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Diesels in the News

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Comments

  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    NOPE!!!!!!!!!
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    That is not true about VW only giving a 40,000 mile warrenty for their engine. Stupid statement..........
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    I'm not using "opinions" about the inherent dangers of gasoline exhaust. We have 50 years of medical studies and industry studies which prove the danger.

    Do the research yourself, but here's a starting point:

    The components of gasoline exhaust(GE) emissions are a public concern for the following reasons:

    Emissions from gasoline engines include over 40 substances that are listed by the EPA as hazardous air pollutants. Components of GE contain potential cancer causing substances such as arsenic, benzene, formaldehyde, nickel, and PAHs. The gasoline particulate matter (GPM) is very small (90% are less than 1um by mass), making GPM easy to respire into the deep lung. GPM has hundreds of chemicals adsorbed to their surfaces, including many known or suspected carcinogens. There are many irritants and toxic chemicals in the gaseous phase of GE. Oxides of nitrogen, component of urban smog, are in the gaseous phase of GE. There is a likelihood that people in both ambient and occupational settings can be exposed to GE. GE has the potential to cause adverse health effects including cancer, pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases. Studies show workers exposed to higher levels of GE are more likely to develop lung cancer. In 1990, the state of California identified GE as a chemical known to cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has concluded that GE probably causes cancer in humans. The EPA has proposed classifying GE as a probable human carcinogen.

    Acute Effects of Gasoline Emmission Exposure:
    Workers exposed to high concentrations of diesel exhaust have reported the following short-term health symptoms:

    irritation of the eyes, nose and throat,
    lightheadedness,
    heartburn,
    headache,
    weakness, numbness, and tingling in extremities,
    chest tightness,
    wheezing, and
    vomiting.

    Substitute gasoline for diesel in larsb anti-diesel statement and you come to the very true, factual conclusion that gasoline emissions cause adverse health effects and cancer and driving a gasoline engine car is the single most polluting action that most individual do.
    EPA states that gasoline emissions cause 1500 cases of cancer a year

    I'm not saying that diesel exhaust is harmless - I'm just saying the medical community KNOWS that gasoline emissions cause far more death and disease.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    I'm not using "opinions" about the inherent dangers of diesel exhaust. We have 50 years of medical studies and industry studies which prove the danger.


    Actually, you are using opinion and you are using opinions that are based on emissions that were produced 50 years ago, 20 years ago, 10 years ago......without considering the advances in pollution control and resulting lower emissions of diesel engines and for that matter gasoline engines.

    The "sky is falling" scare tactics used by anti-diesel activists (which for some strange reason seem to be 95% hybrid drivers and 5% enviro chain themselves to a tree wackos) fails to evaluate the dangers of gasoline and diesel emissions based on risk.

    Water is toxic if you consume too much with symptoms of drowsy, lightheaded and weak with convulsions, coma and death the end result. Should water be banned in the CARB emissions states?

    As ridiculous as this would be, I find the same ridiculous statements about diesel exhaust being used.
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    and you wonder why the pro-diesel community has so little cred

    The "sky is falling" scare tactics used by anti-diesel activists (which for some strange reason seem to be 95% hybrid drivers and 5% enviro chain themselves to a tree wackos) fails to evaluate the dangers of gasoline and diesel emissions based on risk.

    Water is toxic if you consume too much with symptoms of drowsy, lightheaded and weak with convulsions, coma and death the end result. Should water be banned in the CARB emissions states?

    As ridiculous as this would be, I find the same ridiculous statements about diesel exhaust being used.


    two absolutely ridiculous, head-in-the-sand comments in just two days by two different pro-diesel guys

    makes the reasonable pro-diesel guys look like maroons for not distancing themselves from such nonesense

    yeah, water and diesel emissions - there's a good analogy!!
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    yeah, water and diesel emissions - there's a good analogy!!

    It is a good correspondence in some respects between two otherwise unlike things. :) Oh, wait, that sounds like it is an analogy.

    two absolutely ridiculous, head-in-the-sand comments in just two days by two different pro-diesel guys

    So you are saying that larsb is pro-diesel. :P

    Did you know you can obtain diesel from a tree?

    diesel tree
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    yikes!!! run away - maroon alert :confuse:

    What is a maroon alert? Is it the same as an orange alert?
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    "The "sky is falling" scare tactics used by anti-diesel activists (which for some strange reason seem to be 95% hybrid drivers and 5% enviro chain themselves to a tree wackos) fails to evaluate the dangers of gasoline and diesel emissions based on risk. "

    Well, i don't know who these anti-diesel activists are, but i would be curious to see how you derived these statistics. The tree-chaining community is pretty orthagonal to the public health community.

