So, you like running B100 in your PD huh?

[thebigarniedog]

Originally Posted by aja8888

ikendu

I blocked his posts over a year ago and just unblocked them in this thread. Nothings changed, no electric car yet, no solar array, same bantering, kind of sounds like the Sierra Club goons I had to listen to years ago when living in CA.

Blocked again as of 7/28/2010.

I read with interest his occupation of working at Government Motors .

Originally Posted by Ikendu

Indeed. I worked for GM for 17 years and bought many GM cars that whole time. The dealer experience ranged from OK to pretty-darn-awful. I would say my VW dealer experience is OK at best. They broke my vacuum hose for my power brakes during servicing and wanted to charge me $120 for a 4" piece of hose because VW doesn't OEM just that piece of hose (had to buy an entire unit).

I would like to "Buy American" too for my next ride. I'm not completely opposed to buying imported cars (got two right at the moment; VW & Mazda). I do worry about our shrinking manufacturing base in the U.S. It's nice that GM is in the lead for PHEVs. I want them to succeed.

[fnjimmy!]

Originally Posted by turbocharged798

Pretty sure all those engines use a very similar head hence "the PD", I was mostly talking about the BEW/BRM though. Yes, every engine has it's quirks and problems.
I still can't figure out why people bash the PD so much on these fourms. It's actually a pretty good engine as long you use a good oil in it.

it's allegedly less-tolerant of inadequate oil than the earlier engines, but based on the failures I know of, I don't believe using "x" oil is a guarantee against PD cam failure. If a PD cam is prone to failure it will fail, if it isn't, it won't. Using inadequate oil could cause a failure, but using oil that meets 505.01 specs won't necessarily prevent a failure. Some ALH engines in 02 had "soft" cams and failed under the same use and maintenance as their older and newer counterparts. There's also evidence that suggests CJ4 is a better standard for wear prevention than 505.01 anyway, which is why I use the words "adequate" and "inadequate" rather than "approved". Anyway, this isn't an oil thread.

[beanpoleagain]

i think i will own up. these might be my injectors not sure, fuel is home brew soy 3 t or lower and has run 2 cummings 98/ 2004 and the vw for well over 100kand 3yrs,other than a lift pump at 67 k this is the first problem. i have sent my fuel for the cheep astm test 2 time and did very well,i home test for soap/ mono and di glycern water and acid valve. i water wash far more than nec. and heat well over 200 and bubble dry than filter thru three 10 micron filter before it goes to holding tank from holding tank to vehical it goes thru a 10 mic and two 2micron water block filters. i am usually not long storage but do store about 400 gal for 3 month winter when i blend 20 -30 percent. i change fuel filters at 10k and oil at 5 k with right spec oil. dont think the oil was changed with right oil for the first 50 k even though it was stealership done all reciepts were with car when i bought it. as for rust i had 2 water mistakes in the beginning and needed to drain tank. i am sure in the beginnning fuel was not as good as it is now. as for the 900 dollors i had to shell out for the injector service it unfortunite but considing that i make 1-200 dollars collecting wvo ea. month equipment and my fuel is free, smell like roses and reduces funding middle east towel heads. with all that said is the pd the best for biodiesel in large ratios not at all but live and learn. im glad when i started this project that i talked myself out of the two tank wvo system.

[Riley]

For a thread that started out showing how bad it is to run B100 in a PD, it sure went through every energy subject out there.
This proves my observation that there are 2 groups in the energy discussion: those that say there's nothing wrong with what we got or what we do now, so why change? then there's those that say we are ruining our planet, must progress to cleaner energy, cars, etc. or let our children face the consequences. It's always one extreme or the other and hardly ever any that are "on the fence" (unless they remain quiet). It's true even at my workplace, though most are the V8 truck guys who say the earth is fine and always will be.....and the rest who drive gas efficient green machines.
If you were back in 60's or 70's and told a musclecar owner that one day we would be driving fuel efficient turbo diesels, he probably would have laughed and asked why in world would we want that. Same goes now for diesel guys asking about plug-ins or EV's. I predict that we will always have fossil fueled cars but eventually electric cars will become more widespread and affordable. Change is and will happen, though very slowly. Oil rich Texas, my home state, is going to be the biggest producer to wind energy. I also don't believe we will run out of oil. There are so many capped wells out there that oil companies won't use until the price is right. After all, supply and demand go hand in hand. As long as the supply is just right, the price per gallon is tolerable, car manufacturers don't have to invent new technology and everyone is happy. Yes, I am in the group that would love to buy a Volt but price is an object. I still hate BP for ruining the Gulf Coast.

