Australian Automotive February 2020

MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

8 WELCOME NIB

VACC has announced an alliance with health insurance provider, nib, the deal getting members on track for a healthy year ahead

10 TECH EVENT

The VACC MotorTech launch event was a success, with attendees testing out the game-changing solutions for themselves

12 VACC MOTORTECH

Australia’s cutting-edge technical solution combines VACC’s suite of products with the global power and reach of Haynes

14 STAY SAFE

A new guide is set to help technicians stay safe when working on vehicles where flammable refrigerants may be present

16 SIMPLE, STUPID?

VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym debates what the loss of Australia’s passenger vehicle manufacturing industry really means…

18 INDUSTRY TOURS

The 2020 VACC Industry Study Tours kick off with the Tour of Italy in March. Fun, educational and tax-deductible. Why not?

22 FINKS FLASHBACK

Br uno Finks Motor Repairs & Service reflects on 50 years of business, sharing some memories and milestones

26 BIG CHAIR

LIQUI MOLY CEO, Ernst Prost talks brand awareness, and what he envisages for his ‘baby’ in Australia moving forward

34 KICKING GOALS

Adelaide-based auto technology company, Supashock is taking Australian technology to the world and reaping the rewards

38 AUTO MYTHBUST

It ’s time to set the record straight when it comes to certain misconceptions in the automotive industry

44 POWERING AWAY

Sec tors of the auto aftermarket are alive and kicking in Australia, clearly the end of car manufacturing wasn’t the be all end all

50 TECH TALK

Direct fuel injection in petrol engines is a technology that has now come of age, and it comes with pros and cons

54 BUSINESS INDEX

Drive your business forward by taking advantage of the VACC alliance partner deals and assistance at your fingertips

58 SERVICE DIRECTORY

Find everything from the latest products to the best business services you need all in one place

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put your head in the sand for too long, when you finally come up for air you may not recognise the new landscape.

Mechanical repair and auto electrical is a good case in point.

The near-future vehicle fleet is going to look dramatically different. With less servicing opportunities and more and more people not owning a vehicle – and therefore not having a direct relationship with you – how are you going to survive?

Knowledge, that’s how.

Knowledge is king. If you know what’s going on – and what’s likely to happen in the future – you can plan for better times and lessen the negative impact.

To help, VACC has launched a new initiative: VACC Industry Study Tours. It’s set up to help give members a ‘helicopter view’ of what’s happening in automotive.

Plus members can network with likeminded automotive business people and have loads of exclusive experiences. Best of all, it’s tax deductible.

And you can get involved.

VACC Industry Study Tours has focused learning experiences that will provide insights that money really can’t buy.

VACC Industry Study Tours has organised overseas fact-finding missions for sectoral groups that will open doors and deliver information that could potentially change your business for the better.

Local tour guides will take the stress out of getting to and from locations, and everything will be organised for you before you leave. Best of all, you will receive just one bill that you can hand over to your accountant or tax advisor, meaning that claiming the tax back on your trip will be

simple and straight forward. After all, you pay enough tax, right? So why not take advantage of getting the government to pay for some of your overseas education. Tours take in mechanical, auto electrical, crash repair, tyres, and retail. And as for locations, the world is your oyster.

Italy, USA, France, UK, Germany, Scandinavia, China, Japan, UAE, it’s all there... And, if there is enough interest in a new destination, we can probably make it happen too.

Visit the 2020 VACC Industry Study Tours website: industrystudytours. com.au/vacc and get involved in an unforgettable experience.

David Dowsey

MANAGING EDITOR

David Dowsey 03 9829 1247

editor@australianautomotive.com

SUB-EDITOR

Pia-Therese Hams

DESIGNERS

Faith Perrett, Gavin van Langenberg 03 9829 1159

creative@australianautomotive.com

CONTRIBUTORS Rod Lofts, Paul Tuzson

VACC adheres to its obligations under National Privacy Principles legislation. Information on products and services contained in the editorial and advertising pages of this magazine does not imply the endorsement of any product or service by VACC. Australian Automotive is copyright and no part may be reproduced without the written permission of VACC. Advertisers and advertising agencies lodging material for publication in Australian Automotive indemnify the VACC, its directors, Board, employees, members, and its agents against all claims and any other liability whatsoever wholly or partially arising from the publication of the material,

royalty rights or other intellectual property rights, and warrant that the material complies with all relevant laws and regulations. This publication is distributed with the understanding that the authors, editors and publishers are not responsible for the results of any actions or works of whatsoever kind based on the information contained in this publication, nor for any errors or omissions contained herein. The publishers, authors and editors expressly disclaim all and any liability to any person whomsoever whether a purchaser of this publication or not in respect of anything and of the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done by any such person in reliance, whether whole or partial upon the whole or any part of the contents of this publication. Advertising accepted for publication in Australian Automotive is subject to the conditions set out in the Australian Automotive rate card, available from editor@australianautomotive.com

Connect with VACC

LIQUI MOLY Family Worldwide

MADE IN GERMANY

LIQUI MOLY BATHURST 12H

WORDS David Dowsey

partners with VACC

In its ongoing drive to deliver member benefits, VACC has reached an agreement with health insurance provider, nib, that will bring exclusive discounts and the waiving of waiting periods.

David Slack-Smith, Head of Corporate Sales & Service at nib, and VACC Chief Commercial Officer, Paul El Deir, signed an agreement recently that will see VACC members and their staff gain access to discounts and benefits unavailable to the public.

“We’re honoured to partner with VACC, a respected organisation with many shared values,” Mr SlackSmith told Australian Automotive

“Our purpose is our members’ health and wellbeing, which sees members going from being ‘payers’ of health insurance to becoming partners with us in their health.”

The newly minted deal will see VACC members and staff having access to a full range of products at significant, exclusive discounts – in most cases of nine percent.

“VACC members that sign up will also, where eligible, get all of the extras without waiting periods, so that if they have been putting off having a medical procedure, they don’t have to: they can go ahead and get that done and get well again,” said Mr Slack-Smith.

“Our partnership with VACC is a longterm view. It has to work for both parties and nib’s insurance product has to be relevant for VACC members.”

nib has a great regional story: the company was founded in 1953 by a collective of steel workers at BHP in Newcastle, who saw that there was a better way to protect and help workers who had health issues.

As an extra incentive, nib will also gift VACC members a $50 voucher for signing on.

Mr Slack-Smith said that nib’s association with VACC aims to deliver ongoing value.

nib’s head office remains in Newcastle and it has a very strong connection with regional Australia, as well as having an established presence in most capital cities, along with a national footprint. It gives back, too.

passion and energy of nib’s staff was evident when creating the partnership, and that its regional background was a great fit with VACC.

“We see that nib shares many of the same values and goals as VACC, with its members-first approach and its commitment to delivering quality services at competitive prices.”

VACC members can access exclusive discounts and the waiving of waiting periods by signing up online at nib.com.au/corp/vacc or by calling nib on 1800 13 14 63 and requesting the special discounted VACC member rate.

Data solutions on show

WORDS David Dowsey

The roll-out of the biggest advance in automotive technical solutions took place recently, with the official launch of VACC MotorTech at VACC House. Interest in the new venture – which brings together the depth of VACC’s extensive suite of products with the global reach of Haynes – was clearly very high, with a packed room of technical professionals hearing from VACC President, Fury Bortolotto, VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym, Haynes Australia’s Ian Whitefield, and VACC General Manager of Technical Services and Programs, Bernard Murray. Mr Whitefield said it was a “no brainer” to join the trusted and respected VACC Technical Services team, while Mr Gwilym reiterated how vital access to reliable data was in today’s automotive landscape. He declared that the biggest need of VACC members was to have solutions that allowed them to successfully and efficiently complete the work asked of them.

Mr Murray gave attendees an overview of the incredible new range of quality solutions, before VACC MotorTech was put to the test at numerous provided workstations.

VACC’s technical staff were on hand to guide attendees through the comprehensive VACC MotorTech website. Meanwhile, guided tours of VACC’s renowned technical library, its contents the result of 80 years – and counting – of careful collection, were led and allowed attendees to see the two kilometres worth of shelved manuals for the very first time. Some of these manuals date back to 1901, with the Technical Advisory Service still receiving member requests for these rare materials. Numerous packages were sold on the night, with Paul McNamara of Paul Mac Repairs in Shepparton lucky enough to win the money back on his subscription. VACC MotorTech brings together the Chamber’s proven Tech Online, Times

Guide, Tech Estimate, Technical Advisory Service and Tech Talk products with the might of Haynes international know-how, to provide an enormous (and evergrowing) amount of technical service and repair information to subscribers. Available now for subscription are three VACC MotorTech ‘bundles’: Diagnostics, Service & Repair, and Maintenance. These products are positioned at an unbeatable price and VACC members receive generous discounts of up to 50 percent.

Haynes is best known in Australia for its Haynes manuals, which have been in print since 1965 and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide. However, under their HaynesPro brand, the technical powerhouse also provides automotive service, repair and diagnostic information via different online products, specially designed for automotive professionals. Until VACC MotorTech, HaynesPro products have not been available to the Australian market in such affordable and convenient packages.

