The future of Diesel. Is there one? NF

[Old Ironmaker]

I have a young fella that is the son of a pal that helps me around the property doing odd jobs. A smart and a mature kid beyond his years. He is 17 and is currently doing a co-op with the intent to get his diesel Mechanics licence. Will there be diesel fueled vehicles in 25 years from now? I can't really predict that with the aim to get away from fossil fuels in the near future, especially diesel fueled big rigs but I don't see a long term future if it is up to our Gov.s. I was told when I went into Blast Furnace operations when I was 22 that there will always be Blast Furnaces for the next 100 years. At that time there were 12 operating in Ont. now there are 4 producing almost the same tonnage if not more. In the US only 15% are operating compared to the mid 70's  due to new technology increasing productivity as well as a World glut in Steel supply. 

What do you guys think? 

[BillM]

I don't see diesel going anywhere, anytime soon.     There still is nothing out there that comes close to the entire package (power, efficiency) when we're talking stuff like transports and trains.   Perhaps if we weren't a country that relied so much on long haul transportation,  things would be a bit different.   

[Terry]

Heavy equipment will be using diesel long into the future.    New  diesel cars and trucks 

maybe 10 or 15 more years and then their life span 

[DRIFTER_016]

Don't forget all the ships at sea. 

Tell the kid to get into heavy equipment mechanics he can make a ton of $$$$.

[Snidley]

I just got a Golf diesel wagon. I hope diesel's around for a little while so I can get to the lake this year. Combustion engines should be around for the near future even in passenger cars as despite the urging of greenies the most sensible vehicles still rely on fossil fuel. We will cook as the human race however. I suppose that's a bad tradeoff?

[captpierre]

I’m hearing that new  diesel trucks are a nightmare. With the emission requirement maintenance and sensors often failing and shutting things down, truckers are looking to gasoline engines.  Companies are springing up to refurbish old Diesel engines that are exempt from new emission requirements. Business is booming for them. 

Will electric save the day?

[Old Ironmaker]

He was over this afternoon. He said Diesel actually uses less petroleum to produce than does gasoline. They are developing a hybrid tractor trailer so he says. As far as heavy equipment mechanic he says they primarily work outdoors, diesel mechanics primarily work indoors in a warm or cool clean shop. He is thinking the same way I did when I was in H.S. I worked outdoors more than indoors working weekends in High School and know where he is coming from. I sat in a cold dump truck for 16 hr shifts waiting for a load, contractors weren't allowed in the lunchrooms. That was until they found out my Father was the big boss on days then they let me in the warm lunchroom to do my homework. 

[Snidley]

Nissan/Infinity have just launched a gas engine that essentially uses compression similar to it's use in diesel engines to gain torque and better mileage in a pasenger car, the Altima, and a lux SUV from Infinity. It has been generally well recieved I hear. Working in any industry that utilizes local markets and customers has to be better than going up against Mexico, Asia etc in any way shape or form of business. All of these issues for our kids pale in comparison to the mathmatical reality of deficit finance covering governmental responsibilities however. I read an opinion piece recently where the author used the latest US Federal financial status report that illustrated, convincingly for me, that the actual US Federal deficit is actually $ 75 Trillion. That's considerably more than the worlds total GDP and if it's that bad in the USA it's likely far worse here as we allow our provinces to run annual deficits, and they DOOOOOO. Big time. That bombshell will have to be addressed at some time in our kid's future and it dwarfs all else IMO.

[BillM]

1 hour ago, captpierre said:

I’m hearing that new  diesel trucks are a nightmare. With the emission requirement maintenance and sensors often failing and shutting things down, truckers are looking to gasoline engines.  Companies are springing up to refurbish old Diesel engines that are exempt from new emission requirements. Business is booming for them. 

Will electric save the day?

Buddy owns a Ecodiesel, besides a new MAP sensor he's thrilled with it.   

[OhioFisherman]

When I first started driving a truck back in the early 1970's you still saw some gasoline powered trucks, mostly straight trucks and city tractors. Some of the companies I worked for had Ford tractors with a 460 Ford engine and one had Dodge tractors with a 440 Chrysler engine. Both of those engines were over 300 hp, but if you put them up against a 300 hp Cummings in a tractor?  The Cummings diesel could probably pull them both whether they wanted to be pulled or not.

I don't see any solution to long haul transportation that is going to be viable any time soon, and even for farming, construction, sea power? Diesel is the most cost effective method of power.

