Petrol price protest proceeds

Like a lot of the cunts who are running the NHS. FFS today they were
suggesting that perhaps we ought to look after ourselves. The NHS is
absolutely shite value for money.

 

There's an assumption there that diesel engines are greener than
petrol ones. I'm not sure that that's true, taking into account mpg
and CO2 emissions, where I imagine diesels win, and toxic emissions
and deterioration in performance over time, where I imagine petrol
wins. Anyone know of useful recent studies, for when I next buy a car?

 

It depends. If converting a vehicle (which won't guarantee it being "low
emissions", btw) is prohibitively expensive or you can't use a Morris
Minor or any other vehicle registered before 1973 to do your business in
central London then you have to pay the charge which is £1,000 a day so
no, not difficult just very costly. What they don't tell you on the site
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/lez/default.aspx (that I've found) is
that after the end of next year, small vans such as Escrotes and Astras
will be affected, too. Now while I personally am not affected by this I
can't help wondering what the knock-on effect of pricing and charges for
all sorts of goods and services that rely on trucks and vans will be. I
guess it'll be like the congestion charge when that started; a noticable
difference for the better to begin with but as for the LEZ, I still
wouldn't want to go jogging in central London without the use of a gas
mask even when it has been implemented.

 

Lots of people with diesel 4x4s are going to be hit, too - even
something like a Defender TD5 becomes chargable in 2009.

If I were a cynical man, I'd say this was one of Ken's ways of getting
rid of the 'gas guzzling' 4x4s he hates so much.

 

Bad form but even this isn't a good excuse to leave the Capital even
though I can think of more reasons to leave than stay.

Grr, why did you have to ask me if it was particularly difficult ;-)

 

I'm not.
I'm just curious how important it is to do these things.
I know on waste veggie oil it's needed but wasn't sure about fresh

Only in the UK. The continental octavias can be used on it though they do
have some differences to allow it.

If I was going to go for motoring on the cheap I'd buy an old peugeot 406
and use veg oil in that.

 

I've just done a postcode check and my address is within the zone so
now, not only does it cost me 8 quid to go to the supermarket in the car
during the day but I can't buy myself a van[1] for private (or business)
use now because I'll be hit in the wallet again.

[1] There's always LPG but I can't believe that cash-saving honeymoon
will last long.

 

Diesels win on CO, CO2, mpg and particulate emissions (if the engine is
fitted with a continuously recirculating particulate trap (CRT), as
modern trucks are, but cars, erm, aren't).

You also need to take into account TEWI - Total Equivalent Warming
Impact. In other words, the effect on the environment in simply making
the engine: mining the iron and aluminium ore, smelting, machining,
building, etc. In things like this, long-lived engines (and vehicles)
obviously score. And diesel engines last.

Um, no.

 

That'll probably have something to do with lubricity, which is utterly
crucial on a PD or CR diesel engine.

 

The fine for not paying is £1000 - the daily charge is £200.

The thing is, most working vehicles will be post-2001 and will have
compliant engines already. This just targets dirty old sheds that should be
off the road anyway.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Colin Irvine

<sniff, sniff>

Cor! What's that smell?

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (Fallen apart) Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single"
Norton 850 Commando Kawasaki GTR1400

 

Dr Zoidberg wibbled

Push it in a trolley out of Sainsburys(wherever) and dump it straight
in the tank. I also use Corn Oil, blended veg oil, whatever's cheapest
or on 'special offer'. But find Pura (100% Rapeseed) best overall for
performance.

I wouldn't recommend anyone doing this, however, without some research
into the fuel pump and injectors of the vehicle you want to use it on.
Landrovers, and the 300Tdi engine in mine, are particularly tolerant of
'other' fuels. I'm taking some care in never running with less than a
50% diesel mix, the veg oil has little to no lubricating properties for
engines. It does clean the system, however, and gives a noticeable
increase in power, slightly higher (about 400rpm) revs at the top end
and slightly better mpg.

Cold weather gives a slightly more sluggish start-up, which in reality
means nothing on a Landrover other than having to let the glow plugs
heat twice ...

I've found no other side-effects except for the minor hassle of 1 or 2
litre bottles and the bemused looks from passsers-by when filling up.
When they ask what I'm doing I just say filling the oil tank at
half-price ... I'm currently looking at getting it delivered in
20/50 litre drums, if possible, but I might need to 'become' a company
of some sort.

Have a look on alt.fan.landrovers, there's been some discussions (mine
amongst them) regarding 'alternative' fuels. general as well as
specific to Landrovers and some good pointers to websites for other
cars/vehicles. You'lll need to go back maybe three months.

--
Paul - xxx

'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi 'Big and Butch'
'98 Suzuki DR 200 Djebel 'Small but perfectly formed'
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp "When I feel fit enough'

 

I had this idea that veg oil has very high lubricity but ICBW (maybe
getting confused specifically with castor oil). Veg oil can dissolve
certain types of rubber seal over time.

 

You don't troll me that easily old man

 

This is a very selfish line. You and I may not GAF about the cost but it
is serious for lots of others. Don't give me this environmental line
for a second, the taxation has nothing to do with it.

Sadly my humour was lost on you.

 

Have they diagnosed him with prostate cancer yet?

 

Aye. Vegoil and BD enthusiast though I am, I wouldn't risk a PD or CR
engine with it. Luckily my Tranny is a fairly rare one with the
conventional pump.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

"A scone and tea at half past three
Makes the day a little brighter
Keep your cakes and fancy tarts
And stick them up your shiter."

 

Lubricity varies with the oil, but I wouldn't trust a vegoil to lube the
extremely high pressure parts in a CR system.

BD certainly can attack rubber, but the majority of cars/vans/trucks now
use Viton seals and hoses to counter this.
--
Dave
GS850x2 XS650 SE6a

"A scone and tea at half past three
Makes the day a little brighter
Keep your cakes and fancy tarts
And stick them up your shiter."

 

And in any case, "It's only a tranny".

 

Yes, but then again the Green Nuts have been ignoring that just about
forever.

It still amazes me that they'd postulate that buying a new vehicle is
somehow better than keeping an old one running properly. The keyword
being 'properly', of course.