The HaynesPro products include: HaynesPro Manuals AllAccess allows access to all Haynes manuals online, providing step-by-step repair and service information, along with extra details not

published in the hard copy versions. The Haynes OnDemand video tutorials –available for many of the most popular models – are the ultimate aid to getting vehicles correctly serviced and repaired HaynesPro WorkshopData Tech contains extensive maintenance information like repair times, timing belt and chain replacement procedures, capacities, wheel alignment, torque specification and over 100,000 highquality technical drawings and more HaynesPro WorkshopData Electronics and Smart includes the VESA guided diagnostics system, wiring diagrams for most vehicle systems, fuse and relay locations, earth point and control unit locations, TSBs and known fixes.

The VACC and Haynes agreement provides automotive business owners with cutting-edge new technical solutions,. VACC MotorTech is available to members at heavily discounted rates. Visit motortech.com.au

VACC General Manager Technical Services and Programs, Bernard Murray, left, Haynes Australia CEO, Ian Whitefield, centre, and VACC President, Fury Bortolotto, unveil the biggest news in technical service provision, VACC MotorTech

VACC Update goes digital

In a bid to keep VACC communications fresh and relevant, VACC Update has gone digital. Past publications are now available on the VACC website, and future issues will be emailed directly to members via the VACC News e-newsletter. The upside is that you’ll be able to search new and past issues for the content you need, and you’ll be able to download and archive the editorial that matters to you most.

VACC Technical has changed...

VACC Technical Services has launched into a new era of product offerings that will change the automotive technical information game in Australia.

VACC has signed a multi-year deal with the famous British-based Haynes Publishing Group, bringing to market a suite of products, unsurpassed in Australia, under the banner of VACC MotorTech.

VACC MotorTech brings together VACC’s proven Tech Online, Times Guide, Tech Estimate, Tech Advisory Service and Tech Talk products with the might of Haynes’ international know-how, to provide an enormous (and evergrowing) amount of technical service and repair information to subscribers.

Available now for subscription are three ‘bundles’: Diagnostics, Service & Repair, and Maintenance. These new products are positioned at an unbeatable price and VACC members receive generous discounts of up to 50 percent.

Haynes is best known in Australia for its Haynes manuals that have been in print since 1965 and have sold over 200

online products, designed for automotive professionals under the HaynesPro brand.

Until the agreement with VACC, HaynesPro products have not been available in the Australian market in such affordable and convenient packages.

The HaynesPro products include:

• HaynesPro Manuals AllAccess Cars allows access to all Haynes manuals online, providing step-by-step repair and service information, along with extra details not published in the hard copy versions. The Haynes OnDemand video tutorials – available for many of the most popular models – are the ultimate aid to getting vehicles correctly serviced and repaired.

• HaynesPro WorkshopData Tech contains extensive maintenance information like repair times, timing belt and chain replacement procedures, capacities, wheel alignment, torque specification and over 100,000 high-quality technical drawings.

• HaynesPro WorkshopData Electronics and Smart includes the VESA guided diagnostics system, wiring diagrams for most vehicle systems, fuse and relay locations, earth point and control unit locations, TSBs and known fixes.

The agreement between VACC and Haynes provides automotive business owners new options and easy access to repair information and vehicle repair times not available previously, in bundles to suit every business’s needs.

Visit: motortech.com.au to learn more.

Change lanes to MTAA Super

Aussie research behind new automotive flammable refrigerants safety guide

A new guide on how to work safely on vehicles where it is known or suspected that flammable refrigerants may be present is now available for free download.

The document is the result of a groundbreaking project between Refrigerant Reclaim Australia, automotive thermal and electrical trade association VASA and GHD Engineering, to study the management of health and safety risks associated with the use of flammable gases, including refrigerants, in an automotive workshop environment. It covers topics including legal matters related to refrigerant classifications, dangerous goods, work health and safety, hazardous areas and working with flammable refrigerants, including what to do if a system contains a flammable refrigerant classified A3 (high flammability) or A2L (mild flammability). Handling mixtures of nonflammable and flammable refrigerants is also covered.

At the end of the document is a workshop safety checklist and risk assessment worksheet for use when flammable refrigerants are encountered.

During the early research stage of this project, it became clear to GHD Engineering that it would have to conduct a series of world-first studies to establish the number of vehicles containing flammable refrigerant that can occupy a workshop and safe exclusion zones for venting and vacuum pumping of A3 and A2L refrigerants, or in a hose leak scenario. The project could not have been completed without the assistance of Queensland-based VASA member workshops Gympie Auto Air, Mr Cool and SuperCool Southport.

VASA President, Ian Stangroome said (below right): “Since 2013, car manufacturers have been switching to more environmentally friendly A2Lrated mild-flammability refrigerants

in new models that leave the factory with air-conditioning systems properly engineered to minimise any flammability-related risks.

“An issue that has emerged in recent years is the charging of A3-rated high-flammability refrigerants into existing automotive air-conditioning systems that were never designed to mitigate these elevated risks, in some cases without proper labelling.

“There has until now been no properly researched advice on the safest way to work with vehicles using flammable refrigerants – especially those which have been retrofitted – from a practical, OH&S and legal point of view.

“We are very proud to be publishing this rigorously researched safety guide for the benefit of all automotive technicians in Australia, who will at some point inevitably encounter a vehicle charged with flammable refrigerant.”

Download the free guide at vasa.org.au

Keep it simple, stupid

Making cars makes us all smarter

The study highlighted Australia’s dismal ranking, falling from 57th to 93rd between 1995 to 2017 in the global economic complexity stakes, while Japan and Switzerland have consistently led the pack. What this means for us as a country is, we’re not that clever. While we’ve been digging rocks out of the ground, countries like India and Turkey –in a very short time – have leapfrogged us with their superior technology and manufacturing capability.

When government encouraged passenger vehicle manufacturing to leave Australia, we dug a big economic hole in this country by reducing our economic complexity and industrial bandwidth. Matched only by the big hole we make digging up things from the ground, it was a bad idea with longer term consequences we’re only now just experiencing.

My hope is that we can get back in the game as electric vehicles become mainstream.

My disappointment with the loss of Australia’s was sadly rekindled recently when reading an article about the Harvard Kennedy School’s Centre for International Development study, AtlasofEconomicComplexity

The study pointed out what many of us feel is obvious: if we don’t make complex things, with lots of high-level technology, we run the risk of being relegated to a largely minerals-based export market. Why is it we need big studies to tell us the obvious?

Check out VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym's column every Friday and the Herald Sun Motoring section

Losing mass passenger vehicle manufacturing has been a blow, not only to employment in Australia, but also to this country's international reputation

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50 years of Finks

TO commemorate 50 years of Chamber membership, VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym headed to Bruno Finks Motor Repairs & Service in Hawthorn, Victoria, to meet with Jurgen and Simone Kiefer, the father and daughter team behind the successful business.

Sitting down with Geoff, alongside VACC Area Manager, Simone Ohlenrott, Jurgen and daughter Simone shared some memories and milestones from an automotive career.

Jurgen hails from Stuttgart, Germany and it was there that he completed his automotive apprenticeship. He was 14 when he started and 17 when he completed his training at a little workshop that he says, “did everything”. Interestingly, although his career as a mechanic has spanned decades and countries – it was a job that he fell into and, that he admits, found “a bit daunting” at first.

As a teenager, initially Jurgen showed a keen interest in sales and wanted to be a salesman at a local department store. He applied and was offered a position, only for the store to renege when they found out he was only 13. So, to fill in time before his next birthday – 14 being the minimum age requirement at the store –Jurgen entered the workforce by assisting at his mother’s haberdashery shop. As it turned out, he would never reapply for the sales role. After eventually moving on from his mother’s business, Jurgen installed heating insulation, before injuring himself and then being told the company “didn’t need (him) anymore” when he was at last fit to return. So, back to the haberdashery shop. It was during this time that Jurgen’s father encouraged him to undertake an apprenticeship at the workshop that looked after his own treasured work van.

Joining two other apprentices at the workshop, from day one Jurgen was dropped in the deep end.

He recalls being put straight under a car and “told to do this, do that”, and all the time worrying the thing would “fall down on my head. I had never been under a car before in my life”. The workshop environment was tough but being big and strong for his age, Jurgen was able to look after himself and didn’t take any flak from other workers.

VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym, centre, presents Jurgen and Simone Kiefer of Bruno Finks Motor Repairs & Service with a 50 years of membership certificate

next year saw Jurgen move around, working in Geelong and Northern Queensland – where he lent a hand crocodile hunting – before travelling back to Melbourne and working at a few different automotive establishments.

It was during this time that Jurgen’s ambition to start his own workshop was sparked, cemented after someone printed him a business card; “It had JK Motors on it and I thought ‘that looks good’”. And in 1969 the opportunity arose, he was offered a partnership at Bruno Finks.

