Re: 7.3 swap

["Thomas J. Harais" <tjhemh@domain.elided>]

Tom:

In general diesels are more efficient for a couple of reasons having to do
with their inherent characteristics:

1) They operate at 100% (or close to that) volumetric efficiency at all
speeds due to their varying amount of fuel injected but not having throttle
plates to vary the density of the air entering the cylinders.

i.e. They are "open to the atmosphere" at all speeds. To get this same
effect on a gasoline engine, you'd have to floor the throttle.

Add a turbocharger and you can get better than 100% volumetric efficiency in
a diesel!

2) They make "working torque" at lower RPMS. And, lower RPMS increases
efficiency because of less internal friction and rotational forces to be
overcome.

3) Diesel fuel has 40% (I think that was the figure I saw - I have no
reference to check) more potential energy per gallon than gasoline. Hence,
more work can be done per gallon of diesel burned than gasoline.

O.K. you say, if diesels are so great, why isn't everyone driving them?

Well, a lot of reasons, mostly education and habit. Mostly, I think it's our
American love of speed and horsepressure. The diesels current and past, are
somewhat lacking here.

But, give it about ten more years, you'll see a lot more diesels on the
road. Take a look at Europe where 70% of all light trucks sport diesel
power, compared to the U.S. where it is currently only 20%.

Tom H.

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