Posted on 08/08/2005 10:40:08 AM PDT by newgeezer
Automakers are eager to sell you a diesel-powered vehicle. ... The new energy bill establishes a tax credit as large as $3,400 for diesels, matching the break allowed for hybrids.
Diesel-fueled vehicles do afford somewhat better mileage and may not require as much maintenance as gasoline-burners. But now and for years to come, the U.S. refining industry simply cannot produce enough diesel fuel to accommodate a significant increase in the number of vehicles that burn it.
At this year's auto show in New York, a DaimlerChrysler executive responsible for research and technology cited the success of diesel-engine automobiles in Europe while suggesting that these vehicles could gain a 5 to 10 percent share of the U.S. market. ...
European governments, working with automakers, have persuaded their citizens to replace gasoline-powered cars with diesel. They set tax rates to render diesel fuel cheaper than gasoline. But oil companies had no reason to invest in additional equipment for diesel production. Demand for diesel therefore bumps against the limit of supply. The marketplace will remedy such a situation, but it will be slow (because building new refining equipment takes time) and painful (because high-cost fuel hurts the financially weak the most).
... Europe has raised its diesel quality standards to such a high level that very few refineries in other parts of the world can manufacture an acceptable product. Interestingly, the United States can. During a few months last winter, U.S. refiners quietly shipped diesel to Europe. Due to our own demand, that could not continue.
These exports undoubtedly raised U.S. prices while they lasted. In this country, we burn diesel mostly for commercial transportation. As our economy expands, we will need more fuel for trucks and locomotives to transport goods. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
{barf alert!}
Okay, I give up. John Riggins?
You got me... I just drive and break the things... I'm not sure how it works.
Mike
Exactly right..I had one of those GM hybrid diesels..3 transmissions in 3 years..an entire new engine at the end..and it sold for junk..GM really did a disservice to the truly great diesel engines...
At some point in the 1980s, the EPA started downrating highway fuel economy by 22%. I don't know the exact year this started, I have been unable to find it. The EPA's fueleconomy.gov website just says they started doing this in the 1980s.
I did the math and a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu that the EPA says gets 34 highway MPG would have gotten an EPA rating of about 43MPG if they hadn't downrated it.
My family had a diesel Rabbit in the 70's that got 60 MPG.
I worked with someone who drove a diesel Rabbit and he only claimed 51 miles per gallon. He drove about 600 miles a week on his job and he had a gun oil furnace to heat his home so he simply pumped no. 2 fuel oil into the Rabbit. It is apparently the same thing as diesel fuel anyway.
They could have a temporary waiver on new NOx/particulate emissions rules to get diesels into the marketplace faster.
It would reduce CO2 emissions, and save a lot of fuel.
Once the refiners are ready, then roll out the ULSD and the urea treatment/particulate filters.
"Modern Diesel cars produce virtually no smell or smoke. The only way you can be sure you're behind one is the badge on the back."
Or if the driver lays into it, accelerating hard and causing an "overfueling" condition. Then black smoke pours out of the tailpipe.
"Yea, and now diesel is 20 to 30 cents higher than gasoline. Add in the fact that a diesel powered Dodge truck adds about $5000 to the price, where is the cost advantage? And just wait till you have to repair that diesel."
Considering that on average a Dodge TD gets 19-22 mpg...as compared to ANY American 3/4 truck equipped with a gas engine that gets at best 12 or 13 mpg... there is a savings there. You get a minimum of 60% better mileage. Diesel does not cost 60% more than gasoline.
Then you factor in that there is less maintenance on a diesel (no spark plugs, distributor, etc).....there is savings there.
Then you can factor in that CTD's can easily do 400,000 miles between rebuilds (these are NOT "throw away engines)
There are savings there...all throughout the life of the truck.
As far as repairs... my injectors cost $60.00 a pop. How much are the injectors on your car? LOL
Quite a bit more I'd imagine.
Also, you make back the $4600.00 for the cost of the Cummins on resale, if / when you sell it. Look at bluebook values of a 1999 Dodge CTD... as compared to the same 99 Dodge with a gasser engine.
"Do you really mean to say your diesel-powered tow vehicle would get 75% less fuel mileage if it were equipped with a gasoline engine??!!"
Yes, depending on configuration (2wd...4wd)... the difference is 60% to 75% better mileage when comparing 3/4 ton and 1 ton full sized American pick-up trucks...diesel vs gasoline.
Well, that certainly helps to explain why all semis are diesel-powered. Obviously, if neck-snapping acceleration wasn't a priority, a little diesel engine would be preferable to a little gasoline engine.
Biblewonk often talks of how a 22 HP diesel is all we really need in our cars. This goes a long way to explaining why. ;)
Please tell us more about this! Here are my questions: 1) Are you burning pure soy oil or mixture? Ratio? 2) Where do you buy the soy oil? 3) How much does soy oil cost per gallon? 4) How does soy oil mileage compare against regular diesel oil?
Jeep's got one. It's a 2.8L, common-rail injection turbo unit from VM Motori, sold in the Liberty SUV, and it's good for 160 HP @ 3800 RPM and 295 lb-ft of torque at 1800 RPM. Apparently DCX has sold 6000 already this year and their target was 5000.
I don't believe that "Speed Kills," but I do believe that excessive speed wastes gas! E.G., my trusty Benz will get 22mpg at 75, but 28mpg at 60mp[h]
My '98 Ford Countour (4 cyl gas) regularly does 30mpg at 75mph.
That's kinda where I was going with my theory of rewarding those with smaller-engined, lighter cars wih a big tax incentive.
BTW, that's a darn good engine management system. Whose engine actually is a Ford 4-cyl, nowadays?
My '96 Ford Contour (6 cyl gas) regularly does the same.
The 4-cyl engine in that '98 Ford Contour (2.0L Zetec) is a Ford engine.
The current 4-cyl Duratec engines (I don't know if the Zetec is still in production) are a joint Ford-Mazda design.
Actually "joint Ford-Mazda" is kinda redundant since Ford owns a controlling interest in Mazda..
Here's my plan:
We take the 27 Hp, 3-cyl Yanmar outa the boat, we turn a new Chrysler Pacifica into a diesel Electric Plug-In Hybrid.
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