So, who is Bruno Finks? Jurgen explains that he was the German founder of the workshop but had already moved on by the time Jurgen came on board. Then only a year into the partnership, Jurgen’s own partner, Rudi Feil wanted out. The two had worked well together, “we used to do a least one Volkswagen up a week.” Jurgen maintains that Rudi was an

admits that he didn’t put much thought into changing the trading name at the time – “everybody knew (Bruno Finks)”. Over the years, Jurgen has hired many staff but insists that for his small business “it wasn’t worth it... I had to run around and find enough work for them.” Additionally, he has trained up four apprentices, who have all since gone on to start their own businesses. Completing her mechanical apprenticeship in 1992, Simone lived in Perth for some time. She would cover Jurgen at the workshop when he was away, before deciding to move back to Melbourne permanently and make Bruno Finks a family affair.

Running a successful workshop, Jurgen and Simone are kept busy in the present but when asked to cast their thoughts to the future, “probably electric cars are going to take over (again). They had the electric cars in the thirties

At the time of the VACC workshop visit, the Australian Government had not yet committed to introducing a new mandatory data-sharing law, but manufacturer control when it came to service and repair information was a hot topic. Simone explained that sometimes she has to decline jobs because she knows that they will run into issues when it comes to reinitiating a part. If a situation does arise, “other workshops will help us out... and we’ll just have to pay them”, she explains. Recalling a recent job, “we replaced an ABS module… you would never think that that would be something that would need to be coded to the car.”

A lot of things have changed since 1969 when Jurgen first took on the workshop – certainly in the automotive industry. If fact, it could be said that continuous change is the only real constant in the automotive sector. At Bruno Finks,

WinA presents

How to Attract, Recruit and Retain Women in the Australian Automotive Industry

The smart business guide for increasing female participation in the Australian automotive industry.

Women in Automotive (WinA), a special interest group of the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to officially release a written resource providing guidance on how to attract, recruit and retain women in the Australian automotive industry.

Currently sitting at 20 percent, female participation in the automotive industry has remained largely unchanged for the past 20 years. With many businesses reporting difficulties in attracting and retaining talent –both female and male – now, more than ever, it’s important to consider the entire available talent pool.

The WinA guide provides practical and easy to read advice. Each chapter covers a different part of the process, from outlining

reasons why businesses should invest in raising female participation rates, to what an imbalanced workforce means for a business’ bottom line.

Topics covered include:

• Identifying and minimising the ‘unconscious bias’

• Screening process tips and online tools

• Retention strategy advice.

Diverse workforces categorically perform better – the evidence is irrefutable. Higher retention rates, better customer satisfaction, and bigger profits are just some of the potential benefits.

A free resource, How to Attract, Recruit and Retain Women in the Australian Automotive Industry is available to order or download now. Visit womeninautomotive.com.au

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ERNST PROST

LIQUI MOLY CEO

After training as a car mechanic, Ernst Prost worked as a junior salesman and later marketing manager at a car care company. In 1990, he joined the German company LIQUI MOLY as Head of Sales and Marketing, before becoming sole managing partner in 1998. In 2018, he sold his company shares but remains the Chief Executive Officer of the business he can’t get out of his system...

What is the LIQUI MOLY offering?

LIQUI MOLY offers a full range of auto chemicals. The range does not stop at motor oils – we also have transmission oils and hydraulic oils. Not just for some vehicles, either. We have oils for practically every vehicle on the road. We also provide additives, service products, lubricants and car care products for professionals in the workshop as well as regular car owners. Our products are all from a single source and designed to be used together.

What is LIQUI MOLY’s point of difference?

Our production is based entirely in Germany, which means that car owners in Australia receive exactly the same quality as car owners in Germany. Our oils are approved by the car manufacturers.

We have a presence in Formula 1, the MotoGP and Bathurst 12-Hour, ensuring solid brand awareness.

Why is manufacturing in Germany so important to you?

This allows us to guarantee a consistently high level of product quality throughout the world and avoid variations in the levels of quality. We believe that all of our customers deserve the same premium quality.

Does this help or hinder LIQUI MOLY’s market positioning?

Both. On the one hand, it makes our products more expensive, of course. However, we want to win customers over with the best quality and performance, not the lowest price. On the other hand,

it helps us, as ‘made in Germany’ has a good reputation around the world.

What is your company’s history in Australia?

We launched in Australia in 2007 and have been continually growing since then. The Bathurst 12-Hour significantly improved our brand awareness; since 2013, we have been the title sponsor of the endurance race.

Is the Australian market different from other regions?

On the one hand, every market is unique, but on the other hand, all markets have many things in common. Australia is no exception. When labelling additives here, a distinction is made between whether the product will be used by professionals

Ernst Prost celebrates 30 years with LIQUI MOLY this year and there’s no end in sight (left). In-house manufacturing means the company is not the cheapest, but it does have its benefits (far left)

in a workshop or whether it will be sold to private users. That is only in Australia.

LIQUI MOLY is involved in various sponsorships. Why is this important for the company?

This is very important for us because many of our products are not particularly visible. Car owners see new rims every day, for example, and enjoy looking at them. When you change the oil, it disappears into the motor. From the outside you can’t see how well it is doing its job. That is why a strong brand, which people know and

trust, is so important for us. This high level of brand visibility helps the workshops when they use and sell our products.

What have you done to put your ‘footprint’ on the LIQUI MOLY brand?

I started at LIQUI MOLY in 1990 as the Head of Sales and Marketing. Back then, LIQUI MOLY was a small oil and additive manufacturer with an annual revenue equivalent to AUD $47 million and it only sold in a few countries outside of Germany. Today we sell in over 120 countries, have increased our annual

revenue 20-fold and we have extended our range to around 4000 products.

Explain how LIQUI MOLY employees and partners become part of ‘the family’. What are the characteristics of a family? Living together and sticking together, sharing joy and sadness with each other, helping each other and not pushing each other aside. These are the values that are also important in business; at least, if you think as long term as we do. This is also how many friendships have been created that have gone beyond business.

You were a shareholder in the company until 2018. What has changed for you since then professionally?

Not a lot, actually. I am still the CEO, I come to work every day, lead the company and put my heart and soul into it. LIQUI MOLY is my baby and it always will be.

What’s next for LIQUI MOLY?

In Australia, we are working on expanding our distribution and product range. Our focus has traditionally been on

cars but we also have independent product lines of chemicals for commercial vehicles, motorbikes and boats. Every year, LIQUI MOLY is voted the best oil brand by readers of the major automotive magazines in our home market, Germany. It would be great to achieve this in Australia one day too.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever received?

Weigh things up carefully, make smart decisions and then put all of your energy into doing what needs to be done. Less talk, more action.

LIQUI MOLY has been active for many years in various sponsorships, including in Australian motorsport; the LIQUI MOLY range is comprehensive, covering everything a professional workshop may require down to the enthusiast who conducts a bit of DIY; a LIQUI MOLY point of difference is their exclusively madein-Germany policy, ensuring

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Manufacturing EXCELLENCE

An Adelaide firm is taking Australian technology to the world

WORDS David Dowsey

SOUTH Australian-based automotive technology company, Supashock, continues to kick goals, achieving three significant milestones in the last quarter of 2019 – opening an office in the USA, scoring a major business award, and winning a key UK endurance race supplier contract to the reborn Brabham Automotive sports car project. With its manufacturing facility based in the Adelaide suburb of Edinburgh Park, Supashock designs and manufactures systems for a wide range of global mobility applications, including automotive, motorsport, autonomous and defence.

The launch of an American office in California expands the company’s footprint into one of the world’s largest automotive and defence sectors. Supashock founder and Managing Director, Oscar Fiorinotto, said establishing deeper roots in the US market was a natural step for the company.

“The evolution of our suspension and motion technology, from high-end motorsport and supplier to automotive OEMs, has enabled Supashock to move confidently into areas such as the defence and autonomous vehicles sectors,” said Fiorinotto.

“Our fully active system is being used by an autonomous vehicle OEM that will move into production in 2020. Supashock is developing the suspension with the OEM and its technology will revolutionise the way we travel.”

In further good news for the company, SupaShock received the Export Finance Australia Manufacturing and Advanced Materials award at the recent Business SA 2019 Export Awards, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The award comes almost 12 months after the company received a major award from peak industry body, the Defence Teaming Centre, for

‘Outstanding Collaboration’ during the development of the ALHS 17 technology for heavy logistics trucks.

Supashock worked alongside South Australian manufacturer, Century Engineering and Rheinmetall Defence, which supplies logistics trucks to a range of defence customers around the world including Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The Supashock team designed and developed the ALHS 17 technology specifically to reduce the risk to soldiers by automating the loading and unloading of ISO containers, modules and STANAG-compliant flat racks of up to 17 tonnes from within a highly protected truck cabin. This significantly reduces the time for distribution of military supplies in demanding battlefield environments – the loading cycle time is only 25 percent of existing systems.

Safety is also improved as the system is operated within the protection provided by the

Supashock's technology can be found in the new, race-winning South Australian-built Brabham BT62 sports car, set to take on the world in 2020 at the famous Le Mans 24 Hours

Supashock is working with an autonomous OEM to deliver the driving of tomorrow (left and below left). The military is one of the important sources of revenue for the South Australian company (bottom)

integrated armoured cab of the Rheinmetall HX 8×8 truck.

Fiorinotto paid tribute to his team of engineers – each recruited from South Australia’s three universities – for their skill in developing the ALHS 17 technology.

