Dirty Diesels Cleaned Dirt Cheap

Hi all, well what a week, Ray just brought down a helicopter (of all thing) to Brisbane from Darwin and is now waiting for a load to Adelaide. From there it's on to WA with a load for the north west. That diesel just keeps on trucking eh?

I would like you to take a look at a page I've added about the use of ULSD Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. It is very informative and interesting, I have asked the author Mike Antich for more articles for you to read, review and perhaps make comments to us or the author. After all, this is exactly what this blog is about, bringing you information.

One of the most important issues facing diesel owners, especially commercial owners, is that of 'Carbon Emissions'. This topic is going to be around for a very long time as we are all well aware. Pressure by governments to reduce our carbon footprint, there are certainly some trade offs for industry, and private enterprise to look at ways we can reduce the emissions. I would really like some feedback on this, so I look forward to your comments.

Here is some more interesting stuff for you:

We hear from a lot of people who are excited about the new diesel engines that will soon be available in passenger cars and SUV’s. But they’re curious about the preventive maintenance requirements. People may not know that diesel engines have long been used extensively in Europe and Asia. In fact, in some markets, there’re nearly as many diesel powered passenger cars as there are gasoline.


You may ask, why has it taken so long getting in Australia, North America and other places? There are a bunch of reasons like fuel tax policies and such, but the biggest hurtle was that North American diesel fuel had a high sulfur content – too high for the latest generation of highly refined diesel engines. Recent government mandates to remove sulfur now opens North America up to the engines the rest of the world’s been enjoying for a long time.

Why are diesels so popular worldwide? Well, for starters, diesels get up to 30% better fuel economy than gas engines. And they last a lot longer. And modern diesel engines are refined, quiet and powerful – and there’s none of that black smoke we used to see.

Some people may think that diesels create more pollution. But, you need to rethink diesels. Environmental pollution standards for diesel cars and light trucks are scheduled to be as strict as they are for gasoline vehicles. A modern diesel engine is as clean as a gas engine.

You may also have heard a lot in the news about bio-diesel. The exciting thing about diesels is that they’re not limited to fossil fuels. They can run on fuel made from vegetable oil. There are refineries that make diesel fuel from cellulosic waste like woodchips from lumber mills. There’s even this cool new process where a special strain of algae is used to convert carbon dioxide, water and sunshine into bio-diesel. That’s still a ways off, but you can see that diesel can become a sustainable source of fuel.

And, there are not a lot of trade off’s with diesel in terms of performance. A modern passenger car diesel is very smooth, quiet and quick. Most folks wouldn’t notice any difference. For those who tow trailers and haul heavy loads, diesels will be an improvement.

Now diesel engines are heavy duty, so they cost more than gas engines. But they get better fuel economy – so the break-even point is largely dependent on the difference between gas and diesel prices at the pump and how many miles you drive. And diesels have a higher resale value.

Now, let’s get back to diesel maintenance. You have to keep in mind that most of the new diesels are just coming in, or will be over the next couple of years, so we don’t have the maintenance schedules to make direct comparisons yet.

But going off what we already have in North America, we can expect fluid drain intervals to be similar to gasoline engines. Diesels do require very clean fuel, air and oil, so their filters are much higher capacity than gasoline filters and cost more. The engine air filter needs to be changed more frequently as well.

Repair costs are similar. As with gasoline engines, proper maintenance is the key to long engine life and to avoiding repairs. So pretty much what we have come to expect with gas vehicles; coolant system service, transmission service, power brakes, power steering, differential, filters, fuel system, and so on. And the payoff for you, if you’re the kind that likes to keep your vehicles for a long time, is that a properly maintained diesel engine can last for hundreds of thousands of miles.

I'm trying to find a similar article from Australia, so keep tuned and I'll be back soon.
 
Cheers from Richard J & Ray