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Date:         Fri, 10 Mar 2006 11:30:06 -0900
Reply-To:     Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Tuovinen <mst@AK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Diesel Subaru Conversions
Comments: To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <11dcddf80603101141u329655d4g814df3ecadc49c91@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

If you want the math to look even better factor in adding a WVO fuel system and burning that instead. You will incur costs in adding the tank, lines, valves, heat loops, etc, and you need to factor something for your time to collect and filter the oil. Even with that free waste oil beats $2.50 per gallon diesel anyday.

Mark in AK

----- Original Message ----- From: Christopher Gronski <gronski@GMAIL.COM> Date: Friday, March 10, 2006 10:54 am Subject: Re: Diesel Subaru Conversions To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM

> I disagree with your calculation for two reasons: > > 1) A lot of people do conversions because they need a new engine > anyway, so for many the calculation needs to be done on the "premium" > charged for a diesel conversion over a rebuild of their 1.9 or 2.1 > > 2) My 2.1 syncro lists the gasoline requirement as 91 octane right > next to the filler neck, so I have to burn premium gas. In Canada this > generally means paying $0.07 to $0.10 MORE per litre for diesel. > > The math still probably works out against the diesel but when I do it, > it will likely be for eco reasons and added (mostly flat) torque. > > Chris > > On 3/10/06, Pensioner <al_knoll@pacbell.net> wrote: > > Musing over conversions, one of my many talents, brings me to > consider the > > cost-benefit scenarios. Let's postulate that we drive 10000 > miles per year > > just to use easy numbers. Discounting the normal maintenance > for both a > > converted vanagon and a non-converted vanagon, the costs of > conversion seem > > to range from ~$14000 (not a misprint) in my case to perhaps > $3000 for an > > average of $5000 (high but we have to start somewhere). > > > > If fuel costs over time are the principal reason for going to > diesel (not > > fuel availability, or the desire to side with Willie on the > BioDiesel> concert) then it makes sense to look at the fuel > savings one would enjoy > > over that 10000 miles per year. Diesel currently costs about > %10 more than > > 87 Octane and is likely to stay that way. For $2.50/gallon 87 > octane let's > > say and vanagon average fuel efficiency of 17 miles per gallon. > The gallons > > per year is easily found to be ~588 gallons times $2.50 gives > $1470 per year > > fuel cost before conversion. If you go with diesel the fuel > consumption> will probably be on the order of 25 miles per gallon. > For the same 10000 > > miles per year you'll pay $1100 in fuel costs including the %10 > higher price > > for diesel. You will get additional range between fuel stops > but you'll > > need it as not all fuel services feature diesel. > > > > In summary you'll save $370 per year in fuel costs for 10000 > miles per year. > > How many years to break even on the installation is left as an > excercise for > > the reader. > > > > Seems to be over ten years if your previously owned motor lasts > that long. > > FTSOE let's say it does. You will have saved $3700 towards the > motor> replacement. > > > > The above example is to be considered a conservative estimate > process, your > > mileage, tolerance, costs, will no doubt be different. > > > > "If a man professes knowledge but cannot express that knowledge > in numbers, > > then that knowledge is of a meagre and insufficient kind" -- > Lord Kelvin > > > > Numbers rule! > > >


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