Wrong Fuel Chokes Presidential Limo 612
An anonymous reader writes "Fueling your car with the wrong type of fuel happens even to POTUS. This happens when you put gasoline instead of diesel in the tank. ...." And Yes, the presidential limo really is a diesel. What about clean, renewable solar?
Um... (Score:5, Informative)
The link is to a story which says the correct fuel was used.
Happened to me (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So, uh... (Score:4, Informative)
Not so. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Um... (Score:4, Informative)
I am an American. I've got a diesel VW Jetta Sportwagen with about 50,000 miles. I'm getting about 44 MPG (combined city highway) during the summer, about 39 during the winter. I do not have large batteries that will need to be recycled or tossed into a landfill next year. My pollutants spewed per mile are lower than a petrol engine.
I previously had a Hyundai Elantra (a petrol car that is not bad on fuel consumption). When I bought the new diesel, my fuel bill dropped almost in half.
The pickup on my diesel is good. Very nice torque. I did make sure to put a nice bright yellow sticker on the outside of my gas tank cover stating Diesel Only. There's another provided by VW on the inside.
I would strongly recommend anyone to buy a diesel. They are great cars.
Re:So, uh... (Score:5, Informative)
Actually it's the reverse.
Diesel engines actually have the broader range of fuels that can be used. Generally, as long as the engine can generate enough pressure to achieve ignition via compression heating, the fuel can be used. Putting gas in isnt actually bad for the engine; it simply lacks the ability to achieve combustion via compression pressures usually found in automotive diesel motors. Gasoline is actually "designed", so to speak, to not combust due to compression, for reasons stated below. so its not harmful, it just simply doesnt run with much power, if at all.
Technically gasoline engines can theoretically use diesel or other fuels if its volatile enough, and the proper air/fuel mixture can be achieved, but the risk is that the fuel is combusted early. ie, not by the spark plug, but the compression cycle itself before the timing cycle can light the sparkplug, which causes engine knock, power loss, and can destroy the engine cylinder eventually. So while the fuel achieves ignition, its not desireable ignition. which is why refined gasoline was developed to have a really really high heat of compression so that it wouldnt combust intil its supposed to.
"Diesel fuel" is actually simpler to produce than gasoline as well, requiring less refinement. Big marine diesels use fuel that is essentially almost basic crude. the major disadvantage is that being less refined the fuel is more prone to gelling in cold temperatures (more viscous components in the molecules).
Re:Diesel? (Score:4, Informative)
Here's sort of an abstract that points to another report.
http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/08/real_world_emp_effects_on_moto.html [survivalblog.com]
It is not true that cars are completely immune, but most vehicles (90%) only show minor anomalous behavior like blinking indicators, and when the cars do stall, they can be restarted immediately.
This could cause accidents, of course, but won't paralyze land transport.
Re:Um... (Score:5, Informative)
Old truck driver here. Drivers use "fuel" in their trucks. Motorists use "gas". Brits use "petrol". Maybe you should get to know some truck drivers. Like rherbert, I've never heard an American use the term "petrol". Not on the east coast, not on the west coast, and nowhere in between. The only person in recent memory to use the word, is an imported guy from England. We mostly keep him around to laugh at. When his jokes run out, his accent is still hilarious.
Re:Um... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So, uh... (Score:4, Informative)
WHOA! Gasoline will ignite due to compression at far LOWER ratios than what is produced in an automotive diesel engine! What do you think knock is?! It's autoignition occurring too soon. This is what occurs when the octane rating is too low - high octane gas is for higher cylinder pressure engines and actually is HARDER to ignite. Pump grade gas ignites fairly easily.
A diesel engine may have a 15:1 or higher compression ratio, gasoline auto engines seldom go above 12:1 unless they're running Nitro or pure Meth alcohol. Passenger gasoline engines run 11:1 or so tops.
Gasoline in a diesel engine is BAD news. It will ignite from the compression very early in the compression cycle while the piston is still rising and beat the crap out of the ring lands and bearings. I disagree that gasoline isn't volatile enough to ignite, it's TOO volatile! Your first paragraph gets it wrong, the rest I agree with - you appear to contradict yourself.
Re:Um... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Um... (Score:5, Informative)
Well if you live in a big city, you are probably familiar with seeing boots on vehicles when you don't pay the parking tickets.
That means something else here.
UK - US vehicle terms
Car - Auto[mobile]? (is "auto" old-fashioned?)
Lorry - Truck
Campervan - Motorhome
Pavement - Sidewalk
Car park - Parking lot
Petrol station (or filling station, service station) - Gas station
Railway - Railroad
Tram - Streetcar
Bogie - Truck
[Railway] Truck - [Rail] Wagon
Metro / underground [train] - Subway [train]
Boot - Trunk
Bonnet - Hood
Wheel clamp - Boot
Bumper - Fender
Windscreen - Windshield
Tyre - Tire
I'm sure I could think of more, but that'll do...