Noise from older diesels

bs2014 · 27-01-2014 7:41pm #1

To all ye diesel heads out there like me,

Despite diesel cars today being so much more economical, refined and quiet, does anyone here miss the old characteristics of diesels. Don't get me wrong, I think diesels nowadays are better for the majority of people, but me personally, I think they've lost their charm, if that's what ya can call it.

Ya can't beat the rattles and shakes of a diesel starting up, and the low down torques, none of this having to wait until 2000rpm, while you get lifted out of it pulling onto a roundabout in 2nd gear, even the noise of the turbos on say mk4/mk5 tdi golfs are so much nice, nowadays, they don't have any real noise.

Rant over,
Diesel car head!:)

jimgoose · 27-01-2014 7:48pm

Hup! Zetor 8011 Crystal FTW. :cool:

ofcork · 27-01-2014 7:55pm

I don't think diesel cars are that quiet,in traffic alongside a 2012 astra gtc and was surprised how loud it was.

Leonard Hofstadter · 27-01-2014 8:02pm

They're still noisy, smelly, unrefined, rattly, clattery yokes. Yes they're a lot better than before, but they're still miles behind a petrol engine.

Only difference now is they're a lot faster, but also a lot more unreliable. I'd prefer the old diesels, nobody bought them before so we weren't inhaling sooty cancer causing particulates. More to the point, in the olden days, only people that really needed them bought them, and they were almost impossible to kill.

colm_mcm · 27-01-2014 8:06pm

Used to love the splutter splutter > cloud of smoke when cold starting my old Shogun. Dunno why.
Also have fond memories of a Camry Turbo-D and the whistle when the turbo kicked in complete with little green light on the rev counter.

ofcork · 27-01-2014 8:07pm

Does anyone notice the smell of fumes from some newer diesels when behind them in traffic especially.

MuppetCheck · 27-01-2014 8:52pm

ofcork wrote: »

I don't think diesel cars are that quiet,in traffic alongside a 2012 astra gtc and was surprised how loud it was.

+1

The engine in my one is pretty quiet inside but I was really surprised how noisy it is from the outside. They've obviously put a shed load of sound deadening at the back of the engine bay but it reminded me of an old transit.

Driving a petrol for the first time in a while the other day (and not a nice one either - a well abused underpowered old 1.2) you're instantly hit with a different world of smoothness.

MuppetCheck · 27-01-2014 8:53pm

ofcork wrote: »

Does anyone notice the smell of fumes from some newer diesels when behind them in traffic especially.

Could possibly be dog regenerating. Some smell quite noticeably during the process. Haven't really noticed it myself until someone pointed it out to me one day on a car.

mike65 · 27-01-2014 8:54pm

Trad diesels are like a pair of old shoes, you can't run quickly in em but you are happy to loaf about in them.

DanWall · 27-01-2014 8:59pm

It worries me when I hear of diesels running away on their own fumes and cannot be turned off.

bazz26 · 27-01-2014 9:06pm

A neighbour of mine years ago had an old Ford Sierra 2.3d non turbo. Now that was load and rattled, every time I heard it start I thought it was the dustman collecting the rubbish bin.

Was in an Opel Kadett 1.6d once too and the entire car vibrated when the engine ran. No DMFs back then.