RE: [A/S] Diesel mileage Is that all?

["Oliver Filippi" <ofilippi@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't mean to be a spoil sport, but it seems to me that there are a lot of
other reasons for choosing a diesel over a gasoline engine than just fuel
mileage - assuming, of course that you got the proper transmission and rear
axle ratio.

The following comments apply to the modern, common rail, turbo direct inject
diesel engines, compared to comparable displacement gasoline engines:

1.	Diesels have an extraordinary amount of torque - which is exactly what
you need to get your heavy load moving, and safely up to highway speeds.
[For what it's worth, the VW Toureg with the 7 liter V8 diesel is faster
accelerating than its twin, the Porsche Cayenne with the turbocharged
gasoline V8!]

Last month at the 12 Hours of Sebring(FL)auto race, the 12 cylinder, twin
turbocharged Audi (VW) race car won the race against a field of gasoline
powered race cars.  The two Audi diesels qualified fastest and next fastest,
setting a track lap record in the process. One was pulled with an hour or so
to go in the race when the car had an apparent overheating problem)which may
have been faulty telemetry equipment). At the time the cars were running
one, two! Even more impressive, one of the cars was required to start dead
last because a heat exchanger was replaced on race day.  Even though it
started last, after just over thirty laps, it took over the lead when its
teammate, which led the race from the start, made a pit stop.  The special
diesel engine was a 12 cylinder, twin turbocharged (with American Garret Air
Research turbos) Robert Bosch electronically controlled, common rail direct
inject fuel injection system.  Michelin had to design special racing tires
to accomodate the incredible torque of the engine [600 plus horsepower, 800
plus Lb Ft of torque. Racing engines are not known for their torque.] The
transmission used fewer gears due to the wide torque range of the engine.

These cars (or clones) will be entered in the 24 hous of Le Mans (France)
race in mid June.

2.	Given adequate maintenence, the diesel will outlast the gasoline engine
and likely have higher resale value (especially with today's and the
forseeable future's high fuel costs). The Dodge (Cummins), Ford Power Stroke
(International/Navistar), and Chevrolet/GMC (Duramax) are all serious, heavy
duty, engines.

3.	Diesel maintenance is pretty simple - Change the engine oil (be sure to
use turbo diesel rated oil), change the fuel filter (and drain any water in
the filter if applicable). Change the air filter.  That is basically it!
The trick is to put clean fuel in it - NO WATER - which will destroy the
fuel injection system (pump and injectors - very very expensive repair if
water gets past the fuel filter).

4.	Yes, the diesel takes more (and more expensive) engine oil, and needs to
be changed more frequently.  But then, oil is cheaper than metal.

5.	The new diesels are not the smelly, noisey, smoke belching monsters of
yesteryear.  Rather, they are almost as quiet as gasoline engines (even at
idle) burn the fuel so completely that thay don't smell, and don't smoke
(except, perhaps, momentarily under very hard acceleration).

Oliver Filippi