Smokin Diesels

[Champane Flight]

Real power.

I will say it again, efficent power with any diesel is NOT made with smoke! If you want a clean engine ( I can keep my oil clean for 12000 miles with one filter change) and more power back off the throttle just a touch. I don't know where the smoke thing comes from and I don't care. But like everything else in this country, soon the few very dumb will effect everybody! By smoking out people, laying a cloud down, or even farting in public. Its just rude, shows NO consideration for others, and lets everybody know that you really don't care about driving a diesel... . Or know anything about driving a diesel!

 

[jwilliams3]

:{ :{

 

[Doubleclutch]

GEEZ Bubblie Flight- now they're going to label YOU a tree hugger too! Much better to control your smoke with the right foot than by an act of congress! Remember back in the early 70's when we had to install those stupid "black boxes" that defeated vacuum advance on our "hotrods" (shotrod in my case)? Didn't do diddly for smog, but it kept the politicians re-elected because they were fighting smog!!! My point is that I would rather drive my truck than have someone else do it. Are you having to do the smoke test thing up in CO?

Billflem are we going to have a "tree huggers annomyous" thread, cuz I'm not one either.

 

[RustyJC]

There's an old saying in the communications business - "Perception IS reality. " This means it doesn't really matter whether or not a diesel engine is more or less polluting to the environment. The facts are that, if John/Jane Q. Public sees a diesel vehicle with clouds of black smoke pouring out of it, his/her perception is that diesel engines are filthy, polluting and bad for the environment.



Now, if a few people get their jollies promoting that perception with a careless right foot, guess what the EPA's gonna do to diesel engines when the outcry from Mr. /Ms. Public becomes sufficiently strident? #@$%! Here in Texas, the state EPA (TNRCC) already has a website where the public can report smoking vehicles. There are reports that the next step in this process will be for vehicles that have a report lodged against them to be "flagged" on the state's computers and not allowed to renew license plates or get an annually-required safety inspection sticker until the smoking condition has been verified to have been repaired.



This could well become a case of a few ruining a good thing for the many.



(And no, I don't belong to the Sierra Club. )



Rusty

 

[JFitzgerald]

It's interesting reading all these opinions on smoking diesels. RustyJC, you are right, perception is half the problem.



My argument is that if someone wants to pick on folks for pollution, what about semis? What about trains? What about jets? What about industrial polluters? The pollution our diesel pickups create seems quite minimal in comparison.



It's the perception of the general public and we're easy targets. We also don't have anyone (that I know of) lobbying for us in politics as with the other polluters I mentioned. Not knocking anyone or anyone's business, just my opinion.



As an off-roader, I am about as far from a tree-hugger as you can get. But, I do respect nature.

 

[Yellowlab]

man I tell you what... nothing gets me more amped up than crap like this. I am fortunate and unfortunate enough to be living in California right now also. I love the environment. We only got one, so we need to take care of it. But when someone starts tellin me what I can and cant do because of the way it might make someone FEEL... they can kiss my a@#! Someone asked if you can have fun out here? Yeah, its be about the most fun you could have in any state... if someone would let you. Man, they make everything so hard from hunting to fishing to offroading to waterskiing to snowskiing to... well you name it, that it aint even worth going through the trouble to do it. Perception is everything. Your right about that. But its all the tree huggin liberal fa%*ets doing the perciecing. You know what I perceive as wrong... that an ILLEGAL alien can go to school here in Cali at a state college for the same rate as a California resident! What kinda crap is that?? Worried about the environment... I'm worried about the country! Or the fact that if you are a government employe in the San Francisco area, and you want a sex change, the good ol tax payers are gonna pay for it! And they are worried about my truck? Please. And since perception is everything, what are we gonna do when they start perceiving that my truck is too loud? Or my truck is too dirty? Or the way my farts smell? Or any other of a whole litany of things? Man sometimes I wish everyone could just get along, and then other times I wanna just say " F*&% em!". People need to grow some skin and toughin up. This is America, and people need to stop actin like a bunch of ladies. Before we know it, we are all gonna be walkin everywhere with forced sensitivity meetings replacing sunday church.

 

[Champane Flight]

Nothing

It means nothing to me whether someone farts in public, I don't feel anything. However if someone was to try to hold me down and fart in my face, they would have a fight on their hands.



I have a daughter inlaw that thought all big rigs should be outlawed and the drivers didn't know what they were doing. That is her perception because of one cutting her off. After I told her that 99% of all the things she uses are hauled by truck she settled down a little. And after taking her for a ride in one, she settled down a whole bunch. She now has a understanding of the other side.



I am sure after hearing some of the smoke out storys on this site that some people are sitting around talking about smoking diesels and smog controls for them. Yes, probably because of the smoke out they recieved.



Now I have somebody looking at my truck? Because of what someone else did? Maybe I should send the bill for smog inspection ( not in my area yet ) to some of the guys here that love smoke?



It is my perception that most smog laws are geared to sell more new cars, not cut down on polutants. I have better things to spend my money on than a new truck every year. Thats one reason I bought a Dodge Cummins!



You can call me a Tree hugger, %$#@hole, ^&%#head, and any other name that comes to mind. I have been called much worse, no problem with my skin, plenty thick... ... ... ... ...

 

[RottnDogue]

Originally posted by illflem

Cummnzpowr, I extremely resent being labeled a tree hugger. How about you just suck on your exhaust pipe for awhile if you like it so much?

Psss Bill I think he has... . :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf



Darren

 

[JConley]

Here is one to munch on... . As I understand it, the black smoke coming out of the tailpipe is soft carbon, and it settles to the ground not contributing to smog, ozone depletion, or anything bad to the environment. I am talking about the smoke particles here and not the other gases mixed in. So is this correct?

 

[98rammer]

jconley, yep... you're right. The only thing is that it smells bad to most people and some say it causes cancer (but no proof has been found!).

 

[emarsh]

Some on just had to bring it up; so here goes, Sierra Club, go to the oposite of heaven.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by JConley

Here is one to munch on... . As I understand it, the black smoke coming out of the tailpipe is soft carbon, and it settles to the ground not contributing to smog, ozone depletion, or anything bad to the environment. I am talking about the smoke particles here and not the other gases mixed in. So is this correct?

You are exactly right, it's just particulate matter, probably less harmful than wood smoke. But try to tell that to the lady sitting on the bus bench that has just been smoked by inconsiderate diesel owner. My problem isn't with environmental harm but with the public perception of diesels. The few folks who think it's cool to leave a black cloud behind them are only ruining it for all of us. You see very few commercial diesel engines spewing smoke, it's just a waste of fuel ($), nothing more.

 

[David Oxland]

I'm with illflem



Smoke and pointless noise for the sake of ego; what's the point? If you like the smoke and noise take them in a private place



It's a bit like a boom box; seems that it's not for the benifit of the owner; just for the effect on the bystanders.



If you need attention there are better ways of getting it than POing them.