LAS VEGAS – Tenneco announced this week that it is taking the lead in helping the automotive aftermarket capture light-duty and medium-duty diesel aftertreatment service opportunities through the development of a broad new line of replacement diesel particulate filters (DPF) and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC). These components will be introduced in 2010 under the company’s Walker emissions control brand.
“Diesel aftertreatment represents a very large and promising new service opportunity for thousands of repair shops that already have relationships with the owners of these vehicles,” said Frank Murkowski, emissions control marketing manager, North American aftermarket, Tenneco. “As the fleet of vehicles equipped with DPFs and DOCs begins to enter its prime replacement cycle, shops can address these repair needs by relying on the Walker product line.”
The new Walker product line will cover a full range of diesel-equipped light- and medium-duty applications from Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.
Tenneco is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of original equipment diesel aftertreatment systems and components. This OE expertise is an important advantage in the development of replacement solutions, according to the company, due to the sophisticated emissions control regeneration processes used in most late-model diesel applications.
“It will be absolutely critical that the shop use precisely the right type of replacement DOC brick and DPF design based on the vehicle manufacturer’s specifications,” Murkowski said. “By relying on the Walker brand, however, customers can be certain they will have the correct solution for any cataloged application.”
DPF and DOC products have been used in most light- and medium-duty diesel trucks, SUVs and full-size vans since the 2007 model year, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reduced allowable emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and hydrocarbons (HC) by 50 percent and particulate matter by more than 90 percent. A DPF, usually mounted upstream of the DOC, features a precisely engineered ceramic honeycomb structure to remove microscopic particulates from the exhaust stream. A DOC works much like a conventional catalytic converter in creating a chemical reaction that helps clean combustion gases. These two components work together and are often located in the same component body.
Tenneco will expand coverage as additional light- and medium-duty diesel applications, including passenger cars, enter the replacement cycle.
For additional information visit www.walkerexhaust.com. The Walker Web site also features a user-friendly electronic catalog for fast, accurate parts research for virtually any automotive application.
