High mileage: I'm waiting for a diesel hybrid. Today's gas engines go a long
way as well. Our '86 Mercury Grand Marquis, small block V8 died at 260,000
miles, motor still going strong. Our '96 Explorer, same small block V8,
still going strong at 235,000 miles ago. Many years ago when Taxis were
mostly Plymouths, I asked the driver how long they kept them. He said
400,000 miles, but they put in a short block at about 250,000. Today's Taxi
is a Mercury, Lincoln or Ford and the owner happens to drive me to the
airport. He says they keep them about 3 years and up to 500,000 miles. He
says they have virtually no problem with the engines, other than the usual
little things. He also said, somewhat to my surprise, that the transmissions
go that far as well. He has a fleet of 18 cars. Of course, I read a long
time ago that 90% of engine wear occurs in the first minute as the oil gets
distributed and keeping them at operating temperature most of the time, like
Taxis do, helps a lot.
Brian
> From: <nogera2@att.net>
> Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:05:31 -0600
> To: Shop Talk <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
> Subject: [Shop-talk] Diesel vs. gas engines
>
> I was just reading a newsletter sent out by a local car radio show host (who
> pimps for some local dealers). In discussing Diesel engines in cars he lists
> one of the advantages as the fact the engine will last up to 500,000 miles.
> I remember reading some time ago that the legendary long life of Diesel
> engines was not the fuel type but rather that truck manufactures built
> Diesel engines to very high tolerances and designed the basic engine, at
> much higher cost, for long life given the high mileage and type of use it
> will receive. That diesels used in automobiles are built to the same
> standards as regular engines and should last only as long as a normal
> gasoline engine.
>
> Given the conflicting information I now turn to the source I know I can
> trust, are the diesel engines used in cars as long lived as the
> tractor-trailer engines? ( Of course lets discount the diesels GM made for
> car use in the 1980s, we know they were all bad).
>
> Bob
> ____
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