    In any case, i'm itching to get a 335d here in the US. HOWEVER, every morning when i'm waiting for my train to work, several semis drive by belching thick black smoke that often washes over the platform.

    I'm concerned about resources and foreign oil, but i also try to not breathe that stuff in!

    dave
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    yeah, that really adds a lot of credibility to the pro-diesel argument - that lead wasn't bad for people

    [eye roll


    The lead is in the gasoline, not in the diesel fuel.

    Even today, even in California, aviation gasoline is STILL leaded. Why does EPA not require the use of unleaded fuel? :confuse:
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    larsbI'm not saying gasoline exhaust is harmeless - I'm just saying the the medical world KNOWS that diesel is WORSE.

    Where is the data? Where is the proof?
    This discredits larsb's statement.

    Surprisingly little information is available regarding the comparative health hazards of emissions from diesel and gasoline engines
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    Yup YOU are correct its not 40000 miles... Its 50,000 miles. I just called the local VW dealer. AND I believe he said 4 years but then he went on and on about the long life of some VW diesels... Well yes a diesel should have long life but then if thats true why not warrant it like the 3 truck makers do. That was the original point about the VW diesels.. poopy warranty!!!

    But the worse news is that they are not selling diesels in America now and won't until WE get the low diesel fuel in our tanks. He would take my 500 bucks to put my name on the waiting list for when the clean diesel comes out.???

    And even then the choices have dropped to just the Jetta... that's the only one they will be selling he said.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    "At equal doses, the inflammation caused by normal gasoline and diesel emissions was nearly identical, suggesting that if the amount of emissions from diesels can be reduced to the levels produced by gasoline engines, their health hazards would be similar."

    So, IF the amount of emissions from diesels can be reduced to the levels of a normal gasser. then it SUGGESTS that the health hazards would be similar.

    SUGGESTS being the key word. And since we do not YET HAVE SUCH DIESELS, testing cannot be done.

    Let me know when they have a diesel vehicle clean enough to compare, which they apparently did not have.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    http://www1.umn.edu/eoh/hazards/hazardssite/dieselexhaust/dieselhealtheffects.ht- ml

    Diesel exhaust contains 20-100 times more particles than gasoline exhaust. These particles carry absorbed cancer causing substances known as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)’s.

    The gases in diesel exhaust can also create health problems. The top eight are listed here:

    * nitrous oxide
    * nitrogen dioxide
    * formaldehyde
    * benzene
    * sulfur dioxide
    * hydrogen sulfide
    * carbon dioxide
    * carbon monoxide.

    Diesel exhaust contains several dozen toxic substances and scientific studies have shown that workers exposed to diesel exhaust are more likely to develop lung cancer. Long-term exposure to particles in diesel exhaust poses the highest cancer risk of any toxic air contaminant evaluated by OEHHA. ARB estimates that about 70 percent of the cancer risk that the average Californian faces from breathing toxic air pollutants stems from diesel exhaust particles. The microscopic particles making up diesel exhaust particulate matter are less than one-fifth the thickness of a human hair. They are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, where they can contribute to respiratory disease.
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    I don't know why you even bother with such people.

    I know it's because you can't stand to see nonesense on these message boards, but guys who make such comments are a complete waste of your time. At least some of the pro-diesel guys here recognize that there ARE issues.

    Why isn't anyone talking about the ULSD actually becoming available in Cali?
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    I know.....they bait me and I almost always fall for it.....just a sucker for a good discussion I guess... :blush:

    I thought by June 2006 ULSD was sanctioned to be everywhere?

