Diesels are very efficent at idle? - Fuelly Forums

Click here to see important news regarding the aCar App

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-03-2006, 10:34 PM   #1
Registered Member
 
philmcneal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 333
Country: Canada
Diesels are very efficent at idle?

I remember someone in the TDI fuel economy forum (tdiclub.com) telling me that when their diesels idle its way more efficent than a gasoline engine like mine idling in N. If that's the case, for a 1.7 liter like mine fully warmed up I waste around .8 liters (.21 gallons)/ hour. I wonder if their idling is much lower then it wouldn't make much sense to idle with no engine off if its really that efficent.

Damn not enough TDI'er trying to prove this theory!
__________________

__________________
If your reading this, then good for you, your saving some gas because your here.
philmcneal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-04-2006, 07:54 AM   #2
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,978
Country: United States
Re: Diesels are very efficent at idle?

Quote:
Originally Posted by philmcneal
I remember someone in the TDI fuel economy forum (tdiclub.com) telling me that when their diesels idle its way more efficent than a gasoline engine like mine idling in N. If that's the case, for a 1.7 liter like mine fully warmed up I waste around .8 liters (.21 gallons)/ hour. I wonder if their idling is much lower then it wouldn't make much sense to idle with no engine off if its really that efficent.

Damn not enough TDI'er trying to prove this theory!
I love that site -- used to be a member (almost bought a Golf Diesel 5-speed). In manual operation, it's best to leave the clutch pushed in while in N, or it would have to spin something in the transmission (although bad on the throw-out bearing). I remember my old EVO would nearly stall out in the cold when I released the clutch in N because the fluid was so stiff. That was a car that I HAD to let warm up in the Winter, or else I couldn't shift gears. As for autos, it can only help. The theory should carry-over -- less fuel to turn the TC mechanism or whatever.


I wish I had a Diesel, even with the prices the way they are. During College, I used to drive one for work and volunteer (ambulances and fire apparatus) many times a week. Just so much more torque and power for the FE dollar.
__________________

__________________
rh77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2006, 12:12 AM   #3
Registered Member
 
philmcneal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 333
Country: Canada
over here in canada diesel

over here in canada diesel is around 10 cents cheaper a liter than gasoline 87. But the only choice is TDI unfortnately, and as much as I want to, VW has some high prices that just can't compare to a Honda yet. But once Honda gets smart and let us test out their diesel things can change...
__________________
If your reading this, then good for you, your saving some gas because your here.
philmcneal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2006, 06:19 AM   #4
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 682
Country: United States
A car idling at a stop light

A car idling at a stop light has 0 mpg, and 0% efficiency, whether diesel or gas.

HEVs and EVs us no power when stopped in traffic. That's a big part of their efficiency.
__________________
Capitalism: The cream rises. Socialism: The scum rises.
Sludgy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2006, 06:38 AM   #5
Registered Member
 
JanGeo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 2,444
Country: United States
Location: Tiverton, RI
Send a message via Yahoo to JanGeo
locos

Don't remember if it was here in this forum or not but the locomotives left running in the yard all winter - turns out they don't like getting cold when they shut down and they only burn about a quart an hour idling so the cost of leaving them running all winter is much less than shutting them and resulting engine problems/damage.

A 10 mile trip in my xB with a 44mpg fuel use drops to 40mpg when it takes a few minutes to park in my usual spot. Really makes me think about where and how I park. Pulling out with a cold engine is more of a fuel burner so I always try to park so that I can just pull out instead of backing out and manuvering with a cold fast idling engine.
JanGeo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2006, 10:41 AM   #6
Registered Member
 
philmcneal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 333
Country: Canada
Re: locos

Quote:
Originally Posted by JanGeo
Don't remember if it was here in this forum or not but the locomotives left running in the yard all winter - turns out they don't like getting cold when they shut down and they only burn about a quart an hour idling so the cost of leaving them running all winter is much less than shutting them and resulting engine problems/damage.

A 10 mile trip in my xB with a 44mpg fuel use drops to 40mpg when it takes a few minutes to park in my usual spot. Really makes me think about where and how I park. Pulling out with a cold engine is more of a fuel burner so I always try to park so that I can just pull out instead of backing out and manuvering with a cold fast idling engine.
what you described is part of "facing out" and "potenial parking"

you may have to walk farther to your car, but for the FE gains I think tis worth it. And if you position your car correctly you can bump start without using the starter! A much smoother cold start if you ask me and you have more juice to FAS!
__________________
If your reading this, then good for you, your saving some gas because your here.
philmcneal is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-05-2006, 10:48 AM   #7
Registered Member
 
mtbiker278's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 88
Country: United States
Send a message via AIM to mtbiker278
Re: locos

Quote:
Originally Posted by JanGeo
Don't remember if it was here in this forum or not but the locomotives left running in the yard all winter - turns out they don't like getting cold when they shut down and they only burn about a quart an hour idling so the cost of leaving them running all winter is much less than shutting them and resulting engine problems/damage.
In very cold winters I think people do this with most heavy duty diesels. I remember my dad talking about when he was in the Army they'd have to keep the trucks warm in the winter otherwise they'd have to use ether to try and get them to start by saturating the air inlet. They tried not to do this an someone would always put too much ether in and the filter would catch on fire.
mtbiker278 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2006, 03:22 PM   #8
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,978
Country: United States
Re: A car idling at a stop light

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sludgy
A car idling at a stop light has 0 mpg, and 0% efficiency, whether diesel or gas.

HEVs and EVs us no power when stopped in traffic. That's a big part of their efficiency.
This is true, but imagine it as a negative percentage. In drive, it uses more fuel, so say it would have -5% efficiency, whereas in Neutral, it would have -2% efficiency -- so you'd be saving fuel.
__________________
rh77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-24-2006, 09:56 PM   #9
Registered Member
 
GasSavers_Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,325
Country: United States
Send a message via AIM to GasSavers_Ryland
I don't have an exact answer, but something to remember about diesels is that even when they are idleing, they are running wide open, there is no throttle plate to close, so they might be running at a 200:1 fuel air mix without anything other then a big air filter to create restriction.
GasSavers_Ryland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-25-2006, 08:21 PM   #10
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 5
Country: Canada
I used to have a mazda b2200 pickup.. great truck!

Had a 2.2L n/a perkins desiel. I couldn't find parts for it though, ever.. the starter went in december and I was unable to find a new one, so I did a "real world" test on this theory - I left it running from december to march 25!

In "fast idle" it would use quite a bit of fuel pretty quickly.

In regular/warm idle it would use about 1-1.5L of fuel overnight, or around 0.10l/hour.. WAY more efficient than a gas engine.

Even the big truck i drive now (13.9L cat, 590hp/2800ftlb) uses around 1 liter/hour at idle (690rpm).. the consumption spec is in the manual for it lol
__________________

Terrh is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Incorrect Milage Calcuatlion PatM Fuelly Web Support and Community News 4 07-17-2009 07:21 PM
What we're working on this week mathowie Fuelly Web Support and Community News 9 08-08-2008 02:49 PM
Is it okay to buy a high mileage honda?? Compaq888 General Maintenance and Repair 58 06-30-2006 12:59 PM
Make the page lengths 30 posts again, please SVOboy Fuelly Web Support and Community News 4 05-18-2006 12:43 PM
Sticker Shock -- Inefficient New Furnace rh77 General Discussion (Off-Topic) 8 01-25-2006 06:15 AM

» Fuelly iOS Apps
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.