HARD TO MAKE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 18

HARD TO MAKE.

SMALL DIEBEXJ3

BIG SAVING IN FUEL.

Diesel engine possibilities and the difficulties of its construction were discussed by Mr. Charles F. Kettering, vicepresident of General Motors in charge of research, in a paper read to the American Society of Engineers recently. "The future should show an increasing use of this economical form of power plant," Mr. Kettering eaid. "The statement that the Diesel saves half the fuel cost needs some explaining. One of our largest fleets of motor vehicles has a yearly petrol bill of over two million dollars (£500,000). To save half that amount is well worth while. But, to save this amount, it will be necessary to spend more on the original equipment.

More Costly to Make. "It costs considerably more to make the Diesel engine, principally because of the expensive fuel injection system. If you drive enough miles in a year, it may be possible to pay the extra first cost of the engine by eavings in fuel, and still show a profit. This makes the Diesel possible in commercial vehicles, but not necessarily in passenger cars.

"The main reason, however, why we do cot have Diesels in passenger car engines is that we do not know how to build them. The larger the engine size, the easier it is to make a Dieeel. The smaller the size, the easier it is to make a petrol engine. Truck and bus Diesels are still large engines as compared with passenger car engines."