Diesel for overlanding- are you happy with the choice?

[Buliwyf]

I've seen a ton of that in Fairbanks Morse diesel generators. Once up and running, they open a NG valve and run on NG using the diesel injectors as the source of ignition. I've seen a few Siemens systems like that as well, piggy backed onto normal generators. The diesel governors throttle back automatically as gas is introduced.

We used to use Bully Dog propane injection kits on Ford 7.3's for power. Worked great.

It's a perfect system. That's why it'll never catch on in the US.

The idiotic EPA is messing that up. They're pushing for spark ignition NG engines like the nearly useless bureaucrats that they are.

 

[IdaSHO]

Um, do you know how Westport’s HPDI system works. Maybe not. I of course investigated it before I made $20k investing in Westport a decade ago. Thinking about it again.
HPDI uses the diesel cycle unlike all other NG engines which use Otto. A special injector squirts CNG into the combustion chamber just before TDC. It does not self ignite since NG has a very high self ignition temperature. Shortly after a pilot injection of diesel fuel acts as the ignition source. The key thing is that it uses the diesel cycle. Higher compression and no throttling losses makes high efficiency and capable of more torque.
Diesel isn’t dead, just most of the fuel is replaced by NG.
Did you know how HPDI works when you made the post?

Do you? The 2.0 system is a retrofit.
https://www.westport.com/is/core-technologies/hpdi-2

A retrofit that converts a diesel engine to run nearly entirely on natural gas.
At the end of the day you have more of a natural gas engine, not a diesel engine, further reducing the demand for diesel.

 

[charlieaarons]

Not exactly the same. The earlier systems introduce the gas with the air and compress the mixture. HPDI squirts the gas in just before the diesel, more efficient and less risk of preignition.

 

[charlieaarons]

Who cares what the name of the fuel is, my diesels can run on Mazola, Jet A or motor oil. Or now NG. It still runs on the diesel cycle.
Please save the sarcasm. I learned about HPDI on a 4wd trip with a Westport engineer in about 2003.

 

[IdaSHO]

Nobody really cares about what your diesel can or cannot run on, nor do I care when you learned about a retrofit fuel system. I doesnt matter.

The simple fact remains.... Diesel is facing legit challenges based upon many factors, a major one being emissions, and the industry is responding by either eliminating diesel all-together, or performing retrofits like the HPDI.

Neither bode well for diesel in the long term as it makes it less relevant.

 

[REDROVER]

Here is a Beautiful example,
I was driving from northern Sierra Nevada mountains in 2017, we got stuck in snow storm, highway patrol closed the highway 395, every other mountain road had 4 ft of snow overnight,
being at 7500 ft elevation, temperature dropped down to 5 degrees,
my hummer run non stop for 48 hours, used only couple gallons of fuel, ( diesel consumes 0.13% of its normal mpg when idling)

U let your gasoline engine run for 12 hours, u will be out of gas,
every commercial truck, tractor, boat, ship, train, generator, you name it, is powered by diesel.

It’s reliable, it’s durabke, it’s capable, it’s desirable,
expedition rigs that are powered by Diesel engine sell for twice as much as gasoline trucks,

Why is that ?

 

[REDROVER]

Diesel land cruiser sells 3 times as much as gasoline,
Land Rover the same

Why did Land Rover use diesel trucks during every single camel trophy event for 20 years.
Do you know what camel trophy was?

 

[Buliwyf]

Why do people on here pay $40,000 for a $1100 M1101 trailer with a $3000 tops RTT, and a few cheapo stoves, showers, etc.????

I idle my gas work truck all winter long during biz hours. And during extreme cold, it'll idle all night long as well. Fuel use during such is negligible. I don't recall ever noticing how much. Maybe 1/4 tank. Hardly worse than a diesel. I think your numbers are off a bit on that one.

Oh, and will modern diesels even idle? Is the auto stop easy to turn off? And if you turn off the autostop, keep an eye on your DPF, because it's going to clog up quick from excessive idle.

Winter= advantage gas. No doubt about that. Next years work truck will be a Cummins. I'm curious how it'll stand up.

 

[GreggNY]

Here is a Beautiful example,
I was driving from northern Sierra Nevada mountains in 2017, we got stuck in snow storm, highway patrol closed the highway 395, every other mountain road had 4 ft of snow overnight,
being at 7500 ft elevation, temperature dropped down to 5 degrees,
my hummer run non stop for 48 hours, used only couple gallons of fuel, ( diesel consumes 0.13% of its normal mpg when idling)

U let your gasoline engine run for 12 hours, u will be out of gas,
every commercial truck, tractor, boat, ship, train, generator, you name it, is powered by diesel.

It’s reliable, it’s durabke, it’s capable, it’s desirable,
expedition rigs that are powered by Diesel engine sell for twice as much as gasoline trucks,

Why is that ?

I thought most people say the worst thing you can do for newer emissions intact diesels is to idle for long periods and/or not run them hard? These newer emissions intact motors are what this thread was originally talking about and probably what a lot of newer diesel converts would be looking into (as I was). I was never looking to buy a 10+ year old truck. I'm still trying to learn the pros and cons of the diesels even though I didn't go that route right now so any information is helpful.

 

[Buliwyf]

Most dpf's can be unbolted and checked.

Not on trucks though:

[I guess pressure sensors alert tech to the issue.]

 

[REDROVER]

Most ppl talk nonsense,
New diesel trucks can idle as long as u want,

Where the hell do they come up with that fake news?

 

[IdaSHO]

Most ppl talk nonsense,
New diesel trucks can idle as long as u want,

Where the hell do they come up with that fake news?

Just pesky little places like the owners manual.

http://owners.mopar.ca/en/manuals/2017/2017E-RAM_15_25_35_45_55-Diesel-OM-SU-1st.pdf

page 133

 

[REDROVER]

Did you read what it says right under the blue highlighted part ?

 

[IdaSHO]

Yep, and that's what happens AFTER you excessively idle.
At that point the problems associated with excessive idle have already started, and the truck avoids further pain from idiot operators by raising idle (there goes your low fuel consumption)

 

[Buliwyf]

High idle kicks in earlier on our chassis cab Fords. Must be adjustable.

DPF's have been a technicians gold mine if you service manlifts and off road construction forklifts. Operator sees a DPF fault light, puts tape over it until the exhaust stalls the engine, completely ruining the DPF. Easy money, the bolt in/out easy usually.