The Engine That Powers the World - Diesel Engine Documentary - YouTube

[BillM]

2 hours ago, Snidley said:

Nissan/Infinity have just launched a gas engine that essentially uses compression similar to it's use in diesel engines to gain torque and better mileage in a pasenger car, the Altima, and a lux SUV from Infinity. It has been generally well recieved I hear. Working in any industry that utilizes local markets and customers has to be better than going up against Mexico, Asia etc in any way shape or form of business. All of these issues for our kids pale in comparison to the mathmatical reality of deficit finance covering governmental responsibilities however. I read an opinion piece recently where the author used the latest US Federal financial status report that illustrated, convincingly for me, that the actual US Federal deficit is actually $ 75 Trillion. That's considerably more than the worlds total GDP and if it's that bad in the USA it's likely far worse here as we allow our provinces to run annual deficits, and they DOOOOOO. Big time. That bombshell will have to be addressed at some time in our kid's future and it dwarfs all else IMO.

I'm surprised that Nissan/Infiniti is still in business with the garbage they've been putting out for the last 10 years.   And those CVT transmissions?  Shoot me.   Ex gf owned a Murano, what a steaming pile of crap that thing was.  

The new engine is a variable compression engine, it will be interesting to see how it performs in the real world.  Great idea, hopefully they can make it work.

[AKRISONER]

4 hours ago, BillM said:

Buddy owns a Ecodiesel, besides a new MAP sensor he's thrilled with it.   

hate mine...already plugged it up once, luckily that one was under warranty...im screwed the next time it happens. 

Still no reputable companies making a delete and reflash for them yet either....im waiting patiently.

[kickingfrog]

Diesels are efficient and last. I wonder when the scales tip and the alternative powered vehicles become the majority, if the fossil fuel motors that persist are diesels rather than gasoline.

I had a cvt Altima for 7 years and had zero issues with it. My wife has had a pathfinder for only 8-9 months so we'll see what happens there.

[BillM]

41 minutes ago, AKRISONER said:

hate mine...already plugged it up once, luckily that one was under warranty...im screwed the next time it happens. 

Still no reputable companies making a delete and reflash for them yet either....im waiting patiently.

Lots of kits out there..  Those ECUs require bench flashing if I'm not mistaken.   

[AKRISONER]

9 hours ago, BillM said:

Lots of kits out there..  Those ECUs require bench flashing if I'm not mistaken.   

Ya every kit requires you to send your ECU off for reprogramming. I spoke to the diesel doctors in acton and they won’t do the flip on the eco diesels. They say that the kits that are out are all garbage and aren’t from reputable enough companies that they would back the work that they would do doing the conversion. That told me a lot.

[LeXXington]

I don't think there will be a Diesel car in the future.    

Regardless, these days you never train for one thing and hope it last until retirement.

Right now that is an amazing skill and training. Do it!~

[Lape0019]

in 25 years, I am of the opinion that you won't see many passenger vehicles that will be diesel. There is a rather large push to electric vehicles right now and I think they will probably takeover in North America as the leading vehicle type within the next 10-15 years. Too many companies are putting funds into EV right now for that not to be the case.

But... I think they are much further away to completing a Transport truck style vehicle that is electric. I believe Tesla is working on one but it will take some time to get figured out and even more time for people to trust them.

Then you have what everyone else is saying, there will be diesel for tractors and sea. possibly generators for quite some time.

[Old Ironmaker]

Off topic but we had a 07'Nissan Altima with the 3.8lt. close to 300 HP. My wife put over 300,000 KM on it until that CVT tranny failed. A pile of scrap that looked like a new car. 

[davey buoy]

I have a Nissan Exterra 07 with 409 km on it ,daily 200-300 kms a day ,burns no oil,awesome truck.The rare offroad ,6 speed standard

Edited April 10, 2019 by davey buoy

[kickingfrog]

Doesn't take much to get a diesel to run on cooking oil.

[Fisherman]

This is another alternative that's looking really good. https://www.gladstein.org/the-potential-and-challenges-of-renewable-diesel-fuel-for-heavy-duty-vehicles/

[BillM]

6 hours ago, kickingfrog said:

Doesn't take much to get a diesel to run on cooking oil.

You won't get anything but a old rotary pump diesel to burn that garbage.  Nothing current would without destroying the fuel system.

[colin519]

I just started a business a year ago so I've been thinking a lot about the future and skills needed. I would say that if I were doing a trade or hiring a trade position I would want to add a soft skill. Learn some programming or a bit of robotics engineering theory so you have some flexibility to improve your skills and specialization. Just remember you're not aiming to be a diesel mechanic, you're aiming to have people work for you while you smoke cigars and fish. 

 

My 2 cents, good luck! 

[Tybo]

The only thing that is going to  disappear with diesels in the near future is the operators.

[jimmer]

My son was going through to be a diesel mechanic and worked at it for about 3 years, then just up an quit. Said it was tough, monotonous work. He is an arborist now and loves being outside at a different location every day.