[DMCForum] Re: Electric powered DeLorean

["therealdmcvegas" <dmcvegas@xxxxxxx>]

Tell me about it. I've been real keen on diesel for a couple of years
now. I first started looking into it, after seeing a diesel truck hit
the high 14's in the ¼-mile drag strip. Until that time, I never knew
that diesel could be so powerful.

The problem here in the US, is that we've not had good experiences
with diesel vehicles. Diesel trucks/lorrys that haul 80,000 lbs. worth
of cargo are always slowly lumbering down the road. So people equate
diesel with slow cars. The same with many of the naturally aspirated
diesel vehicles that we've seen here too. Like the Daihatsu Charade,
and the VW Rabbit. SLOW! Plus costs are higher on them, because the
parts are not as common.

Turbo-charging diesel is good. But only if the moron behind the wheel
knows how to take care of their car. Back in the late 80's, my aunt
had a Mercedes Turbo Diesel in California. She never let the car warm
up, nor did she even idle the turbos down. She ended up coking the
turbo. But not before it wobbled, and busted off a turbine blade which
shattered the catalytic convertor. So horror stories like this make
people think that diesel is inheriently problematic. When in reality,
it's not.

The image of diesel has not been plesant either. Diesel exhaust has a
more noticeable smell than gasoline. Not because it's cleaner, but
because CO doesn't smell. Doesn't mean it safer, or even cleaner. Just
that it was more noticable. Noise and vibration is a big factor too.
The old diesels would go "ACK!-ACK!-ACK!-ACK!-ACK!-ACK!" At idle. And
would vibrate the hell out of the car. Now days, you can hardley hear
diesel engines idle, and the vehicles don't vibrate any worse than
gasoline powered ones.

Last Saturday, I went to a car show, where they were dyno-ing diesel
trucks. This guy had a Dodge 2500 Turbo Cummins Diesel truck on the
dyno above us (portable one on a trailer). Over 300hp on the dyno, and
the turbo was louder than the exhaust, with no soot!

The saving grace for diesel in America have been SUVs. People here
LOVE to drive trucks, that make them feel real powerful. And the more
they remind them of a semi/lorry, the more they love them. Chrysler
had a big winner when they relased their redesigned Ram truck in the
early 90's, because it had such pronounced fenders that were lower
than the hood, and made it look like a big semi. Now add in diesel,
and you've got a winning combination. Big-ass truck, with the smooth
sound of a diesel motor, and people love them. I'm searing for another
vehicle right now, and have discovered that used diesels now are
demanding a HUGE premium over their gasoline counter parts. Because
people are not trading them in.

Diesel here is the same cost are mid-grade gasoline. Whereas
previously, it was cheaper than low-octane gas. Give it time, and
we'll all be running diesel in our trucks in a few years.

-Robert



--- In DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Martin Gutkowski <martin@xxxx> wrote:
> It's just a real shame you guys have been weaned off diesel as a car 
> fuel - the rest of the world has done it and diesel can be made easily 
> from vegetable extract. What with the price of fuel over here, I really 
> have to get off my arse and start brewing the stuff.
> 
> Look at www.journeytoforever.org
> 
> Martin

---

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