I, for one, look forward to the day when turbo-diesels are available

in

plentitude in the US. However, I was under the impression that diesel
fuels in the US contain too much sulphur, making emissions compliance
problematic.

Dave Arbogast wrote:

Six months after I started (contractor) at the German-American automaker

in

2001, I risked being fired - I directly e-mailed the CEO with a business
proposal to sell the diesel we make to the US market too. To my surprise,

I got a

very good response. Basically, top US automaker executives believe most
Americans share the out dated views on diesel that has been expressed in

this

forum. So, they are very reluctant to offer them here. That is changing

in a

couple of month with Jeep http://www.jeep.com/crd - and already has with
Mercedes - the C320 diesel does 0 - 60 in 5.7 sec, and the gas version is

5.9...

so performance is BETTER with the diesel as is BSFC, at a minor cost &

weight increase.

The current higher sulfur fuel we have allows the CRD to meet emissions

in 47 states,

and in 3 years in all states (we are lowering the sulfur content by then)

I would not be so quick to dismiss the diesel rotary.

--
-dave
mailto:dave@arb.net

The stuff presented here is up to date Joe. This is from the latest info
available. The Heisler book was published in 1995. By technical book
standards that is up to date. As I said there have been no major
breakthroughs
in 50 years since the turbo compound. I don't consider electronic
injections systems and high rear axle ratios major break throughs. This
goes for all kinds of
IC engines.
Except perhaps the wankel. The electric assisted turbo charger IMHO is
perhaps going to be a major breakthrough. I think you might see some
reduction
in the displacement of economy car engines further improving the city
mileage.

As far as a diesel wankel is concerned the wankel geometry  is incapable of
maintaining a useful combustion chamber shape and still reach the
compression
ratios necessary for true diesel operation. That is not to say they won't
run on diesel fuel however. They will but you won't get the diesel BSFCs.

No doubt about it. At typical car cruise HP levels the diesel BSFC is much
better.
The question is; are people going to buy diesels or are they going to
buy hybrids? My guess is hybrids until enough of them are out there
to firmly establish their disadvantages. I will go out on a limb and predict
that hybrids will eventually disappear off US roads just like the diesel
car did.

About ten years ago  diesel car sales were much greater than they are
now. The VW turbo diesel Rabbit was particularly popular for awhile. Since
that
time diesel car sales have dropped dead. Perhaps you can find a whole
new crop of diesel virgins to sell diesel cars to in the future :)

Paul Lamar


No doubt about the decreasing popularity of diesels.  However, my
experience has been very good.  Great mileage, incredible reliability and
low maintenance. I've had Mercedes 240D, 300D, 300SDL and a (current) '91
350SD.  The 350SD gets about 25 mpg, which is great for a big, 126 chassis
car.  The 350SD is a 6-cylinder turbodiesel.  It is quiet and more than
fast enough, but it does smoke some when you punch it.

MB now offers the E320 CDI, which is a 3.2L straight-6 turbo with 369 lb-ft
of torque and 27/37 mpg.  Supposedly it runs very clean.  Anyway, my next
car will be an RX-8!

Scott Gettings

Hopefully we will end this thread. This is not a diesel head newsletter :)

Paul Lamar
 
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