Been thinking about a ZAV lately. What has a longer storage life diesel or gasoline? Diesel would be easier to safely transfer. Gasoline would be more readily available after the collapse. Which way would you go?
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Dec. 9, 2011 6:52 p.m. porksboy SuperDork
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:14 p.m. Toyman01 SuperDork
Diesel by far. Keep the water and the fungus from growing in it and it should keep damn near forever.
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:16 p.m. SVreX SuperDork
Diesel. No debate.
A diesel can also run on fermented bio-products, like zombie brains.
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:29 p.m. Toyman01 SuperDork
SVreX wrote:
A diesel can also run on fermented bio-products, like zombie brains.
Nominated for "Say What".
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Dec. 9, 2011 7:54 p.m. vw_jason79 New Reader
I like where this is going.
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Dec. 9, 2011 8:40 p.m. Brotus7 Reader
Diesel XJ. The ultimate ZAV.
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Dec. 9, 2011 9:19 p.m. Hal Dork
porksboy wrote: Gasoline would be more readily available after the collapse.
Question: Diesel and Heating Oil are basically the same?
If so in this area it would be easier to find heating oil than gas. In addition to what would be in the distributors tanks, most houses have ~200 gallons in a tank.
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Dec. 9, 2011 10:36 p.m. Gearheadotaku Dork
I'd head south though. heating oil would be harder to come by, but I wouldn't has to be out in the cold. Someone suggested propane awhile back. BBQ tanks in everyones back yard.
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Dec. 9, 2011 10:49 p.m. curtis73 Dork
Question: Diesel and Heating Oil are basically the same?
More or less. Heating oil is one or two more steps up the hydrocarbon chain so its a bit thicker, but very similar in BTUs and combustion.
Diesels will run on a crapload of fuels. Biofuels can be made from nearly any fat, and (when modified properly) a diesel engine can run on vegetable oil, transmission fluid, kerosene, jet fuel, and Chuck Norris' urine. They tried Chuck Norris' tears, but Chuck Norris doesn't cry.
Its important to remember that the word "diesel" describes the type of engine, not the fuel. "Gasoline" describes the fuel, not the engine. It just so happens that they both have to meet ASTM specs to be dispensed at a pump, so diesel fuel has become the same all over.
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Dec. 10, 2011 12:58 a.m. Sonic Dork
Hal wrote: Question: Diesel and Heating Oil are basically the same?
Back in the day (early 80's), my dad had only diesel cars, a M-B 300SD and a K5 Blazer. In the time of the gas shortages, he had a 20 gallon aux tank put into the Benz, giving it a 1000+ mile range, to avoid having to get gas as often. As he had lived through the gas shortages and wanted to avoid that, on his house (which had electric heat), he had a 250 gallon home heating oil tank installed and filled, so that in the event that there was another shortage, he had a significant supply of diesel available to him on his own terms.
Fortunately, that day never happened, and when he sold the house in 1996, that full tank of HHO was still there.
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Dec. 10, 2011 8:11 a.m. SVreX SuperDork
This is an exact duplicate of the one sitting in the yard at work:
Includes a multi-fuel military diesel engine. Capable of running on virtually anything you are capable of putting in the tank. Used oil, axle grease, goat urine, whatever.
Do I win??
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Dec. 10, 2011 8:49 a.m. Dr. Hess SuperDork
I vote for Diesel as well, for the ultimate ZAV. I mean, stop by a Sam's Club and pick up the big jugs of vegie oil and you're good to go.
If I recall, my 220D book somewhere said it would run on gasoline, if you had to, but at reduced power. With a whopping 46 HP, "reduced power" might have been pretty interesting.
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Dec. 10, 2011 8:56 a.m. Curmudgeon SuperDork
Just make sure your ZAV has the olde skool mechanical injection, the newer piezo systems and the like are somewhat pickier about what they squirt.
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Dec. 10, 2011 3:16 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork
hmmm... good point on home heating oil.
Personally, in the event of a zombie apacolypse.. I think I would stay north. The winter would probably slow them down as they froze solid
