Comments on: The Most Eco-Friendly Half Ton Truck Engines http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/ Toyota Tundra News, Reviews, Accessories, and Information Fri, 19 Mar 2010 18:22:25 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: mk http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9161 mk Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:58:33 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9161 Doesn't matter, the Tundra has the best engine/tranny available for the best possible price factoring in mpg, hp/torque, performance, and driveability/braking (among other things) - end of conversation - agree? Doesn't matter, most of us have driven the rest and the Tundra is the best! Doesn’t matter, the Tundra has the best engine/tranny available for the best possible price factoring in mpg, hp/torque, performance, and driveability/braking (among other things) – end of conversation – agree? Doesn’t matter, most of us have driven the rest and the Tundra is the best!

]]> By: Admin (Jason) http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9123 Admin (Jason) Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:15:00 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9123 Mike - I like your idea. Testing the trucks with a 5,000 lbs trailer on each and then measuring the mpg would be a good test. My guess is that the biggest displacement motors would do best. The only problem with that metric is that towing isn't really a normal use either. Most trucks spend just a few days a year towing a trailer. The rest of the time, they're relatively un-taxed. I think the answer is that we still haven't found the best metric...but I appreciate your input. Maybe next year we'll do something bigger. Mike – I like your idea. Testing the trucks with a 5,000 lbs trailer on each and then measuring the mpg would be a good test. My guess is that the biggest displacement motors would do best. The only problem with that metric is that towing isn’t really a normal use either. Most trucks spend just a few days a year towing a trailer. The rest of the time, they’re relatively un-taxed. I think the answer is that we still haven’t found the best metric…but I appreciate your input. Maybe next year we’ll do something bigger.

]]> By: Mike http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9112 Mike Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:45:49 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9112 It does have to be weighted against what it can do, but you're using the CO2 data that was measured doing nothing (other than moving itself). That's the problem. If you want to rank them in terms of emissions vs. capability, you would actually need to run the EPA test with a trailer (sized relative to the power output) to get valid numbers. If you want to rank TVs in terms of power consumption vs. picture area, you can't just take their stand-by power consumption and divide by picture area. If you did that, the largest TV would probably win, because the large screen helps its numbers, even though it's not drawing any power in stand-by mode. Same deal with the trucks. The high hp rating boosts the HP/CO2 numbers but you're not making it work any harder than a low-powered truck in the EPA test. That said, the numbers are still useful to compare similar trucks with similar power outputs. You just can't use them to compare a 300 hp truck to a 400 hp truck. It does have to be weighted against what it can do, but you’re using the CO2 data that was measured doing nothing (other than moving itself). That’s the problem. If you want to rank them in terms of emissions vs. capability, you would actually need to run the EPA test with a trailer (sized relative to the power output) to get valid numbers.

If you want to rank TVs in terms of power consumption vs. picture area, you can’t just take their stand-by power consumption and divide by picture area. If you did that, the largest TV would probably win, because the large screen helps its numbers, even though it’s not drawing any power in stand-by mode. Same deal with the trucks. The high hp rating boosts the HP/CO2 numbers but you’re not making it work any harder than a low-powered truck in the EPA test.

That said, the numbers are still useful to compare similar trucks with similar power outputs. You just can’t use them to compare a 300 hp truck to a 400 hp truck.

]]> By: Admin (Jason) http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9110 Admin (Jason) Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:29:11 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9110 Jeremy - Well said. Jeremy – Well said.

