Diesel vs Gasoline

NTBKtrader · Intermediate Crude Joined: Oct 19, 2004 Posts: 591

need your thoughts. I have two vehicles one is gasoline and the other runs on diesel. All else being equal which vehicle would i want during post peak?

strider3700 · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:02 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

I'd go with the diesel. It's possible to grow your own oil producing crop which you could then turn into biodiesel to run on. It will be far from easy but it's not impossible given a large enough farm and some relatively simple equipment.

Refining Gasoline is close to impossible on a backyard scale.

Of course if you don't have a farm to grow your own crop to turn into fuel then both come down to availability issues. I expect there will be more diesel around but non critical use access may be really limited.

If you ignore the availability of fuel issue then on a pure life expectancy level I'd also go diesel.
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canis_lupus · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

Diesels last longer.

Also, Strider is correct. In a world without fuel, you'd need some acreage for corn and an oilseed press.

Can you recarburate your gasser for ethanol?

I make my own bd and you never realize how much fuel you use when you put the time and effort into making your own. Depending on where you live, there may be a coop. Join the coop and see if it is something you can/would like to do.

joeltrout · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:51 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

wisconsin_cur · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

A gasoline engine WITH A CARB can be modified to run on ethanol, which is easier to make then bio-diesel. Of course that puts you into 1982 or earlier... A Geo Metro would be a good choice, depending on what you want to use the vehicle for.

I must confess, I understand the theory but have not been able to attack this project yet so I have no real life experience. I'm guessing you would want to keep a few extra carbs on hand.
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JPL · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

Diesels are traditionally very complicated to fix and modern ones are much further along the curve. Also if you are looking at a future of variable grade fuel expect the modern stuff to get gummed up very quickly.

Having said which, you can also run them on domestic heating oil; which gives anyone who has a diesel car & an oil heating tank the option to hoard a lot of motor fuel very quickly (grin).

Personally my ideal PO car would be a 1972 VW Beetle, a serious tool-kit, a large bottle of lead additive, some jerry cans & if all else fails, spare copper sheeting so you can quickly shim out the head gaskets & run a lower compression ratio & a petrol/diesel mix (or anything you can find to put in the tank, basically).

JP

MarkJ · Heavy Crude Joined: Mar 25, 2008 Posts: 152

gollum · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

Diesel fuel stores longer and is safer, also you can mix in a little kerosene in a diesels tank without any harm, and even a small amout of gas (say 1:50) and usually be ok. Older diesels are pretty versitle.

However diesels are harder to start in cold weather. All things being equal I think the ideal combination is a diesel truck and a small gas car.

gollum · Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: Re: Diesel vs Gasoline

Diesel fuel stores longer and is safer, also you can mix in a little kerosene in a diesels tank without any harm, and even a small amout of gas (say 1:50) and usually be ok. Older diesels are pretty versitle.

However diesels are harder to start in cold weather. All things being equal I think the ideal combination is a diesel truck and a small gas car.