4 Reasons a Diesel Truck Is Wrong For You

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Diesel trucks have a long-standing reputation for providing more power, reliability, and towing capabilities, but this doesn’t mean diesel is always better for everyone. There are actually several reasons why a person may not benefit from what diesel trucks provide. 

1. If you hate noisy diesel trucks

Diesel | Getty Images

According to Trusted Choice, diesel-powered engines have always been considered bumpy and noisy, which could be why many Americans declined to buy one when they were first introduced. These days, diesel engines don’t produce as much ruckus, but they are still less smooth and quiet than cars with petrol engines. 

People who enjoy hearing their engine roar and don’t mind a bumpier ride may find that diesel engines better suit their wants and needs in a truck. In fact, some people purposely seek out diesel engines because they like showing off their trucks with loud noises and revved engines. For others, the drawback of a noisier vehicle is completely offset by the superior performance and towing capacity of a diesel-powered truck. 

2. If you dislike strong diesel truck smells

Although some people enjoy the smell of gasoline, not everyone is a huge fan of the scent. Diesel is even more controversial in terms of smell, as it produces a much stronger and long-lasting odor. Diesel that gets on clothes or other fabrics can spread the scent to other fabrics in the washing machine, and it can be nearly impossible to get out. 

If you don’t like the strong diesel smell, that may be enough reason to choose a petrol truck instead. You’ll likely be exposed to the smell several times per month when fueling up. If the smell doesn’t bother you that much, or you actually enjoy the sharp smell of diesel fuel, you may be happier with that type of engine. 

3. If you don’t like spending more on fuel

According to Capital Reman Exchange, diesel-powered engines tend to last a bit longer than petrol-powered ones, often getting up to 1,000,000 or more miles before kicking the bucket. A longer lifespan is a compelling reason to invest in a diesel-powered truck, but diesel itself tends to be much more expensive than regular gasoline. 

Throughout the course of your vehicle’s life, this can result in thousands of additional dollars spent on fuel. Indeed, diesel engines tend also to be more fuel-efficient. Still, a diesel engine’s significantly higher starting price means that it will take much longer to break even from the increased fuel efficiency.

Additionally, not every gas station has diesel available, especially in large cities or outlying areas, making long-distance driving less feasible than gasoline-powered rides. 

4. If you live in very cold climates

Much like their reputation for being noisier than gas-powered vehicles, diesel engines have been notoriously ill-equipped regarding cold weather in the past. Many truck manufacturers have added extra features to help a diesel truck start in frigid weather. However, some diesel models still can’t handle temperatures close to or below zero degrees Fahrenheit. 

There are a few strategies one can use to keep their diesel-powered engine running decently in frigid weather. Still, these vehicles generally don’t perform as well as gas-powered vehicles once the thermometer drops well below freezing. 

The bottom line

These are just a few reasons why a diesel truck may be wrong for you, and the decision between a diesel and petrol truck isn’t always a straightforward one. There are plenty of pros and cons one must weigh, and only you can decide which is best for you given what you intend to do with it. 

RELATED: The Least Reliable Diesel Pickup Trucks According to Consumer Reports

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What Caused the Death of the Rotary Engine?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Wankel rotary engine is no more. This will likely disappoint its many fans, who appreciated the power it packed in a compact frame. But although the rotary engine had several advantages, it also faced some challenges that ultimately led to its demise. Let’s take a closer look at this engine, which had been with us in some form going all the way back to 1964 and ended with the 2011 Mazda RX-8. 

What is a rotary engine? 

Rotary Engine | Getty Images

The Wankel rotary engine was named after its inventor, Felix Wankel, who worked throughout the 1950s to develop a new engine: one that wasn’t based on cylinders and pistons. As Car Throttle explains, what Wankel came up with worked similarly to the traditional engine but with a couple of key differences. Instead of operating with pistons, it used a triangular rotor and oval-shaped housing instead of cylinders. 

In this setup, the rotor revolves around the housing. A small pocket of air expands into a larger pocket to create a vacuum as part of this process. Air and fuel are injected into this vacuum through the intake ports in the combustion chamber, where the air and fuel mixture is compressed against the flat side of the housing. Two spark plugs ultimately ignite this combustible mixture, after which the exhaust gases are forced out at high pressure. 

Why did it disappear?

