[c0braje7]

It happened to me again today... A driver in a super duty truck passed me on the road and seemingly intentionally floored it and a huge cloud of black smoke completely covered me. I wish I could tell you I deserved it by doing something stupid but I didn't. Now I don't want to say he did it on purpose but I shudder when I hear a diesel coming up behind me now.
I used to ride on a few country roads and there were a couple of times that I would be "holding" up a driver. There weren't bike lanes and occasionally a car would have to wait for another oncoming car to pass before going around me. In that situation I just expected something, anything to happen. But now I love in the city and it drives me crazy!!!

 

[stevecaz]

Well it is, for greenhouse gases

Diesel is cleaner for greenhouse gases, bit not for the particulates you experienced. BUT, this fall comes the deadline date that diesel in the US must be low sulfur, going from 500 ppm to 15 ppm. That will do a lot for the issue. The other is new particulate filters in cars.

However, you are talking about a pickup truck with absolutely lousy diesels. Sure they may have good hauling torque and a tiny better gas mileage, but they are still completely unrefined (as in little thought designed) diesels. The new passenger car diesels on the other hand are superior to gas.

 

[Visitor302]

I know it seems counter-intueitive that thick black exaust is better for the envernment than a clear gas, but it is...
All that balck carbon makes the gasses in Deisle settle to the ground, rather that flaot up to the ozone layer...
Deisle is less removed from the product that came out of the ground (more natural)
And yes, cubic inch per cubic inch,,, Deisle is way more fuel eficaint... (note disclaimer, i.e. you can;t compare a truck deisle to a car)

 

[teamcinzano]

And on top of that, didn't a turbo diesel win at LeMans this year? In part because it was more efficient, and thus fewer fuel stops?

 

[Guest]

Also, I believe there were some concessions made to the rules for the diesels by the organizers that Audi saw advantage in. They went with diesel primarily because they felt it would be easiest to win under those rules. The whole marketing part evolved after the racing decision was taken.

 

[BikinCO]

tiny better gas mileage.

Define "tiny". My F-250 gets 21 mpg hwy and 17 mpg around town. That is almost double what the gas F series and as good or better than smaller trucks. A V6 Nissan Frontier gets a combined 17 mpg, a Tacoma gets a combined 19 mpg, a Chevy Colorado gets a combined 19 mpg and a Ford Ranger gets a combined 17 mpg. Now with these numbers, would you rather have a regular cab or super cab small pickup or a mine?

 

[HAL9000]

So if it's "more Natural"

It's better?

Not quite.

I know it seems counter-intueitive that thick black exaust is better for the envernment than a clear gas, but it is...
All that balck carbon makes the gasses in Deisle settle to the ground, rather that flaot up to the ozone layer...
Deisle is less removed from the product that came out of the ground (more natural)
And yes, cubic inch per cubic inch,,, Deisle is way more fuel eficaint... (note disclaimer, i.e. you can;t compare a truck deisle to a car)

 

[Dave_Stohler]

"Thick black smoke" would indicate a motor with worn rings and therefore, reduced compression. A worn diesel, just like a worn gas motor, pollutes more.

 

[bas]

I know it seems counter-intueitive that thick black exaust is better for the envernment than a clear gas, but it is...
All that balck carbon makes the gasses in Deisle settle to the ground, rather that flaot up to the ozone layer...
Deisle is less removed from the product that came out of the ground (more natural)
And yes, cubic inch per cubic inch,,, Deisle is way more fuel eficaint... (note disclaimer, i.e. you can;t compare a truck deisle to a car)

Umm , great - put it in the water supply and in my lungs causing black lungs.
:mad2:

 

[anthrax]

The black smoke out of a diesel just means that it if running too rich and that proper mantaininace has not been conducted...

 

[ChuckUni]

The black smoke out of a diesel just means that it if running too rich and that proper mantaininace has not been conducted...

...also could mean running rich because of being "turned up" for more power. Also, as most likely in this case, it was running rich because the turbo wasn't spooled up and blowing enough air when the driver stepped on it.

Because of new requirements you won't see stuff like that on newer diesels, as they will be much better controlled.

 

[anthrax]

...also could mean running rich because of being "turned up" for more power. Also, as most likely in this case, it was running rich because the turbo wasn't spooled up and blowing enough air when the driver stepped on it.

Because of new requirements you won't see stuff like that on newer diesels, as they will be much better controlled.

Thnak you for the expanded information!

I never thougth it through enough but ya the Turbo charged engiens run rich if the blower is not up to full boost. This is true for gas or diesel on a Turoboed engin

 

[MikeBiker]

The diesel soot that you see is not as much of a problem as the smaller particles.

