Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 15:17:46 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject: Re: Fw: Subaru EJ20 Turbo Diesel
In-Reply-To: <CAO+Ycs+iSYQ51Do70mggi0xMQ5EcrE-urDDn5YeD0owonS36-g@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Fuel economy is not/should not be the main reason for running a diesel.
there are other good reasons for sure.
it's more like increased fuel economy is a side benefit of having good
low speed torque ..
or ability to operate on non-fossile fuel,
or other benefits and features of diesels.
they also have considerable downsides in my opinion and experience.
I am keeping just one good diesel vanagon in case gasoline gets
difficult to get .
and ...nationally the price is really dropping ..to under $ 3 a gallon
for gasoline in some places.
One thing about gaoline..
we depend 1000 % on 'the system' to get that precious juice.
if anything messes that up ...diesel and plant-based fuels could be very
handy to be able to run on.
gas is nice though !
speaking of torque..
I have read about TDI syncro vanagons that will go straight up the
steepest dirt bank you could imagine ..
at idle, not even touching the 'gas pedal.' That's torque baby.
I'd say this overall..
for high speed use ..gasoline is real nice, just a bit expensive to run.
for industrial and low speed use ...diesel has an advantage.
and I HOPE subaru diesels don't smoke and stink like some diesel can !
it's all good ..
just don't leave the damn things sitting around running !
that's what is SO NICE about gasoline engines..
they're smooth and quiet and *people shut them off* !
Scott
honorble discharge veteran.
On 11/13/2013 2:02 PM, Al Knoll wrote:
> It is the shape of the graph that is important not the scales. Send me the
> graph data and I'll make a converted graph for all to share. Or send me a
> large scale picture 5x7 inches of the graph and I'll go from there.
>
> Diesel torque curves as you know are very different from gasoline torque
> curves. To generate thrust, the force that pushes your vanagon down the
> road, the torque from the engine, is passed through the transmission
> reduction gearing out through the drive axles to the wheel spindles. If
> you have 100 lbs/ft of torque at the drive axle and it is being resolved
> through a moment arm of one foot (the distance from the center of the axle
> to the ground via the wheel and tire radii) you achieve 100lbs of thrust or
> push from the contact patch of the tire to the vehicle.
>
> Adjusting the example numbers to fit the particular instance of your van is
> left as a pretty simple exercise. I don't have your numbers but I can help
> you figure it all out.
>
> The most interesting thing is that it uses SUBARU clutch bits not some
> singlesourced specialty item that may suddenly become NLA if the fellow in
> Palmdale or Tacomadness WA, fades away.
>
> Take a drive in a diesel vanagon of any sort and see how you like it.
> Might not be your cup of tea.
>
> It will take years to recover the cost of putting this in your van based on
> diesel vs gasoline prices. Ask the fellow what his particular gearing is,
> what he achieves in fuel consumption on the road, then work the numbers to
> see how long it will take to recover the investment you have planned.
> Unless of course you have Tom Hanks in your pocket.
>
> EG if the fuel cost differential is 20% more for diesel and the fuel
> consumption is 20% less than gasoline it's a fuel wash. No gain. Only the
> expense and problems of removing and installing a newish motor into a
> ancient diva in decline.
>
> Run the numbers, drive a diesel, a turbo if you have access to one, report
> back to the volks on the list.
>
> Happy trails.
>
> Pensionerd.
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 13, 2013 at 1:35 PM, levi hawkins <b1levi@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> What concerns me is that this leaves so many (to me) unanswered questions.
>>
>> There is the ad on samba which says "everything needed" but there's no
>> mention of transmission?
>> Is it included? If not is an adapter needed?
>>
>> And that engine spec graph... In kw and nm, (fine if you're in Europe) no
>> indication of what r.p.m. we're looking at. A more modern, detailed graph
>>
>> Dozen more questions. ...seems like there should be more attention to
>> details, or is it just me?
>>
>>
>>