The rotary engine provides an impressive amount of power and cars that use it can be quite fun to drive. However, the engine does present some challenges. These contributed to their demise. 

Car Throttle tells us that one particular problem that may ultimately have led to the engine’s disappearance had to do with the law. When the RX-8, the last car to use a rotary engine, could not meet Euro 5 emissions regulations, Mazda had to stop selling the car in Europe after 2010. 

Certain design issues also didn’t help. Drive Tribe, for example, mentions the engine’s low thermal efficiency due to its long combustion chamber and unburnt fuel making it to the exhaust resulting in backfires. Uneven temperatures in the combustion chamber could also lead to problems with the rotor sealing. 

As if these problems weren’t challenging enough, these engines also tended to guzzle oil, as it was injected directly into the combustion chamber to aid lubrication.  And the rotary engine’s fuel economy wasn’t much better. 

Because these engines were so rare, it could be hard to find parts for repair. It could be equally hard to find a mechanic with the knowledge needed to work on them. With all of these challenges, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this engine died out. 

Nevertheless, we do have to note that the rotary engine is making a reappearance of sorts for 2022. It will be used in its next EV not as a primary engine but as a range extender for the MX-30—definitely, something to keep in mind for those mourning the loss of their favorite engine. 

What are the advantages? 

Though the rotary engine never overtook the more traditional engine in terms of popularity, it did offer some unique advantages. Car Throttle has broken a number of them down for us. 

First on the list was its size. The Mazda RX-7’s rotary engine, for example, only took up about one cubic foot of volume, an advantage for a smaller car.

One could argue in this case that simpler is better. With fewer moving parts, there was much less that could go wrong. After all, the rotary engine really only had three main moving components to keep running. 

Also worthy of praise was the rotary engine’s smooth operation. The constant rotation of the rotor contrasted with the jolts created by the back-and-forths of the valves and pistons in a traditional engine. 

RELATED: A More Reliable Mazda RX-8 Could Be a Small Modification Away

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Biden Wants Union Made EVs, but the Chevy Bolt Is the Only One Made in the U.S.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It’s infrastructure week, and part of President Biden’s plans is to make sure driving an EV is something any American can do. This means many things, and one of the biggest investments will be in charging infrastructure around the country. That said, while President Biden wants more EVs in America, he also wants those EVs to be made by unions in America, like the Chevy Bolt.

Automakers are pivoting to EVs, but many don’t use union labor

Chevy Bolt

A lot of automakers from around the world have recently announced their EV plans for the future. Many, for example, have set a target date of 2030.  Plans will vary depending on the automaker, but they are all driving toward the same destination.

With that being said, while big American automakers like Ford and Tesla are producing EVs, those EVs are either not being made by union labor, or Americans are not making them. Tesla, which does make EVs in America, does not use union labor to make those EVs. Ford, on the other hand, does use union labor to make some of its cars. However, not all Fords are built by union hands.

According to Green Car Reports, Ford’s only EV right now, the Mustang Mach-E, is built in Mexico. As such, Ford doesn’t use union labor for the Mach-E right now. This is a similar story for other automakers, according to Green Car Reports. The Nissan Leaf is built in Tennessee, but it doesn’t use union labor. The Volkswagen ID.4 is built by unions, but unions in Germany.

The Chevy Bolt is the exception, for now

Green Car Reports said that the only EV made by an American auto union is the Chevy Bolt. It’s built by General Motor’s plants in Michigan, and GM isn’t afraid to brag about it. Like Green Car Reports wrote, the Chevy Bolt comes with a sticker that mentions where the Bolt was assembled and by whom.

But, while the Bolt is currently the only EV made by American unions, it won’t be in the future. Green Car Reports said that, shortly, EVs like the Ford F-150 Lightning, GMC Hummer EV, and Chevy Silverado EV would all be built in Michigan as well. On top of that, President Biden wants to encourage automakers to build more EVs with American unions with some incentives.

Green Car Reports said that one of the proposals President Biden is supporting is expanding the federal EV tax credit. There will no longer be a 200,000 unit sales cap, and the tax credit will be expanded by $5,000. The expansion will have two parts. EVs made in America will get an additional $2,500 credit, while EVs made by unions will get another $2,500. As such, EVs made in America by unions can be $12,500 cheaper.

