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there are many TDI geeks who get a metal protector-plate for their oil pan , to replace the plastic one that is apparently stock, at least on the A4 TDIs.
springs to raise the TDI, no thanks, i prefer to keep the center of gravity where the favnerhugen engineers put it, preferring to avoid ROLLOVERS! HELLO!
Too large and too thirsty for my taste, good option if you need the room.
I don't mind the size, I do mind the appetite. With the torquiness of the diesel engine, I don't need the 215 HP. I would not buy it to race it, just to have a capable transportation device.
Europe has much better range of options than US. I don't care if Detroit cannot be cured of the "bigger is better" delusion, I do care that they will not even give us options. :mad:
Curious. It's not only the CARB states but it seems also the vehicle makers as well don't seem overly enthusiastic about diesel here. This seems like such a natural step if they did the reverse. Make the vehicle here and import the engine from Italy. Maybe all in good time.
GM's hesitancy to embrace diesel power in automobiles is well founded. Remember that they took a gasoline engine and made it into the biggest fiasco the country has ever seen. If anyone sees a diesel in a GM car, then very few people will buy it no matter what GM does to convince them that it is a real diesel that they do not build.
There are some issues that are dampening the enthusiasm about diesel power in the United States. Companies like GM are charging a huge premium for the privelege of owning a diesel. They would rather sell you a gasser because they actually make more money on them in the long run. Also, GM does not like to pay their technicians to learn something like fixing a diesel. There is no doubt in my mind that GM keeps diesels a rare commodity. On the other hand, Dodge and Ford sells every diesel they can build and they charge somewhat less than GM does.
Next comes fuel cost. There is a growing demand for diesel fuel worldwide. Also, in many states, road tax on diesel is higher than that for gasoline. Many consumers cannot get past this price difference. Yet, when you do the math, diesel is significantly cheaper to feed per mile than a gasser. Look at the Jeep Liberty. The V-6 gasser version gets about 18 MPG on the road and with gas being abound 2.299/gallon, that comes out to about 12.8 cents/mile. I average about 28 MPG on the road and with diesel being 2.499/gallon locally, that comes out to 8.9 cents/mile or about a 3.9 cent/mile savings or about $585/year (driving 15K/year) in savings. The diesel engine in my Jeep Liberty cost $846 over the V-6 gasser so in less than 1.5 years of driving at 15K/year, the engine is paid for.
Another issue is that people see diesels as dirty when in reality they are cleaner than gassers in several respects. Diesels emit 20% less GHG than the equivalent powered gasser, emit no unburned HC and almost no CO. With PM traps, that becomes a non-issue and the new after treatment for NOx will reduce it to Prius levels.
First of all, a generation or so ago, the regulators decided to get the lead out of leaded regular/premium. Next was to keep the division of diesel for trucking, etc, etc. Anybody that did NOT get the regulatory message was indeed taking their economic lives into there own hands. The oem's employ HUGE lobby presences for all issues transportation related. Indeed you can bet someones' 400 M dollar retirement payment the oil companies do that also. While most folks don't see this, the entire product logistics delivery system for the passenger vehicle fleet has been/is geared for unleaded regular/premium. It is ONLY recently that #2 diesel pumps found their way there.
As a counterpoint to the positions/attitudes you know I have toward diesel, if I were "SMART" I would be privately disingenuous. I would come out publically in favor of unleaded regular/premium while of course continuing to drive diesel and vilifying diesel.
Caddie and the Corvette line are truly the success stories of GM/USA, domestic vehicles, etc. Some Caddies are even made on the same Corvette line. They follow a most radical concept. They actually build cars that people want!!!???? What does this mean in English? Each Corvette has somebodies name on the build order!!!
A twin turbo diesel Corvette no matter how well built would probably be worse than intentional sabotage. Even if one did get 48 mpg on the track and 70 mpg cruising at 65 mphand did a 4 sec 0-60. The longer term problem historically and going forward is not too many folks WANT them.
Clean.
As far as I can tell, the EPA does not score those large work-level diesel vehicles.
It would have been nice of the press release to tell us REALLY how clean, using something we could compare it to.
Does anyone have a link to a page with clean air data on those big trucks ?
Even more detailed info:
Details of the new Dodge Cummins trucks
Pricing is very reasonable compared to the gasoline models.
quote-
Dodge Ram 1500 Light Duty Diesel Model
Armed with new Cummins clean-diesel technology, Dodge will introduce an all-new turbo diesel engine in its light duty Ram pickup trucks after 2009.
