Diesels are for fools???

[g8rpi]

All this is very true for new cars. However used cars are another matter. I'd argue that overall my 9 year old Croma (1.9 mJTD 16V with DPF) is "greener" than most new cars. I do a mix of a ~10m each way commute and long runs. My commute would be OK for an all electric car. My work had a lucrative offer (- 1/2 retail) on an all electric car on a two year lease. But even if I charged it for free at work it would still cost more than running the Croma for two years and scrapping it

. I don't intend scrapping the Croma after two years

.
The only truly clean answer is Hydrogen and electric vehicles with the "fuel" provided by closed cycle fast neutron reactors "burning" depleted Uranium and re-processed fuel. There is enough of this to last around 100 years without even having to mine anything. Yes I'm pro nuclear.

 

[ChrisUK]

I've got a couple of friends with old VAG diesels running on straight vegetable oil. picked up from takeaways, filtered and then put straight in the car.

It was the invention of "common rail" on diesel engines which caused the diesel fuel to change into what we call diesel today. Diesel back in the day was completely different and was basically a by product of making petrol.

 

[g8rpi]

I've got a couple of friends with old VAG diesels running on straight vegetable oil. picked up from takeaways, filtered and then put straight in the car.

It was the invention of "common rail" on diesel engines which caused the diesel fuel to change into what we call diesel today. Diesel back in the day was completely different and was basically a by product of making petrol.

Well I've been running small diesel engined cars on and off since 1983 (my second car was a 1.6D mk1 Astra) and the only change I've seen in diesel is reduction in smell due to (legislated) reduction in sulphur content. diesel is not a "byproduct", any given crude oil has different fractions of heavy through light compounds, diesel is one of these fractions (Simplified I know, there are other processes such as hydrocracking). So a given barrel of crude will give a given ratio of diesel / petrol. I doubt anyone is running any automotive diesel engine on straight reclaimed, unprocessed (other than filtering) cooking oil long term. Apart from combustion properites and waxing in winter, it has low lubricity. This will case excessive wear or even seizure of the high pressure injection pump. You might get away with adding 10 or 20 percent cooking oil to normal diesel, but even this may result in problems such a swollen seals.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[ChrisUK]

He's been using it for 3+ years doing 20k miles plus a year.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I doubt anyone is running any automotive diesel engine on straight reclaimed, unprocessed (other than filtering) cooking oil long term. Apart from combustion properites and waxing in winter, it has low lubricity. This will case excessive wear or even seizure of the high pressure injection pump. You might get away with adding 10 or 20 percent cooking oil to normal diesel, but even this may result in problems such a swollen seals.

Robert G8RPI.

I've know many people over the years who have run older diesel cars on straight reclaimed oil, just filtered the bits out and poured it in. I knew a guy who ran his 1.5 non turbo diesel corsa on veg oil for years and years without ever stopping at the forecourt for a fill up.

I ran my 86 Range Rover on straight veg oil for a while but it used so much of the stuff I had supply issues.

 

[g8rpi]

<SNIP>
I ran my 86 Range Rover on straight veg oil for a while but it used so much of the stuff I had supply issues.

The Turbo D Range Rover was launched in 1988

Was yours a conversion? If so what engine?
I still can't imagine used cooking oil flowing through a fuel filter at sub zero temperatures. Even diesel has additives in winter.

Robert G8RPI.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

The Turbo D Range Rover was launched in 1988

Was yours a conversion? If so what engine?
I still can't imagine used cooking oil flowing through a fuel filter at sub zero temperatures. Even diesel has additives in winter.

Robert G8RPI.

Mine was an original 1986 VM turbo diesel..

The original VM had blown up and been replaced with a 3.1 Isuzu trooper engine. Either way both were turbo Diesel engines.

Cooking oil without anything else in it obviously will turn to thick slurry in the winter, but not a problem if you have an inline heater or tank heater. In very cold weather I just used my petrol mondeo instead.

 

[Adrian Bravo]

It is my feeling that the EU will eventually pass a law requiring all new diesel passenger cars to use AdBlue. Our government will probably greatly increase fuel duty for diesel or road tax for diesel cars or both. Just my feelings .

