Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2005 22:37:03 -0400
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Diesel Fuel vs Gasoline
In-Reply-To: <006901c54924$bdd21800$8eee79a5@DB7KQF61>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Well, there's another spin on the initial cost of the engine. If you have
to replace your engine anyway because your old one is dead, then the only
issue is the different in initial cost between a diesel and a regular engine
(which I have no idea what it is, or whether one costs more than the other).
But then there's the issue of power - aren't diesels a lot slower than
regular fuel engines?
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://users.rcn.com/jhecht/gypsy
****************************************************************
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Joel Walker
:::Sent: Sunday, April 24, 2005 7:24 PM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: Diesel Fuel vs Gasoline
:::
:::> Can anyone tell me why one would w3ant to got to the trouble and
:::> expense
:::> of installing a diesel in their van vs staying with a goline
:::> engine????
:::> Gasoline here in my are can be bouth at $2.08.9/gal. , while diesel
:::> costs $2.25.9/gal.
:::> Sure doesn't look like much incentive for going diesel.
:::
:::well ... it works out this way:
:::
:::2.26 - 2.09 = 0.17 difference per gallon. which is like a tad over 8
:::percent higher (than the gas).
:::so if you got 16 percent better mpg from the diesel, it would seem
:::better.
:::so if you get 20 mpg with a gasoline, then you need only get 4 mpg to
:::get the percentage better of the deal.
:::and diesels usually can get 28 mpg, which is like 40 percent better!
:::anything above that, and your basic vanagon owner starts drooling. ;)
:::
:::but all of that forgets the cost of buying the diesel engine and
:::putting it into the bus!! :( you're gonna have to drive a loooooooong
:::way to recoup the $3000 or so for those little items at $0.17/gallon.
:::assuming that the price difference stays the same.
:::
:::but there is one tiny bright spot on the horizon ... a diesel CAN run
:::other-than-diesel-fuel fuels. like bio-diesel. or soy-diesel. sorta.
:::kinda. maybe. not sure about alcohol. but i have heard one story about
:::a certain vw magazine that tested a vanagon diesel down in mexico, and
:::couldn't find diesel fuel ... so they mixed gasoline with 30w motor
:::oil (seems to me it was like one quart of oil per five liters of
:::gasoline??? is that too thick?) and made it home on it ok. :)
:::
:::besides, it's not really about money ... it's like those folks who
:::drive Pinzgauers and Unimogs and other 'exotic' old vehicles; it's
:::about tinkering and plotting and planning and just enjoying yourself
:::cause YOU thought of it and actually did it!! ;)
:::
:::unca joel
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