End of the diesel light truck

[buickanddeere]

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Holman Moody had a carb they designed in the 70's and a car would get like 75MPG using it. There was a guy in my area in the 80's that was messing with a Pinto with a 23 (He may have been working for Ford, can't remember) and he was getting 90MPG. Hotrod magazine had a article one time about these vehicles that got ridiculous MPGs, I think they said there was somebody getting 300-400MPG. All of these vehicles disappear. I think the oil companies by them up.

You obviously have no clue about the laws of physics and basic Thermodynamics. Quit spreading outright lies and falsehoods .

 

[94BULLITT]

You obviously have no clue about the laws of physics and basic Thermodynamics. Quit spreading outright lies and falsehoods .

Believe whatever you want to believe.

 

[Foxtrot08]

The 3.2 inline 5 diesel in the European Transit has been around for 2 or 3 years, but not by any chance its getting 33 mpg... 20mpg is already a good average for an empty construction workers van at speeds below 50mph.

Ford is following Mercedes/Dodges lead, offering the European Sprinter in America. Perhaps Nissan will offer the Renault Master (rebadged as Nissan Interstar in Europe) in America, and VW the Crafter.. ??

The new tests over down under have gotten 28 mpg or so and that is with our the SCR system. So add in that and you should be able to squeeze 30 or so MPG out of the engine.

Either way, much better then the gas options.

 

[Copperhead]

Well, my 2006 Jeep Liberty with a 2.8L diesel regularly gets 33-34 mpg on road trips and averages 26-27 locally. Nissan tested this same engine in their Titan truck recently. Hope they consider it further. It is nice to have a cast iron block, wet sleeved, dual overhead cam, Garrett VG Turbo, Bosch common rail injection, designed for marine use sitting in my Jeep. I could really live with one in a 1/2 ton pickup. Might want to up the displacement a little, but not sure it would be needed. The engine in my Jeep puts out as much torque as most small V-8's now. They had to take the 545 transmission from behind the Hemi engine equipped vehicles and put it behind my small diesel. I realize the Liberty is a smaller vehicle, but it does weigh in at 4500 lb, and it doesn't even break a sweat pulling a 300 gallon fuel wagon thru the field.

When I saw the GM offerings, I just yawned. No sale.

 

[3930dave]

Well, my 2006 Jeep Liberty with a 2.8L diesel regularly gets 33-34 mpg on road trips and averages 26-27 locally. Nissan tested this same engine in their Titan truck recently. Hope they consider it further. It is nice to have a cast iron block, wet sleeved, dual overhead cam, Garrett VG Turbo, Bosch common rail injection, designed for marine use sitting in my Jeep. I could really live with one in a 1/2 ton pickup. Might want to up the displacement a little, but not sure it would be needed. The engine in my Jeep puts out as much torque as most small V-8's now. They had to take the 545 transmission from behind the Hemi engine equipped vehicles and put it behind my small diesel. I realize the Liberty is a smaller vehicle, but it does weigh in at 4500 lb, and it doesn't even break a sweat pulling a 300 gallon fuel wagon thru the field.

When I saw the GM offerings, I just yawned. No sale.

I don't remember the exact #'s now, but what I do remember is that engine in the Cherokee was only beat by their largest gas V8 when it came to vehicle tow rating.

AKA (one of the reasons) why I like diesels.

Rgds, D.

 

[Code54]

If the general population would just look at the diesel engines and not automatically think they are "loud and stinky" - basically give them a chance I think most would be surprised. A friend rode in my Dodge 6.7 Cummins the other day and asked what motor I had in the truck, I told him the diesel and he said he thought it was but it was way to quiet and smooth for a diesel - or so he thought, he then followed it up with "and it does not even smell." He then said he would think about Diesel since they "came so far."
I believe too many people remember the old and are not aware of some of the advantages to be had with a small diesel. If the auto industry would advertise it a bit more and get peoples stereotypes broken, sales would increase, more would be coming to market, fuel production would go up (and maybe help get the price down a bit), and help the their average MPH # up with the Govt.

 

[Tig]

Re: GM announced the beginning of the end of the diesel light truck today

I think a lot, if not most diesel trucks are sold to wannbe something or anothers.

I'd like to be that guy, although shiny and fancy wouldn't be a requirement. I'm just waiting for someone to make one small enough for my needs. 3L of engine would get me to where I need to go with everything I want to bring.

 

[Jerry/MT]

Re: GM announced the beginning of the end of the diesel light truck today

I haul a GN stock trailer or a GN flatbed at GVWR long distances through mountainous territory and with a gasser, that would be 6-7 mpg against the diesel's 10-12. I'm using a 3.73 rear axle against a gasser's 4.11. The HP available at lower rpms from a diesel generally means that, due to lower psiton speeds, the wear is less and the engine is more durable. The thermal efficiecy is higher so the fuel burn per hp produced is less.

I don't have any info on the new Ford EcoBoost so I can't make an educated statsement as to how that compares with my '99 Powerstroke. I think there is a legitimate use for diesel powered pickups for farm applications. When I bought my Powerstroke in '98, the diference between a 7.3L Powerstroke and the FI 460 was about $1500 as I recall. I see a lot of folks driving diesel pickups around town that never have a scratch in their pickup beds because ney never get used the way a pickup is meant to be used. It's a free country and you can buy and drive what you want to as long as you can pay for the fuel and maintenance. As far as the price of diesel fuel is concerned that's driven by global demand. A lot of diesel goes to Europe where it's in high demand.

I think the reason the diesel pickups are going away is because the EPA is regulating them out of existence. Requiring DEF and special controls, etc is driving the price of the basic engine higher and higher. Look at the crap they're putting on tractors that operate in the wide open spaces! Europe continues to use diesels in cars and light and heavy trucks without all the crap that is legislated on them in the US. And they have higher population densities than the US. However, darn few Europeans drive around a 7000 pound truck to go crusin'. They don't cruise at all.

As I said, I think there is a legitimate use for diesel pickups as well as diesels in automobiles. It just depends on how you do the figuring.

 

[3930dave]

Re: GM announced the beginning of the end of the diesel light truck today

I'd like to be that guy, although shiny and fancy wouldn't be a requirement. I'm just waiting for someone to make one small enough for my needs. 3L of engine would get me to where I need to go with everything I want to bring.

Yep, that is why I'm p/o'd that we don't have the diesel Rangers here that I listed in post #113 in this thread. 4 door truck, getting around 5 L/100 km ( about 45mpg).

Basically the fuel efficiency of a hybrid, w/o battery pack headaches, AND you could probably tow something like 5,000# with these diesel Rangers (more than most non-TBN'ers want to tow at least).

Thanks to the EPA, and the USA and Canadian governments, us peasants are being kept "safe" from these evil products, that just happen to be really useful and cost effective to operate.

Rgds, D.

 

[mjncad]

I have an idea for a new diesel particulate filter system. With every new diesel purchase you get a free politician or EPA bureaucrat who will wrap their mouth around the tailpipe opening. I propose that Nancy Pelosi be used as the prototype for testing the effectiveness of such a system.