Oh yeah, what about all those diesels that every car manufacturer was begin selling in the US? What happened to that? Death by politics? or supply and demand?

[fnjimmy!]

Originally Posted by Riley

For a thread that started out showing how bad it is to run B100 in a PD, it sure went through every energy subject out there.
This proves my observation that there are 2 groups in the energy discussion: those that say there's nothing wrong with what we got or what we do now, so why change? then there's those that say we are ruining our planet, must progress to cleaner energy, cars, etc. or let our children face the consequences. It's always one extreme or the other and hardly ever any that are "on the fence" (unless they remain quiet).

Bingo. The most polarized are generally the loudest because not only are they trying to convince others, they're struggling to convince themselves. Many people are sensitized to clueless green evangelists who don't even understand what they're talking about but feel better about themselves by believing they're making an effort, regardless of how factually correct they are. Then you have those who insist pollution or conservation in any forms are irrelevant, and anyone who says otherwise is a propagandist. At the opposite ends of the spectrum are the folks in complete denial. As you work toward the center you find the masses, the real people who work somewhere within the realm of reality and practicality, who can see through the BS and are so battle weary they'll happily keep their mouth shut and let the bickering commence without them.

Originally Posted by Riley

Oh yeah, what about all those diesels that every car manufacturer was begin selling in the US? What happened to that? Death by politics? or supply and demand?

Diesels are more expensive to make, harder to mass market, and pose a challenge to manufacturers bringing existing european models here due to our relatively poor diesel. The VW sales rep at the NYC auto show this year told a club member that VW loses money on every TDI it sells in the US. As long as manufacturers meet CAFE requirements, they don't have more incentive to sell high fuel-economy cars. The US is tough market in general for european car makers because in general we won't pay a lot of money for a plush small car, our idea of luxury is size, and even at that the Phaeton wasn't a big hit. Standard features, safety requirements, and what we're willing to pay for a small car limits what we get compared to the rest of the world. This is the reason we never got the Gen2 (C1) Ford Focus, Ford decided they couldn't make money on it. In England, Ford makes special models that have hybrid-like efficiency features the standard models don't have, and they can charge a premium for them. This is because their tax structure makes it worth paying more up front for efficiency because of the tax breaks over time. There is no such incentive in the US, and people complain that a loaded VW costs $30k.

[ikendu]

Originally Posted by fnjimmy!

This is because their tax structure makes it worth paying more up front for efficiency because of the tax breaks over time.

Could you provide a link that explains this? Thank you.

[Lug_Nut]

Originally Posted by beanpoleagain

..fuel is home brew ..... for well over 100kand 3yrs, other than a lift pump at 67 k, this is the first problem.
As for the 900 dollars I had to shell out for the injector service, it's unfortunate, but considing that I make 1-200 dollars collecting wvo ea. month, equipment and my fuel is free, smell like roses and reduces funding middle east.....

Sounds to me as though a logical cost / benefit analysis has been performed. Not all will apply the same relative value to each side of the equasion based on their own personal weighting structure, and as a result not all will come to the same conclusion. For example: I'd apply more value to my time needed for oil collection. Because of this perception l don't produce my own, but that's neither here nor there.
A two tank WVO user I knew expected to consume a VE pump a year, planned for that possibility/eventuality, and still figured he came out ahead. That was his analysis.