    Was it Oct 1st?
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    LOL - you're a sucker for even a BAD discussion

    :-)

    I dunno about the ULSD - I just saw a news article last night that it will be on the street in Cali. by the end of this week

    I don't suffer from daily air quality issues, but the folks in Cali's central valley are really hurting. Tremendous population growth and the air just sits there. Ugh. And, to make matters worse than the LA Basin, there is a lot of agricultural emissions in the Central Valley, and I mean diesel not cows.

    but we all know that gasoline engines are more toxic than diesel

    [eyeroll]

    http://www.westcoastdiesel.org/fuel-ulsd.htm

    diesel health effects
    http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/diesel/diesel_health_effects_summary_7-5-05-1.pdf-

    Chevron and Texaco retail sites will be converted to S15 (ULSD) no later than:
    o Sept. 1 for California
    http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/diesel/ulsd.shtml#A8
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Junk Science. It is a class project paper that makes conclusions based on outdated, unrelated research studies Furthermore, the studies are nearly all based on emissions of heavy duty on and off road vehicles and equipment and high sulfur diesel fuel.

    I agree with the excerpt below-
    Calling diesel an “inherently dirty” fuel, these naysayers refuse to look beyond their outdated data on diesel emissions. This does a disservice to the environment, as clean diesel can be a large part of the solution to cleaner air.

    The anti-diesel partisans also do a disservice to sound science, at times exaggerating the known dangers of diesel in order to support their agenda. No large-scale study with sound data on diesel exposure has ever been conducted. Indeed, only two studies have even purported to measure human exposure levels, and in both of those, mere guesses were made after the fact about exposure levels.

    One study compared lung cancer rates among Teamsters who drove trucks and those who did not. During the time period covered by the study, most trucks on the road were fueled by gasoline, not diesel.

    The second study, which focused on exposure to diesel emissions among railroad workers, was recently rated by the independent Health Effects Institute as being “of very limited utility.”


    Finding answers to the questions about diesel emissions will not be easy. It will require further research, including partnerships among industry, labor, academia, and government. The largest such initiative to date--a $15 million study funded by International Truck and Engine Corporation and other engine manufacturers, EPA, and the California Air Resources Board--is now in its feasibility phase.

    Diesel appears to have significant environmental advantages over other fuels, making research into its effects on human health even more important.

    In research supported by International Truck and Engine, the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found that natural gas--frequently cited as an alternative to gasoline or diesel--may increase “ultra-fine” particulate emissions in the atmosphere. Because ultra-fine particles may penetrate more deeply than larger particles into the respiratory tract, fuels that emit ultra-fine particles may pose more of a health risk than fuels, like diesel, whose emissions are less fine.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Did you even read what you posted? Did you understand it?

    All the studies cited are still not conclusive. Even the 2002 EPA study. The emissions are considered to be "likely carcinogenic" and even in Rats they had to use non-inhalation methods of delivery in order to demonstrate carcinogenity.

    What is most disturbing is that once again the emissions of heavy duty on and off road vehicles and equipment using high sulfur diesel fuel are being used to attack extremely clean light duty vehicles and at a time when ULSD is already available in CA.

    hmmmmm.....
    Current tests of that approach, called Green Diesel Technology , show it has reduced particulate emissions to a level lower than EPA’s newly proposed regulations for 2007, and 50 percent below the levels achieved by the cleanest natural gas engines available today. Green Diesel engines boast hydrocarbon emissions lower than can be measured using current technology.

    All of these innovations, including work done by progressive oil companies such as ARCO to provide ultra-low-sulfur fuel, would not have been possible if the country had given up on the diesel alternative.

    Dismissing diesel as “dirty” without conducting the proper research is not just scientifically invalid--it’s dangerous. Such junk science has real-world implications, depriving us of new approaches to diesel that can dramatically improve public health and the environment.
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    I don't think there are any "anti-diesel" folks here who are saying that research into health effects, and improving air pollution technology, would be a bad thing
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    fine, YOU go breathe stuff that is "likely carcinogenic"

    I'll stick with just plain air

    :-)

    "likely carcinogenic" is still worse than substances that are NOT likely carcinogenic, don't ya think?

    it's NOT like the drinking too much water example. Water is NOT a "likely carcinogen"
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    Thanks for writing. I keep seeing in the threads the words MAY... A lot of green folks esp in EPA like that word. It makes them seem like they are know all the FACTS and they actually have an insight into knowing the answers to any environmental subject but really they just mean "I know", but I don't have data to prove it. I think that's also called a guess. I am not letting go of my diesel. The studies are not real and using current diesel engine data. Now if there were only more diesel cars to choose from I would buy. The Jetta and the Mercedes are about it so the VW dealer told me yesterday. He wasn't even sure if Jeep had one this year or not. I still maintain that figuring diesel / gas emissions based on unit of fuel burned and wt of various emissions is phoney science. There needs to be an inclusion of data that figure for example the emissions of a gas Jetta over a 100 mile road trip vs a diesel Jetta over the same distance. The difference in fuel mileage is significant but not taken into account by EPA because at EPA they alreay know and they MAY tell you so.