Soot’s Journey Across the Land
As previously mentioned, soot particles either come directly from the tailpipe, or can be formed when tailpipe emissions of NOx and SOx react with atmospheric agents. Once formed, soot comes in many sizes, though all just a fraction of the width of a human hair, from coarse PM (less than 10 microns in diameter) to fine PM (less than 2.5 microns) to ultrafine PM (less than 0.1 microns). Most soot is in the fine and ultrafine categories, with ultrafine particles making up 80-95% of soot. Ultrafine particles are the most dangerous, however, as they are small enough to penetrate the cells of the lungs. Soot particles can have an environmental lifetime of one to three weeks, and they can travel long distances, journeying to communities in far regions. Soot particles have even been found at the South Pole, where no major emission source exists for thousands of miles.⁵ But in general, soot tends to fall out of the atmosphere close to the source of the pollution. The further you are away from diesel exhaust sources, the better for your health, and vice-versa. In California, the home of the nation’s largest fleet of diesel vehicles, roughly 80 percent of the state’s diesel pollution sources are found in 5 of the 15 air basins. Showing that the effects of diesel soot are, mostly close to the source, about 87% of California’s over $21.5 billion yearly diesel exhaust-related health care costs come from the same 5 air basins.

http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_vehicles/big_rig_cleanup/life-of-soot-diesel-pollution-emissions-and-health-effects.html

 

[kannas]

hmmm, looks like you should check out www.tdiclub.com and www.biodiesel.org
I proudly own a '04 golf gls TDI (turbo diesel injection) 39 city and 50+ hwy
I'll post pics of my roadtrip NYC to Carbondale IL (1000m) for the Carbondale Cyclocross Classic this weekend July 8 and 9th.
FYI I will not be using a roof rack, far better mileage, less bike wear and tear.
1/2 fuel consumption = less air polution, reason why more strict regulations on MPG are fourthcomming. Coincides with diesel going "low sulfer". Global warming is an issue. So is cost of fuel.

 

[weather]

college level thermal physics: because of the combustion temperature, diesel engines have a cap effecienty of ~60%, as compared to ~40% of petro/gasoline engines.

 

[kannas]

you would think america would understand this... but they dont. Why is the golf diesel "TDI" the best selling auto in europe... longevity, value and economics. Why does american buy SUVs... false sense of worldwide economic security(a true disconnect on global politics/ we're on top, we control the market...BS), a careless attitude regarding the enviroment and the creepy complex of 'truck' safety(encouraged by US auto companies).

Reply to trucking industry, yes agreed major improvements are needed.
-lower sulfer diesel
-no idle law
-encourage biodiesel use, by simply offering a market rate BioD blend say B20 for and equal cost of diesel.
-review and implement european fuel plans as americas standard seeking constant improvement.

 

[santosjep]

Bio-Diesel

It happened to me again today... A driver in a super duty truck passed me on the road and seemingly intentionally floored it and a huge cloud of black smoke completely covered me. I wish I could tell you I deserved it by doing something stupid but I didn't. Now I don't want to say he did it on purpose but I shudder when I hear a diesel coming up behind me now.
I used to ride on a few country roads and there were a couple of times that I would be "holding" up a driver. There weren't bike lanes and occasionally a car would have to wait for another oncoming car to pass before going around me. In that situation I just expected something, anything to happen. But now I love in the city and it drives me crazy!!!

Bio-Diesel is cleaner

"Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with no major modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Technically, biodiesel is vegetable methyl ester. Biodiesel is produced through the process of transesterification, which converts the vegetable oil molecule from a triglyceride ( a glycerin with three esters attached to it ) to a chain of esters with glycerin removed."

http://www.senbel.com.ph/biodiesel.htm

Joe

 

[kannas]

Oh Willie where are you?

Willie Nelson has a fleet of BioD trucks...
http://www.wnbiodiesel.com/
scroll down for emission chart:
http://www.wnbiodiesel.com/products.html

where's my "be like willie" t shirt?

Bio-Diesel is cleaner

"Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with no major modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Technically, biodiesel is vegetable methyl ester. Biodiesel is produced through the process of transesterification, which converts the vegetable oil molecule from a triglyceride ( a glycerin with three esters attached to it ) to a chain of esters with glycerin removed."


Joe

 

[Kerry Irons]

Oh, I see

The black smoke out of a diesel just means that it if running too rich and that proper mantaininace has not been conducted...

That must be why all these brand new GM, Ford, and Dodge diesel pickups are belching black smoke every time they accelerate. Sounds like a city bus, stinks like a city bus, and pollutes like a city bus, but has only one person in it! /rant

 

[c0braje7]

The vehicles that I originally started this post about have all been new trucks. When they step on the gas the black smoke just pours out of the tailpipe. More than older trucks that aren't tuned up.