Through a series, of what looks like completely unbiased, tests it seems a winner between the eternal struggle has been found. I’ll post a link to the site after I give you a little bit of the testing information.The Contenders:

2005 Ford F350 6.0 Liter Power Stroke Diesel 325 hp @ 3500 rpm 570 ft. lbs @ 2000 rpm

2005 Dodge Ram 3500 5.9 Liter Cummins Diesel 325 hp @ 2900 rpm 610 ft. lbs @ 1600 rpm

2005 Chevy Silverado 3500 6.6 Liter Duramax Diesel 310 hp @ 3200 rpm 605 ft. lbs @ 1600 rpm

They go through a comprehensive series of tests from interior quality to offroading at Tellico ORV. You won’t believe the results. These vehicles were even subjected to a vicious animal attack, and you get to see how well they survive.

Link

In Park Hills, Missouri, gas prices have fallen to $1.96, but the big news is diesel prices are at $2.23 a gallon. For once I feel like I got a decent explanation on what’s going on and what we can expect.

Michael Burdette, a senior analyst with the energy information administration, said he doesn’t foresee gas prices to continue the rapid downward plunge in the Midwest.

“The change in prices is going to slow down in the Midwest,” Burdette said. “Prices have fallen the fastest in the Midwest and are way out of proportion compared to the rest of the U.S. The average price of gasoline in the U.S. is $2.37 right now. You guys are already under $2 a gallon.”

Burdette said the spot price for conventional gasoline in Missouri was $1.53 per gallon as of Tuesday.

“Now you have to add 18 cents for federal tax and 17 cents for Missouri state tax to that figure,” Burdette said. “The price goes up to $1.88 per gallon. Right now you guys are at the point where the retailers are at about the break even point. That is why I think prices will slow down in the Midwest.”

Burdette said he thinks prices will stabilize in the Midwest and will continue to fall in other regions of the country.

“The prices in other regions will fall more rapidly to catch up with the Midwest,” Burdette said.

While experts originally forecasted diesel prices would stay closer to $3 a gallon, Burdette said those prices should continue to fall also.

“Diesel prices were hung up earlier because the refineries were struggling making a new type of diesel that has less sulfur in it,” Burdette said. “In 2007 all new trucks will be required to run this new type of fuel. The old trucks will also be able to run on it. The difference is the new trucks will only be able to run on this type of fuel.”

Burdette said the spot price for diesel in Missouri is $1.77 per gallon.

“Federal taxes are higher on diesel than they are on regular gasoline,” Burdette said. “Federal taxes are 24.4 cents and state taxes are 17 cents per gallon. With the taxes figured in the price is $2.18 per gallon. Prices of diesel fuel should continue to fall somewhat.”

Burdette said the diesel fuel currently used was introduced in 1993.

“It is called a low sulfur diesel and contains a maximum of 500 parts per million of sulfur in it,” Burdette said. “The new diesel is called ultra low sulfur. It has a maximum of 15 parts per million of sulfur in it.”

Most of the stuff most of us probably already know the basics of, but I like how he breaks everything down with some specifics.

Source: mydjconnection.com

TOKYO — In a breakthrough to help diesels compete with gasoline/electric hybrids in the U.S., Honda has announced that its latest four-cylinder diesel engine is as clean as a comparable gasoline engine.

Thanks to advances in combustion-chamber design and a sophisticated new catalytic converter, Honda’s 2.2 i-CDi engine meets the EPA’s tough new Bin5 standards.

Honda takes a different approach to reducing diesel emissions than Mercedes-Benz uses with its Bluetec diesels. Honda’s next-generation i-CDi employs a unique two-stage catalytic converter that converts a portion of the nitrogen oxides in exhaust gas to ammonia and then generates a chemical reaction in the ammonia to reduce the remaining NOx to harmless nitrogen.

Honda says the new system is compact and lightweight and works in combination with advances in combustion control on its i-CDi common-rail diesel. The result is a reduction in both NOx and soot emissions, as well as an increase in power output.

