RichC | July 24, 2022
UGH! Gasoline may have dropped 40 cent per gallon as American consumers cut back on travel and driving due to inflation and the likely coming recession, but diesel prices continue to remain elevated. There are very few options when “you need to get to go, and need to be able to get where you need […]
RichC | June 11, 2022
CPI up 8.6% driven by a 35% jump in energy prices and 12% increase in groceries This is what a “sea of red” looks like for investors and stock market traders … and I can only imagine the “red” those living on a fixed income or families struggling to make ends meet must be seeing? […]
RichC | May 26, 2022
I have put off buying diesel fuel for the Kubota mower and John Deere 330 as long as possible … but inevitably the reserve of 25 gallons stored in fuel jugs gets used up. It looks as if it is time to pay $$$ the inflated prices on fossil fuels — elections have consequences (pre-Russia invasion […]
RichC | April 19, 2022
After filling up the 2010 BMW X5 35d with diesel … ouch … I drove to the least painful Ohio DMV location in my area according to the online wait times. Thankfully I came prepared with my passport, address verification and requested ID information. After $56.40 … I came out in less than 30 minutes […]
RichC | March 12, 2022
Nobody wants to really hear or see anymore written about inflation. We’ve all seen it with our own two eyes and our wallets have felt it since the Biden administration took office. No more though than the last couple of weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine as the West’s political miscalculations and head-in-the-tar-sands polices have made […]
RichC | November 4, 2021
Not to many years ago, the United States was on its way to becoming energy independent … until the American fossil fuel industry came under attack from within our own country. This time the reason is not due to our country’s inability to produce enough oil and natural gas for our needs, but an ideology […]
RichC | September 12, 2020
With a few miles of driving this week (nothing like my years of back and forth to NE Ohio) … I kept an eye out for anomalies in diesel fuel price. prices. It just so happened that Sidney and Wapakoneta prices were a bit lower than either Toledo or home in Cincinnati, so I planned […]
RichC | September 3, 2020
I shared a question to a few of my automotive friends on a Twitter a few weeks ago … prior to my WordPress post disappeared due to a mysql crash (grrr!) … A question for #Millennials: What is this automotive “thing” and how does it work? So much of what we remember from our youth […]
RichC | May 19, 2020
Sometimes ordering repair “parts” from Amazon is more critical than than others, like last week. On May 14th I ordered a electric fuel pump for our Kubota ZD326s zero-turn mower thinking it would arrive “as promised” by end of day Saturday. Then on Sunday I noticed that the “package was still on its way, but […]
RichC | May 13, 2020
After shipping back the defective mini amplifier that I purchase a few weeks ago (grr!), I decided it was a nice evening for a drive in the old Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel. Since I was out and needed a few gallons of diesel fuel, it seemed like a good time to fill up the jugs […]
RichC | April 10, 2019
According to Gasbuddy.com as reported in a Fox News article, the best day to fill up your car will depend on where you live … BUT in general, “fill up earlier in the week when the traffic is a little quieter since there is more volatility and higher prices later in the week." The ideal […]
RichC | February 22, 2019
Normally, I don’t forward emails or reposted viral images on social networks … but as a diesel car guy and TDIClub and BMW forum reader … I couldn’t resist including this as a humorous response to recent Democratic Socialists promoting their ambitious 10-year Green New Deal to combat climate change (still shocked Bernie drives this van?) 😉 […]
RichC | February 5, 2019
The prediction that diesel fuels will rise (“double in price” – note the last minute of the interview) is bound to impact the price of goods. Everything is shipped using diesel fuel, be it on ships, trains or trucks, and with those prices rising significantly, consumers will be paying. On the personal side, those of […]
RichC | October 10, 2018
EDIT: Updated 14:00-14:30 ET – Landfall Mexico Beach, FL with maximum sustained winds clocked at 145 mph Previous 11:28 a.m. ET update Hurricane Michael has been upgraded to a “potentially catastrophic” Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, the National Hurricane Center says. Data collected by NOAA and U.S. Air Force Hurricane […]
RichC | June 24, 2018
Since I drive a diesel BMW X5 35d as well as an old 1982 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel, and use diesel fuel in our Kubota and John Deere lawn tractors (not to mention sailboat) … seeing pump prices 20 to 40 cents higher at the pump is starting to cut into my theory of saving money […]
