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From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech,net.auto
Subject: Re: Diesel-powered Cars - a question
Message-ID: <2591@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 17-Jan-86 13:45:10 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2591
Posted: Fri Jan 17 13:45:10 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 19-Jan-86 04:29:39 EST
References: <1553@ihlpg.UUCP>, <2052@akgua.UUCP> <864@bu-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca
Lines: 47
Xref: watmath net.auto.tech:624 net.auto:9135
Summary: European diesels are much better.

In article <864@bu-cs.UUCP>, bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) writes:
> Just reading all these diesel comments (mostly negative) and
> wondered, does anyone remember *why* the started coming out?
>
At the time, diesel fuel was about $.10-$.15/gal. cheaper.
It was at least as available as gas (remember gas lines??) and
often more available.  (I was in farm country where many farmers
bought them.  Only one fuel needed for all the equipment, and it
was in *BIG* tanks right there on the farm ...)
They also get *MUCH* better milage.  Then there was the reputation
for 300,000 mile engines (because of the European and Truck engines...)

Also, smog laws had hit gas engines hard.  They didn't get the milage
they do now.  Seems to me most big sedans were around 10-14 mpg then.
My big Chevy truck was 8-10.  A 30mpg diesel starts to look real good
then.
> So, the question is: Were the technical reason(s) fuel/$$ conservation
> and (why) did they blow it, apparently badly from the gab on this
> list? Are the european (japanese et al) diesels better?
> 
They blew it by assuming that the American consumer could be
sold a marketing line without good engineering to back it up.

We were asked to pay the $2000 premium, for a well built diesel,
to get a gas engine with an oil injector glued on and high
compression heads/pistons.  We did for a while ... though the
reputation of the GM diesels have now dragged all of the diesel
market with it.  Oddly enough, their truck diesels are quite good.
(Not the one put in pickups, I mean their REAL diesels.)

The Benz has a wonderful engine.  A salesman friend bought one used
from his father-in-law with 150,000 mi on it.  After he ran it up
to >300,000 he sold for a new one.  No engine work.  Period.
(Though 'tuneups' can be expensive on any Benz...)  I have also
heard truckers talking about taking apart their diesels at 400,000 mi
to check them out, then putting it back together because it was
still in spec.  They weren't bragging at the time, either.

This is what was expected from GM.  This was not what was delivered.
The European and Japanese and American TRUCK diesels should be
generally good, but I would wonder about any 'diesel' engine designed
for cars after 1970 regardless of country of origin.

-- 
E. Michael Smith  ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems

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