]]> By: Admin (Jason) http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9108 Admin (Jason) Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:27:03 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9108 Mike - I see your point. Honestly, the metric here gave me a little trouble. I looked at towing capacity per ton of CO2, payload capacity per ton of C02, and even 0-60 time per ton of C02. The problem with those figures is that they were all very dependent on configuration. Ford has a 5.4L F150 they claim can haul 3,000 pounds if you buy the ultra-heavy suspension. Dodge says that they've under-rated their towing and hauling rating because of their coil rear suspension. All trucks have different ratings depending on the package/cab/etc. Ultimately, I think there's no ONE metric that works. However, if you consider that a) trucks need power and b) the total amount of C02 produced has to be weighted against what a truck can "do," the data seems to fit. If nothing else, I think it shows that the HEMI 5.7 is an efficient engine for it's size. Mike – I see your point. Honestly, the metric here gave me a little trouble. I looked at towing capacity per ton of CO2, payload capacity per ton of C02, and even 0-60 time per ton of C02. The problem with those figures is that they were all very dependent on configuration. Ford has a 5.4L F150 they claim can haul 3,000 pounds if you buy the ultra-heavy suspension. Dodge says that they’ve under-rated their towing and hauling rating because of their coil rear suspension. All trucks have different ratings depending on the package/cab/etc. Ultimately, I think there’s no ONE metric that works. However, if you consider that a) trucks need power and b) the total amount of C02 produced has to be weighted against what a truck can “do,” the data seems to fit. If nothing else, I think it shows that the HEMI 5.7 is an efficient engine for it’s size.

]]> By: Jeremy the Mad Hatter http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9104 Jeremy the Mad Hatter Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:29:44 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9104 THE VEYRON IS AMERICAS GREENEST CAR! This is a great day. Lets think. Trucks are made to haul things. Things are heavy and require power (Force) to move them. The more power you can make per ton of CO2 the farther you can move the heavy thing for the same carbon hogwash. Sounds like a good benchmark to me. I understand that there is a break point to that and overkill comes into play but that is another story. Really, can you ever have TOO much power? Broo ha ha ha ha ! THE VEYRON IS AMERICAS GREENEST CAR! This is a great day.

Lets think. Trucks are made to haul things. Things are heavy and require power (Force) to move them. The more power you can make per ton of CO2 the farther you can move the heavy thing for the same carbon hogwash. Sounds like a good benchmark to me. I understand that there is a break point to that and overkill comes into play but that is another story. Really, can you ever have TOO much power?

Broo ha ha ha ha !

]]> By: Mike http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9103 Mike Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:07:25 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9103 Jason, it's true that bigger engines need more fuel(=emit more CO2), but it's not a 1:1 relationship. An engine that makes twice as much power doesn't need twice as much fuel, because it's performing the same work in the test cycle. If you rated cars in this way, the Veyron would be America's greenest car (57 HP/ton CO2). Jason, it’s true that bigger engines need more fuel(=emit more CO2), but it’s not a 1:1 relationship. An engine that makes twice as much power doesn’t need twice as much fuel, because it’s performing the same work in the test cycle. If you rated cars in this way, the Veyron would be America’s greenest car (57 HP/ton CO2).

]]> By: Admin (Jason) http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9102 Admin (Jason) Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:48:35 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9102 Jeremy - Word - they must be on vacation. Mickey - Thanks. Jeremy – Word – they must be on vacation.
Mickey – Thanks.

]]> By: Admin (Jason) http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9101 Admin (Jason) Tue, 29 Sep 2009 03:47:56 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9101 Mike - It's not?! An engine can be optimized for power or optimized for efficiency, but rarely can an engine be optimized for both. I think you have a point about our HP/Ton of CO2 data being tilted towards the bigger motors, but I think the fact that the Ram produces the same amount of CO2 as the Silverado Hybrid indicates that our analysis is correct. Mike – It’s not?! An engine can be optimized for power or optimized for efficiency, but rarely can an engine be optimized for both. I think you have a point about our HP/Ton of CO2 data being tilted towards the bigger motors, but I think the fact that the Ram produces the same amount of CO2 as the Silverado Hybrid indicates that our analysis is correct.

]]> By: Mickey http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/2009/09/28/the-most-eco-friendly-half-ton-truck-engines/#comment-9095 Mickey Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:03:26 +0000 http://www.tundraheadquarters.com/blog/?p=1829#comment-9095 Great reading, and good to know info..... Great reading, and good to know info…..

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