Gas Prices

[kmh364]

Understood about the diesel road taxes, but why should I pay them? I'm using my vehicle for personal use only, not for commercial gain, and I'm not punishing the roads. Diesels are more efficient than their petrol-engined counterparts and pollute less as well (now that cats and exhaust scrubbers are mandated). So much for the US Govt. pushing alt fuel technology. Unless you need it for commercial reasons and/or hauling/towing, why would you buy a diesel in this country at nearly a $1/gal premium? I bought mine when Diesel was $1.40/gal and gas was $1.90/gal. I am getting nearly 20MPG out of a nearly 4 ton pick-up truck, but at a nearly $8k premium over the petrol version, I'll never break even.
 
(Message edited by kmh364 on October 14, 2008)

[811952]

Kevin, your engine will last 3 times as long (or more) as a gasoline engine, and can be converted to run on fry oil.  Seems like not such a bad deal to me, albeit the cost of entry into that club is high..  
 
John

[flaxattack]

kevin
shoot me an email. my friend owns a company that has a patent on a diesel converter/additive that will
1- make your diesel burn at a lower temperature
2- will increase your mileage
3- will lower pollution
4- the additive is good for app 400 hours and then you refill it.
its cutting edge technology that we will ramping up as time go by. its a great fit for industrial machinery and there is a lot of interest overseas.
also- just for the heck of it- i bought an interest in a company that has a patent for producing ethanol from sources other than corn etc.We are awaiting approval from the ATF which controls ethanol since its an alcohol for our first production run out west at our first plant.
 
(Message edited by flaxattack on October 14, 2008)

[hydrargyrum]

Hey Jeff, you wouldn't mind sharing the name of that company so I can check out their webpage, would you?  That ethanol plant also sounds interesting.

[flaxattack]

no websites yet kevin. we're flying under the radar right now as we build some organizational structures.

[hydrargyrum]

That's cool.  Keep us posted.

[kmh364]

I'd certainly like to save money, but not at the expense of my rediculously expensive Bosch HPCR injection system, nevermind the Cummins ISB it feeds. The OEM's won't stand behind warrantees with biodiesel fuel mixtures, nevermind pure veggie oil. Besides the fluctuations in fuel pressure with a fluid of different specific gravity, there's the corrosivity, hygroscopicity (is that a word), rancidity, etc. issues with fry oil versus #2 diesel. If the HPCR (high pressure common rail) electronic injection system falters, the pistons tend to develop large, EXPENSIVE holes in them (NOT GOOD!)
 
Yes, my Cummins is rated at 300kmi MTBO, but the crappy Dodge Ram wrapper around it is not. The truck is literally falling apart after four years of payments and 120k of hi-way miles (no hauling or towing)...it's a 2004.5.  
 
I'd be interested in what you have Flax, but the anal ex-pro diesel mechanic and engineer in me has my scepticism horns out in full schwing, LOL!

[lbpesq]

Bio-diesel YEA!!!!  Fry oil Even more YEA!!!!  I LOVE driving behind a bus that smells like french fries!  hehehehe
 
Bill, tgo

[jacko]

Having just re-read the electric kool-aid acid test, I'd guess theres more than just the smell of oil coming out of buses in california ;-)
 
graeme.

[811952]

Rope?  

[Bradley Young]

Patchouli?  (aka: eau du sale hippie)
 
Bradley

[alembic76407]

$1.92 a gallon today in Okla City, there goes my oil royalties
 
Sir David

[bsee]

We fell under $2.30 here at the best prices.  I wonder if all those travel businesses, like cruise ships, have canceled the fuel subsidies they added when we hit $4?

[flaxattack]

2.60 here in ct
2.25 down in md

[alembic76407]

$1.77 a gallon, whats going on here ?