Why not a diesel hybrid?

[Gary Allan]

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Originally posted by the_oil_dealer:
Notice how the price of diesel has pretty much leveled with gas? The cost is probably the same to produce, however the user gets more energy from the diesel. We, as large oil, wouldnt want to give consumers a REALLY good deal, would we? In North America, it wouldnt be wise. In Europe youre paying testicles and kidneys for the fuel, so sure why not

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Diesel should cost no more then heating oil+ road taxes. It is a good bit more. I can't figure out why

 

[The_Jeff]

^ I think they still let people heat their homes with high sulfur #2. Goes up the chimney into the same air and all...

This makes absolutely no sense, but I think it's going on. Now instead of a terminal receiving one load of #2 and dumping dye in for untaxed use, they have to keep track of two seperate fuels.

Naturally I would expect the sour crude to wind up in heating oil, so there's not as much motivation to "sweeten" it.

 

[Thermo1223]

Some places have started marketing a Biofuel for home oil boilers/furnaces.

Just can't be kept in a tank outside without being treated. It must be kept inside so it would get to cold and gell up.

 

[heynow]

Diesels can run on an air fuel ratio of up to 100:1 while idling. I dont see any reason for the engine to shut down during stops.

 

[Thermo1223]

quote:

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Originally posted by XS650:

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Originally posted by hominid7:
Forgive me if the obvious has already been stated, but the "instant on" needs of a hybrid automobile would seem to me to not allow a diesel to operate in that environment.

Push down the gas pedal, then wait for the glow plug to warm, then the engine comes on, just not real efficient.

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It's a good thing UPS doen't know that or their diesel trucks wouldn't restart everytime the drive shuts them off to run to someones door with a package.

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Yes this has been bothering be but I don't want to dig back.

Diesels when even run for 1 min in a 0F environment should have no problem starting right back up without any glow period. Engine design can vary that but in my experience it is what I have witnessed. Not to mention the Prius uses a thermal cache for the coolant to keep it warm to reduce cold start time, same thing could be used for a diesel.

They will start right up even in 50F weather with no glow. The starters are built no better on 4 cylinder diesels then the ones used on a V8 gas engine.

It is actually UPS policy to always turn off the truck when delivering so to not temp people to steal it.

My TDI uses roughly .05-.08 gallons of diesel and hour when idling in traffic, .15 if the A/C is running.

That means on 1 gallon would get me 20 hours if it was fully warm and just sitting there idling, little under 7 with A/C.

Also and I don't remember this 100% but a person smoking 15 minutes emits more pollution then TDI(1.9l VW) running at idle for an hour. All of couse in a sealed room.

I wish I could remember the test...it was by some European health agency.

So diesels don't pollute any worse then a gasoline engine and in most cases are far better.

GM ruined it for us in the 80's, hopefully VW/Audi/DB will bring us back into it the right way.