RichC | June 13, 2017
There was a time when I thought I could count on Republicans who now control the House of Representatives, Senate and Whitehouse in Washington DC to reduce taxes — how naïve of me. The latest going around is how "gasoline and diesel taxes haven’t been increase in years and how they need to go up […]
RichC | August 14, 2016
First let me qualify, this is the discounted United Dairy Farmers (UDF – Mobil) price for diesel … but I’m not complaining about $2.14 either (current Aug 2016 price). It isn’t like we need an excuse to buy milkshakes, but their summer promotion in discounts fuel is the little push I need to bring home […]
RichC | December 17, 2015
I detoured to stop my dad’s house in Sidney Ohio on my way back from NE Ohio on Thursday night while driving the ’82 Mercedes 300D Turbodiesel and was shocked to fill up for only $1.90/gallon. When was the last time diesel fuel was priced at these levels? Amazing … but can’t imagine it can stay this […]
RichC | May 30, 2015
My good friend Mark replaced his old Racor 500FG fuel filter on his boat last year with one of the newer versions with a heat shield around the bowl (although Mark and Dar recently sold Zola). From what I can tell the heat shield” was about the only change Parker Hannnifin has made to […]
RichC | March 10, 2015
When regular leaded gasoline gets old, a thin layer of varnish coats the inside of fuel lines and the jets of the carburetor. This can plug or narrow jets that meter fuel into the carburetor and with cause the engine to either run lean or not run (start) at all. For fuel efficient and environment […]
RichC | December 29, 2014
As the year draws to a close, we can be thankful for economic boost coming from cheaper gasoline. The chart above show just how rapid the decline in the price of Crude Oil changed. It illustrates the unbelievable shift in the cost of energy for all of us. It is partially due to demand, but […]
RichC | December 23, 2014
A local convenient store today in Liberty Township, Ohio … December 23, 2014. As a Volkswagen TDI and Mercedes diesel car guy … there is something wrong when the spread between regular unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel is this much – over $1.50 difference! Ugh … back to driving the Honda Pilot, at least for the […]
RichC | December 13, 2014
Wow … just couldn’t believe the lower gas prices this week as oil continues to tumble down under $60/barrel. The abundant supplies and inventory along with the recession in Europe and slowdown in China has really put pressure on world prices. I’ve seen news photos of gasoline selling under $2.00 out west and while driving […]
RichC | November 5, 2014
Diesel exhaust treatment technology has vastly improved diesel engine emissions over the past decade along with ULSD fuels, but the technology is costly primarily due to rare earth metals. According to a press release yesterday, Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc $CDTI announced new proprietary Spinel™ technology will replace the use of platinum type metals in catalytic […]
RichC | September 24, 2014
With the lower cost of domestic natural gas here in North America, the next couple of decades will continue opening the doors of opportunity for innovative companies who finding better ways to utilize this domestic and abundant clean fuel. Westport Technologies (WPRT), a leader in advanced natural gas engines and vehicles, has fallen flat as […]
RichC | July 3, 2014
If you’re thinking about saving a few fuel dollars and are contemplating driving an electric-vehicle like the Nissan Leaf, be sure to factor the price of a new battery into your “energy savings” numbers. Nissan’s replacement battery for the popular EV Leaf is $5,499, which includes a $1000 credit for the old battery. That’s a […]
RichC | June 8, 2014
I was planning to just work on yard and home chores Saturday while Brenda was working, but got completely distracted by a thought that a 2 gallon fuel container would fit under the hood of the Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel nicely. Hmm, looks like it might even work if I plumbed a secondary fuel line […]
RichC | May 23, 2014
I’m probably not the only one noticing the annual Memorial Day jump in retail gasoline prices kicking off the summer driving season. Yesterday most of the stations locally (north of Cincinnati) bumped prices up to $3.85–plus per gallon for regular grade fuel. Thankfully on the drive home, I fueled up the old Mercedes 300D for […]
RichC | January 18, 2013
Although retail unleaded gasoline is down 25 cent per gallon since last year at this time in SW Ohio, we remain just above $3.00/gallon in most areas. (I paid $3.09 and $3.07 this week while traveling in north east Ohio) Since I’m thinking about a new diesel car this year, it is be frustrating to […]
