HBoss

Nope, diesels don't use spark plugs. They use glow plugs or no plug at all.

A gasoline engine mixes fuel & air, compresses it and ignites it with a sparkplug. A diesel engine only compresses air and then injects fuel in. The high temperature as a result of compressing the air is enough to light the fuel when it's thrown in.

nags

cool.. I never knew that

thanks

94 First Responder

We have a 2001 turbo diesel f250 and it doesnt smoke and doesnt smell bad at all.

Yoda

I would have said no, but I am borrowing my dad's Ford Ranger PU with a turbo diesel 2.3 while I'm waiting for my accident to settle out. It pulls the hills on the freeway better than my son's 22RE pickup.

But since it is an 86 with 150K (or 250K?) on it, it does smoke, make noise and the oil filter costs $25 (wholesale). Dad has rubber gloves in it for the fueling to keep stinky fuel off his hands

Victor

Glow plugs are only to heat the air in the combustion chamber if the outside ambient temp is low. Older diesels cycled the glow plugs at every start up - new ones only cycle as the outside temp approaches freezing. Because new diesels inject at such high pressure (1100 PSI in my Jetta) then the fuel is completely atomized and will combust given enough pressure. It is this newer high pressure injection that rids the noise and smoke many of us associated with diesels for years. Also, new diesels have catalytic converters and EGR systems so they don't pollute any where near as much as the diesels of a generation ago. They still put out more particulates than a gas engine but it is very rare that you will actually see smoke from a modern diesel tailpipe.

slick858

I am a " NO" voter, messy!, I had a rare turbo diesel BMW nice top end, and mileage but thats about it. The car was bought buy a guy that flew from the Dominican Republic to South Carolina to get it, dont know why yet, but yet again, the sound, and very messy combustion!

Bumpin' Yota

No i wouldnt, I'd definately test drive it, but I doubt that I'd buy one. I HATE how diesels are low rpm engines, If they would design it to spool up like a gas engines they'd be a lot faster.

I base this off of driving my 'rents 94 chevy 6.5L HO turbo diesel with a 4.10 gear. Also the oil in a diesel is REALLY nasty too in comparison to a gas engine's oil at a 3k mile change.

Injector pumps on the chevys and water pumps on the fords are the achilles heels of their diesel and both cost quite a bit to replace.

Steve

NJ

I'd get a diesel (see sig)

Mack

Diesel fumes make me horny!!!

My patrol boats are all turbo-diesel and I love them!

PirateFins

I vote yes.
But looking at the current economic situation, I would have to really concider buying one. Yes they last 2x's as long and have better fuel mpg, but has anyone looked at the price of desiel fuel lately? Where I live in (WBF) MD right now 92 oct. gas is $1.73/gal and desiel is $1.76/gal anyone see something wrong with that picture? I thought desiel was cheaper to produce than gas because of the less refinement steps, maybe I'm wrong. But I would probably still buy one. As far as being loud, my truck might as well be a desiel, cause I allready sound like one. Valves just keep on knockin no matter how many times I adjust them (re-man 22RE motor w/20k). Actually someone asked me If it was a desiel and I was so embarrased I said yes. Oh well

rowan

around here diesel is about the same as 87 octane.

but then again... 87 octane is 1.71 now.

monkeynuts

i rented an '02 turbo diesel 4x4 4runner in costa rica in dec for about a 10 days. i have to say i was really, really impressed with the torque that it had but......ZERO top end, always shifting (nothing is flat there), kind of stanky, and very loud (thought i was driving a john deere tractor down the street). i did like the eng, but i think that i would rather have my 3.4L

martin

Yes, as long as it is a Caterpillar!!!

Martin

growinseed

Diesel for me definately. You can also run biodiesel which is field proven in many situations, city buses, tractors, and garbage collection. Not only is it less polluting, but it has a higher cetane rating than stardard dino-diesel. Also with a little chemistry you can brew you own fuel from resturant waste cooking oil You also can be completely under water as long as you have a snorkel for yourself and the intake

Nathan

Erich_870

Diesel all the way!!

I would drop a diesel engion into my rig in a heart beat. If I found a rig on a lot some where I would trade mine in on the spot. Biodiesel is the ticket!! You can make it at home with free vegi oil and lye and methinol. Plus you can make your own soap. Anyone seen the Movie Fight Club??? They were making biodiesel, but they didn't know it. They wanted the soap, ie gylcorine. Anyway back on subject. Diesel has the power to crawl/tow and lets face it, if you lift your rig, you shouldn't be driving like a bat out of anyway, too much tipage.

zedex

I owned a 84 toyota extra cab diesel 4x4 for 10 years. Very low maintenance but if something goes wrong may GOD BLESS YOUR WALLET. It was non turbo. I was frequently passed by volkswagon vans. Guttless was an understatement but 45 mpg was the tradeoff.
If the tacoma came with a cummins turbo diesel i would jump on it in a heartbeat. Other than that i think i would stick to gas. I absolutely LOVE diesels but not the toyota. If Cummins got together with toyota i would be in heaven.

Mike06

NO!, just think of the gas.....

PhxTRDRunner

YES!!! I agree it'd have to be turbo'd!!!

delboy

I'd have to say 'Yes'

Bundubasher

I've got a 3.0 L Turbo Diesel 4Runner and I've about 40K in it over the last two years. Now my only gripe is ACCELERATION! From a standing start the diesel engine is slow to pull away, now with all the large roundabouts we have in the UK this can be a very hair-raising experience! Especially when the motorways are full of young jokers in high speed, light weight, compact cars who like to burn rubber!

My only reservation is if they pile into the side of my vehicle! Head on I'd massacre them, but without some good Nerf bars I'd not like someone to run at high speed into my vehicle's side.

But for off roading and overlanding the diesel is great! No electrics to get swamped when wading and an engine tolerant to poor fuel quality. By the way - I run an Optima Red top as my starter battery and the engine starts first time -every time - even in ice/snow conditions.

The 1 KZ-T engine I've got is in quite alot of demand over here and even gets a passable write-up in Chris Scots' "Sahara Overland". Personally I'd go for the 4.0 L non turbo diesel engine that Toyota does in it's 75 series LandCruisers.