Diesel vs gas......................

Sport45 wrote:
The turbodiesels have low torque, high rpm components as well. Just look at the turbo. It takes horsepower to compress air and the turbo compresses a lot of it. The bearings don't have to be massive to keep it operational for years at a time. They just have to be designed to handle the loads they are subjected to.

Diesel and gas engines are different critters. You shouldn't be surprised that the components look different. The "stronger" diesel engine would come apart at rpm's a "weaker" gas engine might laugh at.

But then again, the old Superduty gas Ford engines (534ci, 477ci, etc) might not be able to turn the rpms of some our modern diesels. But some are still chugging along today in industrial applications after decades of service. Sevice life has nothing to do with the fuel choice. It has everything to do with the engine being properly designed and used for its application.


My Uncle owed a water hauling business in Oklahoma in the 50's an 60's. Every one of his tractor/trailer and bobtail rigs had a big gas engine. Gasoline was cheap at the time and that's what you used it if you wanted power. Diesel really only became an option when gasoline prices started to go up relative to diesel prices. Economics drove the haulers to use diesel. Poor diesel performance led to the turbodiesel. If diesel prices go high enough now, we may well see a switch back. It all depends on what will deliver the load for the least life cycle cost. I know he couldn't have cared less what his drivers thought would climb hills faster. The truck just had to make it to point A, pick up a load and deliver it to point B.

For someone who keeps their truck for 20 years and racks up 750,000 miles fuel cost might be the limiting factor in life cycle cost. If you trade vehicles every 2-3 years fuel might not have as a large an influence on the cost of ownership. For some of us it’s not about cost at all. Its just a willingness to pay for what we want. It's silly for any of us to think that what's important for us should be important for everyone. If that was the case, we wouldn't need a 2-party (or more) political system, representative government, or different flavors of ice cream at the store.

Tom isn't stupid for thinking diesel is best and Harry isn't a moron for liking gasoline. They both may have the perfect fit for themselves. That's just Tom and Harry, we'll leave the other guy out since the filter would probably delete his name anyway. :)