    That study mentioned using truckers is a real joke. Go to a truck stop and see what percentage of truckers are smoking. Then try and figure out what problems are associated with diesel vs smoking. GEEEZE!! That's an impossible task.
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    You don't know anything about diesel trucks, cars or diesel fuel. Go on the hybrid side.
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    When they have a hybrid that will pull my 11,000 pound 5th wheel camper I will consider it. And I should add that by then the new technology will be proven. Wonder what it will cost to replace the batteries on them fancy new cars.
  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,351
    Wow. Some people here are so blatantly anti-diesel that you just have to wonder what their true agenda is. Citing bogus reports, and just making stuff up is utterly ridiculous.

    Thru their junk science and outright lies they have succeeded in making me a diesel advocate. I am somewhat shocked that the people that are here really trying to educate people have the patience to deal with these folks. They are pathetic and so totally transparent!!

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Some people have tried to categorize my views as "anti-Diesel" and that is NOT the case.

    I am VEHEMENTLY ANTI "DIRTY DIESEL"

    Once they put ULSD in a clean, modern, 2008 vehicle that can sell for new in California, then I'm all for the PROVEN cleanliness of that car. But as of yet, we don't KNOW that this can be done.

    The fact that VW is not selling 2007 model TDIs in the USA because they cannot meet clean air regulations should be an indicator to anyone with a brain that RIGHT NOW, 2006, DIESELS ARE NOT CLEAN ENOUGH.

    Once they ARE clean enough, I'm all for them.
  • fnamowiczfnamowicz Member Posts: 196
    In the Chicago area diesel costs more than regular.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Higher diesel prices traced to new sulfur rules

    One refinery had to spend $445 million to meet the clean air regulations. WHEW !!!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    It gets back to the 1970's when the regulators made the HUGE HUGE HUGE strategic mistake NOT to regulate diesel and all its variants. (did I say HUGE?) The effect/affect was that it made unleaded fuel use MANDATORY !!!! (for passenger vehicle fleet population) IF it had been regulated simultaneously (with the same rational as LEADED regular) the regulatory costs would be roughly the same (at the worst) and/or CHEAPER as NOW unleaded regular. Indeed not only would diesel fuel per gal be FAR cheaper NOW than unleaded regular, BUT a greater % diesel fuel (USE) population would have lessen the demand for oil importation(-37%). So much for missing the BOAT! (so to speak) :( So the current oil importation to fulfill the mandated unleaded regular demand was MANDATED !!!

    Until unleaded regular can meet the alternative fuels moniker as DIESEL DOES; Diesel holds the royal flush in the OIL (Texas HOLD EM poker) game.

    In comparison, unleaded regular is the chink in our civilizations armor, as current events too graphically illustrate.

    But be that as it may, it is still cheaper to run the diesel model vs the unleaded regular model. Using a VW Jetta diesel/gasser comparison 42/49 mpg vs 24/31 mpg and the article's cited prices of 3.21 diesel vs 2.93 unleaded regular; the costs per mile driven are .0762285/.0655102 VS .1220833/.0945161. You all can do the math to see which is cheaper to run per mile driven. :)
  • alp8alp8 Member Posts: 656
    GREAT POST!

    You really convinced me!

    [eye roll]

    you can't be an "advocate" if you don't have anything to SAY - and you haven't said anything, yet, so......
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Diesel is an "alternative fuel"?

    Really?

    ULSD diesel, out of a pump at Citgo is "alternative fuel"?

    Really? HHHHmmmmmm.....

    Can you spot me a website or source other than yourself which classifies diesel an "alternative fuel?"
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    ..."Diesel is an "alternative fuel"?

    Really?"...

    How long have you been on this thread to ask a question like that!!???
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    BIODIESEL is an alternative fuel.

    VEGGIE OIL diesel is an alternative fuel.

    Standard, refined ULSD you get at Citgo is NOT an alternative fuel.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    ..."Until unleaded regular can meet the alternative fuels moniker as DIESEL DOES;"...