“It’s an honour for Supashock to receive this award, but more importantly it’s very satisfying that this type of technology has been developed in Australia, derived from graduate programs in conjunction with South Australian and national university programs, and is making a positive contribution to South Australian manufacturing,” said Fiorinotto.

Proving Supashock’s versatility, the company again celebrated in November when the new Brabham Automotive BT62 sports-racing car, fitted with Supashock shock absorbers, won on debut in the Britcar ‘Into the Night’ Endurance Championship season finale at Brands Hatch in the UK.

Drivers David Brabham (son of Australian three-time World F1 Champion, Sir Jack Brabham), and Will Powell led the way during qualifying, setting a time nearly two seconds ahead of the second-placed competitor before racing to a well-earned victory over world-class machinery.

Fiorinotto was delighted with the BT62’s win on debut.

“We hope to see more race wins from the BT62 hypercar, a big congratulations goes to David Brabham and the Brabham Automotive team,” he said. As always, there remain signs of automotive manufacturing scattered around Australia.

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REALLY? PROBABLY NOT!

Image: Giuseppe Palozzi from Pixabay

WORDS Paul Tuzson

THE automotive industry harbours some misconceptions that don't accord with common sense.

Researching things in the automotive world reveals a lot of ideas that really don't make much sense. Indeed, ideas that even defy physics. Here's a particular selection we've encountered over the years. Centrifugal force doesn't exist.

All of the physics text books we've seen over the last decades either don't mention centrifugal force, or state that it doesn't exist. It's described as a fictional force, a false force or, most grandly, a pseudo force. All sorts of reasonings are presented to support the notion, even relativity and inertial and non-intertial reference frames. The problem is that centrifugal force certainly does exist.

Take the common gedankenexperiment, if you will, of a ball on a string whirling around a hand, which is holding the other end of the string. It's true that there's no outward acting centrifugal force applied to the ball, pushing it outwards. That sort of force couldn't be applied through a string. Everyone agrees with that.

A moving, untethered ball will travel in a straight line. It's the string attached to a fixed point that causes the ball to follow a curved path. As proof, if the string is cut the ball doesn't fly radially outward as would be the case if it were being pushed outward. Rather, the released ball takes a path tangential to its original circular trajectory. Everyone agrees with that, too. However, just because there's no centrifugal force acting on the ball it doesn't mean there's no such thing as centrifugal force. Insisting there isn't fails to

A moving object applies centrifugal force to a system, constraining it to a curved path

consider the whole system. Newton's third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction and this is always correct in the macro world. Centrifugal force is the equal and opposite of centripetal force. But if it's not applied to the ball, then where is it? In the example above, the hand applies a centripetal (inward acting) force to the ball through the string, while the ball applies an equal and opposite centrifugal (outward acting) force to the hand, again through the string. It doesn't matter that it's a reactionary force, the label isn't important. What is important is that it's a force the hand can feel. There's nothing fictitious about it.

An automotive example without the string might help. If a car is rounding a fairly tight left-hand bend at speed, a passenger in a right-hand seat will feel the car pressing against their right shoulder and pulling them away from the straight path they would normally follow, onto a circular path. That's centripetal force. Meanwhile, the passenger exerts an equal and opposite centrifugal force to the side of the car. Saying that there's no centrifugal force because it doesn't act on the ball is like saying there's no centripetal force because it doesn't act on the hand.

The example of the cornering car could be taken a step further. The ground applies a centripetal force to the car through the tyres and steering system. In turn, the car, through that system, applies a centrifugal force to the ground throughout the turn. If the mass of the car (and passenger) is great enough to overcome friction between road and tyre, the car will break traction. Centripetal and centrifugal force will disappear simultaneously and the car will slide – yes, at a tangent (residual friction discounted) to the curve it was following. Sliding cars and what occupants feel lead to our next misconception. That skidding cars accelerate when they hit grass. No, they don't. This fairly common observation has been lent credibility by prominent names like Peter Brock. He said he knew it was true because he could feel it. We can't check if this supremely talented driver and rightly crowned 'King of the Mountain' was ever dissuaded of the notion, but what he was feeling wasn't what he thought he was feeling.

In order for a car, or anything, to accelerate it must have a force applied to it. It's the same with deceleration. In a skidding car with the wheels locked up there's no force causing the car to accelerate. The only force is that of deceleration due to friction between the tyres and asphalt. It's considerable and will burn off speed quite rapidly; alas, sometimes not rapidly enough. A driver feels the interaction between their inertia and the slowing car through the seat and seat belts.

The greater the deceleration, the more strongly the driver will feel the effects. Conversely, the lower the rate of deceleration, the less force the driver will feel. There's a good deal more friction between rubber and road (or track) than between rubber and grass. So, on a road or track deceleration will be much more rapid but if a skidding car slides off asphalt and onto grass, all of a sudden the force felt

Centrifugal force does exist. In the ball-on-a-string model, the ball is subject to an inward acting centripetal force – white. Centrifugal force operates on whatever is at the other end of the string, be it a hand, pole, or anything else – red (above). Dirt has much lower friction than asphalt. This car isn't sliding sideways because it's wheels are driven and adding force to the situation (left). In this shot it's a straight sideways slide on asphalt. Fortunately it seems to be on a straight section of track that isn't a tangent to a curve (below)

by the driver will be much reduced. This is interpreted as acceleration. It's not; it's just much less deceleration.

Spectators watching a skidding car transition from track to grass can be similarly misled. The car will pass stationary background objects at lower speed when decelerating rapidly on asphalt. Then, when sliding onto the grass, it will traverse background objects more quickly. There is, however, no acceleration here. Just less deceleration.

tracks usually have a

car skidding from the asphalt onto the

but it doesn't (top). Chrome/moly tube weighs the

as

because

It's just stronger (above left). This broken piece of engine block shows grain structure clearly along the fractured edge (above). Fine splines are stronger than coarse splines but not for the reasons many people think

Weight is everything in a racing car. It's said, incorrectly, that 'chrome/moly' is lighter than steel This is why it's used to make roll-cages in decent racing cars. However, this notion is an example of sloppy language morphing into a new and incorrect understanding. 'Chrome/moly' isn't lighter than steel because it is steel. The correct name for this material is chrome molybdenum steel. It's main advantage is that weight for weight it's stronger than ordinary steels. This means that a roll-cage made from chrome molybdenum steel can use thinner, and therefore lighter, tube without sacrificing strength.

Racing drivers will tell you that the roll-cage in a car is there to protect the driver. Race engineers will tell you that the function of a roll-cage is to make the car more rigid to improve suspension and handling. They're

NASCAR

grassed area alongside the main straight. A

grass can seem to accelerate,

same

steel,

it is steel.

(below)

Image: skeeze from Pixabay

both right and they both know it. They also agree that a lighter roll-cage makes a faster car. This all brings up the matter of steel and iron.

What's the difference between iron and steel?

These are two of the most widely used materials in the manufacturing of cars, trucks and many other things of the modern age. At least a passing familiarity with these materials could be considered foundational knowledge for an engineer, machinist, welder or even a mechanic. However, the role of carbon in these materials is not easily explained; it can be quite the conundrum for budding metallurgical students.

Iron is just iron. It's an element that doesn't contain anything else, although industrially speaking cast iron will have minor impurities. Pretty much everyone knows that adding carbon to iron turns it into steel. Broadly, steel contains between 0.2 and 0.8 percent carbon, along with other alloying elements. Very high carbon steels have even more.

Loosely speaking, the more carbon in steel the stronger it is. How is it, then, that cast iron has between one percent and as much as five percent carbon? It seems, on the face of it, that adding carbon to iron turns it into steel but adding more than about one percent turns it back into iron rather than even stronger steel! What gives?

Metals are made out of grains, which in turn are made of lattices of atoms.

Grey cast iron has flakes of carbon held between the grains. Because they're thin and sharp-edged they act like cracks and make grey iron relatively weak.

Most people in the automotive industry have heard of nodular iron and know that it's stronger. Again, most of the carbon in nodular, or spherical iron, is held between the grains, but it's spherically shaped. This reduces its weakening effect considerably. The salient point is that in steels, the carbon is in the grains. In high carbon content cast irons the bulk of the carbon is between the grains, rather than in the grains. That's why the carbon content can be so high while remaining cast iron – rather than steel. How all of this works in detail is an extremely interesting, if somewhat daunting, subject.

The size, shape and chemical composition of grains, even in the same piece of metal, can differ. The exact form of a grain depends on other metals and elements added to the molten metal, the way in which the molten metal solidifies, and the way in which it's heat treated after solidification.

Carbon, and other elements, can be held in and form part of the atomic lattice of a grain in a number of ways. Importantly, though, carbon can also be in between the grains. This is the case with industrial cast irons in blocks, diff housings, crankshafts etc.

The uprated 4-5-6 driven shaft for a Commodore six-speed transmission has a slightly reduced diameter behind the splines compared with the factory shaft at left (top and centre). Here's a beautiful shaft with a reduced diameter shaft except for the central support section. This design, made from good material, is about as good as it gets (above). These aftermarket shafts are made of excellent material but the splines still concentrate stress (below left). These narrow side gears will severely concentrate stress in the splines of the shaft (below right)

Perhaps we'll cover it in more detail another time. A more general introduction to the subject is certainly lacking in traditional metallurgical texts.