Each of us will choose what we wish to use. Each of us should accept, and shouldn't attempt to transfer, any blame if our decisions turn out to be incorrect.

On the same note: Each of us should also avoid picking and choosing abberant examples to bolster our opinions for the purpose of proselytizing. Using 140k mile injectors that needed to be ultrasonically washed to restore to usage is hardly blanket damning biodiesel. But I too, have my opinion and it will take much more than the example displayed in this post for me to be swayed.

[shizzler]

In most of EU you pay a tax based on engine size just to buy the vehicle (and I think to re-register it every year). Combine that with much higher taxes on fuel, and I think that's the basic premise hes talking about.

As for the larger debate in general, re: the masses in the middle.... they are still doing almost nothing to change the way we all live. Doing what is practical and realistic in their lives still means living and consuming within the established American system of energy waste. Until the general opinion supports making some sacrifices to reduce our energy demand and carbon emission, we are still digging ourselves into a very deep hole.

[RC]

Originally Posted by shizzler

As for the larger debate in general, re: the masses in the middle.... they are still doing almost nothing to change the way we all live. Doing what is practical and realistic in their lives still means living and consuming within the established American system of energy waste. Until the general opinion supports making some sacrifices to reduce our energy demand and carbon emission, we are still digging ourselves into a very deep hole.

Agreed. I think we will need to fall over the edge before most Americans consider a serious lifestyle change. From what I can see the average American has yet to actually see and understand our dire predicament.

[dalchri]

Originally Posted by beanpoleagain

i think i will own up.

I don't think I can adequately express my gratefulness for you providing some fact for this discussion.

To confirm, the feedstock is WVO soy. What do you mean by 3 t or lower?

Can you give us an idea of the condition of the oil? How often the fryer oil is changed? Fryer temperatures? Type of restaurant? How acidic is the oil before you process it into biodiesel?

I am interested in what led you to discover the problem with the injectors. Was it a no start condition? Do you know if this caused any collateral damage to the engine?

Thanks again for divulging the details, it helps all of us improve.

[fnjimmy!]

Originally Posted by ikendu

Could you provide a link that explains this? Thank you.

http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/FordECOnetic
The ECONetic qualifies for road tax band A
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...le/DG_10012524

[fnjimmy!]

Originally Posted by RC

Agreed. I think we will need to fall over the edge before most Americans consider a serious lifestyle change. From what I can see the average American has yet to actually see and understand our dire predicament.

the other predicament is that which many people consider to take priority, their own. When the power company proposes rate hikes to the regulatory committee, low and fixed-income show up en masse to scream genocide at the power companys actions. Whether this makes sense from one persons perspective to another is what makes us all different, but for the bulk of the country the greater cost of green energy is a luxury not a necessity. They're already switching their lights off when they're not using them and adjusting their thermostat a few degrees, they can't afford not to.

[HUVW]

Originally Posted by fnjimmy!

http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/FordECOnetic
The ECONetic qualifies for road tax band A
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...le/DG_10012524

I'm not sure about the UK's policy on fuel tax but in Hungary the "road tax" is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of tax paid on each liter of fuel. Today I purchased 66 liters of diesel for the USD equivalent of ~$97. ~$30 of the fuel cost was tax. This is in addition to the registration fee, pollution control examination fee and the "road tax."

Regardless of the tax though, I can't wait for the day to trade in my 1.9 PD TDI B5.5 Passat for a 4.2 TDI Audi A8!

[RC]

Wanna solve the big problem? Bring on the fuel tax. Please.

[thebigarniedog]

Originally Posted by RC

Wanna solve the big problem? Bring on the fuel tax. Please.

What problem do you speak of will be solved by:

1. Making it too expensive for low income people to drive?
2. Encouraging more fuel thefts?
3. taking more money from people to be wasted by the goberment?
4. Limiting driving to the elite?

Shall I go on? The solution (as I posted in other threads) is a diesel mandate not more punitive taxation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKDLJUevrY