Not sure...

[Ritchy]

Originally Posted by caled

not just you, the expensive dual mass flywheel gets blown to bits too. And then theres the extremely expensive, coded injectors - I wonder how many miles you need to do in a diesel to offset the cost of a new dual mass flywheel and a new set of coded injectors? As the Ford TDCI engines are now aging, I hear more and more of these issues cropping up. False economy perhaps?
Im getting cynical in my old age, Ive obviously been spending too much time on .org lol.

6 hrs labour for the dual mass plus the parts think ?400 for the flywheel, plus they usually take out the started too lol, mileage depends think 70,000 is the usual mark,
the mondeo diesels injection system usually fails when the lift pump fails sending swarf through the system

off topic slightly but theres about to be a major major amount of recall work going on on the mazda 6 2.2 diesel, timing chains stretching and thats on cars with 4000miles...like vast majority of the 6's are the diesels lol

[stamford]

The small cars of yesterday are the mid-size today. Manufacturers are introducing another car into the range as the small car. I cannot believe the size of the new Astra, how big is that! Each time they get heavier, carry more electronics and SRS systems, no wonder they are slow. We are now cocooned in a safety cell with too many creature comforts and its starting to take away the driving element leaving us somewhat aloof from the real world. Cars that brake for us, park for us, what's next, autopilot?

[mattie007]

A mate of mine has just bought a Astra 1.6 180bhp Turbo. I was expecting near ZS V6 performance but it felt similar to my 120! What's that all about?!
To top it off he's getting 28mpg!

[zsserbia]

Originally Posted by Ritchy

its all about emissions these days, but i think its a bit daft theyre looking at whats coming out the exhaust, but they arent really looking at the amount of extra energy, engineering, expense and emmisions that come into making these systems, egr systems really dont make that much of a difference, however for example on the transit they are forever going wrong...think of the amount of energy is required to make this valve.
then the diesel particulate system on the focus that has the extra tank that has highly toxic fluid in it, that when you refill it you loose so much, do they forget that that needs to get cleaned up and disposed of, and then the process for making it in the first place cant imagine thats too pretty
and worst of all the hybrids, the sulpher mining required to get the stuff for the batterys is horrendous, and the batterys have a service life of 6 years? or something, hmmm very friendly, well atleast the gas coming out the exhaust is clean.
the dpf systems on the mazda puts diesel in on the exhaust stroke when its doing a regen, if it doesn complete it because its a short journey then it keeps on doing it, eventually filling the sump up where if it doesnt get changed it then runs on on the sump oil and destroys the engine, turbo, all the sensors in the exhaust system, and the cat, think of the processes that are needed to create all these components, and they all need replaced because of an emissions system thats just destroyed them all

however the power you actually get out the modern tdci engines is amazing, been driving about in several modern 2 litre diesels and the torque in them just blows you away

All that said, I vote even more for the KERS system, it' s autonomous, thus leading to no failures to the main power plant, it saves the engine, clutch and the drivetrain from stress, it involves no expensive batteries (just a small one) and when put to mass production it may become as cheep as your alternator or starter motor today. Plus it would feel as real wind in the back...
Couldn't agree more that most of the stuff they put into modern diesels are rubbish and certainly NOT cost effective, leading to high expenses once they fail (DMF, electronic injectors, particle filters...) Name it and it may cost a fortune, especially when you purchase a used focus or some other derv...

[peterzs]

Maybe Stamford can help on this one, back in the 1950's Rover brought out a freewheel system.

Never could work out how it worked, but its sounds like the 1st Generation Kers system.

Never took off and dropped by Rover, so I suppose that says it all.

It has always been one of those things you hear about and sticks in the mind.

[stamford]

I wasn't born then Peter!

Maybe they did do something, don't recall it.

[peterzs]

[zsserbia]

1st generation KERS system is to be found in toy cars lol

So versatile and runs perfectly, just fit it in to any toy car. High speed flywheel holds a lot of momentum...

[zsserbia]

If we finally let the kids to use their imagination, the world could be a better place for all of us

[caled]

Originally Posted by zsserbia

If we finally let the kids to use their imagination, the world could be a better place for all of us

I dont fancy having my car dragged back 300 yeards by a 70ft tall toddler just to drive forward a mile