Date:         Mon, 26 Apr 1999 16:50:32 -0400
Reply-To:     Mark Gajewski <mgajewski@MANVILLERUBBER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Gajewski <mgajewski@MANVILLERUBBER.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bulley Rags Diesels in America?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

 Bulley wrote:

> The TDI, with its remarkable efficiency, clean burn, and quiet nature is
> already beginning to supplant the gasoline engine in some applications....
> TDI's  don't belch soot, or make noise. Clean and smooth. Inexpensive fuel.
> Low maintenance. The locomotion power plant for the next 20-30 years. Drive
> one and see.
>

As a TDI passat owner I think Bulley has hit the nail on the head (as usual).
However, his statement that TDI's don't belch smoke is not entirely accurate.
At idle and in normal driving you will see no smoke...Zero.....However, if you
step down a bit (3/4 throttle or more) and let the motor rev. above 3000rpm
(redline is 4500rpm, 75mph is about 2600rpm I believe) you will produce a
tremendous cloud of smoke.  Try full throttle, revving it out while
accelerating up a hill and cars behind you will drop back to get out of your
smoke screen.  The TDI is a wonderful motor and at 45mpg in a big, heavy car it
simply must be less harmful to our environment than a 20mpg gasoline
motor....the fact is a lot of people these days are claiming horrible things
about diesel soot and if nothing else it just looks bad.  Whether or not the
soot is truly harmful to humans or to the environment, the people making these
decisions for us apparently don't like diesel smoke and if VW (or any auto
company) wants to keep selling diesels in the US they better figure out how to
eliminate smoke under all conditions.  California's master air quality plan
calls for complete elimination of diesels in the coming years.  From my point
of view this is a tragedy because I find it hard to believe that any solution
is better than people getting 45mpg without giving up anything with regards to
day to day performance and driving satisfaction.
Mark