Drive shafts and other types of shafts in automotive applications are virtually always made of steel, which is made of atomic latices and grains. The force needed to turn a shaft is often transferred by means of splines cut into the outer surface. A commonly expressed thought is that fine splines are stronger than coarse splines (for the same surface area). A full discussion of splines would take much more than a couple of paragraphs. They're like gear teeth and can have different forms and pressure angles. Of course, the types of steels and the heat treatment of splined shafts also varies considerably. In this case, we're assuming the splines we're talking about have the same tooth forms and are made from the same materials.

Uprated 4-5-6 driven shaft

4-5-6 clutch pack Input shaft

When a steel shaft has a torsional stress applied it twists. As it does so, the bonds between the atoms in the grains are stretched. The greater the number of grains across which the stress is spread, the more stress the component will be able to handle without breaking. A thicker shaft has more grains so it's stronger. However, the strain (physical deformation) isn't distributed evenly throughout the cross-section of a shaft.

Now, we could talk about Hooke's Law and other things here but anyone who needs to know about that already does, and this is a simple overview to make just the following point: When a shaft is twisted a given number of degrees, most of the strain occurs in the outer diameter. This is where splines are cut, so they weaken a shaft considerably. Fine splines simply don't cut as deeply into this critical region of a shaft and that's why they don't weaken it as much. Coarse splines have to be cut deeper to achieve the same engagement area.

The effective diameter of a splined shaft is more or less the minor diameter of the splines. So, there's not much point in making a shaft thicker than this. Indeed, the overall diameter of a well-engineered shaft is no bigger than the minor diameter of the splines. This effectively spreads the torsional strain along the entire length of the shaft rather than concentrating it in the splines. The highest quality shafts are actually bored through the centre to reduce weight. As mentioned, this centre section of a shaft doesn't twist as much as the outer diameter so it can be removed without sacrificing much strength. In F1 and the like, weight reduction is critically important.

Reducing the weight of a car means that each combustion event in the engine has to do less work. Really, everything in a car or truck revolves around successive combustion events.

Combustion and explosion are often used interchangeably but this is incorrect.

Although a combustion event is extremely fast, it still takes time. An explosion is orders

of magnitude faster, virtually instant, in fact. Relative flame speeds are good indicators of the difference. The flame speed in a combustion chamber at stoichiometric might be some tens of metres per second depending on compression, rpm and other factors. Some sources suggest it can be as fast as a couple of hundred metres per second depending on conditions.

When detonation sets in, flame speeds might reach a couple of thousand metres per second. Obviously, that's much faster than the case with normal combustion. But even in-chamber detonation isn't that impressive compared with a true highexplosive. Trinitrotoluene, better known as TNT, is a true explosive. It has a detonation velocity of nearly seven thousand metres per second. Clearly, there's no comparison between what goes on in an internal combustion engine and a bonafide explosion.

If you want to see some really beautiful high-speed (slow motion) video of internal

combustion there's a YouTube channel called Warped Perception that shows videos of a side-valve Briggs & Stratton engine with a clear glass head running on different fuels. It's in the playlist called See Through Engine Engines bring up our last point. Some people say the term engine should be reserved for internal combustion devices and motor should only refer to electric motors. It seems like a commonsense distinction but not everyone agrees. What about the widespread use of terms like outboard motor or motorcycle? And we've probably all asked, at one time or another when enquiring about a car, “what's the motor?” What about the Ford Motor Company, or General Motors? Of course, it could be argued that FoMoCo and GM are using the term motor to mean whole cars, as did Alexei Sayle in his bizarre hit song, Ullo John! Gotta New Motor? It all comes down to taste and time. Use the terms however you want – nothing will break.

The concentration of stress in the long splines is evident and breakage would have occurred quickly. The splined shaft at lower right has already broken (top left). See Through Engine on YouTube has superb slow motion videos of combustion. Be warned, though, the methods are anything but scientific and certainly not to be recommended from the standpoint of safety. However, the results are fascinating and informative (above). Combustion is not an explosion. It's a progressive burn. This image from Bosch shows the beginning of the process in a direct injection engine (below)

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STATE OF THE AFTERMARKET

Car manufacturing may be gone but some sectors of the automotive aftermarket are alive and well

WORDS Paul Tuzson

AS would be expected, the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association has data about the state of aftermarket manufacturing. To be sure, the sector has lost employees since the major manufacturers vacated our shores. However, the number of companies operating in the aftermarket has actually gone up, from 260 in 2015 to 300 currently. For instance, a number of engineers have left Holden, Ford and Toyota to set up engineering consultancies for product design and development.

Around 83 percent of companies in the association are either exporting or getting ready to export. The figure for companies already sending product overseas is 70 percent. The biggest markets are the US and Europe but Asia is also growing, particularly for 4WD components. Although replacement parts are part of the product mix, vehicle accessories and enhancement form the bulk of exports. Performance improvements are also part of the mix.

The association says that local aftermarket manufacturing is growing at about 10 percent per annum, which is a very respectable figure. Most of that is driven by SUVs and dual-cab utes. The latter are, of course, the prime movers for the building and associated trades. Lights, roof racks, tie-downs, toolboxes, and more are all produced in the local aftermarket manufacturing industry.

Local replacement part manufacturers also seem to be doing reasonably well because as new car sales drop, people are holding onto their vehicles for longer. This calls for replacement drive belts, air filters and other components. There are a number of smaller, niche operations manufacturing well respected performance enhancement products for the aftermarket.

Nathan Higgins has been known for his highperformance head porting for decades, which has been the back-bone of his business.

However, these days Higgins Race Heads manufactures its own range of LS, Holden and Ford heads. A new Chev head is also on the cusp of release. The business has been growing year on year for a long time. First one factoryette, then two, now three all filled with specialised multi-axis NC machines. Says Nathan, “The aftermarket scene is going off and it doesn’t show much sign of slowing down.”

Ray McDonald from McDonald Bros Racing also suggests the aftermarket is extremely healthy. He says he could stop taking orders tomorrow and still have work for the next five or six months. He suggests that the club permit scheme has helped bring cars into the market because of

the reduced registration fees associated with it. People can have multiple cars on the road for the cost of just one normal registration. “They can drive their toys around and even insurance is cheaper. It’s made a huge difference,” he says. The company sees vehicles from the 60s and 70s as its prime market. The shapes of these cars are popular (for very good reason) but of course they handle about as well as a bucket of bolts. McDonald Bros supplies bolt-in front and rear suspension and brake packages to remedy that, and they’re enormously popular. Engineered component packages that require structural modification from minor to major levels are also a mainstay of the company. Once a kit is engineered and certified, customers right around Australia have no problems with the authorities. McDonald Bros used to work on customer cars directly but that’s changed. Over the last 10 years demand for engineered components from other workshops all over the country has grown enormously. This is a good sign because it means that classic cars are being built right around Australia. According to Ray there are far more workshops bringing classic, performance and racing cars back to life than there were 10 years ago. Over the last decade growth has been really strong and the company is investing in infrastructure for the future. Hoppers Stoppers makes brake upgrade kits for classic cars, among other things, and demand is constant. Owner, Peter Konig, has retired from day-to-day operations and moved to Hervey Bay and says, “When I try to ring into the office I often can’t get a line because the phones are constantly busy with orders.” He continued, “It’s amazing to see what’s becoming collectible. Now, we’re even producing kits for EA to EL Falcons as well as conventional classic cars and hot rods!”

Hervey Bay itself has two hot rod clubs. One is limited to just 60 members while the other had nearly 300. Konig’s view of the classic and hot rod aftermarket is echoed by many in the industry. “People get older and have paid off their houses and decide to build their dream car.”

Hoppers Stoppers also makes and sells 4WD brake upgrades and modifications. Peter observes: “The 4WD market is also doing extremely well. Tradies are making good money and need tax deductions. Consequently, they’re buying their Ranger and HiLux duel cab utes and then sticking on another few grand of accessories.

The 4WD guys are making a killing.”

The innovative nature of Australia often fuses experience and need and results in new and original products. Local company Torque-Power manufactures a range of bell-housings for transmission swaps in local cars. Over about the last 10 years the company has also set about developing and making improved performance heads for Holdens and a range of manifolds for both Holdens and Fords.

Torque-Power has also developed both alloy and iron engine blocks that take a wide range of Holden components and also make use of some Chev components. The restrictions of the original Holden block have been engineered out of the Torque-Power blocks and they can be opened out and stroked to as much as 500ci, which is more than eight litres. All of these products have been developed and manufactured in Australia.

Torque-Power owner, Craig Bennett says there’s a lot of misinformation about manufacturing in Australia. “People say that manufacturing in Australia is too difficult but that’s just not true. There’s still a lot of work done here. Casting, heat treating, pattern making, machining and many other processes are all available

RG Baker were wizards at crack repair and restoration. The business has closed but Rob is still around and lending his expertise to other companies (left). Cars are never classics when they’re released but with time they achieve that status (below)

locally.” He further explained that the foundry which makes all of his castings has so much work that they’re always “flat out”. Metal casting in Australia is far from dead and buried, as some people suggest. Another local manufacturer of heads and manifolds for classic iron engines, CHI, says the company can sell everything it makes. Company spokesman, Mark Conner said, “Very rarely do we have stock on the shelves.” Conner says, “A lot of the time when I ask what car the heads are going into the answer seems to be a (Ford Falcon) XY. I don’t know where all these XYs are coming from, but they seem to keep coming. It’s been years.”