 

[PuntoHowTo]

increase fuel duty for diesel or road tax for diesel cars or both.

People do keep saying this but the government already has a future plan for car tax and it will pretty much be £140 a year no matter what engine is fitted after 2017 (applies to new cars only) with a premium for higher value cars.

On top of which, economically diesel fuel keeps good and services around the country in vans lorries trains etc.

Any increases in diesel fuel duty dramatically impacts on the whole economy.

 

[Tazio]

Diesel has its place.
Even in small passenger cars.

Allthough the best mood killer in the world is to stop at lights with an open car and find yourself next the some pumpeduse equipped VAG

Frankly, their common rails sound horrible as well but stink slightly less

-Tazio

 

[ChrisUK]

I've know many people over the years who have run older diesel cars on straight reclaimed oil, just filtered the bits out and poured it in. I knew a guy who ran his 1.5 non turbo diesel corsa on veg oil for years and years without ever stopping at the forecourt for a fill up.

I ran my 86 Range Rover on straight veg oil for a while but it used so much of the stuff I had supply issues.

It boils down to the injection system and fuel pumps. Old mechanical injection is where it's at.

My favourite is his 1997 Audi A6 1.9 TDI. Had to do a couple of quick mods to the pump and pipe work at the head of the tank which took half an hour. Been running on straight veg since. When he gets something else I'm gonna buy it off him and use it as a work burner / winter car :slayer:.

When it gets actually cold I'll mix in a little derv.

 

[jrkitching]

Diesel has its place.
Even in small passenger cars.

Indeed it does.

In the case of small passenger cars, IMO that place is a museum.

 

[pooroldcodger]

I remember seeing something on TV about this - it might have been a very old Top Gear.
A bloke was running his car on old fat from the chippy. It ran absolutely fine. The only downside was that everywhere he went people were hit by the urge to find a chip shop because of the smell coming from his car!

 

[Tazio]

Indeed it does.

In the case of small passenger cars, IMO that place is a museum.

Hmm, just in case I think I'll go and start up the Croma

-Tazio

 

[Wee Smurf]

Indeed it does.

In the case of small passenger cars, IMO that place is a museum.

Oh dear. I think I'll need to go to the museum then...

 

[The Beard]

Oh dear. I think I'll need to go to the museum then...

Think you've got problems? I think I should be in a museum never mind go to one. Perhaps the Science Museum in London, or maybe the one in Manchester, alongside all the old beam engines.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if you look to your left you'll see a model that became obsolete in the early 21st Century, although if we're honest, it was on its last legs at the turn of the Millennium. Yes it's the one and only prototype version of the 1957 model Beard.

It never ran very well and always complained if asked to do any real work.........

Starting first thing in the morning was never one of its strong points, going uphill was always a bit of a battle and environmentally, it smoked like a chimney and drank like a fish.

Those were the days eh? They certainly don't make them like that anymore.....thank God"

 

[The Beard]

I must admit that I'm more than happy with the performance of the MJ Panda and I'd struggle to cope with anything that didn't get close to the high 50s mpg I get on a daily basis.

I've mentioned before that I quite fancy a Panda TA to replace it, but having spoken to a woman quite recently who said that her 500 TA gave her 39 mpg, I'm having a re-think. Mrs. Beard's Giulietta MA with 175 bhp and sub 9 seconds to 60 acceleration returns a fairly consistent 38-39 mpg commuting through fairly heavy urban and motorway traffic. Although it's presumably more aerodynamic than the 500, it does weigh considerably more (the killer when it comes to urban fuel figures) and is twice as powerful. There's something wrong somewhere.

Conversely, although it's not the same kind of car, a Vauxhall Mokka I had for a few days last year gave 41 mpg and that had a 1.7 diesel but was, in fairness, a 4X4 which, although I don't suppose it functioned in that mode, was a pretty disappointing figure. The only hope I have for fuel figures in a Panda MA is that if the lady with the 500 took her fuel figures from the trip computer, it was pessimistic just like the Panda MJ and a Giulietta 2.0 Veloce I had for a week about 5 years ago. In fact out of the cars I've driven in the last few years: Focus diesel, Mokka, Giulietta MJ, Golf Bluemotion, M-B C220 CDi, plus our own, the only cars that didn't show optimistic (in some cases, wildly) fuel returns were the Italians.

