More images of the Subaru Turbo Diesel motor

[evolutionmovement]

Biodiesel is basically waste oil with a form of methane that keeps it from gelling so that it doesn't require a preheater like WVO. Runs exactly the same, if not better, than diesel.

There's plenty of information on the internets about mileages and such that I don't care to copy to here, though EPA numbers aren't always right. I know people who've gotten high 20s in Corvettes, which is only a few mpgs less than my 2.3 Mazda3 driven conservatively (under 80). The point was only that low end torque is more useful for mileage and performance than engine speed capability (except maybe on a racetrack) and how you get it isn't important. People frequently like to attack pushrods as 'old tech' (even though ohc also date back to at least the 1910's), but I think it's a pointless argument when they can work equally well and what I care about is what works not what is supposedly high tech (because it's all dinosaur tech anyway). Since it was brought up, I felt the need to defend it. If someone made a practical steam car, I'd drive that.
But it also ties in with this subject in that the LS engines' characteristics are akin to a diesel in that efficiency increases (aside from diesels better BSFC) due to the ability to run taller gearing, thus reducing engine speed, thus using less fuel.

[555BCTurbo]

Biodiesel is basically waste oil with a form of methane that keeps it from gelling so that it doesn't require a preheater like WVO. Runs exactly the same, if not better, than diesel.

Not really...

Biodiesel is actually created through a process called transesterification (say that 3 times fast ) where the vege or animal fat-based oil is heated and reacted with sodium hydroxide to separate the glycerol from the oil. Obviously it is impossible to remove all of the glycerol, which is what causes gelling at extremely low temperatures. Methanol is also used as a catalyst in many cases...Funnily enough a friend of my father's, whom has been making biodiesel since the 90s, uses Drano as his catalyst.

[evolutionmovement]

Methanol is accepted as the standard, though not the only way to initiate the process. I was giving a basic quick sentence. But you're right, I should've elaborated as what's I wrote is misleading into looking like it's a simple additive when it's used to initiate a process that has to take place before the fuel is used. I just felt too lazy to get into organic chemistry that I don't really understand or care to since I'm not going pre-med.

At any rate, biodiesel is nicely renewable and, most importantly to me, can be run nearly free from an oil infrastructure. When I build my car, I'm going to use vegetable-based motor oil in the crankcase as well. I don't like money going to Big Oil. If only there was a near oil-free tire.

[Aerotech]

I think these new gen motors will help to sway the thinking of the U.S. public. Older drivers still have a bad taste in their mouths from the '80s from those godawful GM diesels and the early VW efforts.
1. Start car
2. wait for shaking to subside
3. floor throttle
4. wait for acceleration to take place {30-40 seconds to 60}
5. observe black cloud in mirrors
I learned to drive on a '81 Diesel Rabbit. In the winter, the dash would shake so hard on startup, you could not hold the wheel without losing teeth.
Younger drivers here really have no experience, unless with a TDi or Benz...
The ability to diconnect from the oil conglomerates with veggie or bio is an added bonus. The clean exhaust technology (particle traps and urea injection {hey, we can just pee in the tank!}) is the icing on the cake. I'm seriously considering the BMW for this fall.

[Murphy]

i wasnt sure if yall knew or not, so i thought i would go ahead and post it.
Subaru has announced plans for the diesel in the US in 2010.
http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/4175

[SubaruNation]

thats too long, why so late?

[evolutionmovement]

Yeah, I'm not keeping my broken wagon in the garage until these engines are affordable for a swap.