More bad news for diesels

[BowTie Rick]

First step is cut sulfer and add catalutic converters. They are talking commercial vehicles in here but if successful, private vehicles are next...
CNN Diesel Article (http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/science/05/11/epa.diesel.ap/index.html)

[CustomCruiser]

New Fords and Chevys already have catalytic converters on them (don't know about Dodge). Once they reduce the sulfur levels, they will add particle collectors in-line with the catalytic converters. That should send EGTs through the roof.

[PHX ATC]

Dodge 2004.5 have cats in them.
Yuck.

[Lightning]

This site has a ton of Diesel info on it.
http://www.dieselforum.org/index.html

[jackpunx]

Originally posted by CustomCruiser
New Fords and Chevys already have catalytic converters on them (don't know about Dodge). Once they reduce the sulfur levels, they will add particle collectors in-line with the catalytic converters. That should send EGTs through the roof.
Well it gives me a couple of years before I have to put mine back in.

[CA Stu]

I don't see the problem.
I looked at a 2004 Dodge Cummins and there is a sticker that says it is a "50 State Low Emission Vehicle"?
When you consider all the scrapers, graders, earthmoving equipment, trains, old buses, etc. in use in So Cal, especially in the LA Basin, why not get them to run cleaner?
Who amongst us hasn't had red eyes from smog, either ourselves or a family member? Asthma attacks, etc. all that respiratory stuff comes into play.
Get the commercial vehicles cleaner, leave the private stuff alone. That way I can turn the screw on my Cummins and get 480 hp and 1000 ft. lbs out of it :D :D
Thanks
CA Stu

[Jordy]

That's just great because cats on diesels are bad news. With the heavy particulates they end up clogged up in about 70K miles and then create lots of back pressure, ultimately blowing out the seals in your turbo and sucking lots of performance out of it.
On my '94 6.5 Chevy, I flunked emissions and did some research, talked to some local diesel gurus and found out that little tidbit. With 200,000 miles on it, he said it had to be the cat. I pulled it off, hollowed it out and put it back on. Ran better than when it was new and sailed through emissions... :D

[SkiSangerDLX]

To buy or not to buy Diesel?
I'm headed out to go pick up a new Diesel(Chevy), but just read what you guys have said now am very concerned.
OK - first I want clean burning low emissions
2 - I want good mileage
3 - dont want to loose power or have a bunch of problems later (70k miles)
I heard rumor that the fuel injection system for Chevy is around $5000 to replace after waranty runs out.
I have enjoyed my current ride for 10 yrs and 240k miles same engine no leaks. 5.3 GMC Xtra cab. I still get around 18mpg to the river.

[Jordy]

The new LLY Duramaxes already have a cat on them. IMHO I won't buy another truck that isn't a diesel. I do know they are dealing with the emissions issues here in Phoenix and the surrounding areas, especially on the older models and one of the solutions has been to put and exhaust scrubber (similar to a cat) on the stack and that has cut the emissions down to acceptable levels, even on n/a Cat 3208's (which are possibly the nastiest engine out there emission wise). Worst case, you pull the cat off and hollow it out and put it back on when you throw some new exhaust on the truck. Diesel is still one of the cleanest options out there. It burns cleaner because it's hotter, and while it has a heavier particulate count, everything ends up on the ground rather than in the ozone. That's just my $.02 on the issue.
You could always find an older Duramax (even early '04) with the LB7 in it and not have to deal with the cat at all. :D

[SkiSangerDLX]

:D
Thanks for the info..
I picking up a new one tomorrow. I read further on the EPA stuff and its just the way to go!
Go Diesel! ;)

[bgchuby]

the fuel that the epa is talking about is for offroad, commercial use only. It has a red die added to it to tell the difference. If you are caught with it in a commercial truck you get a 5000.00 dollar fine. The fuel that you are all buying at the local gas station or at the truck stops is already low emmision fuel. That is why california deisel fuel prices are so high. So go out and buy your new deisel pickup truck which is already set up to run on the new fuel. FYI I just sold 30 over the road trucks due to the fuel and insurance costs. Got the hell out of the trucking business for good.

[SkiSangerDLX]

So what happens when I travel?
Do Ihave to buy a special Diesel fuel for the new truck?
Sorry to hear about you selling the business.. I hope it was something that worked out for you. $$$$

[Jordy]

Originally posted by SkiSangerDLX
So what happens when I travel?
Do Ihave to buy a special Diesel fuel for the new truck?
Any fuel you'd buy out of a pump at a gas station would work. They're all pumping #2 diesel. You don't see a lot of #1 diesel as it's a cold weather formula and obviously we don't have that problem.
The red fuel is merely fuel that hasn't had any road taxes paid on it. There are quite a few farmers that run red dye in their trucks just because it's cheaper and they don't spend much time on the roads. In AZ, it's a $10K fine if you get caught running red fuel. Every DPS man around here has a length of clear tubing to check for dyed fuel in the commercial trucks. I've had diesel trucks for going on 10 years now, and have been stopped once or twice ( ;) ) and I've yet to be checked. Funny thing is, I have a 90 gallon tank full of red fuel in the back of my '04 Duramax, but I have a company fuel card so it doesn't really matter. I guess I'm just not concerned enough to pump it into my '02. :D

[CA Stu]

Originally posted by jordanpaulk
IMHO I won't buy another truck that isn't a diesel.
I agree. With the newer engines, they run cleaner than gas motors.
There are more and more diesel vehicles on the road, as technology improves I expect we will see a lot of diesel cars, too.
The original post was about offroad diesel engines as has been pointed out, and I'm 100% for cleaning those pieces of equipment up.
I don't think anyone is pro-pollution, are they?
Thanks
CA Stu