One reason we got a petrol Giulietta is that Mrs. Beard retires in March so her mileage will come down a lot; the other reason was that there seemed to be some uncertainty surrounding the VED for diesels. But, if you look at the latest 3, 4 & 5 Series, almost every Audi range as well as Mercedes and the new XE and XF Jags, it's quite clear that all the major manufacturers are still looking to diesels as the default choice for that kind of car.

Until we get a hydrogen and electric car re-fuelling/re-charging infrastructure up and running I think diesels are pretty much here to stay.

 

[Wee Smurf]

I must admit that I'm more than happy with the performance of the MJ Panda and I'd struggle to cope with anything that didn't get close to the high 50s mpg I get on a daily basis.

I've mentioned before that I quite fancy a Panda TA to replace it, but having spoken to a woman quite recently who said that her 500 TA gave her 39 mpg, I'm having a re-think. Mrs. Beard's Giulietta MA with 175 bhp and sub 9 seconds to 60 acceleration returns a fairly consistent 38-39 mpg commuting through fairly heavy urban and motorway traffic. Although it's presumably more aerodynamic than the 500, it does weigh considerably more (the killer when it comes to urban fuel figures) and is twice as powerful. There's something wrong somewhere.

Conversely, although it's not the same kind of car, a Vauxhall Mokka I had for a few days last year gave 41 mpg and that had a 1.7 diesel but was, in fairness, a 4X4 which, although I don't suppose it functioned in that mode, was a pretty disappointing figure. The only hope I have for fuel figures in a Panda MA is that if the lady with the 500 took her fuel figures from the trip computer, it was pessimistic just like the Panda MJ and a Giulietta 2.0 Veloce I had for a week about 5 years ago. In fact out of the cars I've driven in the last few years: Focus diesel, Mokka, Giulietta MJ, Golf Bluemotion, M-B C220 CDi, plus our own, the only cars that didn't show optimistic (in some cases, wildly) fuel returns were the Italians.

One reason we got a petrol Giulietta is that Mrs. Beard retires in March so her mileage will come down a lot; the other reason was that there seemed to be some uncertainty surrounding the VED for diesels. But, if you look at the latest 3, 4 & 5 Series, almost every Audi range as well as Mercedes and the new XE and XF Jags, it's quite clear that all the major manufacturers are still looking to diesels as the default choice for that kind of car.

Until we get a hydrogen and electric car re-fuelling/re-charging infrastructure up and running I think diesels are pretty much here to stay.

I too would struggle without my little Multijet. It takes me through the congestion of Belfast and still regularly returns mid-60s mpg. My mileage is up massively compared with 8 years ago BK (before kids!) so the better economy is good.

I too would probably only consider the twinair from the current range of Pandas. I'd need to try one out for a fairly long test first though to see what the mpg would really be like. I have no intentions on changing anytime soon though.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I must admit that I'm more than happy with the performance of the MJ Panda and I'd struggle to cope with anything that didn't get close to the high 50s mpg I get on a daily basis.

A Toyota Hybrid would probably suit you very well. Have you ever looked at them out of interest?

My only regret is not having bought one sooner.

 

[The Beard]

I too would struggle without my little Multijet. It takes me through the congestion of Belfast and still regularly returns mid-60s mpg. My mileage is up massively compared with 8 years ago BK (before kids!) so the better economy is good.

I too would probably only consider the twinair from the current range of Pandas. I'd need to try one out for a fairly long test first though to see what the mpg would really be like. I have no intentions on changing anytime soon though.

I'm getting closer to you. No, no, no, no, no. Not in the tree outside your bedroom window, my mileage is now 99,720, so before this tankful of fuel is dispensed with I should be at the magical six figure mileage.

Actually, I do sound a bit like a stalker.