The new engine will provide a dramatic increase in low-end torque, up to a 30-per cent improvement in fuel efficiency and a 20-per cent reduction in C0(2) emissions when compared to an equivalent gasoline engine.
"Our all-new Cummins engine will offer future Dodge Ram 1500 customers the ultimate in terms of fuel economy, refinement, reliability and durability," said LaSorda. "It's another example of the Chrysler Group bringing new clean, quiet diesel technology to the marketplace."
The Dodge Ram's new clean diesel engine will meet benchmark low levels of emissions, including U.S. 50-state emissions standards for 2010.
"We are pleased to build upon our 18-year partnership and brand franchise with the Chrysler Group by providing our new light-duty diesel-powered engine for use in the Dodge Ram 1500," said Tim Solso, Cummins Chairman and CEO. "We
know customers for this product will demand high performance. We also know that we need to be extremely good at fuel efficiency and emissions control in order to succeed in this market. Cummins will use its technology leadership to meet all of those criteria, while providing the driving public with an exciting new diesel engine alternative for the popular Dodge Ram series." end quote-
The base 6 cylinder Dodge Ram 1500 gets EPA 16/21 mpg. With diesel engines of say 25% better fuel mileage, we can be talking EPA 20/26 mpg.
On a Honda Civic real world mpg thread, there are a number of folks posting who take EXTREME umbrage with folks who get more than THEIR 24.5/25 mpg !!!!!????
The nexus here: the 25 mpg is with what most people would acknowledged to be one of the PREMIER SMALL CARS / economy/ECONOMICAL to run fuel sippers!!??
Why would one want to get a small box like that which gets 1 mpg less than say a DIESEL Dodge RAM 1500 which they would need, want, etc?!!!!???
Actually it is quite clean. When comparing it to EU diesels found in passenger cars, NOx is 1/3 to 1/2 of that of many small four and six cylinder diesels including those from Toyota and Honda's 2.2L diesel. PM is almost nil and nearly as good as Mercedes own PM filter system used on the E320 CDI.
The E85 4.7L V8 uses 85% less petroleum than the regular 4.7L V8 gasoline engine.
The cost of driving one of these things was on average $800 more per year over using straight gasoline. Just does not make sense, even with incentives and credits. About the only positive thing I see out of E85 is that more of our money stays in the U.S.
Why not design the engine to take advantage of the increased octane that ethanol provides? SAAB has dabbled with that by fitting an induction system that can handle E85 to one of their turbo cars. Real good power noted as well as improved FE.
Let me just (stack the deck a bit) use the LOW (-5 to -8 )number on my TLC, Highway EPA 15 mpg -5 mpg =10 mpg, -5/15= MINUS -33%
Using that gasser 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 Highway EPA 21 mpg-5mpg= 16 mpg, -5/21= MINUS -24%
Again, I think it salvagable in the macro/micro senses. While this is not my personal .02 cents for a host of reasons, make the price per mile for ethanol fuel (portion or the 85%) the same as gasser or even diesel. Just dont raise prices on diesel to rig the game, I.E. just RIG ethanol (much lower price per gal for example). There are of course a host of other options.
The article may be aimed only at Canadian customers.
The new engine is smoother, quieter, more powerful and more efficient than the old Jetta TDI, which won many friends, but it won't cost more. Fuel economy should be better, in the 45 mpg range, while the engine produces 140 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque, according to Krause
CLEAN DIESEL VOLKSWAGEN JETTA MAKES NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AT WASHINGTON, D.C. AUTO SHOW
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today unveiled its cleanest diesel ever for the U.S., the Jetta TDI. Additionally, the company announced that this new clean diesel will be available to the U.S. market in the spring of 2008. This Jetta TDI will meet emissions standards applicable in all 50 states, including the most stringent "TIER 2/BIN 5" or "LEV II/LEV" requirement limiting nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to 0.05 g/mile.
This clean diesel Jetta meets the lowest emissions standards without the use of urea injection. Instead, a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst reduces NOx emissions by up to 90 percent. The engine management system in the Jetta changes operating modes periodically to treat the NOx that has been stored in the catalytic converter. A particulate filter in the exhaust system further reduces emissions.
The Jetta TDI is one of the first products of the BLUETEC offensive initiated jointly by Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. The goal of this partnership is to establish the concept of BLUETEC as a uniform label for clean and highly fuel efficient diesel-powered cars and SUVs with 50-state compliant engines. BLUETEC denotes diesel power plants that comply with the strictest emissions regulations of the US market. The technologies individually developed by each manufacturer serve to reduce NOx in particular – an exhaust element more prevalent in a diesel engine.
