Are diesels worthwhile ?

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by Daim

Well, the Veyron was just dragged into this to show, that the "high output" is valid in all brands and cars...

Well, think of it this way, with a smaller car with a turbo, the turbo is always on, as you say. But on the other hand, it is on a 2.0l softturbo (180 hp 5 cylinder). It is always working there. Always boosted. That is why it has a turbo on it

But we are now OT

you cannot deny though there will be far less pressure on the 5 cyl turbo than a tiny engine?

i think eventually i will just buy something with a big lazy american v8 that is more my style

[961]

We bought a diesel because the auto gearbox and tax charge was not available on the petrol models

4 years down the line the maintenance and fuel costs tell us next time to buy petrol

The dpf service cost together with the increasing difference between petrol and diesel at the pump make it a no brainer unless you do very high mileage

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Daim

@ Ninja

Fords 1.0l 120 hp ecoboost is a great engine and it WILL live long. Ford has been working on these ecoboost engines with low displacement and high power output for a long time and that isn't really bad. See it this way:

Fiat's 1.4l Multi Air engines put out 170 hp - durable...
170/1.4 = 121 hp per liter of displacement.

VWs (bad) 1.4 TSI put out 185 hp - well, durable is not quite the word but okay...
185/1.4 = 132 hp per liter of displacement.

Fiats 0.8l Twinair engines put out 105 hp - durable!
105/0.8 = 131 hp per liter of displacement.

Bugatti Veyron's 8.0l W16 has 1200 hp - durable.
1200/8.0 = 150 hp liter of displacement.

Caterhams 2.3l (Duratec) puts out 260 hp - non turbo that is! And durable...
260/2.3 = 113 hp per liter of displacement.

I personally see nothing wrong with 120 hp out of a 1.0l engine. Modern technology allows higher output... Years ago a 2.0l turbo diesel with 204 hp would be "you're stupid" but nowadays it is bog standard...!

I have been a great fan of high power small capacity engines for 40 years , I was a pioneer in converting a one litre turbo road going petrol engine producing 175 bhp way back in 1983 it gives long and economical service even today , although toned down to 135 bhp with a different camshaft 5 years ago for my particular run to work favouring economy .
One manufacturer does it today ( fiat ) and its raved about and being copied left right and centre ! The eco boost is a great engine and could well make it into the V40 when supplies catch up with demand this engine can also go up to 175 bhp coincidently . nothing is new is it :-)

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Ninja59

you cannot deny though there will be far less pressure on the 5 cyl turbo than a tiny engine?

i think eventually i will just buy something with a big lazy american v8 that is more my style

Not really less pressure. The small "hairdryer engines" are engineered to take more. Bearings etc. are near to heavy duty and mostly oversized. So they could take a LOT more bashing than they will be getting. Remember: we are in the 21st century and engines with lower hp/large displacement are now "unmodern".

A nice 7.2l V8 putting 360 hp would do me. Maybe even a downsized 6.4l with 460 hp

[Mike 700]

Originally Posted by Rangefinder10

Hi

I've a couple of questions I would like to pose to members of the Volvo community:-

I've owned and driven various Volvos for 20 years. Two of them I had for 7 years each, a 244 DL and an S70 (a wonderful motor), and both petrol engined. I also had an S60 D5, and currently own an S80 D5.

I'm not a technically minded person, and have been somewhat horrified to read over the course of the past 18 months or so, of problems with Diesel Particulate Filters and Dual Mass Flywheel associated with higher mileage motors, causing potentially very expensive repairs.
I asked my local garage if their was any substance to the problems that I had read about.....the answer was "unfortunately yes".

My S80 D5 now has 70k miles on the clock. Am I being overly concerned about my motoring costs ahead, or is it time to exchange for a petrol model?

Secondly, if you add these factors together with the higher initial purchase cost of a diesel engine, and the higher cost of fuel compared to petrol, it begs the question of why bother with diesel?
If the reason for diesel is to provide greater overall economy in the cost of motoring, then this reasoning appears to have been defeated by a combination of government legislation in taxation policy and emissions control, and subsequent designs by motor manufacturers.
We appear to be faced with higher level of costs whichever aspect of the cost of diesel motoring we refer too.

This doesn't apply only to Volvo of course, but all other motor manufacturers as well.

Does owning a diesel car make sense these days?

regards
John

If you look at my signature, you will see that I am on my third D5, and have driven nearly 300,000 miles with Volvo diesels, and this has been done with no engine repair of any description.

As others have said, you do need to drive quite few miles to make the extra cost of purchasing a diesel engined car and the extra cost of fuel worthwhile, but it's nice to see average m.p.g. Showing so high on the fuel computer.

Modern Volvo diesel engines Do not sound like shaken a tin of rusty nails either, they are quite smooth and quite for motorway journeys especially.

I also have S mode on the gearbox which makes it go like shot off a shovel.

So From a personal point of view , I'd have one every time.

Good luck.

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Clan

I have been a great fan of high power small capacity engines for 40 years , I was a pioneer in converting a one litre turbo road going petrol engine producing 175 bhp way back in 1983 it gives long and economical service even today , although toned down to 135 bhp with a different camshaft 5 years ago for my particular run to work favouring economy .
One manufacturer does it today ( fiat ) and its raved about and being copied left right and centre ! The eco boost is a great engine and could well make it into the V40 when supplies catch up with demand this engine can also go up to 175 bhp coincidently . nothing is new is it :-)

Clan, we agree upon something

More than 100 hp a liter is like you say, nothing bad and wasn't even bad in "the day"

[Ninja59]

Originally Posted by Daim

Not really less pressure. The small "hairdryer engines" are engineered to take more. Bearings etc. are near to heavy duty and mostly oversized. So they could take a LOT more bashing than they will be getting. Remember: we are in the 21st century and engines with lower hp/large displacement are now "unmodern".

A nice 7.2l V8 putting 360 hp would do me. Maybe even a downsized 6.4l with 460 hp

true true. meh i could not care what people think

hahaha seee

[Crockers]

If you're concerned over a DPF then once you're out of warranty have it removed and ECU remapped to allow for it.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Daim

Not really less pressure. The small "hairdryer engines" are engineered to take more. Bearings etc. are near to heavy duty and mostly oversized. So they could take a LOT more bashing than they will be getting. Remember: we are in the 21st century and engines with lower hp/large displacement are now "unmodern".

A nice 7.2l V8 putting 360 hp would do me. Maybe even a downsized 6.4l with 460 hp

indeed , actualy turbocharging does not put any more pressure on an engine according to alan allards " Turbocharging and supercharging" book , the power stroke just produces power for a longer percentage of its time compared to non turbo which has a pressure curve which slopes down with time rather than a turbo engines flat curve if that makes sense .

If i was lucky enough to have a 7 litre engine i wouldnt be happy with anything less than 700 bhp or whats the point?

[Daim]

Originally Posted by Clan

If i was lucky enough to have a 7 litre engine i wouldnt be happy with anything less than 700 bhp or whats the point?

If a modern car, yeah. But a US car is only right with high displacement and rather low output as they MUST be NA Of course a Mustang Shelby GT500 would be cool aswell