Diesel power... Yes or No?

[letsgohunting]

In light of the discussion of diesel engines that vaguely happened in the TRD thread, I decided to make a new thread dedicated to diesel power. What do you think of it?


Some interesting links:

Audi R10 tdi promo vid - stunning video:


Another Audi video - called "a dawn of new power":


Track camera of Audi R10 tdi @ lemans:

[Sprinterboy]

I'm for it. BMW have been making Diesel Race cars for a while. I'd like to see somebody here in Aus build up something for IPRA.

[fantapants]

isnt the biggest thing keeping it out of grass roots racing the weight???

the big manufacturers all have their special alloy blocks to withstand the pressures, but for the rest of us arnt we still stuck with the cast iron till he newer stuff filters down?

[KE35Punk]

I personally dont particularly like diesel myself as I personally feel from what I have read on fuel that there are other fuels that will equally do that same job as diesel given the same RnD and money.

I think audi has done a good job developing the diesel engine to produce good strong torque. but the very nature of the diesel is not as good I think as maybe alcohol fuels or even normal petroleum. Apparently I am told that it is far cheaper to produce diesel then normal petroleum so the petrol companies enjoy healthier profits.

I think fully electric cars could replace petrol cars in the short term.

please feel free to reply with your thought and opinions. Id be happy to explain more of why I feel this way.

[letsgohunting]

The thing about electric cars is that electricity isn't free - fossil fuels are a primary source of making electricity. So the whole point is sort of nullified.

The reason diesel is cheaper to produce is because it's much less refined. You can actually make diesel out of old kitchen grease and cooking oils - it's called biodiesel. It works really well.

Go for a drive in a BMW 330d. Or a 530d. They both hit 100kph in around 6.5 seconds and use that same figure in fuel consumption. Plus the motors have endless torque and even sound pretty nice.

[fantapants]

alcohol is a terrible supplement for current fuel sources. The australian government is pushing ethanol purely because of promises it made to the farming industry in fnq. The production of ethanol as a fuel source is soooo inneeficient.its something like 100 tonnes of sugar cane for 1 tank of ethanol??

but for the health of the economy, the government is pumping money into ethanol plants to give sugar cane farmers a reason to exist.

Bio diesel is certainly a better option. The oil can be wholly renewable, and australia has plenty of land to grow the substandard olives that can be used. The polutants from diesal are heavier but far less poisonous than unleaded. As they are soo simple in make up, the exhasut gas can be reburnt... think big microwave oven in the exhaust system instead of a cat that clears the polutants to almost nothing.

Diesal engines have two things against them. historically they have been VERY heavy... to cope with the pressures involved. This leeds to the second point, due to this heavyness of the pistoons, conrods etc etc etc, they do not rev, and therefor lack power. These are the min improvements in the race design engines, much much lighter and revier in nature.... they get MASSIVE powerbands

Electric cars are also great for torque, with many having reducer motors to overcome the amount of torque generated. But right now electric cars are not that good for the environment. The electricity is dirty, the manufacture of both the car and batteris is VERY dirty and the manufacturing right now is expensive. Thats not to say it isnt a way forward, just that a lot needs to change

[biggo]

There is a town in europe that has almost no fossil fuel vehicles. All electricity is make via melting snow or something to do with water down a valcanic hole. Apperantly its free to recharge your car in the town too.

But yair, deisel is win, ive driven one of them TDi golfs... not bad and you feel better cos your helping the environment

[H8CHIR6KU]

newer euro and jap diesel powered cars have come along way in recent times. they are very fuel efficient and emmisions are very limited. with cat burn off technology diesels are running cleaner than ever.

judging by the way european manufacturers are taking to diesel's in everyday cars and there strict emmision laws i would say diesel is the way of the future... for now

[ae71]

i know my old mans newish (6months old now) mazda BT50 uterous has a fucken lot of punt! probaly quicker than my ke upto 80km's. it will fry 2nd without a worry and churps 3rd but who is counting.

not anything at all like his old 90's patrol which was slow didnt rev past 2,000. this thing revs upto about 3500 before it cuts the boost.

[Juturna]

not quite, the race engines still only rev to 5-5500. but because they have power and tourque all the way through they can use longer gears and thus change less. the audi lemans car only revs to 5500 and has a 5 speed box when petrol lemans cars are running 8-12 speed transaxles to stay in their narrow power bands.