Although these capabilities still exist in Australia some of the skills and trades involved are becoming reduced and concentrated. Independent pattern makers for casting are becoming a bit thin on the ground. So are engine reconditioning workshops.

There was a time when engine machining workshops were on every corner in Dandenong and other areas. Now, most of them are gone. Dandy Engines is one of the considerably reduced number remaining. Owner, Lou Iudica, says “Motors last much longer than they used to, so there’s not the work there used to be. Head work for car yards and the like has dropped off but it’s been replaced by classic work and racing jobs. That’s not slowing down at all.”

Another Dandenong-based engine builder, Nostalgic Engine Developments (NED) echoes the above views and says classic work is growing all the time. Despite the

Chevy Down Under has been supplying American classics to the aftermarket for decades (above). Chevy Down Under suggests that models worth salvaging are getting harder to find. However, as classics become rarer who knows? (below). Peter

historical perspective. Company spokesman, Chris Boribon says company growth this past year has been roughly 10 percent, which is impressive enough, but it’s on the back of similar growth for the previous year. This is a good, broad indicator because Shannons insures all types of classic cars. Boribon’s comments are similar to those of Konig when he says, “What’s considered a classic has changed. Cars from the 80s and 90s that older readers may have purchased new are now classed as ‘emerging classics’ by the company. Japanese classics are another growth areas. “GTRs and RX7s have come into their own, along with models like the Honda NSX.” He added, “European models like AMG and BMW Motorsport types have also become more popular.”

It’s dangerous to speed on the road.

The Melbourne Performance Centre

health of these businesses, though, it’s unlikely that there will be many new engine builders starting up. The capital cost of the machinery needed to enter the field is a barrier. There were bargains available when engine shops sold up and shut down but these machines tended to go into existing businesses that stayed the course. Shannons is a company well qualified to comment on the strength of the current automotive aftermarket, but with a strong

gives those inclined to high speed the support needed to indulge their needs on racetracks around the country. The company builds and supports cars of all types from Australian and foreign models specifically prepared for the track to other high-end race models for higher classes. The company commenced operations in 2004 in a 220-square metre factory. Soon, another 180 square metres were needed. Next came a move to a 1000-square metre space and now the company has taken possession of a 4000-square metre space. The outfit now has three B-Doubles to support operations. That’s expansion.

Of course, another whole section of the aftermarket is occupied by the coachbuilding industry. Jamie Downey operates a fine old piece of machinery called a power hammer. He can use it to convert sheet metal into just about any shape imaginable. The end result is similar to that achievable on an English wheel. Coachbuilding is an area of the aftermarket enjoying increased popularity. Names like Mark Nugent, Brian Tanti, Peter Tommasini, Vince Panozzo, Jamie and others can have about as much work as they want.

Tommasini created this masterpiece of restoration on the English wheel and by hand (bottom)

Jamie explains, “There’s certainly enough work out there to feed business expansion. The problem is trying to find the right people.” He’s chosen a more simplified approach to business and makes a range of parts that keep things running and provide on-going income. “That way I’m able to do what I want to do without having to maintain employees and deal with other business pressures.” Nice work if you can get it.

Jamie says people say that the skills involved in such work are dying out, but he disagrees. There is an increasing number of places where metal shaping can be learned. Peter Tommasini has pulled back from working on customer cars and concentrates on running courses, which are proving very popular. He also offers instructional DVDs and the specialised tools needed for such work. Soon, there will be another option for learning these, and other skills related to the classic car aftermarket and the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has had a hand in the project. VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym explained that Castlemaine in Victoria has a long history

of making things out of metal due to the mining history of the area. It’s arguably the hot rod capital of Australia. There’s certainly a very high concentration of hot rods and custom cars in the region, along with the skills needed to build and maintain them.

A number of interested parties called the Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre Limited (CHRC) have been working for years to create Autoplex Castlemaine. This is a centre that will offer training in various aspects of classic car restoration and construction. Gwilym calls such skills ‘heritage trades’.

The idea is to have specialists in the various trades that define automotive manufacturing showcase and perhaps offer courses to teach these skills. “There might be short courses, Certificate II traineeships. We may even have a vehicle restoration apprenticeship, who knows?” says Gwilym. He went on to explain that there’s a horde of cashed-up baby boomers in a position work takes time (above left). Upholstery is a vital skill needed for restoration (above centre).

R&J Moss in Bendigo maintains the skills and equipment required to restore all forms of automotive electricals (above right). Peter Tommasini makes and supplies his handbuilt range of panel tools (above). English wheels make smooth subtle curves possible. Tommasini can even supply newly manufactured English wheels (below left and right)

and restoring them. There will also be those who’d prefer to buy a finished car rather than build one themselves. Gwilym is sure that this market will continue to grow. “We’re bound to have a healthy aftermarket for the considerable future.”

Larry O’Toole is the Chairman of the CHRC and has been at the centre of what he calls the specialist auto industry for decades. He feels generally that everything in the classic aftermarket is pretty positive. Of the current automotive aftermarket, he says “The general economy would only have to loosen up a bit for the automotive aftermarket to take off like a rocket. There are more events for these types of cars and they’re getting bigger.” Larry suggests, as have other sources for this article, that there’s an increasing number of older cars considered suitable for restoration. “These days people consider pre-90s cars old and they’re restoring them. When we started out it was pre-60s. That’s 30 years of extra cars.” This trend is only going to

Larry also pointed out that a few years ago, when the Australian and US dollars were at parity, a flood of cars from the 60s, 70s and some from decades either side of that period were imported from the US. He suggests that many of these are still in storage awaiting restoration. “These cars are waiting to emerge and will give us material for about the next 30 years.”

As more and more cars are built here and taken overseas, the world is becoming aware of what we can do. This is only going to further increase the value of our local industry.

Rare Spares is another name synonymous with the classic aftermarket. Founder and Director of the company, Dave Ryan says that when they started making classic restoration parts like HK panels they thought they’d sell a reasonable number

each year what they thought would be their total sales of these products. Rare Spares has grown into a considerable company over the decades in step with the classic aftermarket. The future? “We’re planning for expansion,” Dave says.

Darren from Retro Looms can take a dusty, corroded old loom like this and restore it to ship shape (above left). An original Ford Flathead V8 engine at Dandy Engines (top right and above). Aftermarket performance products for race applications are big business (right). Torque-Power has designed and built the highest displacement alloy and iron small blocks in the world (below)

OurAuto Insurance

Comprehensive Insurance Cover

Insurance matters when things go wrong and when they do, it’s important that you have the most comprehensive insurance cover possible.

We work with you to understand and manage your risks and then provide Policy options that address your specific insurance needs.

OurAuto Insurance understands the importance of providing the right insurance that matches your needs.

Competitive prices

We are a broker and therefore not tied to a single insurance company. This means that once we understand your insurance risks, we can shop the market on your behalf to achieve a competitive price.

Some

recent experiences of dealing with OurAuto Insurance…

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“OurAuto Insurance promised to look into my insurance after I told them I had a claim and my existing insurer had increased my premium to the point it was unaffordable. The advice and the service I received was outstanding. They identified areas I wasn’t covered and helped me understand where my business was vulnerable. They provided outstanding service and came back to me with a real saving, something that made a real difference to my business and with greater overall cover.”

Gentile, Generals Automotive Nunawading VIC

Cover for all automotive businesses

OurAuto Insurance has a goal to seek insurance for all businesses operating in the Australian automotive industry regardless of size and risk profile.

Challenge us to find a better deal

Contact us today and challenge us to find a better insurance deal for your business.

Any advice in this document is general and may not be suitable to your circumstances. VACC may earn commission as a direct result of your insurance placement with OurAuto Insurance.

Call 1300 441 474 or visit

SPARK IGNITION DIRECT INJECTION

2009 - 2016 Holden VE-VF

DIRECT fuel injection in petrol engines is a technology that has now come of age. It was first invented in 1902 and has been used in many highperformance engines since then, like the WW2 Me109 fighter plane and the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (Gullwing coupé) which was the fastest production car in the world at the time. It has now made its way into mainstream automotive applications due to its ability to reduce exhaust emissions while increasing fuel economy and performance. However, there are some downsides to these systems which have become apparent in the trade. This article will give you an operational overview of the petrol direct injection systems, which will be applicable across many makes and models.

The modern versions of these systems are commonly referred to as spark ignition direct injection (SIDI, which is how General Motors market these engines). This is so that they are not confused with compression ignition direct injection systems (CIDI), which are diesel engines that have been in use for a long time.

The SIDI system is the latest version in the evolution of electronic fuel injection (EFI). This started with single point or throttle body injection (TBI) that has one or two injectors in the throttle body to supply all cylinders. Then port or multi-point fuel Injection (MPFI) came along that has an injector mounted directly above each intake port which provided a more accurate air-fuel mixture to each cylinder. The next advancement was sequential

fuel Injection (SPFI), in which the ECU knows which stroke the engine is on and will control each injector in sequence with the intake strokes of the engine, which improves fuel economy.