    You missed the major turn backaways....

    but

    To follow your logic, don't buy it at Citgo. :) To my knowledge they sell neither bio diesel or veggie oil etc.
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    OH come on guys. If gasoline is THE fuel then the other things that will power a car I guess are alternate fuels... like veggie oil, dinosour diesel, propane, and electricity.. I can give em that much, can't you?
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    I'm very interested in diesel. But there seems to be a lot of emotional reactivity to what seem to be legitimate health questions

    http://dep.state.ct.us/air2/SIPRAC/2002/dhfacsh.pdf

    http://www.catf.us/projects/diesel/dieselhealth/learn.php?site=0

    I would reiterate that i consider myself pro-diesel. I am waiting for a diesel 3-series to be brought here to the states, and i hold stock in biodiesel. Hovever, i don't think it's legitimate to discard all negative information.
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    My understanding yesterday from my little talk with the VW rep in town was they he would take my $500 and put my name on the waiting list for the 2007 models.. They would come out when the Low Sulfur diesel hits the market here in NC later this year.

    He didn't say he would keep my $500 for the 2008 models.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Diesel $2.81
    Gas $2.85
    I live in the Chicago area.

    You can pay more for diesel if you want to, you don't have to.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Cheapest diesel in Chicago is $3.03

    http://www.chicagogasprices.com/index.aspx?fuel=D

    Cheapest unleaded regular in Chicago is $2.93

    http://www.chicagogasprices.com/

    USA average today:

    Diesel $3.09
    Reg Unleaded $2.82

    http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/

    Diesel is NOT cheaper right now.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    If you are trying to buy a 2007 TDI in the USA, you are out of luck:

    VW to drop TDIs for 2007 in USA
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Mopar,

    That same site you referred me too called Gas/electric hybrids "alternative fuel cars" also.

    So I got a deal for you:

    You call my TCH an "alt fuel vehicle" and I will call your TDI the same.

    Deal? ;)

    P.S. The state of Arizona refuses to classify Hybrids as "alt fuel" vehicles and thus we cannot get the Alt Fuel plates which grant LOW registration fees and HOV access. Maybe I should point them to that link !!! :D
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    Send them over to Fred's TDI forum and watch them come back with their tail bewteen their legs.

    Most are stupid kids who don't have since enough to come in out of the rain.
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    Why don't you go over to Fred's TDI forum. You will learn that you know nothing about diesels.
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    Diesel prices more than regular is called congress being paid off by Big Oil.
  • jimlockeyjimlockey Member Posts: 265
    Well so far I'm getting the same MPG with the ULSD.........
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    Thanks. That's encouraging.!!!
  • coontie57coontie57 Member Posts: 128
    Nope I really didn't want to buy one ... I was just getting information for another post here where the guy claimed that vw had a big engine warranty on their diesel and its only 50,000 compared to the big 3 truck engines at 100,000. While I would really consider a VW diesel I just can't understand their thinking on the 50K mile warranty.. It sounds to me like they are nervous. If its like the gas VW Rabbit I owned then I could understand their concern. HATEFUL UGLY THING...

    I actually liked the Passat but they don't sell that in diesel either now. ??? In a year or so Honda and Toyota etc will come out with diesels. The emission problems will be fixed and everyone will be happy and live a happy life.

    I guess I am going to have to hang on to my new diesel Chebby... till that happens. What else can you get that will pull 15,500 pounds up hill if you need to. Hopefully I will get 13 mpg or so... I will be testing it out in WVA here in a couple of weeks on I 77... in the mtns. Heck if it just makes it up a big mtn I will be happy.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    ExSqueezeMe? I know a LOT about diesels, most of which I have learned when needing to respond to the anti-hybrid folks.

    And I know that if diesel is "alternative fuel" I will eat my hat.

    Show me an example of any state that allows diesel cars to use an "alt fuel" license plate like the CNG vehicles use......

    (waiting, waiting, waiting)

    In fact, here is a list state-by-state and none of them classify straight diesel as "alt fuel" in any fashion.

    http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:8Cl_jS8L5ZsJ:eerc.ra.utk.edu/etcfc/docs/50-s- tateLegSummary.doc+%22alt+fuel%22+%22license+plates%22+%2Bdiesel+%2Bissued&hl=en- &gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
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