This was produced during the energy crisis of the 1970’s. The 1975 model was only offered with a 360 v8. Eventually the fourth generation offered a 318 v8. These Chargers weren’t very successful. The fifth generation was produced from 1982 to 1987. The only thing noteworthy about this generation is that it was offered with a Shelby engine, the same ones offered in the Shelby Mustang. This would be the last Charger made for 19 years. The sixth generations Chargers were the first Chargers to comeback after a long break. They have a modern style look. They are offered with a 3.5 liter v6 , a 5.7 liter v8 Hemi and a 6.1 liter v8 Hemi. The Dodge Charger is a classic muscle car. They were an icon during the muscle car era along with other cars.

Q- Ford Bronco

One of the most well-known vehicles is the Ford Bronco. The Ford Bronco is a sports utility vehicle or S.U.V. Ford Started to make the Bronco in 1965/1966 to compete with Jeeps CJ-5, which is a model of the Jeep Wrangler, and the International Harvester’s truck line ,which they named the scout. Later on they were modified to compete with the Chevy Blazer, Jeep Cherokee, and the Dodge Ramcharger. The first Broncos were produced in August 1965 didn’t have many options like an automatic transmission or power steering. These were the first generation of Broncos and they were produced from 1965 to 1978. The first generation of Broncos were compact S.U.V.’s. The only engine they had at first was a six cylinder that only made 105 horsepower. In March of 1966, Ford began to offer a 289 v8 engine and a 302 v8 engine. The first Broncos, while weren’t offered with many options, did have the option to have a snow plow kit, trailer hitch, and winches. They also had the option of having two fuel tanks, one was larger than the second fuel tank when this option was selected. In 1967, Ford came out with the sport package of the Bronco. This was a “higher class” version of the Bronco. It included options like a cigar lighter and trim around parts of the vehicle. Due to companies like Jeep, International and Chevy producing S.U.V.’s that were starting take the Ford Bronco out of competition, Ford had to upgrade their line of Broncos. The second and third generations of Ford Broncos were the first generation of them being full sized S.U.V.’s. They were converted to full size because Chevy started to produce their own line of full sized S.U.V.’s known as the k5 Blazer. The second 1978 to 1979 while the third generation was produced from 1980 to 1986.The second generation of Broncos offered a choice of a v8 351 engine and a v8 400 option in 1978. They also had an option of 4 speed manual transmission or a 3 speed automatic transmission. The Bronco stayed consistent throughout its second generation. The only things that changed between the second and third generations were the engine options, the 351 v8 was a constant option while a 300 inline 6 cylinder was offered along with a 302 v8, while the 400 v8 wasn’t offered anymore. Besides the engine changes, the third generation had the same transmission options. The fourth and fifth generations of Broncos had a new body style. It had an aero look. The first two generations of Broncos had a boxy body style; the new body styles had a curvier look to it. Both the fourth and fifth generations were produced at the same time, from 1987 to 1991. They would be the last generation of the Bronco. Ford went on to sell them until 1996. These Broncos were offered with the options of a 351 v8, 302 v8 and a 300 inline 6 cylinder. They were also offered with the option of having a 5 speed manual transmission, 3 speed automatic transmission or a 4 speed automatic transmission. The Ford Bronco had a long 30 year run and during its production, a compact version of the vehicle known as the Bronco II was being produced. The Ford Bronco is a well-known S.U.V. among people and collectible to some.

R-Toyota's Pickup Truck lineup

Toyota produces many reliable vehicles but the two that stand out is its lineup of pickups. Toyota has two lineups: The light duty Tacoma and the heavy duty Tundra. The Toyota Tacoma didn’t get its name until 1995/1996 when the Seventh generation of this pickup debut. It got this name because Toyota started to sell more of these trucks in the U.S. and wanted to give it an English name. The seventh generation Tacomas came with two different engines. The two wheel drive trucks came with a 2.4 liter gas engine and the four wheel drive trucks came with a 2.7 liter gas engine. Both the four wheel drive and the four wheel drive trucks also came with a v6 3.4 liter option. The current eighth generation still has the 2.7 liter engine but their new v6 engines were upped to 4.0 liters. Toyota still makes changes to the Tacoma so it can keep competing in the truck market. The Tacoma’s heavy duty cousin, the Tundra is also a competitor on the market. The Tundra was first produced in 1999. There are more Tundras sold than the GMC Sierra 1500, but is still behind the Ford F-150. It shares the v6 3.4 liter engine with the Tacoma. The Tundra has a choice of a 4.7 liter v8 liter, and a 5.7 liter v8. There is also a special variant of the truck from the Toyota Racing Development (TRD). What makes these engines different is that they are supercharged. What this means is that it gives the engine more power. There are two forms of these engines, a v6 and a v8 engine. Toyota is planning on producing two different types of the Toyota Tundra, a half ton version (similar to the Ford F-150, Chevy/GM 1500 and the Dodge Ram 1500) and an actual heavy duty ¾ ton version (similar to the F-250, Chevy/GM 2500 and the Dodge Ram 2500). Toyota is planning on producing a diesel version of the Tundra that they would include in their ¾ ton trucks. Toyota trucks are tough and reliable. They hold their value and can compete with any of the U.S. produced trucks.

R-Ford's Super Duty pickups

One of the most reliable and well-known truck lineups out there is Ford’s line up of Super Duty pickups. This is Ford’s line up of their heavy duty trucks. These trucks began as having the Heavy Duty or “HD” stamp to its name. Like all ford trucks, these trucks usually have an F and a number following. For Ford the heavy duty/ Super Duty trucks are called the F-250, F-350 and F-450. F-250’s have single rear tires while the F350’s have an option of having single rear tires or dual rear tires. The F-450’s only come with dual rear tires. The F-250 stands for ¾ of a ton, the F-350 stands for a full ton and the F-450 is greater than a ton. The Super Duty line up began in 1999. The first generation of Super Duty trucks lasted from 1999 to 2007. These trucks came with the option of having a regular cab (2 door), a Super Cab (small 4 door) and Crew Cab (large 4 door). Along with the different cab options, buyers can buy each truck with a different sized bed. The options for bed sizes are for a 6 ¾ ft. bed and an 8 ft. bed. Engine options for the first generation Super Duty pickups included two different diesel engines and two different gas options. One of the diesel engines offered was the 7.3 liter Powerstroke from 1994 to 2002 which had between 500 ft. lb. of torque to 520 ft. lb. of torque. From 1994 to 1997 Ford’s heavy duty trucks didn’t have the Super Duty label. It is said these engines were one of the best Ford put in their heavy duty trucks. The other is the 6.0 liter Powerstroke, which was offered from 2003 to about 2008. These engines produced between 560 to 570 ft. lb. of torque. These engines had lots of problems. The two gas engines offered were a 5.4 liter v8 and a 6.8 liter v10 engine. The second generation Super Duty pickups started 2008 and are still being produced today. The second generation Super Duties also had two diesel engine options. The first is the 6.4 liter Powerstroke which produced 650 ft. lb. of torque. These engines replaced the 6.0 liter Powerstrokes. The 6.4 liter Powerstroke was later replaced with the new and current 6.7 liter Powerstroke. The 6.7 liter engine produces from 800 ft. lb. of torque to 850 ft. lb. of torque. The gas option offered in the second generation Super Duties is a 6.2 liter v8 engine. This truck line up proves to be tough and reliable. This lineup is a favorite of many people and continues to compete with other truck lineups on the market.