Why not diesel??

[Cummins360]

Ok I got a question for everyone, with all the advantages of diesel engines and being that one gallon of diesel fuel has twice the heat energy in it compaired to gasolene (spelling, but for such a discusting word I dont care ) why is it that just about every car sold in the US has a gas engine under the hood??? Is it really because of NOx or just because people dont like the smell or sound of diesel engines???

I just dont understand it, in europe like 50% of all cars sold are diesel so what gives??? I mean gas engines are like dinosaurs compaired with todays modern computerized diesel's. Someone help me out here as to why gas engines are so popular compaired with a much more superior technology :{

Oh and by the way we can allways grow bio diesel if the world suddenly ran out of oil, so it is a re-newable source of energy to top everything

What gives?!?

-Travis Oo.

 

[Joe G.]

Oldsmobile diesel mess.

 

[Cummins360]

Just because GM cant build a quality diesel (not much has changed ) shouldnt mean that everyone should be scared of diesels

 

[Joe G.]

Lots of advertising. Lots of hoopla. Lots of failures adds up to a fiasco that a lot of people know about.

 

[Kingsbury]

Diesel!!!

Diesels don't always win when it comes to which engine is best. First. diesel engines don't really like the cold, short runs IE:10 min or less are REALLY hard on a diesel, diesels cost more to make, more to work on, weight more. These are just some of the challenges diesels face. As you have said diesels have come a long way and are GREAT engines. Just not always the best for each application.

Ok I got a question for everyone, with all the advantages of diesel engines and being that one gallon of diesel fuel has twice the heat energy in it compaired to gasolene (spelling, but for such a discusting word I dont care ) why is it that just about every car sold in the US has a gas engine under the hood??? Is it really because of NOx or just because people dont like the smell or sound of diesel engines???

I just dont understand it, in europe like 50% of all cars sold are diesel so what gives??? I mean gas engines are like dinosaurs compaired with todays modern computerized diesel's. Someone help me out here as to why gas engines are so popular compaired with a much more superior technology :{

Oh and by the way we can allways grow bio diesel if the world suddenly ran out of oil, so it is a re-newable source of energy to top everything

What gives?!?

-Travis Oo.

 

[DogDiesel]

Why NOT Diesel

Car manufacturers make autos to last 5-8 years. Statistics show that diesels are operated longer. Plus all the reasons already stated.



Manufacturers cannot make enough money in diesel autos.

Fuel spills do not evaporate

Oily hands at fillup.

Noise.

Wonderful diesel reputation from the early 80s.

Perceived to be gutless, from limited rpm range.

But the main reason. "Expert" word of mouth says diesel bad. Slowly changing.



My 2 cents.

Wayne

 

[DogDiesel]

Right from the Government studies

http://www.osti.gov/fcvt/deer2005/stang.pdf

Barriers to Selling Light-Duty

Diesels in US

1. Costfor business case borderline

•Simplified engine structure

•Reduced engine-out emissions

2. Technologynew-unique-difficult

•Reduced aftertreatment

•Simpler Particulate filter

3. Marketreadiness

•Focus-customer demo’s & Awareness

•Fuel prices & Operating cost

•World economies



Conclusions

Light Truck Diesel Family has met all DOE contract and most customer targets

Tier 2 Bin 5/ULEV II emissions, met in a complete vehicle system

Customer features:

–Performance, comparable to Top Rated gasoline

–Fuel economy, advantage 44-49% (improves CAFE)

–Noise, approaching gasoline

–Smoke and odor, eliminated

Cost approached on a fundamental basis

–Lower Engine-Out Emissions

–High-Volume Gasoline Supply Base

 

[JasonCzerak]

. .





Perceived to be gutless, from limited rpm range.

But the main reason. "Expert" word of mouth says diesel bad. Slowly changing.



My 2 cents.

Wayne

I cought the ear of an SRT-8 300 the other night. . I knew he would walk by me, but I was surprised that it finally happened at 75mph! (from 3rd gear). He was SHOCKED to find out it was a diesel



A lot of people are comming to realize that diesels can be quick. But unfortunately, this sooty mess that a quick diesel leaves behind needs to go, even in the night time head lights. So yeah, diesels are gutless until turbo's or a supercharger/turbo combo's create instant power where needed.

 

[Jdonoghue]

Oldsmobile diesel mess.

Most people younger than me (my younger brother's generation) don't even know, or care, what the Oldsmobile Diesel was. Give it a few more years and maybe it will become real history , like it should be. A real thing of the past. A museum piece.

 

[Joe G.]

Before the Oldsmobile diesel mess, most people thought that diesel cars were ok. They were familiar with the Mercedes. Kind of slow, but absolutely reliable. Great fuel mileage. Well respected brand name. When the Olds first came out there was quite a bit of enthusiasm because there was finally an American diesel car. Then came the fiasco that gave diesel cars a bad rep. People may not remember why diesel cars have a bad rep, but they "know" it.

