Diesel

[captain]

I am seeing more interest in this fuel. Hollywood elite are converting to it cause its "green" And when money is no object the performance numbers are staggering. 5..6..700 HP from escalades.
Who knows about this?
Is this our ticket to keeping the high performance cars?
What is the cost to produce a gal. of diesel?
What is the effect on the environment?
Why is it more expensive?
Is it the "new" fuel?
Please chime in.

[jdando]

Diesels offer some interesting performance options and challenges. You avoid the "issue" with detonation since it is actually your "spark mechanism".

Gale Banks has been working on some hi-po diesel applications, more here (http://bankspower.com/sidewinder.cfm).


Audi has been dominating the ALMS with their diesel powered cars for a couple of years. If I recall one of their biggest problems was breaking gearboxes due to the high torque of the engines:bows:

Audi R10 engine click me (http://www.audiusa.com/audi/us/en2/experience/motorsport/r10/v12_tdi_engine.html).

And a cool concept car from Audi click me (http://www.audiusdiesel.com/launchpad.html?strId=launchCop y10&strHead=launch10).


Now if we can just get them to start in our MN winter weather:cool:

[ParkRanger]

I rented a diesel car in Europe over the holidays and was very surprised as to the performance. They have used diesel for so long that they have solved many of the problems that I thought were unfixable (engine noise and odor).
It felt like I was driving a gas engine. Also, diesel is still much cheaper than gas 'over there.' I was very surprised.

PR :burnout:

[chico4554]

I think it is the fuel source that we should be focusing on. Ethanol is a joke, hydrogen is too expensive and dangerous. Biodiesel is being made in peoples sheds. You think a company could start making it mainstream. You can run biodiesel in a diesel engine without any mods. If you want to run straight grease car, you will need to heat the fuel before running it through the engine. im not sure on the cost to make these but i know that it is much cheaper than gasoline, and we are using a waste source that is renewable.

a comparable small diesel to small gas engine will get 50-75% better mileage in most cases. Heck 1-Ton cummins are getting 25 on the highway!! When the gassers are lucky to get 13.

This topic gets me worked up...

[Master]

Topic gets me worked up too. I worry about converting all of our fields to grains for ethanol. They've studied the effect of it in modern engines to great extent and found that it doesn't really provide any improvement in emissions. So, here we are plowing under food crops that an overpoppulated world desperately needs so we can produce an alcohol that cars don't need.
It also bothers me somewhat to call bio-diesel a renewable resource. Oil itself is renewable if you want to wait long enough. We are finding new and marvelous ways of burning up anything that can fit in a fuel tank and if it isn't oil from the ground, we're calling it renewable.
Fish from the sea are finite (as the fishing industry has learned), the soil has a limited capacity to continuously support grains year after year. Now we are learning how to convert other organics into petroleum. Guess what: They are all finite resources. What we really need is less consumption of these finite resources and more use of the truly renewables such as solar, wind and tide. Even hydro-electric is far from eco-sound. Flood more and more valleys and aerable land. Push nature further and further back. Its a losing scenario.
Yes, this topic does get me worked up as well.

[jgc61sr2002]

Diesel is about $369 per gal on Long Island.:(
I had two diesel VW's drove them 250K and got 50MPG.:D

[jdando]

Diesel is about $369 per gal on Long Island.
.

:eek:Yikes, I guess all things are really expensive in New York

Diesel is about $3.36 in MN Those pesky decimal points:coolman:

[imorb1994]

Biodiesel is being made in peoples sheds. You think a company could start making it mainstream. You can run biodiesel in a diesel engine without any mods.
there is a company named BLUE SUN i believe, thats is mass producing bio diesel can get it a alot of gas stations through out colorado. i think (dont have a diesel don't pay attention) its around $3.60 when straight diesel is $3.20 a gallon

[captain]

I am curious as to the investment strategy. Would it be wise to embrace diesel as the future fuel, or the technology behind it.
2 good points have been made.
1 it is sensitive to climate. (technology)
2 it is not news. ie the 250,000 VW @50mpg (oil companies)
So maybe putting cash into the colorado company is wise. or find the builders of the conversion devices that make all cars function with this fuel and back them.
Clearly investing in new technology is risky, vs the up and running producers of this fuel, but less chance at large profits.
Or I could buy Wilsons Leather stock.... its bottomed out at .43 from a high of 24.00 think designer purses will put them back on top?????!!!!!!

[jonroe]

I like the idea and I have had a diesel car before. There's no reason why they can't be made to perform with turbos. I actually LIKE the noise and smell! I hope they don't completely kill those attractive features!

[Blackened300a]

Diesel is about $369 per gal on Long Island.:(
I had two diesel VW's drove them 250K and got 50MPG.:D

We buy Diesel 3000 gallons at a time once a week for about $2.65 a gallon.
Its not cheap keeping a fleet of 15 tractor trailers running everyday.

[Blackened300a]

I like the idea and I have had a diesel car before. There's no reason why they can't be made to perform with turbos.

Every Class 8 truck has a Turbo diesel under the hood and its been that way for over 50 years. Diesels and turbos go hand in hand mostly because the turbo cuts the diesel emissions.

[chico4554]

yea its pointless now to run a N/A diesel as test have shown. Turbos create more power, and make it run the same if not more efficiently. I read somewhere in the last few days that the mcdonalds trucks in one fleet run on straight biodiesel. They use the grease from the stores. Way to go!

