Diesel News: POST HERE

[haven]

Car and Driver editors posted an interesting comparison of the fuel efficient versions of the BMW 5 Series sedan.

ActiveHybrid 5... gas electric hybrid ... $62K ... EPA 23 city / 30 highway / 26 mpg combined
535D ... straight 6 diesel ... $57K ... EPA 26 City / 38 highway / 30 combined

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-bmw-535d-diesel-first-drive-review

 

[haven]

Autoblog also posted first impressions of the Ram 1500 with 3.0L diesel:

"The diesel will come with a price premium of $2,850 over a "similarly equipped" 5.7-liter Hemi, and cost $4,500 more than 3.6-liter V6. At today's fuel prices, Ram expects diesel buyers to recover that $2,850 in less than three years, which is less than the 4.5-year average that buyers hold onto a truck. "

Plus the diesel pickup should be worth more at trade-in time.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/26/2014-ram-1500-diesel-quick-spin-review/

 

[haven]

Autoblog editor Sebastian Blanco has posted about his experience on the recent coast to coast test drive, sponsored by Audi. The event, named "Truth in 48," hoped to demonstrate that the EPA highway mpg numbers for diesel engine vehicles are understated. After the 48 hour drive was finished and the mpg numbers tabulated, the three Audi diesels averaged 12% (A7 sedan), 14% (A6 sedan) and 22% better mpg (A5 SUV) than their EPA estimates.

Blanco described the techniques used to improve each vehicle's highway mpg.

-- The tires were inflated well past the maximum, all the way to 54 psi.
-- The drivers shifted to higher gears as quickly as conditions permitted.
-- Drivers were instructed to coast downhill with the transmission in neutral, as long as they could maintain highway-legal speed.
-- Drivers took advantage of a little push from the wake of trucks they passed. Read the linked article to learn about this technique.

In addition, route planning played a role

-- A southern route was selected for the 2800 mile California to New York drive, avoiding Sierra Nevada and Rocky mountain ranges.
-- A scout team checked the highway ahead, minimizing slowdowns due to traffic and road work.

Each vehicle carried four adults plus luggage, and they drove with the A/C on. Read more, and see videos here

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/09/27/cross-country-audi-tdi-drive-video

 

[cwsqbm]

Autoblog editor Sebastian Blanco has posted about his experience on the recent coast to coast test drive, sponsored by Audi. The event, named "Truth in 48," hoped to demonstrate that the EPA highway mpg numbers for diesel engine vehicles are understated. After the 48 hour drive was finished and the mpg numbers tabulated, the three Audi diesels averaged 12% (A7 sedan), 14% (A6 sedan) and 22% better mpg (A5 SUV) than their EPA estimates.

All those hyper-miling techniques, and they only got 12%~14% better out of the cars? That doesn't demonstrate that the EPA numbers are understated at all. If anything, it shows that the average driver will have a hard time equally the EPA numbers. Audi, I'd call that a fail.

The new Ram 1500 diesel is interesting. I want a diesel pickup, but don't need haul 30,000 lbs and have an engine that weighs more than some cars I've owned. However, being a recovering Dodge truck owner, my friend says to me "haven't you learned" every time he catches me checking one out. If you go to the Ram website, you can finally "build your own" to check out the details (however, its hard to find the 2014 models as all the Chrysler websites are ridiculously outdated in both design and content.) I hope Toyota, Ford and Chevy bring some competition to this field - I read somewhere that the Chevy Colorado replacement will be offered with a diesel.

 

[haven]

Cummins has provided more details about the 5.0L V8 diesel. Follow the links in this blog post to download a PDF with full specs, read a press release, or view a video about the new engine.
http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2013/10/cummins-reveals-more-details-about-new-engine.html

 

[Jr_Explorer]

All those hyper-miling techniques, and they only got 12%~14% better out of the cars? That doesn't demonstrate that the EPA numbers are understated at all. If anything, it shows that the average driver will have a hard time equally the EPA numbers. Audi, I'd call that a fail.

Are you kidding? Until my 2005 Trailblazer I've never owned a vehicle that could even match it's EPA numbers (and that is only highway and being a little old man driving it. The city mileage is a freakin' pipe dream). Beating them by double digit percentages seems pretty amazing. Plus in magazine reviews (Road & Track, Motor Trend, etc), none of which are noted for being easy on the drive while testing, they routinely report beating the highway numbers of modern diesel vehicles. Again... They don't seem to beat the gas numbers during their test drives. Now if we went to pre-2007 smog regs and allowed manufacturers to put mileage as a higher priority to emissions in their design criteria we'd see probably another 5% (some claim more) on top of the current designs.

 

[doug720]

For gasoline, the percentage ethanol added to the fuel, ie 10%, reduces the the vehicles fuel mileage by about the same percentage. So 10% ethanol in a vehicle getting 20 mpg on straight gasoline will be around 18 mpg on 10% ethanol!

The reduced mileage due to adding ethanol is bad in itself, then add the corrosion problem, the fact it is hygroscopic, attracts and absorbs water, and causes any varnish in the fuel system to turn to gel. If you own a boat or vehicle with a fiberglass fuel tank...the ethanol melts the resin used to make them and then they leak!

Don't forget using ethanol in fuels also raises food prices! And...Using ethanol raises the cost of a gallon of gas by about 20 cents, so we have to pay more to go less distance! Ethanol is great...


Diesel has similar issues. When the level of sulfur was reduced and the fuel reformulated, it now contains 7 - 10% less btu content than the old fuel. So about a direct correlation between the btu reduction and mileage reduction!

