To "delete" or not to "delete"

6.6 Oilburner wrote:
I realize forward progress must be made, and it has and continues to move forward. Things are cleaner now than ever before. And At one point I did flat out say as far as deletes are concerned, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

But honestly, I'm not surprised I'm getting **** for telling it like I have seen it. The age old battle of an engineer with little to no hands on experience or common sense vs the mechanic who keeps things moving in the field.



All this back and forth aside here are some facts about Deleting.

Deleting emissions equipment can in many cases substantially increase fuel economy
True, but at the expense of producing more NOX per mile driven.

1,2,3 systems disabled on your vehicle is that many less potential failure points
True again, but also at the expense of extra emissions

Emissions equipment has a service life that can vary greatly by application
True, but everything else has a service life too. What's the point?

Cases of frozen DEF tanks on pickup trucks are not uncommon in colder climates
Can't argue there. But I suppose potable water has the same issue and nobody's complaining about not being able to get water.

deleting your emissions equipment can have a negative effect on your warranty, keep in mind that it does not completely void your vehicles warranty
True that.

It is illegal as per federal standards, however local legality and enforcement vary greatly in different areas.
True.

So in a nutshell, deleting is good for the deleter (if he saves enough fuel to pay for the work). He just has to be willing to accept that he's knowingly breaking federal law and risking powertrain warranties. He also has to have a certain lack of concern for the environment and a willingness to emit more NOX and particulates than necessary.

This could be the same guy that thinks the world is his ashtray tossing cigarette butts everywhere. Or the guy who couldn't care less that his campfire is smoking you out. So hey, if it feels good do it. Right?