All of these systems have the injectors upstream of the intake valves which is where the air and the fuel get mixed together. This layout has the disadvantage of fuel sticking to the walls of the intake ports and the back of the intake valves, which causes inefficiencies in the engine. SIDI has the injectors built into the head, and they inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber during the compression stroke (direct injection like a diesel engine) where the spark plug will then ignite the air/fuel mixture (not like a diesel engine).

Direct Injection

Intake valve

Injector: Injects very high-pressure fuel into the combustion chamber on the compression stroke

Port Injection Systems are delivering fuel into a negative pressure environment of the intake ports, which is easy. SIDI has to inject fuel into the combustion chamber on the compression stroke, so it must overcome a very high positive pressure and then must close and seal against the very high pressures of the combustion. This has required a massive upgrade in the fuel delivery system for these engines, resulting in dangerously high fuel pressures (up to 20,000 kPa in some cases) and voltages (65V) at the injector. The following description of a SIDI system is based on the Holden Commodore VE V6 engines, however other SIDI systems for other makes and models will be similar in operation.

There is an electric fuel pump in the fuel tank to deliver relatively low-pressure

Exhaust valve

Piston: Shaped to direct air /fuel mixture towards the spark plug

Port Injection

Intake valve

Injector: Injects fuel into the port, on the intake stroke into a negative pressure

fuel to the engine. This is a returnless system with a fuel pressure regulator built into the pump assembly in the tank (which means there is no hot fuel returning to the tank which would increase evaporative emissions).

There may be a fuel filter in the fuel line, or it could be a part of the fuel pump assembly.

When the fuel arrives at the engine, it is fed into a mechanically driven high-pressure pump. This is a simple single piston pump driven via an extra lobe on the camshaft. It has a builtin pressure relief valve and variable pressure damper. Mounted on the side of the high-pressure pump is the fuel pressure regulator (FPR) which is a solenoid valve that controls the inlet valve on the pump. The ECU provides

Fuel pressure regulator

Exhaust valve

NOTE: The injector effectively washes the intake port and back of the valve, reducing carbon build up

a duty cycle signal to the FPR which is synchronised with the lobes on the cam. The ECU will control when the inlet valve on the pump will close, which controls the amount of fuel which is pressurised. This pump will increase the fuel pressure to between 3000 – 15,000 kPa which is then passed onto the fuel rails.

The fuel rails distribute the fuel evenly to all of the injectors which are switched via a signal from the ECU. The pressure in the fuel rail must be higher than the compression pressure in the combustion chamber for the fuel to be injected and atomised correctly, so the injectors require a lot of energy to overcome these opposing forces. The ECU has an inbuilt high voltage supply circuit which incorporates a capacitor and a high voltage control circuit for each injector.

Fuel intake pipe from fuel tank (low pressure)

Fitting for fuel pressure gauge

Transfer pipe from left fuel rail to right fuel rail (high pressure)

NOTE: The highpressure pipes have yellow stickers to warn you to replace the pipe once removed

Rear view of the Holden 3.6-litre SIDI V6 LLT engine

Pipe to LH fuel rail (high pressure)

High pressure pump is driven by camshaft on rear of LH head

SIDI Fuel System Layout

High pressure 3000 – 15000 kPa

When the injector is to be opened the ECU will discharge the capacitor. This releases 65 volts which is required to open the injector. Once open, 12V is suppled to keep the injector open to deliver the correct amount of fuel.

The injector will then spray the fuel via a series of holes in the nozzle, into the combustion chamber to mix the fuel with the air. The crown of the piston is shaped specially to direct the air/ fuel mixture towards the spark plug for ignition.

To the left is the basic overview of the operation. However, there are other components which have been added to increase the efficiency of the system which are as follows.

Fuel pump control module (FPCM)

This is fitted under the battery carrier in the boot which is used to control the fuel flow rate from the fuel tank.

This is used to make sure that the supply fuel pressure to the high-pressure fuel pump is correct, so the ECU can accurately control the amount of fuel entering the highpressure pump.

Fuel line pressure sensor

This is a piezoresistive pressure sensor which is fitted into the fuel line. It is used to provide a fuel pressure signal to the FPCM, to make sure that the supply pressure is correct. It is mounted near the fuel tank.

Fuel rail pressure sensor

This is fitted to the fuel rail and receives a 5V reference voltage from the ECU. The sensor will vary the output voltage depending on the fuel pressure in the rail. (High voltage for high pressure and low voltage for low pressure.) If it has been removed from the fuel rail, it must be replaced with a new unit.

Flexible fuel sensor

Although this is not a requirement for SIDI, this sensor is fitted into the fuel line so the ECU can work out the percentage of ethanol in the fuel for more efficient operation.

Other advantages of SIDI

As the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber it cools the piston and cylinder, which allows for a higher compression ratio and therefore higher engine output Some systems can have multiple injections during the engine cycle, which improve efficiency They can have different modes of operation depending on the operating conditions for increasing power or efficiency.

Disadvantages of SIDI

Injectors

It’s noisy

Due to the high pressures used in the system, the injectors make more noise when they open and close. As a result, these engines have noise isolation cups between the injector and the cylinder head and other acoustic covers and mufflers fitted to make them quieter. However, they still make more noise at idle than a port injection system, which is normal.

Single use parts

If you are going to dismantle any of the high-pressure side of the system, make sure to check which parts you need to replace. Common single use parts:

The high-pressure fuel pipe to the fuel rail

The crossover pipe from the bank 1 fuel rail to the bank 2 fuel rail

Injector Teflon seals and all other seals in the system if removed

High fuel pressure is dangerous

Never open the high-pressure side with the engine is running

You must release both the high and low side pressure before working on the system.

Hard to get the injectors out

They get stuck in the cylinder head and special tools are required to pull them out.

Carbon build up

Reports are coming in of carbon build up in the intake ports and on the back of the intake valves. This carbon comes from the small amount of oil which seeps past the valve seals to lubricate the valve guides.

Carbon build up

Carbon build up on the back of a valve and in the intake port can reduce intake air flow to the point of causing idle and driveability problems

When this oil hits the hot intake valve it burns on and starts to build up slowly. Also, the fine mist of engine fumes from the PCV valve adds to this over time. As the engine gets older, and the seals and rings leak more, the problem can start to show itself.

The carbon build up can reduce the volume of intake air which reduces the performance of the engine, leading to misfires, rough idle and other drivability problems. If left unchecked, there have been unconfirmed stories of carbon coming loose and passing through the engine and damaging turbochargers and catalytic converters.

The reason for this is in the basic design of the engine. In a port injection engine with the injector upstream of the intake port and valve, the injected fuel effectively washes away any oil and carbon before it can burn onto the valve or intake port. However, with the injector in the combustion chamber, this washing effect will not happen, and no fuel additives will help (no matter what the ads on TV say).

There is no easy way to remove the carbon once it has built up. The intake manifold will have to be removed, then the engine rotated so the intake valves are closed. Now you must choose a method of cleaning the carbon. One way is to fill the intake port with carbon/oven cleaner, wait for it to soften the build-up then brush and suck out the carbon. Another way, which seems popular, is walnut shell blasting, which is like sand blasting except with crushed walnut shells

that will not remove any metal. Both of these methods are time-consuming, messy and no manufacturer has recommendations for these processes. So, you use these methods at your own risk.

To reduce the amount of carbon build up, the best advice is to make sure that the engine oil is changed on time with a high quality, full synthetic oil –which usually has less volatility than conventional motor oil. Check with your oil suppliers. Aftermarket oil catch cans have been fitted into the PCV lines to reduce the amount of oil and blowby entering the intake manifold. This could be a solution for a vehicle with a worn engine. Carbon build up problems seem to be more common in VW and BMW engines but all SIDI engines are susceptible.

Future developments

With the increased pressure to comply with more strict emissions laws, manufacturers are developing engines to meet this challenge and the next system could be homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines. This is compression ignition for petrol engines, so our old friend the spark plug will be replaced with higher compression ratios to ignite the air-fuel mixture. This system is rumoured to be released in the next generation of Mazda3, with other manufacturers developing similar engines based on this idea.

For diagnostic and repair information on these systems, login to Tech Online or call the VACC Technical Advisory Service on 03 9829 1186.

Becoming a VACC or TACC member opens up a wide range of special offers and discounted products and services for you and your business. VACC and TACC have collaborated with organisations which provide essential services to your business to offer special low rates for members. Couple the savings from discounted products and services with the subsidised services which VACC itself offers to members, and your annual membership can easily pay for itself. Everything from IR advice, to cheaper EFTPOS terminals to technical solutions is on offer. This guide gives you an idea of the offers which you can access, as well as a number of other collaborations.

Workplace/IR Advice

Members can access services including a call centre for employment-related questions, a web page with award rates and policy and employment fact sheets, writing of employment contracts, handbooks and policies, and member and industry representation.

03 9829 1123 ir@vacc.com.au vacc.com.au

Auto Apprenticeships

VACC takes the hassle out of hiring trainees and apprentices, as businesses are matched with high quality candidates who meet strict selection criteria. VACC also looks after all administration aspects of the apprenticeship, including visits by Field Officers.