So to put this simply, 7-10% more fuel, gas or diesel, must be found, transported, refined, transported again and finally bought by us to go the same distance as the older fuels! So maybe we get a cleaner fuel the generates less air pollution? OK, think about all the costs and transportation involved, how much these add to pollution and other related problems.

Does any of this make since?

Same crap different day!

 

[haven]

At the 2013 SEMA show, Banks introduced a diesel engine swap for the Jeep JK and Grand Cherokee. I expect this engine could work in other Dodge and Ram vehicles as well. The new engine will meet emissions standards for all 50 states. Price and delivery date were not specified. Also not specified is whether emissions control requires DEF injection.

The kit includes
VM Motori 630T 3.0L V-6 DOHC diesel with Banks modifications
up to 421 lb-ft depending on the tune.
electronic VGT turbo
Banks Techni-Cooler intercooler and intake
severe-duty vibration dampener
accessory drive with 210-amp alternator
electronic diesel controller

Chrysler 6745E six-speed auto transmission (4.03 first gear, 0.67 overdrive)
electronic transmission controller

More information here
http://www.bankspower.com/magazines/show/659-inside-the-banks-630t-v6-diesel-engine
[url]http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/banks-4x4-diesel-powertrain-conversion-package/
[/URL]

 

[SSF556]

At the 2013 SEMA show, Banks introduced a diesel engine swap for the Jeep JK and Grand Cherokee. I expect this engine could work in other Dodge and Ram vehicles as well. The new engine will meet emissions standards for all 50 states. Price and delivery date were not specified. Also not specified is whether emissions control requires DEF injection.

The kit includes
VM Motori 630T 3.0L V-6 DOHC diesel with Banks modifications
up to 421 lb-ft depending on the tune.
electronic VGT turbo
Banks Techni-Cooler intercooler and intake
severe-duty vibration dampener
accessory drive with 210-amp alternator
electronic diesel controller

Chrysler 6745E six-speed auto transmission (4.03 first gear, 0.67 overdrive)
electronic transmission controller

More information here
http://www.bankspower.com/magazines/show/659-inside-the-banks-630t-v6-diesel-engine
[url]http://www.fourwheeler.com/news/banks-4x4-diesel-powertrain-conversion-package/
[/URL]

The key element left out is emission controls.....that is going to be the expensive part of this option. Cool idea, but realistically it will be an expensive project.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Jr_Explorer]

At the 2013 SEMA show, Banks introduced a diesel engine swap for the Jeep JK and Grand Cherokee. I expect this engine could work in other Dodge and Ram vehicles as well. The new engine will meet emissions standards for all 50 states. Price and delivery date were not specified. Also not specified is whether emissions control requires DEF injection.

That is AWESOME! I have wondered why no one has done this before.

 

[SSF556]

That is AWESOME! I have wondered why no one has done this before.

Cool idea but you invite the man (EPA) into your life. No one has done it before because very few people outside the major auto manufacturers have the money and resources to build the emission systems for a modern diesel engine. That package is a half complete package...Banks will need to provide you a DPF and a SCR catalyst plus a DEF tank.....is Banks going to create those packages? Where do you locate the DEF tank...how do you heat the DEF tank so it does not freeze? How often do you regenerate, what generates the heat...turbo, exhaust manifold, egr system? Issues....

Unless you wanna build a dedicated off-road JK that you trailer to all locations it will be an expensive undertaking either way....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[cwsqbm]

At the 2013 SEMA show, Banks introduced a diesel engine swap for the Jeep JK and Grand Cherokee. I expect this engine could work in other Dodge and Ram vehicles as well. The new engine will meet emissions standards for all 50 states. Price and delivery date were not specified. Also not specified is whether emissions control requires DEF injection.

The kit includes
VM Motori 630T 3.0L V-6 DOHC diesel ...

That's the engine that's already being factory installed in the 2014 Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500. Therefore the engine is already EPA compliant, as long as all the required equipment comes along with it. No different that swapping a new Hemi into a JK, from the legal side of things.

However, putting one in JK will cost far more than a Hemi swap (and they're really expensive when done right with new engines.) I could see this costing $25k or more, which would buy a lot of gas.

 

[SSF556]

That's the engine that's already being factory installed in the 2014 Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500. Therefore the engine is already EPA compliant, as long as all the required equipment comes along with it. No different that swapping a new Hemi into a JK, from the legal side of things.

However, putting one in JK will cost far more than a Hemi swap (and they're really expensive when done right with new engines.) I could see this costing $25k or more, which would buy a lot of gas.

I could see 25K as well

 

[haven]

I was curious about how the Banks VM 630T diesel would meet emissions standards, which vary by state for older vehicles. I wrote to Banks tech support, and received this reply:

"It is always our intention to design and develop kits that are emissions legal in all 50 states. In all cases to date we have never been required to add any emissions components to the vehicle with the installation of our kits. By the same token, we never remove, bypass or disable any of the vehicle's emissions components. At this point we do not anticipate any issues with that particular kit complying with emissions standards."

I read this to mean Banks does not yet know what equipment will be necessary to meet emissions requirements.

 

[SSF556]

I was curious about how the Banks VM 630T diesel would meet emissions standards, which vary by state for older vehicles. I wrote to Banks tech support, and received this reply:

[FONT=&]"It is always our intention to design and develop kits that are emissions legal in all 50 states. In all cases to date we have never been required to add any emissions components to the vehicle with the installation of our kits. By the same token, we never remove, bypass or disable any of the vehicle's emissions components. At this point we do not anticipate any issues with that particular kit complying with emissions standards.[/FONT]"

I read this to mean Banks does not yet know what equipment will be necessary to meet emissions requirements.

A legal response....