presidential-limo-breaks-down-ahead-of...

DervishHenry

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Location
Portland, Oregon, USA
TDI
2010 JSW TDI 6M Candy White, Pano
Interesting news:
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/?hpt=hp_t4
TRENDING: Presidential limo breaks down ahead of Obama's arrival
Posted by
CNN Senior International Correspondent Sada Sidner
Jerusalem (CNN) – The official limousine awaiting President Barack Obama's arrival in Israel malfunctioned after its driver refueled it using gasoline rather than diesel fuel, an official said Wednesday.
The limo failed to start, and required towing in Jerusalem at 10 a.m. local time. Obama, who landed in Tel Aviv around noon, was not in the country at the time the limo was towed.
The tow truck company owner who picked up the limo said the U.S. consulate called him to tow the vehicle in Jerusalem because it wouldn't start.
 

Honeydew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Florida
TDI
13 Passat DSG
It's being reported the other way around at other outlets too. Previous reports on the limo describe it as diesel-powered though.
 

Powder Hound

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 25, 1999
Location
Under a Bridge, Crestview, FL, USA
TDI
'00 Golf 4dr White 5sp, '02 Jettachero 5sp, Wife's '03 NB Platinum Gray auto(!)
If all else fails, the driver needs to be cognizant of what fuel he is using. I can't believe that there would not be personnel around familiar with the equipment being used, particularly when you look at the tremendous logistics nightmare that is presidential travel outside the US. They pack redundant everything.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
The presidential armored limos are usually flown in on a U.S.A.F. C-17 from the States. I wonder if they'd flown one to Israel and one to Jordan? Do we even know if it was one of those or one of the generic fleet limos for other personnel?
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
It's being reported the other way around at other outlets too. Previous reports on the limo describe it as diesel-powered though.
"The Beast", as it is known, is diesel powered; by GM's 6.5L Turbo Diesel.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Also it is NOT a Cadillac, but is based on the Chevrolet Kodiak chassis with parts from various other GM vehicles (thus the Cadillac badges). It is in fact a custom built vehicle, not a modified production vehicle as were previous presidential limos.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
The presidential armored limos are usually flown in on a U.S.A.F. C-17 from the States. I wonder if they'd flown one to Israel and one to Jordan? Do we even know if it was one of those or one of the generic fleet limos for other personnel?
From what I remember hearing about presidential travel since Carter (maybe even before him), the Secret Service always supplies the limos and escort vehicles and usally duplicates of both. That way, they don't have to worry about what someone else might have done to the car. Secret Service also releases very little information about the current limos.
 

South Coast Guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Location
Mattapoisett, MA
TDI
2009 Jetta TDI wagon
Obama's vehicle breaks down in Israel

The hulking vehicle, nicknamed "the Beast" for its supposed robustness in the face of potential attacks, juddered to a halt on the motorway between Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport and Jerusalem.


An Israeli government official said the car may have broke down after it was mistakenly filled with diesel fuel rather than petrol. There was also a suggestion it had run out of fuel, he said.


The Secret Service said it did not yet know what had caused the breakdown, and the driver of a tow-truck called to remove the car said he did not know if a fuel mix-up was behind the incident.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Probably in 2009 when the current president took office. If that the case it would most likely be a duramax and not a 6.5L.
It carries a 2009 model year designation, but was built in 2008. It's very first use was in the inaugural parade on Jan 20, 2009. The third generation Chevrolet Kodiaks used 6.6L Duramax V-8 diesel, 7.8L Duramax LG4 I-6 diesel, and 8.1L Vortec V-8 gasoline engines. We can probably rule out the 7.8L!
 

nicklockard

Torque Dorque
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Location
Arizona
TDI
SOLD 2010 Touareg Tdi w/factory Tow PCKG
President Obama's probably typing in "what made my HPFP blow up?" into our search box right now :D
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
It carries a 2009 model year designation, but was built in 2008. It's very first use was in the inaugural parade on Jan 20, 2009. The third generation Chevrolet Kodiaks used 6.6L Duramax V-8 diesel, 7.8L Duramax LG4 I-6 diesel, and 8.1L Vortec V-8 gasoline engines. We can probably rule out the 7.8L!
Everything that I have read says 6500CC or 6.5L.
 

Zlartibartfast

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Location
Deep in the Heart of Texas
TDI
SOLD 2009 Jetta Sportwagen
I read elsewhere that the diesel pumps in Europe use black to identify them, and gasoline pumps use green - the opposite of what we have here

the reports from Israel's Chnn 2 all state the car is a gasser and it was fueled with D2. I thought a gasoline engine could still run with D2 in the tank as long as there was enough gasoline to get a spark
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
Everything that I have read says 6500CC or 6.5L.
It's possible. Remember that the limo is built on the Chevrolet Kodiak chassis and uses other GM parts so they may have not used the 6.6L engine that was used in the Kodiak.
 

romad

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 27, 2011
Location
Prescott, AZ
TDI
2005 Jetta GLS Wagon "Cranberry"
I read elsewhere that the diesel pumps in Europe use black to identify them, and gasoline pumps use green - the opposite of what we have here

the reports from Israel's Chnn 2 all state the car is a gasser and it was fueled with D2. I thought a gasoline engine could still run with D2 in the tank as long as there was enough gasoline to get a spark
Except that these vehicles don't usually pull into the nearest station for a fill-up; they use government fuel points.

So if the Israeli station is correct, then the engine may be the 8.1L Vortec V-8
 

twob4s

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Location
Madison, WI
TDI
Passat, 1996, Blue
Guess I never thought of the presidential limo running on Diesel but makes sense. I bet it's entirely mechanical fuel injection so it would run even when hit with an electromagnetic pulse.
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
Guess I never thought of the presidential limo running on Diesel but makes sense. I bet it's entirely mechanical fuel injection so it would run even when hit with an electromagnetic pulse.
it's a duramax engine so it's very electronic although the ecm and wiring could be protected from EMP by special shielding
 

jimbote

Certified Volkswagen Nut
Joined
Jul 10, 2006
Location
spiral arm, milky way (aka central NC)
TDI
Tacoma 4x4 converted to TDI
it was probably ethanol Obama gas..
is it now? seems like a little short term memory syndrome :rolleyes: ....GWB in his state of the union address in 2006...
``We will also fund additional research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from corn but from wood chips and stalks or switch grass,'' the president said. ``Our goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years.''
 

MrMopar

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 1, 2003
Location
Bloomington, IL
TDI
none
The Secret Service and USAF have always pre-positioned fuel supplies for all Presidential overseas trip. I am baffled as to how gasoline could have been put in the fuel tank since the SS should know darn well what fuel it takes and where that fuel was flown in from.
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
it's a duramax engine so it's very electronic although the ecm and wiring could be protected from EMP by special shielding
According to most published specs, it is an old design 6.5L GM diesel, not a Duramax.:confused:
 
Top