The company said it plans to introduce the clean diesel in North America within three years.

Mercedes-Benz has just announced plans to offer its clean Bluetec diesels in three sport-utility vehicles in North America in calendar-year 2008.

What this means to you: Continuing advances in clean-diesel technology eventually could reverse the American public’s fascination with hybrids, which in general are heavier, more complex and more expensive, with shorter life cycles.

Glad this writer has the right opinion of hybrids. To get them as cheap as possible they have to compromise somewhere, whereas the diesel option is usually about $1000-2000 more and has luxury to go with it.

Source: edmunds.com

What does that mean? How about the annual capture of 50 tons of particulate matter (soot), and 436 tons of NOx.Through the Clean Diesel Bus Program, San Francisco will be retrofitting more than 1700 buses with diesel exhaust filters from 13 Bay Area transit districts. This is the first, of this magnitude, and is the start of what all cities should consider doing. Steps like this will go a long way in showing the general public that diesels are capable of being a clean, environmentally friendly alternative that can still perform AND get better mileage.

Most cities will still have buses with years of life left in them and this retrofit from Cleaire will only cost $18,000 per bus as opposed to buying a new cleaner running bus for $140,000.

“The installation of the exhaust filters goes a long way to improving air quality,” said Steve Heminger, executive director of MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission is the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area). “Retrofitting buses is a cost-effective way to clean our air.”

Source: theautochannel

The new generation of Wranglers should be hitting showroom floors this month and for the first time in 65 years there will be a four-door version.

The Wrangler Unlimited four-door is selling in the US at a retail price of 20,410 dollars while the entry model two-door is listed at 18,765 dollars.

DaimlerCrysler said the new Wrangler offered more off-road capability, on-road refinement and safety features than the predecessor model range with solid axles, removable doors, exposed hinges, a fold-down windshield and innovative removable and convertible tops.

Customers can choose from dozens of different top, door and windshield combinations, nine exterior colours and 16-, 17-, or 18- inch wheels.

Standard features include four-wheel-disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Stability (ESP), Electronic Roll Mitigation (ERM), Sentry Key Theft Deterrent System, 16″ steel wheels, and tip-and-slide seats. The Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited will be available with a new 3.8L V6 and a diesel engine (except North America). So you don’t think it’s too refined though it still has:

Best-in-class ground clearance, approach and departure angles; enhanced Dana front and rear solid axles, available next-generation Command-Trac(R) and Rock-Trac(TM) transfer cases, new electric axle lockers, and electronic-disconnecting front sway bar.

I would buy a diesel Wrangler for a fun car if they ever brought it to the States. Imagine what kind of off-roading you could do with all that torque……….alas, as usual it’s just a diesel dream.

Source: theautochannel
Image: gizmag

Willamette Valley Vineyards Inc. began switching its tractors to biodiesel a couple years ago.

Then, the company known more for its pinots than its petrolbegan pumping the eco-friendly fuel into its delivery vans.

Now, it’s offering 50 gallons of free biodiesel monthly to its employees with the intent, company founder and President Jim Bernau says, of “walking softly” on an environment too harshly trampled upon.

In response, at least a half-dozen of the company’s 100 employees have purchased diesel vehicles and motored to the tank at the bottom of a hillside of neatly staked grapevines for freebie fill-ups.

“It pretty much covers all my travels,” says Shelby Zadow, marketing coordinator of the company based in Turner, south of Salem. “It’s absolutely great. . . . And it’s nice to know while I’m driving, I’m not adding more to pollution.”

In the past, companies have demonstrated their green values by offering employees subsidized bus and light-rail passes or free bike parking. But a second wave of environmentally friendly corporate actions appears to be gaining momentum, energized by more available and affordable alternative fuels and by growing concerns about global warming.

More great news on companies taking a stand to do something about our oil problems and the environment. When I need wine next i’ll try and keep them in mind.