Development Update for March 2022

I cannot believe it’s already March!  As the Soap Opera use to say, “like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives,” lol.  Regardless of time off, some development work was still hammered out, largely due to BenzForce’s awesome engineer.  Here is the pipeline:

New parts currently in machining:

  • Filter plates for the om606 and om617 in Stainless Steel
  • Driveshaft/Transmission adapters (100mm and 110mm) to a Spicer U-joint flange
  • Driveshaft/Differential adapters (100mm and 110mm) to a Spicer U-joint flange (thinner version of those above)
  • Nissan 350z (and compatible) differentials to Spicer U-joint flange
  • 45-degree T3 12AN and ¾” turbo drain fittings
  • 8mm ball sockets and retaining clips - Stainless
  • 8mm ball studs - Having our own Stainless studs machined with a 6mm threaded side
  • om606 EDC fuel inlet fitting
  • om603/om606 aluminum logo side covers.  With internal pump builds just around the corner, more pump parts will be coming.
  • M12 to 8mm hose barb banjo for injection pump inlets – High flow banjo bolt.  This is primarily for om603 pumps and our EDC fitting.
  • M14 to 4AN banjo – intended for the om617 turbo oil feed
  • (Prototype) CD009 flywheel to flexplate adapter
  • (Prototype) CD009 adapter alignment pins

 

Finalized Designs waiting for Production

  • om606 T3 manifold. The 3D print has been installed on a w210 om606 to verify fitment!  The order process has started with just a couple of administrative things to check off.  It's a pricey deal so it needs to be right
  • Om648 intake (exhaust recirculation) block off plates

 

Development or Prototyping

  • T3 Diverter valve. Other vendors currently produce valves, but I think there is an opportunity for a different design offering better, less restrictive flow.  Additionally, I have reached out to TiAL to supply the wastegates which should prove to be more accurate and be higher quality than the competition.  We are already complete on one prototype but are taking our time to get it right in a redesign.
  • om648 to 3” intake tube adapter (exhaust recirculation removed), with 1/8”-27 NPT port
  • om648 to T25 turbo flange adapter
  • om648 to T3 turbo flange adapter
  • om648 oil cooler plate

I still get a lot of om617 traffic but I am not sure there is much left to be done as the market seems to have captured most of the customer needs.  At some point, I may revisit the throttle linkage, but I don’t think the demand is there. 

The same also applies to the om606.  A head coolant fitting has been modeled for some time and a decent throttle linkage with TPS would be nice but other than pump specific parts or reselling some creative parts made by others, I don’t know what else needs to be made.  Customers come up with some creative requests that can drive product development so there may be some other things pop up that aren’t on the radar now.

Now for the big pain in the ass:  transmission adapters.  Two engineers that were on the books to start Q1 have not produced.  One was dedicated to om648 parts, and the other was to be dedicated to adapters between for all the om60x and om648 to 6R80 and CD009 combinations.  Agreements were in place and everything: I just don’t get it.  I will work to secure another resource for development … once this gets underway, I would like to do some business justification see about adding the following combination mix:

  • Engines: m112/m113
  • Transmissions: TR6060, 4Lxx, ZF 8HP and maybe the GS6 BMW

Lastly, a word about pumps.  Our Bosch partner now has the ECU harness for the EDC pumps and is starting to play around with them.  Idle bench time is non-existent, so it is always at the bottom of the list.  As for our test bench, I have ordered hard lines about 3 weeks ago and have yet to receive them.  After that, I just need to fab up the pump inlet and return lines and will start in on M pumps.  The goal is to produce the first M pump by the end of May.  As always goals are dynamic based on everything else going on.

There is probably more but those are the things that currently come to mind.  Thanks for the read,

Rodney

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