Re: Pulling Power

["Bill Thebert" <bthebert@domain.elided>]

Tom:

Bill <-- well aware of the stump-pulling power of the big diesels.

In fact, I just bought an F-250 with the 7.3-liter diesel in it.  It's a
non-PowerStroke from 1990, but it has an aftermarket Gale Banks
turbocharger kit added on.

A work colleague was shopping for a NEW Ford, and presented me with the
following numbers from the sales brochure:

5.9-liter Triton V-8 (gasoline)  =  300 ft-lbs torque max.
7.3-liter PowerStroke (diesel) = 500 ft-lbs torque max.

What he overlooked at first glance (and what I omitted above) was WHERE
these max torque values occurred.  When pulling a heavy trailer away from a
stop, you're going to be turning 1000 - 1500 engine RPMS at *most*.

The gas V-8 makes 300 ft-lbs only at 3,000 RPMS.  Probably half that at
1,000.  Heck, it hardly takes any torque at all to KEEP you rolling at 60
mph once you've reached 3,000 rpms.

In contrast, the diesel made its 500 ft-lb max at only 1600 RPMs -- down
where you need it for pulling away from a stop.  This makes the diesel 3-4
times "torquier" (is that a word, John H?) than the gas motor where it
counts.  

Bill

----------
> From: Tom Harais <tjhemh@domain.elided>
> To: John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>; Bill Thebert
<bthebert@domain.elided>; ihc@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: Pulling Power
> Date: Thursday, December 10, 1998 1:12 PM
> 
> Folks:
> 
> If you're going to start graphing and comparing torque curves on the
basis
> of broadness, earliness and suitability for trailer towing, then you need
> to throw in the new Cummins turbo diesel or the Navistar 6.9 with direct
> injection or maybe one of those "alternative" diesel pullers, just for
> reference.
> 
> The 392 vs 345 might make you go, "wow!", but the 500 or 600 ft lbs of
> these other beasts will make you says "damn".
> 
> Now let's be fair.
> 
> Tom H.