interesting small diesel truck

Byrdman--Gear Venders has made an over/under drive for many years. I have used them on trucks and RV's. They are available for most vehicles, with a little adaption in some cases. You can put the appropiate rear end ratio and get a good boast in performance.

Unfortunately many of the more recent diesels are getting worse mileage (read emissions control--hopefully this will be solved at some point). Dodge Sprinter down about 20%, I hear the same for latest Dodge trucks. Some of the other light trucks have relitatively "new" engines, so may not be comperable.

A couple of years ago, I saw a rig with an Isuzu cab foreward with a relitatively small diesel, which had a utility body and was pulling a 40 foot 5th wheel. The owner told me that it was a little slow over the grades but never dropped below 45 mph--not bad. As I recollect he was getting over 15 miles a gallon.
 
One reason small diesels have been keep out of the US is because they can’t meet current EPA emission standards.
Until the refiners in the US change their ways, diesel fuel well bring a premium at the pump and erase any gains achieved by owning an efficient diesel automobile. Refineries in the US are engineered and designed to produce more gasoline then diesel, the opposite is true in Europe.
So at this point, current economics would seem to dictate that if more diesel vehicles appear on our US highways diesel prices will ski rocket.
Re-tooling of our existing refineries to reflect that of Europe is indicated if we are to switch to a more economical efficient diesel driven society.
 
Have seen lots of local ads for their small tractors. Wish Kubota would make a small diesel truck! Even better, one that my backhoe would hook up to!! :roll: :lol:

Charlie
 
Yes, the price of diesel fuel "will come down." Last summer, I purchased both a Ranger 25 (Cummins 150hp diesel) and a Ford F-350 Super Duty, to pull the Tug, of course. At that moment in California, in Sacramento, diesel was $5.19 a gallon, and I seriously questioned my own sanity.
However, my brother runs a constructions company in San Francisco that tows heavy materials all over the Bay Area, and they swear by hefty Ford diesel trucks, and they convinced me that, when you really need it (steep climbs, extra heavy payloads---read: full tanks of diesel and water on the boat, plus lots of personal stuff in cabinets, curvey downgrades on narrow highways) THEN, you must have extra capacity beyond technical tow ratings and safety standards.
Having towed Blue Bayou over 6 mountain passes above 8000 ft since then, numerous boat ramps, etc. I agree. Meanwhile, the price of diesel in Martinez, CA, is now $2.99. I wasn't crazy, after all.
 
Hey Joe, there was a company working on a diesel powered Kawasaki KLR motorcycle for the US military. The good news is that it is supposed to get almost 100 mpg. The bad news it takes a $5500 motorcycle and turns it into a $17000 motorcycle. Only the good ol' US of A could do that.
 
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