03 9829 1130 autoapprenticeships@vacc.com.au autoapprenticeships.com.au

Technical Information

Members have access to comprehensive technical information for the automotive industry, including a telephone advisory service (available for a small annual access fee), Tech Online, which contains over 55,000 pages of technical information, and the VACC Times Guide.

03 9829 1186 03 9829 1196 (Tech Online) vacc.com.au

Health Insurance

NIB has a mission and vision of people enjoying better health. VACC and TACC members (including their staff) receive a corporate discount on nib’s retail health insurance products.

1800 13 14 63 nib.com.au/corp/vacc

Website Services

OurAuto Digital provides a one-stop solution for your business’ website, including a custom design, rendering for smartphones and tablets, email accounts and hosting. Businesses are able to update web content themselves. VACC and TACC members receive these services at a discounted rate.

1300 687 288 ourautodigital.com.au

OurAuto iStore

Businesses can purchase a wide range of items, including personalised stationery, consumables such as floor mats and seat covers, workplace safety signage and much more. Member businesses automatically receive a discount on purchases.

03 9829 1152 autoistore.com.au

A Grade

The A Grade Automotive Network is a network of VACC member businesses that are dedicated to providing customers a better quality experience across all aspects of vehicle maintenance and repairs. Participants are contractually bound and VACC certified, and are publicly promoted in various forms of advertising.

03 9829 1202 goagrade.com.au

Technical Solutions

Technical information is available to all automotive businesses through the OurAuto Tech-Centre. Subscription includes access to Tech-Online and the Times Guide, Tech-Advisory phone services, and the Tech Talk publication. The Centre uses the largest technical library in the Southern Hemisphere.

1300 687 288 tech-centre.com.au

EFTPOS Facility

Commonwealth Bank offers competitive financial solutions for businesses in the automotive industry. VACC and TACC member businesses can access a discounted rate for EFTPOS merchant facilities. Contact VACC for an application form.

03 9829 1152 vacc.com.au

Training & Education

Members can access automotive industryspecific training programs in business management, industrial relations/human resource management, technical and OHS & Environment. Skills Development Centre also facilitates short courses, online programs and diploma and degree qualifications.

03 9829 1130 info@vaccsdc.com.au vaccsdc.com.au

Freight Services

VACC and TACC members receive discounted rates and benefits, including trace and track capabilities, one number to call, one easy-to-understand invoice, and online job quoting, booking and tracking. Contact VACC for an application form.

03 9829 1152 vacc.com.au

Environmental Advice

VACC members can benefit from environmental compliance advice, briefings, training and on-site assessments. Green Stamp is an accreditation program that recognises and promotes businesses which have implemented sound environmental practices.

03 9829 1117 environment@vacc.com.au greenstampplus.com.au

Superannuation

MTAA Superannuation is the super fund for the automotive industry. MTAA has low fees, is run only to benefit members and offers a range of investment options. It allows employers to make all super contributions with just one transaction.

1300 362 415 mtaasuper.com.au

Energy Bill Savings

Smart Power offer a free bill comparison service. It will enable you to evaluate your current energy bills. They will do a comparison with VACC’s approved electricity providers. Contact VACC for an application form.

03 9829 1152 vacc.com.au

Waste Management

Remondis Australia is VACC’s preferred provider of general and prescribed waste services. VACC members benefit from a customised waste management plan and discounted rates.

03 9829 1152 vacc.com.au

Visa Checking Services

VACC Helpline offers a quick visa checking service through the Department of Immigration. VACC members and non-members can access the service to ensure an applicant on a Visa has appropriate work rights in Australia. Don’t be caught out.

03 9829 1133 autoadvice@vacc.com.au vacc.com.au

JobFinder Services

VACC Helpline provides a free job advertising service on the JobFinder website. Any automotive business, VACC member or not, can advertise qualified and apprenticeship vacancies. All enquiries go direct to you for screening.

03 9829 1133 autoadvice@vacc.com.au vacc.com.au

OH&S Services

Members can access consultation and advice on OHS issues, including incident management, policies, workers’ compensation and more. OHS specialists provide workplace assessments and training, and administer the HazCheck management system.

03 9829 1138 ohs@vacc.com.au vacc.com.au

Payment Plans

GoPay allows your customers to spread out the cost of their service and repair bill. They pay one-third on the day and the balance over the next two months interest-free.

1300 687 288 gopay.com.au

Office Supplies

Winc offers a convenient single source for business and workshop supplies. VACC and TACC members have access to discounts on WINC supplies. Contact VACC for an application form.

03 9829 1152 vacc.com.au

Apprentice Support

VACC Helpline provides apprentices and businesses a free automotive apprenticeship signup and advisory service to assist all parties at any time. With years of experience and knowledge, it’s well worth a quick phone call to put you in the right direction.

03 9829 1133 autoadvice@vacc.com.au vacc.com.au

Australian Automotive

Members automatically receive Australian Automotive magazine. The bi-monthly publication offers the latest industry news, reviews, industry comment and technical articles. Australian Automotive is the most widely read automotive industry publication in the country.

03 9829 1247 australianautomotive.com

Auto Workplace Assist

A convenient go-to solution for supporting automotive workplace compliance needs. Health and Safety can be a complex, high risk and costly area for workplaces. AWA offers ready-made, industry-specific compliance products, so that business owners can get on with the job at hand.

1300 585 136 autoworkplaceassist.com.au

TACC

Founded in 1930, TACC serves the automotive industry in Tasmania and amalgamated with VACC in 1999. TACC members gain access to all of the same products and services as VACC members, however TACC also has a number of additional services for its membership.

03 6278 1611

tacc.com.au

Insurance Brokers

TACC members can now access business insurance solutions through OurAuto Insurance. Specifically designed to meet to the unique risk profile of the automotive industry, OurAuto Insurance can help your business access the best cover at an affordable rate.

1300 441 474 ourautoinsurance.com.au

Graphic Design

VACC’S Marketing department can assist members with their graphic design requirements at a subsidised rate. Services include business cards, logo re-designs, corporate image overhauls, brochures and advertisements.

03 9829 1189 creativeservices@vacc.com.au

Advertising

All members have access to advertising in VACC publications at preferential rates, including Australian Automotive with a national readership exceeding 20,000. The VACC marketing department can help members by designing advertisements at a heavily subsidised rate.

Matt Healey 0407 343 330 matt.healey@cameronmediasales.com

VACC Update

All VACC and TACC members receive VACC Update on a monthly basis via email, with issues also available on the VACC website. The publication provides the latest news and information regarding workplace and industrial relations, OHS and environment, business obligations and training opportunities.

03 9829 1123 vacc.com.au

Tech Talk

Included in VACC/TACC membership is a subscription to the Tech Talk publication, the premier technical publication of the VACC Technical Services Department since 1986. The journal is printed 11 times a year, while a back-catalogue of articles is available as part of the Tech Online website.

03 9829 1292 vacc.com.au

Test and Tagging

ETCS offers TACC members electrical service state-wide, including installation, testing and tagging, and assisting with OHS requirements. TACC members can access special member rates.

1300 724 001

ects.com.au

TACC Apprenticeships

TACC takes the hassle out of hiring trainees and apprentices, as businesses are matched with high quality candidates who meet strict selection criteria. TACC also looks after all administration aspects of the apprenticeship, including visits by Field Officers.

03 6278 1611

tacc.com.au

Roadside Help

TACC members who want to reward their loyal customers can do so though TACC’s Roadside Help program. Members purchase vouchers to give to customers, which customers can use for free help for a flat battery, tyre change, fuel or a tow back to the member’s business.

03 6278 1611 tacc.com.au

TACC Accreditation

TACC Accredited Repairers are promoted to the community as a group of professional businesses who deliver high quality repairs and services. Participating members enter into a contract with TACC to deliver a more professional level of service. TACC promotes these members.

03 6278 1611

tacc.com.au

Really easy to use

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Let us show you how it can drive your business forward...

Savings boxed in.

ACK1 shown.

Models

Everest/Ranger/BT-50 2.2D P4AT/3.2D P5AT

Colorado/D-Max

4JJ1

Colorado/Colorado 7 2.5D LVN/2.8D LWH

D-Max/MU-X 3.0D 4JJ1TC/4JJ1

Navara (Spain)/Path nder

4D56

4N15

YD25

Navara (Thailand) 2.5D YD25

Navara 2.3D YS23DDT/YS23DDTT

Navara 2.5P QR25DE

Hilux (03/05-11/13) 3.0D 1KDFTV

Hilux (12/13 on) 3.0D 1KDFTV

Hilux 2.4D 2GDFTV/2.8D 1GDFTV

Land Cruiser 4.5D 1VDFTV

Land Cruiser 4.2D 1HZ

Land Cruiser Sahara 4.5D 1VDFTV ACK7

Land Cruiser Prado 3.0D 1KDFTV ACK6

Amarok 2.0D CDBA/CDCA/CNEA/ CNFB/CSHA ACK19

19 new boxed ACDelco Filter Kits for the most popular 4x4s: For application details contact your local

All prices are recommended, exclude GST and were correct at time of printing. Holden Dealers are free to set their own prices.