Date:         Wed, 21 Nov 2001 09:44:52 -0800
Reply-To:     Mike & Shari <mjgarske@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mike & Shari <mjgarske@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: New to the vanagon world...(re: diesels)
Comments: To: Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
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Here in Seattle the Biodiesel industry has just begun.  In the news last
night was a fellow who had parked his pickup with a large several hundred
gallon tank of biodiesel on the street and was selling it to passing
cars.  I have read about this fuel and have tried to keep up with the
advancing industry news.  Wholly a grassroots effort though, I don't
think the big guys could stand to sell such a product that was as clean
and low on the profit margin.  It would be quite a boon for the
environment if more diesel vanagons were utilizing this stuff.


Mike G.

Andrew Grebneff wrote:

> At 12:19 PM -0800 20-11-2001, Perry Pillard wrote:
> Hey Gang,
>      Not long back I purchased an '83 Rabbit, with a stock 1.6L turbo
> diesel.  Man, am I impressed with it!  Economy, performance,
> reliability all wrapped up in a neat little bundle.  The more I work
> on the engine, the more I like it, and this started me to thinkin'
> that maybe I should convert all our family vehicles to diesels.  I
> like the idea that I can work on them and keep the auto mechanics
> greedy fingers out of my pocket.
>
> Diesels are in many ways great, and fortunately VW diesels appear to
> be reliable (most aren't). Just hope the turbo VWs are... certainly
> Japanese turbodiesels, even Toyotas, are notorious for cracking heads.
>
> Haven't yet tried a common-rail direct-injection 4V DOHC diesel yet...
>
> But I do HATE the 5000km oilchanges, and the horrible carbon in the
> oil, which stains hands beyond cleaning...