I was asked for more information about the forthcoming Subaru boxer diesel and I found this, originally from Newspress UK.

Never one to follow the herd, for years Subaru has built cars that are just a little different from typical automotive fare. The 1989 Justy employed the first CVT transmission in a U.S. production car, and the exotic styling of the 1992 - 97 SVX still turns heads today. Now to promote the first ever boxer diesel engine offered in a passenger car, a Subaru dealer in the UK has created a special “see-through” Outback that shows off the automaker’s mechanical innovation to the world.
(more…)

It looks amazing in red! I would break quite a few laws for the chance to play with one of these.

Once again showing you everything goes good with diesel!

Sorry for the long delay in updates. I’m going to blame it on changing jobs, accepting too much side work, and a dead car (that is now living again…….kinda).

So like I said I’ve recently switched jobs. I’ll be working from home now most of the time which I hope gives me more time with this site. I’ll have to travel sometimes, but it shouldn’t affect much. I’ve also decided to stop accepting work on the side after I finish this last job because I need more personal time. And finally I went to add a larger turbo to my car and that’s when things started to go wrong.

Like most people that are probably reading this I enjoy cars and especially modifying cars. My diesel Jetta has been no exception to this rule. Previous to this I had put in larger injectors, retuned it, and put in a slightly bigger turbo. The first turbo I got was used but supposedly rebuilt. If it actually was then it was rebuilt pretty crappy because my car never ran ran since the moment I put it on. I had always thought it had to do with the programming, but I was very wrong. I drove that until about a month ago when I bought the 1856SV from kermatdi.com. Right before it went under the knife for the turbo upgrade the infamous VW auto tranny reliability reared it’s ugly head and my car would spin 3000rpms at about 58mph never fully locking up. Then turbo surgery started. Three weeks and 3 turbos later my car is back on the road with a tranny on it’s last leg. Hopefully it will survive anther month and then I’ll swap in a 5 speed standard. I didn’t really like the auto anyway. I thought I was going to because all my other cars were standards, but I really enjoy shifting. In the mean time my tranny switches on and off from kinda working to barely working. When it goes to barely working I do the reset trick and it’s good for a day or two and will go in and out of lock. For anyone that doesn’t know the reset trick for dubs it’s simple. Turn your ignition to the on position. Mash your foot all the way down on the accelerator pedal for about 10 seconds and then let it up. Turn the key back off and you’re good……for a bit. Oh yeah I also got some Audi TT 17″ wheels when it was time to replace the tires. Affectionately known as “Fat Fives” I think they really add to the styling of the Jetta. Eventually I’ll get pictures of my car in it’s current state, but for now back to work.

Thanks for reading and I’ll be back to the news now!

From Motortrend

General Motors is readying a new 4.5-liter V-8 Duramax turbodiesel engine for use first in the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra light duty trucks. The new engine is relatively compact thanks to integral aluminum cylinder head exhaust manifolds, integral cam cover intake manifolds, and a narrow V-angle block. As a result, GM says, the engine can fit in the same space as a small-block V-8 gas engine.
2008 Chevrolet Silverado

The 4.5-liter diesel will meet LEV2 emissions standards and be sellable in all 50 states. Producing 310 horsepower and 520 lb-ft of torque, GM says the engine will achieve fuel efficiency 25 percent better than comparable gas engines and is the first GM engine to employ a selective catalytic reduction NOx after-treatment system with a diesel particulate filter. Compared to “many diesel vehicles today,” GM says, the new engine reduces CO2 emissions by 13 percent as well as a 90 percent reduction in particulates and NOx.

The engine has a variable-vane turbocharger with intercooling and a compacted graphite iron cylinder block which helps make the engine strong and light, compared to one composed of aluminum or grey cast iron. If buyers are willing to pay the slight premium for new diesel technology (not to mention the diesel premium at the pump), we wouldn’t be surprised to see diesel-powered Chevy Silverados and GMC Sierras make up a larger share of GM’s shrinking fullsize truck and SUV production.

The three liter diesel engine by the Volkswagen group is exactly the right engine for the Touareg and the Q7; the torquey engine gives the elegant 2.5-ton SUVs great momentum. Even more so with Power S by ABT Sportsline, as Power S increases the diesel’s performance from serial 225hp/165kW (Touareg) and 233hp/171kW (Q7) to impressive 300hp/221kW. This plus in power of more than 30% also affects the torque; instead of serial 500Nm, now 600Nm provide for enormous thrust. ABT AS7 and ABT Touareg 3.0 TDI have enough power reserves at any time, and the 300hp of the diesel perform very well even in the low rpm-range: from 0 to 100km/h in 8.2 seconds (Touareg) and 8.5 seconds (AS7) – these Allgäu SUVs are not only strong athletes but also good sprinters. The top speed is 214km/h (Touareg) and 222km/h (AS7).

Wolfsburg / Geneva, 03 March 2008 - Volkswagen is putting on a spectacular parade of new models in Geneva with a host of international product debuts. Taking centre stage will be the highlight of the show, the new Scirocco – a completely re-engineered all-round sports car. Another vehicle being showcased at Lake Geneva is the Golf TDI Hybrid. This concept car runs on just 3.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres. The 150-PS Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel, also debuting in Geneva, represents a technology leap for automobiles run on natural gas. Other Volkswagen world premieres will be the extremely fuel-efficient Sharan BlueMotion (6.0 litres per 100 km) and the four-wheel-drive Golf Estate 4Motion. The Passat CC will also be on display for the first time ever in Europe.

From the National Biodiesel Board

WASHINGTON, D.C.– President Bush yesterday at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC) called biodiesel the most promising renewable fuel for helping to meet renewable fuels standards. Today, the WIREC conference wraps up its four-day sessions that began Monday, March 3. Here are a few of the ways biodiesel was highlighted.

“The legislation requires fuel producers to supply at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel in the year 2022,” said Pres. Bush. “In other words, these just aren’t goals, these are mandatory requirements. I’m confident the United States can meet those goals, and I know we must, for the sake of economic security, national security, and for the sake of being good stewards of the environment. Biodiesel is the most promising of these fuels. Biodiesel refineries can produce fuel from soybeans, and vegetable oils, and recycled cooking grease, from waste materials. All you out there with waste, you may be in business before you know it as this new technology kicks in. Most Americans — or, more Americans — are beginning to realize the benefits of biodiesel every year.

From autonews.com

WASHINGTON — A panel of outside experts advising federal regulators about available technologies for improving fuel economy will include light-duty diesel engines in its final report.

In an interim report made public today, the panel said developments in emission controls indicate that modern diesels will be able to comply with U.S. clean-air regulations.

The potential of diesel engines to reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30 to 40 percent over comparable gasoline engines justifies their inclusion on the list of available technologies, the interim report said.

I found this video on TDIClub.com and had to share it with everyone. Fifth Gear takes a bone stock AUTOMATIC diesel Golf and straps on a nitrous kit to see just how effective it can be. The results are pretty incredible.