Petrol or Diesel??

Originally Posted by symonh2000

Most recent technologial advances in engines have happened to Diesels. However with the latest generation of new technology petrols from Fiat just around the corner I wouldn't mind betting thet petrols won't be far behind diesels on the economy and performance fronts in the very near future.

Yes, FIATs cam-less engines with electro-hydraulic opening of valves, all timed via the ECU will be a marvel of engineering, but a bugger to fix if it goes wrong

Watch out for Mercedes new compression igntion turbo petrol though. Apparently it has a variable compression ratio, how that works I don't know!

I've had Head Gasket failure on diesels and so have a lot of people I know so would have to disagree with pud on that one. I'm not a mechanical engineer but would have thought that diesels are more prone to head gasket failure than petrol due to the higher compression ?

Cost of head gasket repair on the BX I had was astonishing, over £600 and that was back in the early 90's.

To answer the question though PETROL ! I'll admit to being a Petrolhead as it's a nice sounding expressive name, Dieselhead is quite another matter and sounds quite derogatory and vaguely green welly - ish !

Originally Posted by Nige005

I've had Head Gasket failure on diesels and so have a lot of people I know so would have to disagree with pud on that one. I'm not a mechanical engineer but would have thought that diesels are more prone to head gasket failure than petrol due to the higher compression ?

Cost of head gasket repair on the BX I had was astonishing, over £600 and that was back in the early 90's.

To answer the question though PETROL ! I'll admit to being a Petrolhead as it's a nice sounding expressive name, Dieselhead is quite another matter and sounds quite derogatory and vaguely green welly - ish !

First I've heard about HG on diesels. I know a lot of petrols prone to it, the Rover K Series being one, but I don't know a diesel that will suffer head gasket failure for no reason other than lack of maintenence. I thought diesels had a reputation for being much stronger engines than petrols?

There was a article in car mechanics a couple of months ago, and apparently Pug and Citroen diesels do suffer head gasket issues quite often.

Originally Posted by Pud237

First I've heard about HG on diesels. I know a lot of petrols prone to it, the Rover K Series being one, but I don't know a diesel that will suffer head gasket failure for no reason other than lack of maintenence. I thought diesels had a reputation for being much stronger engines than petrols?

Hiya pud. All I can say is that back in the late eighties a lot of guys I know bought diesels as we were doing long distance commuting and diesel was the way to save a bit of money.

I started off with a 1.6 Escort, least said about that the better ! Then got a 1.9 BX, which was well maintained, and the head gasket failed taking with it the swirl pots and other sundry and expensive items. I also know of failures on the Pug 205, same engine as the BX, some Vauxhalls and on at least one Merc.

Obviously these are now old fashioned and dated engines but the high compression on modern diesels still remain so is it still a potential problem area ?

What I am pretty sure about is that once a Head Gasket does fail you're are in for repeat episodes and I for one would quickly sell any car that has had such a failure, been there too many times to want all the hassle again. The only exception to this was on a Ford 1600 Kent which I rapidly slung a new gasket in one Saturday afternoon and was perfect ever after. Everything else has caused me repeat problems, despite having all the machining done !

One advantage of having a tractor engine is - two weeks ago I was in the south of France and whilst I was going over the Millau Viaduct I experienced a total loss of power, black smoke billowing out of the exhaust and the dash board lit up like a Christmas tree with error codes (MCF, glow plug failure, water in fuel filter) . I thought ******** this looks terminal. I limped to the next service station about 5 K's and called the RAC. Within half an hour a Renault tractor dealer turned up with a tow truck and quickly diagnosed an EGR valve failure and took us to the Alfa dealer in Millau to get a replacement EGR valve. An hour later we were on our way and the old girl feels as good as new, in fact the engine feels and sound like it did when new and I have done almost 100,000 miles in her. The cost was just over 200 euros - a bargain I thought. The mechanic raved over the JTD engine stating it is pretty much bomb proof.

Originally Posted by Chill

The mechanic raved over the JTD engine stating it is pretty much bomb proof.

The JTD is definitely one of the 'good diesels'.. They are so rev happy, my old 2.4 10v revved like a petrol, in fact it was revvier than my brothers petrol Volvo!

Yoohooo - we are petrolheads after all. Look at that 2 to 1 in favour of petrol.

And it smells much nicer too

Originally Posted by vamos

Yoohooo - we are petrolheads after all. Look at that 2 to 1 in favour of petrol.

And it smells much nicer too

You mean the fuel smells nicer or the fumes smell nicer? I reckon the diesel fuel smells nicer myself like..

Petrol smells nicer and the fumes smell nicer. I hate getting diesel on my shoes when filling up and walking it into my car as it stays on the carpets for ages.

It also kills and injures lots of motorcyclists due to spillages from lorries onto the road.

Originally Posted by symonh2000

Petrol smells nicer and the fumes smell nicer. I hate getting diesel on my shoes when filling up and walking it into my car as it stays on the carpets for ages.

It also kills and injures lots of motorcyclists due to spillages from lorries onto the road.

That's lorries though, are you suggesting lorries should switch to petrol?

I would suggest they should maintain their tanks/lines better.

Originally Posted by symonh2000

Petrol smells nicer and the fumes smell nicer. I hate getting diesel on my shoes when filling up and walking it into my car as it stays on the carpets for ages.

It also kills and injures lots of motorcyclists due to spillages from lorries onto the road.

Petrol fumes are much more toxic, you don't want to go smelling those. It's also nastier if you get it on your skin.

Petrol is far dirtier and that is why the road fund licence (or whatever is it called) is going up astronomically for petrol - diesel has a historical problem with sooty deposits (there could be a joke there ) but is far friendlier to the environment as there is a lot less CO2, unless of course you go to those extreme lean burn engines.

Originally Posted by symonh2000

Most recent technologial advances in engines have happened to Diesels. However with the latest generation of new technology petrols from Fiat just around the corner I wouldn't mind betting thet petrols won't be far behind diesels on the economy and performance fronts in the very near future.

I think the petrol heads may end up disappointed as the likely technology will result in petrol/diesel hybrids, such as Mercedes Diesotto and GM's Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition engines

Originally Posted by paintergirl

It depends on what you want. Big mileage = diesel for economy eventually.

I don't do huge miles so a petrol makes more sense (and a nicer noise!)

Ditto

Originally Posted by Mr Dunamis

Petrol is far dirtier and that is why the road fund licence (or whatever is it called) is going up astronomically for petrol - diesel has a historical problem with sooty deposits (there could be a joke there ) but is far friendlier to the environment as there is a lot less CO2, unless of course you go to those extreme lean burn engines.

That really depends on whether you consider CO2 to be environment unfriendly. A lot of plants out there might disagree with you

And the jury is still out on the greenhouse effect

With the exception of decated engines I would argue that petrol is cleaner, and definitely smells nicer - both the fuel and the stuff that comes out the exhaust pipe. Though I do agree, you do not want to hang around there too long