RichC | April 3, 2011
My son borrowed my Honda Pilot this weekend (just after I filled up – but I received a “Thanks Dad” text message from him), so I’ve been driving his Volkswagen GTI … fun. Of course the fuel tank is exactly where most college students keep their cars – empty – so I ended up filling […]
RichC | March 1, 2011
The pain at the pump over high fuel prices will most likely slow the pace of our tepid economic recovery. For Americans fortunate enough to be fully employed, that means spending more dollars on fuel and less in other areas that might have hired a new workers. For businesses that mean a higher cost of […]
RichC | January 23, 2011
For those who might be interested in what is happening in transportation here in Ohio (and the nation), Clean Fuels Ohio is hosting a lecture and a facilities tour at the Ohio State University Center for Automotive Research. The February 16th lunch will be a great opportunity to hear about the changes coming to the […]
RichC | July 26, 2010
For alternatives to petroleum, the hype has recently been about EVs and almost all auto makers are rolling out their electric vehicles, yet for most American automotive owners they are far from practical considering the miles of highway and distances we travel. For that, efficient clean diesels running biodiesel makes a lot of sense … […]
RichC | May 23, 2010
Local Cincinnati (Blue Ash), Ohio company advancing to next level of competition for Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize competition. The AMP electric racer has advanced to the “Knockout” Qualifying Stage of the intense multi-stage Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition. The competition will pit some of the world’s most fuel efficient vehicles against one another […]
RichC | May 18, 2010
Oil is ‘cheap’ according to graphs depicting Unleaded Gasoline against the dollar this past year (right) and crude oil over the past two years (below). The crisis in Europe and lack of robust economic recovery worldwide is contributing to high inventories and the faltering Spring rally in oil. Lackluster demand aside, oil production countries remain […]
RichC | March 14, 2009
Although there were a few things missing in this episode of the PBS Motorweek, I did enjoy seeing and hearing biodiesel still being promoted. I particularly enjoy their highlighting the ‘Appleseed’ processor! (how do you like that @girlmark)
RichC | December 11, 2008
A study in the online journal of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reports that waste coffee grounds can provide a cheap, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel for powering cars and trucks. The study by Mano Misra, Susanta Mohapatra, and Narasimharao Kondamudi note that the major barrier […]
RichC | October 26, 2008
Although I didn’t fill up today, gasoline prices remain surprisingly low giving strapped consumers at least a little breathing room from the high fuel prices just a few weeks earlier. Let’s hope some of the added cash back in consumers wallets helps to stimulate the economy.
RichC | May 17, 2008
The fuel price discussions continue as I made small talk with clients throughout the week; Friday was no exception. Petroleum traded at an all time high to almost $127 per barrel in the morning on strong demand and there is very little evidence that we’ll see an additional supply come online this summer … or […]
RichC | November 16, 2006
I stopped at unmanned Fuel Depot’s biodiesel (B20) pump today in Delaware, Ohio (central Ohio north of Columbus) … and noted that prices are few cents higher than the more convenient Sunoco’s B20 pump. Price at the pump was $2.68/gallon to the $2.63 in Mt. Gilead. (exit 151 off I-71) Even though I’m considered frugal […]
RichC | September 29, 2006
The rain and cold front passed, the sky cleared and the sun melted behind a scenic Ohio farm setting as I made my usual 4 hour drive home from Cleveland to Cincinnati last night. The soothing autumn sun set made for a relaxing trip as it disappeared behind fields of future renewable fuel. 😉 Fuel […]
RichC | April 22, 2006
RichC | April 2, 2006
An interesting segment on the PBS program Motorweek compared the driving style of two very different drivers. One driver was Henry Kopacz, one of the program’s staff test drivers who has a heavier foot and simulated an aggressive driving technique. The other was the director of the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, Dennis […]
RichC | November 1, 2005
As winter and cold weather nears, those of us running ‘Biodiesel’ need to re-evaluate our alternative fueling strategies. Many return to petroleum diesel (D2) in order to avoid potential gelling and fuel starvation problems associated with untreated biodiesel. Even those running treated biodiesel are concerned as most treatments only lower the cloud and gell points […]