Volkswagen unveiled its clean diesel concept Tiguan compact SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The Tiguan will be available in the U.S. mid 2008.
Volkswagen has a 30-year history of providing the U.S. market with efficient and durable diesel vehicles. Diesels traditionally account for almost 20 percent of Volkswagen's sales in the United States.
VW to Switch to Common-Rail Diesel Technology from PD-TDI
December 13, 2005
by Justin Couture / American Auto Press
http://car-reviews.automobile.com/news/vw-to-switch-to-common-rail-diesel-techno- - - - logy-from-pd-tdi/1591/
Volkswagen is making a significant change in its diesel powerplants by discontinuing the Pumpe Düse fuel injection system and adopting common rail technology
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=153503
The Touareg will be the only TDI available as a 2007 model due to EPA restrictions and VW changing over to common rail.
http://www.tdiclub.com/
The 2003 Jetta GLS 1.9 TDI (Turbo Diesel Injection) is one of the new-generation diesels, but it's not the newest. It uses microprocessors to individually meter and inject fuel into separate intake valves. But a more advanced diesel engine, the common-rail diesel, takes that technology a big step further.
The common-rail diesel uses a special port to feed all fuel-intake valves precisely at the same time. That means better efficiency, better fuel economy and fewer emissions.
But common-rail diesels require super-low sulfur-diesel fuel, which is difficult to find in the United States. So, for the moment, the less efficient, port-by-port, direct-injection diesels will have to do
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/03/09/AR2005032405151.- - - html
Mine is the 2003 Jetta TDI.
At the time 1998-2003, getting ULSD (15 ppm or less) was dicey at best. It sold at a premium, if you could locate a supply and consistent product. In addition, the 49 state LSD was up to 500 ppm. It was rumored that CA LSD was 140 ppm. The rumor also was at times CA diesel was even less than 140 ppm. Even those model years were designed to run on ULSD and one probable outcome was premature clogging of the EGR and intake systems. Mechanics I know that have worked on 49 state vs CA state say that almost categorically the CA state diesel cars have had FAR less clogging than the 49 states.
My Jeep Liberty CRD does have a common rail injection system and frankly I am quite pleased with it. It is simple, reliable and rugged.
From a gen (A-4) point of view, the 2003 is one of the better ones. The 2005/2006's seem to be an absolute hit! The previous gen (A-3) has a number of better design features (beefer clutch, much easier and cheaper labor wise to change water pump, etc.)
While advocates will probably not like this, I believed I dodged a bullet in not getting the 2004 or PD TDI. (pump duse) Indeed if not for the diesel engine, me thinks I probably would not have gotten a VW at all as the gasser engines at worst can have their issues. Actually a lot of "unreliability" stems from the 1.9T and 2.0 ENGINE issues. In addition VW has had a much higher percentage of (other than engine) unreliability
Indeed like you, I do prefer the SUV type if I had to only have (say) one vehicle or par down. But since they only made something like 11k of the diesel Jeep Liberty's? I obviously missed that line !!??
I really did not want an SUV as my prior vehicle had been a Dodge Dakota Pickup. What was nice about that was you could throw anything into the bed and if it got dirty, you hose it out. The Jeep Liberty is a compromise for me. I love the engine and if packed properly you can carry tons of stuff. Unfortunately I had to get some items I did not want. I really did not want four wheel drive and have used it only a few times. Used it recently in a snow/ice storm. It was helpful in getting me going from a stop but no help in stopping. Got ABS and that has proven to be a mixed blessing. I wish it tracked better down the road but because it is setup with an off-road suspension, it is the price you pay.
Reliability wise it has been pretty good. If diesel fuel had been ULSD and/or EU spec fuel, then the EGR valve failure issue would be significantly less. In some respects, Daimler did not really test certain drive train components as thoroughly as they should have. There was a recent recall (F37) to replace the TC and remap the engine controller and trans controller. The engine generated so much low end torque that it was ripping apart the TC.
I wonder how the Jeep GC CRD is going to do? Should be interesting.
So for example, STARTER no brainers for me are: the 100/1000 series pu trucks, SUV, Tahoe, Suburban, Pilot, GC's, Small, Medium, Large cars, etc.
Not to get political, but if the USA embraces the concept of using LESS unleaded regular fuel/importing LESS L/S crude(President Bush threw done the % number of 20%) then going to diesel and alternative fuels such as BIO diesel, ethanol etc will aide in that effort. Just less than to 20% of the population shifting to diesel would do it. (37% advantage over gasser) Indeed in terms of miles 42% of my miles are done NOT using unleaded regular!!!! Make a diesel Honda available and that % goes to 73% !!!!!!