 

[klenger]

My old boss had a Mercedes diesel. It wouldn't start if the temps got into the teens in Colorado. I remembered that for a long time. Seem like you never see any comercials for diesel cars, even the Beatle or the Jetta or the Jeep Liberty.

 

[WDaniels]

My wife's uncle worked for Ford all his working career and he was explaining to me that the reason that we don't have more diesels made by U. S. manufactures is that a bill(?) or law(?) was passed prohibiting US auto makers from making diesel engines for cars with common rail fuel injection. This was suppose to be kept real quiet and the auto makers lobbied real hard for this and they got it. There is more to it but I didn't get it all. If anyone is interested, reply and I'll ask him for more facts.

WD

 

[ShaneBoone]

I might have read something in a professional Boat Builder magazine. Yes, That magazine has been on my shelf now for three years. An letter written in talks about common rail diesel engines for the marine industry after WWII. The letter claimed the insurance underwriters did not like them due to several problems with leaking common rails (explosions in sealed engine compartments). Hence that technology did not make it past the 1950's.

 

[RGardner]

The commercial deal I just don't understand, we have a VW Beetle that gets 46 mpg on a really tough daily drive ( 2 20 mph curves, 1 stop sign and 2 giant hills) all on a 12. 5 mile drive. I have a real hard time believing that a hybrid will get that kind of mileage. Why not advertise the fact? The VW dealership in OKC had several diesel but had added a bunch of dealer added options (bigger tires, erop tail lights, undercoating, etc) that added about $3000 to the sticker and they would not deal at all on the price. So why advertise?

 

[CDyksman]

The real question you should be asking is, when everything from mens shaving razors to flight and space travel has improved by leaps and bounds, with technology doubling every eighteen months, why does the WHOLE world still use an internal combustion engine that basically has not changed since its creation?

 

[amsoilman]

I might have read something in a professional Boat Builder magazine. Yes, That magazine has been on my shelf now for three years. An letter written in talks about common rail diesel engines for the marine industry after WWII. The letter claimed the insurance underwriters did not like them due to several problems with leaking common rails (explosions in sealed engine compartments). Hence that technology did not make it past the 1950's.

There are several DIesel Powered Engines now on the Market for Boating. Mercruiser/Cummins, Volvo-Penta, Zues, Steyrmotors, all are IO's.







Wayne

amsoilman

 

[surfbeetle]

It couldn't be the fact that the government wanted to get rid of diesels back in the late '80s. Someone high up must have invested in Natural Gas Futures. At one point in California, Diesels were going to be banned by 1995. Obviously that didn't happen...

 

[Bluebird]

WDaniels, more facts please...

I've always thought there was something much deeper regarding diesels. I learn more everyday, especially after reading about Clessie Cummins Packard Limo at 35mpg , back in the day, (issue 53-TDR). The big auto builders were trying to keep him out of it, but couldn't do it :-laf . Please share as much top secret infomation as you can on the TDR forum Oo. . I would sure like to see the History Channel/National Geographic/Speed/PBS/TLC-somebody do a true story program/series on the challenges, and benefits of diesel fuel.



my $. 02, Patrick

 

[amsoilman]

I've always thought there was something much deeper regarding diesels. I learn more everyday, especially after reading about Clessie Cummins Packard Limo at 35mpg , back in the day, (issue 53-TDR). The big auto builders were trying to keep him out of it, but couldn't do it :-laf . Please share as much top secret infomation as you can on the TDR forum Oo. . I would sure like to see the History Channel/National Geographic/Speed/PBS/TLC-somebody do a true story program/series on the challenges, and benefits of diesel fuel.



my $. 02, Patrick

I always watch "AUTOLINE DETROIT" on the Speed Channel on Sunday AM. They recently talked about the BIG benefits of Diesel Engines, and were talking very strongly about the recent technology from "DOW" Chemical Company. They have developed a "Particulate" filter/Exaust system that reduces back-pressure, and collects the particulates, as well as reducing the noise levels considerably. They have been in the racing circuit using this technology on an Audi Diesel and winning BIG time!



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[EKlem]

There are a couple of common reasons that I hear from people that I go to school with as to why they don't buy diesels.



The first one is cost. People often think in the short run and because diesels are much more expensive to buy, they don't buy them. They don't realize that the vehicle will burn less fuel and last longer which in the end is cheaper.



Another common thing I notice is that people don't realize how many cars are diesels. They can recognize the older diesels trucks that make a lot of noise but because the newer diesels are so quite, they think they are gassers. Therefore, they have no idea that diesels now are quite and much more civilized. We use the dodge sprinters at school and people put gas in them all the time because they don't realize that they are diesels.



I also hear a lot of comments about them being slow and polluting a lot.