40 mpg Prius vs 50 mpg European Diesel cars

That makes sense - I assume the clatter is from the mechanical injectors.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee
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When I was on The Big Rez (the Navajo reservation that covers much of Northern AZ and part of New Mexico) in November, I paid nearly $.90 per gallon more for diesel than the regular cost. I guess it is because the locals don't use diesel.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

"The I'm done being benevolent dbu." wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@news-rdr-03.rdc-kc.rr.com...

In our older (2002) version, we get mid/upper 40s around town, although good weather pushes it over 50. It also gets around 50 at 65 mph, but drops to the very low 40s (depending on load) at 75 mph. Air resistance, for sure. The current version is supposed to do better at least in town, dunno about the highway.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

Modern diesels have electronic fuel injection. Here are some good descriptions of what causes diesel clatter:

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Reply to
Ray O

That's an interesting link, although about all I can say is the subject of clatter is still controversial. It sure sounds like the combustion profile is important.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

I wouldn't describe the subject of the source of diesel clatter as controversial. IMO, "uninformed" is a more accurate description, especially in the U.S. where diesels are not common in passenger car applications.

Basically, diesel "clatter" is the same sound you get when a gasoline engine is knocking. Add different tolerances and you get more noise at idle.

Reply to
Ray O

One of the problems in the USA is that our diesel fuel has a lot of sulfur, which makes for stinky polluting exhauts gases. If and when we can get low sulfur diesel fuel, the situation could then improve.

Morton

Reply to
Morton Linder

Overall mileage. I actually get better mileage on the freeway than I do on surface streets; that's because my surface street driving usually has a stop sign every half mile or mile, with speed limits of 40 to 50 MPH, and usually for fairly short distances, so the engine doesn't get to warm up. When I'm in downtown traffic with speeds of 25-35 MPH, I often get in the upper sixties after the first five to ten minutes of driving.

The two people I personally know of who get in the sixties live in West Virginia and in Hawaii.

Reply to
Michelle Steiner

Because the US uses a dirty blend of diesel fuel. That is scheduled to change in a year or 2 with a mandate for clean diesel fuel.

Reply to
Dave

Ultra-low-sulfur (

Reply to
richard schumacher

Yes, I see the poor b*st*rds made hardly any money this year.

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Reply to
DH

Hybrids work at the other end of the driving spectrum. The only advantage they offer on the open road (where diesels shine) is the ability to reduce engine size while maintaining passing performance, but in town they reduce the amount of time a gas or diesel engine is run in the lowest efficiency ranges. Hybridizing with a turbo diesel power plant is a very attractive idea - each covering the weaknesses of the other. There is no reason a TD hybrid 5 passenger sedan couldn't offer more than 100 mpg in town and 80 mpg on the freeway, at least at 65 mph. Mainly it takes advances in the power electronics.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

I think the biggest drawback to a hybrid diesel is cost. Both the diesel powerplant and hybrid power plant cost more than a conventional gasoline (etrol) engine so a diesel hybrid would have a double cost disadvantage to overcome.

Reply to
Ray O

Still dont see it, my friend has a commonrail TD and gets 45 doing city driving, which is still above a hybrid?

Would be harder than with a petrol - re-starting a diesel requires far more cranking torque, so you'd need more powerful motors and its likely to cause a jerk, unlike a petrol car that can smoothly be 'bumped' as its low compression.

J
Reply to
Coyoteboy

Dont worry, you are getting to pay the extra 5 cents per gallon that the new hydrotreators are costing. The refiners pay those costs right along to the consumer.

Lynn

Reply to
Lynn McGuire

"my friend has a commonrail TD and gets 45 doing city driving"

interesting, what make model car is that?

Reply to
perfb

Drivel indeed, starting with the 40 mpg Prius bullshit.

Reply to
Bill

I get better mileage than that with my Prius, burn less expensive fuel, and my exhaust emissions are cleaner. What's your point?

Reply to
Bill

Trains and heavy trucks are using diesel engines. What does that tell us?

Reply to
The ambivalent dbu.

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