For one, braking distances are little bit longer. Two, it is harder to modulate the amount of pressure after a certain point because the system kicks in.
My wife's 1998 Chrysler Concorde has ABS and it is less intrusive than the ABS on my Jeep.
The one positive experience I have had is on ice. There it worked quite well and was helpful.
CLEAN DIESEL VOLKSWAGEN JETTA MAKES NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AT WASHINGTON, D.C. AUTO SHOW
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today unveiled its cleanest diesel ever for the U.S., the Jetta TDI. Additionally, the company announced that this new clean diesel will be available to the U.S. market in the spring of 2008. This Jetta TDI will meet emissions standards applicable in all 50 states, including the most stringent "TIER 2/BIN 5" or "LEV II/LEV" requirement limiting nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to 0.05 g/mile.
This clean diesel Jetta meets the lowest emissions standards without the use of urea injection. Instead, a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst reduces NOx emissions by up to 90 percent. The engine management system in the Jetta changes operating modes periodically to treat the NOx that has been stored in the catalytic converter. A particulate filter in the exhaust system further reduces emissions.
The Jetta TDI is one of the first products of the BLUETEC offensive initiated jointly by Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen. The goal of this partnership is to establish the concept of BLUETEC as a uniform label for clean and highly fuel efficient diesel-powered cars and SUVs with 50-state compliant engines. BLUETEC denotes diesel power plants that comply with the strictest emissions regulations of the US market. The technologies individually developed by each manufacturer serve to reduce NOx in particular – an exhaust element more prevalent in a diesel engine.
Volkswagen unveiled its clean diesel concept Tiguan compact SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The Tiguan will be available in the U.S. mid 2008.
Volkswagen has a 30-year history of providing the U.S. market with efficient and durable diesel vehicles. Diesels traditionally account for almost 20 percent of Volkswagen's sales in the United States.
An indication many are excited about its alleged arrival, myself included.
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/01/prius_snowbound.html
To alleviate this on the Prius because there is no disable switch they began on the 2006 models to electronically allow some slippage in order not to come to a stop. It's like an Auto LSD on trucks now.
This system has nothing to do with the power per se, when slippage was felt the Trac puts the brakes on to stop the spinning. Obviously when the brakes are on the vehicle stops. That's how Traction control works for all vehicles everywhere. The disable switch keeps the computer from applying the brakes.
I know from your experience that you were aware of this. But the site where this was posted is a lawyers site with little experience. It's also a site intended to draw dissatisfied people of all types to join class actions if there is enough interest. No interest? Then the lawyers move on to car seats or pharmaceuticals or toys or whatever.
I have driven one car with traction control on a wet surface and pushed it to the limit. It never stopped the wheels from turning when the car began to slide but applied just enough braking and reduction in engine power to keep control.
As the article describes it, the vehicle drive train refused to engage because one wheel slipped. I view this as a serious flaw. Imagine being stuck on a hill and you cannot move and some comes behind you and clobbers you because you cannot move the car. Not a pretty sight. I feel Toyota's analysis of the issue is in error.
I am a New Englander by birth and have tons of experience driving on snow and ice without traction control. If I had a car then with traction control that would not let it move because on wheel slipped a little, I would have sold it in a heartbeat.
The comment you made and the article from which it came makes it appear that it's a Prius-specific issue that somehow makes the power disappear in that the engine dies. It's nothing of the kind. It's not Prius-specific and the article poorly describes the problem. The Traction Control system applies the brakes that's why the vehicles don't move at low speeds.
Just as in your situation when driving and a loss of traction is encountered the brakes are applied to the spinning wheel to bring it under control but the vehicle keeps moving forward from its own momentum....just under control.
The problem arises when a vehicle is at a dead stop and slick conditions arise. Then the brakes are applied and the vehicle can't move. That's the purpose of the TRAC disable switch ( on all vehicles with TRAC ) or the Auto LSD like in the new Prius'.
Your innuendo about issues from the 90's that were settled back in 2003 are out of line . The whole explanation of the Trac Ctrl system is hardly hidden. It's in the owner's manual. The issue on the Prius isn't new or being hidden either it's been around and well documented on the hybrid boards since the first one came out in 2000. There was no Trac disable switch on the first Prius'. Toyota addressed the problem by adding the LSD on the 2006 model.