I have also done research on using waste water (poop) to fuel an internal combustion engine. I wrote a paper on it last semester. There are two methods and one is in use, but mostly on farms. Its a process called methane digestion. Animal waste is heated to a high degree, and methane is released which is run through a generator adapted to burn methane. This then creates electricity. The by-product can be used as a bedding as well. It ends up having zero odor, and has the consistency of wood shavings. Pretty awsome cause the farmers win twice. They dont have to pay to get rid of the waste, and they get free power/bedding!!

haha and i always joke that itll be a grand day when we can take a crap in the gas tank and run on it for the day.

[Aren Jay]

Our Long time, all my life, Family friends cousin, Alan McNish drives the Audi Diesel's and wins in the 24 hour races.

[jonroe]

Every Class 8 truck has a Turbo diesel under the hood and its been that way for over 50 years. Diesels and turbos go hand in hand mostly because the turbo cuts the diesel emissions.

And the high air flow rate through the diesel is a great match for turbos. I remember maybe 35 years ago when my rich cousin (orthodontist!) had a pretty fast Mercedes turbo diesel sedan. I was impressed way back then.

[Aren Jay]

The down side is diesels are heavy.

Then again so are Marauders.

The other thing to check out is the Hybrid range.

Hybrids have electric engine which will add little horse power but instant torque.

+ 100 FTLBs off the line. The thing to do is get/make a Hybrid Diesel. You get the MPG of both, and the Torque of both.

And better city MPG than Highway.

Diesel's being heavy are also strong and the electric engine will often rip ordinary axels apart so it is a win win combo.

[252life]

I did a testdrive in a Mercedes E420 CDI and its very fast, a really nice car.
If the gas prices keep rising over here thats gonna by my next car.
The diesel price here is "only" $7 a gallon

Witch is the most popular diesel car i the US?
Over here its the Volvo v70 D5

[Leadfoot281]

yea its pointless now to run a N/A diesel as test have shown. Turbos create more power, and make it run the same if not more efficiently. I read somewhere in the last few days that the mcdonalds trucks in one fleet run on straight biodiesel. They use the grease from the stores. Way to go!

I have also done research on using waste water (poop) to fuel an internal combustion engine. I wrote a paper on it last semester. There are two methods and one is in use, but mostly on farms. Its a process called methane digestion. Animal waste is heated to a high degree, and methane is released which is run through a generator adapted to burn methane. This then creates electricity. The by-product can be used as a bedding as well. It ends up having zero odor, and has the consistency of wood shavings. Pretty awsome cause the farmers win twice. They dont have to pay to get rid of the waste, and they get free power/bedding!!

haha and i always joke that itll be a grand day when we can take a crap in the gas tank and run on it for the day.

Really? Around here we call it 'barnyard profit'. How long you been farming?

A major benefit to a diesel engine is that it won't pre-detonate. There was an article in Hot Rod magazine a few years ago that featured Diesel trucks. One of them (a powerstroke diesel IIRC) was pushing 125psi boost and 1,500 hp.

[MarauderBoy]

In 2001, I was looking for a vehicle that would last at least 10 years, haul all 5 family members (their friends and gear) and pull a trailer. Talking with some of the guys in Indiana that deliver RV's across America, I was amazed at the number of 450 - 650k mile 7.3 PSD with no issues and the MPG they were able to get with their heavy vehicles. Didn't look back and bought an 8800# diesel Excursion. With a new program, highway trip MPG are as high as 22 with 20 an average. Friends with the same gas vehicle get 14 & 16. In comparison, new gas SUV vehicles half the size claim a high of only about 25.

From a hotrod perspective, just look in any of the numerous diesel oriented mags out now and see what power these things can make with very little besides an upgraded turbo and reprogramming.

Until they can figure out how to make fuel from more than seeds, ethanol currently means less MPG and higher food bills. Hybrid brings increased environmental impact in the form of battery metal mining, although I'd like to see a diesel hybrid.

With Mercedes, VW, Audi & BMW showing how clean, quiet and powerful diesel can be, I'm sold on this new, old technology.

[Peace2Peep]

+2 on the diesel Excursion! I love my truck and with the programmer...it IS a totally unique and powerful vehicle...mileage is exceptional and the size utilitarian!

I just can't understand how six or more huge deep cycle batteries placed in half the cars on the road helps save the environment. The numbers these hybrids are getting are no greater than the econoboxes of the 1980's...remember the Honda CRX HF? Volx Rabbit? Ford Festiva? Toyota Corolla? Diesel Jetta? Pretty much all of them got better mileage than todays hybrids.

Renewable is an interesting view/word when you really think about it, but diesel offers us so many options to fuel the vehicle it's almost scary! Unrefined heating oil, straight vegetable oil, used cooking grease, diesel, biodiesel, and Soy....

POOP?! That's hilarious!

[Vortex]

I think diesels are the future for cars and trucks. Its cheaper to produce diesel fuel (I know sometimes its more expensive retail right now but thats because its distrubuted on a smaller scale) and mileage is alot better than gasoline. Now with low sulfur fuel its even cleaner. Ethanol is a total scam, a gimme program to large corn agribusiness and ADM and in total produces more hydrocarbons that removes, not to mention a HUGE waste of fresh water. I remember once about 20 years back me and my wife (at the time) driving her fully stuffed Isuzu I Mark diesel from San Antonio to Washington DC and getting damn near 45 mpg.