[R129 SL] Emissions and Countries Standards

[Peter Shelton]

Hi Phil,

 Interesting targets to obtain!.  Totally agree re hybrids.  The cost and 
energy required to manufacture the batteries has to also be taken into 
account.  Not sure what batteries hybrids (Toyota will not talk about them) 
use but suspect they are a lead or Cadmium based battery.  We are looking at 
an electric tram for our city and I am really down to three batteries.  The 
best seems to be Zebra battery - (Sodium Nickel Chloride) - runs at about 
275 degrees C, Vanadium Redox (still not there yet - but can charge about 
20,000 times at very high currents), and lithium polymer (charging problems 
as each layer must be separately charged- incorrect cell charge means a 
stuffed battery). The Zebra is about a third of the size of a lead acid 
unit.  All the modern batteries require very sophisticated control systems 
within the 'battery'.

How does the US intend to monitor the 41 mpg regime.  There are cars that 
will do this already - Toyota Yaris/ Echo - we have an Echo and it uses 
about  48 mpg on a trip on the open road (freeway).  Around town - nothing 
like this!?  Cars can be made to do these mileages but there is no incentive 
as fuel prices just rise or less raw petroleum is pumped out of the earth/ 
refined to push up the prices.

I agree with your comments of standards and targets trying to be achieved - 
diesel/ bio diesel seems the best alternative at this point in time.  Our 
Government is now starting to buy Diesel vehicles for less pollution and 
additional mileage etc.  We (New Zealand) have  lots of 4WD's here - they 
use a lot of diesel and are unstable in town and on open roads due to high 
centre of gravity. Should limit them to country areas and ban them from 
cities - that would cut down emissions and give a much better overall mpg 
average.

Anyway, 11 am here, so back to work.  Phil (and Jan), many thanks for the 
comments.  These comments bring us all up to date with what different 
Countries are trying to achieve.

Have to go out this afternoon so will toddle home ( I live 700 m from work - 
right in central city - house not an apartment!) and get the SL out of the 
garage and use a bit more fuel!

Kind Regards, Peter S.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Carbone" <philcarbone55 at comcast.net>
To: "Peter Shelton" <joyce.pm at xtra.co.nz>; "SL Mailing List" 
<r129list at mbcoupes.com>
Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 10:01 AM
Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Spark plug story



> Hi Peter;

>

> E85 is getting the big "push" here in the US for hybrids. This doesn't 

> help us much because E85 doesn't provide any better MPG than petroleum. We 

> are only looking at it as a renewable(corn) fuel source. Bio-diesel 

> provides a renewal(soybean) fuel source and get about 50% better MPG than 

> E85. Both fuel sources are still 90% petroleum.

>

> The US standards for fuel economy are set at 41 MPG by 2012. This will be 

> impossible to achieve unless we look seriously at bio-diesel engines and 

> their 30+ MPG standards.

>

> By the way, I owned a 240D and 300SD, and they were the best everyday cars 

> I ever owned.

>

> Phil Carbone

>

> ----- Original Message ----- 

> From: "Peter Shelton" <xtr204210 at xtra.co.nz>

> To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>

> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 4:10 PM

> Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Spark plug story

>

>

>> Hi Phil,

>>

>> This is a huge commitment for Governments, but worthwhile.  The world can 

>> not manufacture sufficient bio-diesel to accommodate even existing diesel 

>> use.   We have cars in NZ that run on old fish and chip oils, but there 

>> is just insufficient usable 'chip' oils to even power a small fleet of 

>> company cars!!! .  Brazil is possibly the most advanced country as a 

>> whole (rather than fossil fusel uses) as they use the Rape seed oils as a 

>> basis and also distilled sugar cane.

>>

>> The US Government will not even sign up to the Kyoto agreement (CO2 

>> emissions reduction), and so there is little US Government  incentive for 

>> CO2 reduction if the Government is not committed.  China is the worst 

>> country for CO2 and other emissions and this is worsening by the day as 

>> China is expanding at an alarming rate.  As China is 'owned' by an 

>> extended family as a dictatorship, (very rich large family), again there 

>> is zero incentive for emission reductions.

>>

>> I agree that every little helps, and we should do our bit if we can.  I 

>> use my SL500 for long trips and get about 8.5  km per litre.  For town 

>> use, I use a 150 cc Piaggio, not for fuel reasons, - for parking!!