Great news for the Chevy Bolt and other Chevy EVs

While some EVs are affordable, many Americans are still waiting for EVs to be even cheaper. If that proposal becomes a reality, then EVs can become very cheap. For example, the Bolt currently gets 259 miles on a single charge, but it still costs $31,000 before any incentives. If those incentives pass, then a brand-new Bolt can cost $18,500.

This proposal would help the Chevy Bolt EUV, which is a bigger version of the Bolt. The Bolt EUV gets about 247 miles on a single charge, but it’ll cost $34,000. Including the max incentive, the Bolt EUV can cost $21,500 instead. Plus, while the Bolt is an affordable EV, it also has advanced features, such as GM’s Super Cruise technology. So overall, these proposals would do wonders for the Bolt and the Bolt EUV.

RELATED: The 2021 Chevy Bolt Just Killed the 2021 Porsche Taycan on Consumer Reports

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The Best Audi Engines Have Five Cylinders

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Though Audi wasn’t the only automaker to produce a five-cylinder gasoline powertrain, they were actually the first. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, this unconventional engine demonstrated its effectiveness many times over, in the crucible of motorsports. Among enthusiasts, the format has developed a following for its smooth yet ample power, durability, and truly unique sound.

Why did Audi make a five-cylinder engine?

The first 2.1-liter 10v Audi five-cylinder gasoline engine from 1976 | Audi

In 1976, Audi introduced the world’s first gasoline five-cylinder engine in a production car. The number of pistons wasn’t an arbitrary decision, but one of necessity according to Peter Leitner, who designed the original engine at Audi. Endeavoring to make more power than its four-cylinder motors allowed, the company’s engineers ran into a problem. German laws had very specific requirements when it came to engine building.

“They had a cylinder distance – was very long-time strict law – it was 88 millimeters said Ulrich Baretzky, Audi Sport Head of Engine Development. “And 88 millimeters didn’t allow you to make a very big bore, so the only way to make a larger capacity of an engine was to add a cylinder or two.”

With the available space, adding two cylinders wasn’t optimal, so they decided to add just one to the EA827 inline-four. The result was a 2.1-liter five-cylinder with 136 hp in its original naturally-aspirated form. As time went on, the need for even more power led Audi to apply the latest 1970s fad: turbocharging.

Inline-fives and quattro AWD shake up the racing world

1995 Audi RS2 ADU Engine
1995 Audi RS2’s ADU 2.2-liter inline-five turbo engine | National Motor Museum/Heritage Images via Getty Images

With forced induction, the Audi inline-five really came into its own. Power jumped to 170 hp, with 195 lb-ft of torque, in the flagship 1979 Audi 200 5T. About the same time, the company was perfecting its revolutionary quattro all-wheel drive coupe. With turbocharged and intercooled inline-fives now making over 200 hp, Audi entered the World Rally Championship in 1980.

By 1982, Audi won the manufacturer’s title and one year later Hannu Mikkola drove the quattro to a WRC driver’s championship as well. At the end of its stage rally career in 1986, the turbo inline-five was making nearly 600 hp with an improved DOHC 20v cylinder head. Audi developed the engine further in road racing, where the 200 Trans-Am and IMSA 90 GTO made as much as 720 hp. All the while, engine displacement never went above 2.2 liters.

Meanwhile, production cars like the Audi S2, S4, and S6 were also using the improved 20v turbo inline-five. It was under-stressed and hardly broke a sweat at 227 factory hp. With a performance ECU tune, exhaust, and intake 300 hp was easily attainable on the stock K24 turbo. The ultimate version came in collaboration with Porsche, on 1995’s RS2 Avant. Sporting a larger turbo, injectors, and upgraded cams, the RS2 wagon made 315 hp and did 0-60 in 4.8 seconds. After ending production of the 20v AAN motor with the S6 in 1997, Audi took a break from inline-fives.

Does Audi still make a five-cylinder?

Thankfully, the company revived the format in 2009 with the TT RS, which received a new 2.5-liter variant with 340 hp. Since then, Ingolstadt has continued to produce the five-cylinder and the latest version in the 2022 RS 3 is making over 400 hp. Because engineers kept the original 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, the new ones have even retained the signature engine note so beloved by Audi fans.

RELATED: New Audi RS 3 Sets Nürburgring Lap Record in Compact Class

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