>>

>> Have a wonderful day - coldish here but sunny!  Unusual for May as we are 

>> nearly in Winter!

>>

>> Kind Regards, Peter S.

>> ----- Original Message ----- 

>> From: "Phil Carbone" <philcarbone55 at comcast.net>

>> To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>

>> Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 8:40 AM

>> Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Spark plug story

>>

>>

>>> We, as MB owners, should be driving autos with bio-diesel engines in the 

>>> US.

>>>

>>> Phil Carbone

>>> 1997 SL 600

>>> ----- Original Message ----- 

>>> From: "Jan Kuylaars" <J.kuylaars at kpnplanet.nl>

>>> To: "SL Mailing List" <r129list at mbcoupes.com>

>>> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 3:30 PM

>>> Subject: Re: [R129 SL] Spark plug story

>>>

>>>

>>>> Complaining about the Gas price?

>>>>

>>>> Never come to the Netherlands, our government are thief's.

>>>> They always have a reason to higher the gasoline price, If there is a

>>>> fighting in the Middle East,

>>>> and also if the fighting's are stopped, because it is 8 weeks raining, 

>>>> or

>>>> because it is 8 weeks dry.

>>>> And don't let me tell about the taxes we pay for to buy the car, to 

>>>> have the

>>>> car, to drive the car and to park the car.

>>>> Now they found out to higher the parking prices for better climate. 

>>>> Like a

>>>> car what is parked makes CO2 or other stuff.

>>>>

>>>> And nobody stops driving, only the poor people who living from welfare, 

>>>> or

>>>> standalone mothers with children.

>>>> Because they cannot pay the costs for any car anymore, not even a 

>>>> Suzuki

>>>> Swift.

>>>>

>>>> But lets go back to the gasoline:

>>>>

>>>> As far as I know is a gallon 4.5 ltr.

>>>> As far as I know is a dollar 80 eurocents.

>>>>

>>>> We now pay here 1.52 euro/liter = 4.5 x 1.52= 6.84 euro : 0.8 = 8.55 $ 

>>>> a

>>>> gallon !

>>>>

>>>> So smile and fill your tank without worries.

>>>> Mine 500 uses every 5.5 km one liter.

>>>> So every mile my 500 SL cost only gasoline 1:3.43= 0.29 liter= 0.55$

>>>>

>>>> That's the reason that I have also a Mazda 929 2.0 ltr and a Volkswagen 

>>>> Golf

>>>> and a Yamaha 1300 Venture motorcycle.

>>>>

>>>> I only drive my 129 when the weather condition are good.

>>>>

>>>> Please react with gasoline prices around the globe, so we can see who's

>>>> government is also stealing or are straight.

>>>>

>>>> Jan Flying DUTCHMEN

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----

>>>> Van: r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com

>>>> [mailto:r129list-bounces at mbcoupes.com]Namens mooncusser

>>>> Verzonden: zondag 27 mei 2007 21:40

>>>> Aan: r129list at mbcoupes.com

>>>> Onderwerp: [R129 SL] Spark plug story

>>>>

>>>>

>>>> Quick story here about spark plugs...ya never know...?

>>>>

>>>> I replaced mine today on my 300sl and to my surprise the gap on 4 out 6

>>>> was nearly doubled the required setting. The gap should be 32 and I 

>>>> found

>>>> all the plugs over 40 and 4 were at a whopping 60. Engine was running a

>>>> little

>>>> rough but not bad by any means...just thought it was time for a change 

>>>> of

>>>> the spark

>>>> plugs. Gasoline prices being what they are and still on the rise. What 

>>>> a

>>>> difference new plugs

>>>> made ...acceleration plus...now lets see how the milage responds to the 

>>>> new

>>>> plugs. Today gasoline...

>>>> 92 octane....priced... $3.39 gal.

>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

>>>> Original plugs were all burning properly... no oil, no soot just

>>>> widened gaps. Which says a lot about the condition the engine is

>>>> running.

>>>> B F Rollins II

>>>>

>>>> 1)1963 220 (now history)

>>>>  Blue/Grey

>>>> 2)1981 240d (body cancer claimed this one )

>>>>  Ivory/Brown 192000

>>>> 3)1992 300sl 68000 (summer)

>>>>  Black/Gray

>>>> 4)1992 190e 159000

>>>>  Black/Gray (winter)

>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

>>>> R129 SL Mailing List

>>>>

>>>> The MB Coupes Website!

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