> Excuse my unfamiliarity with the subject, but isn't alot of the heat
> produced by a diesel engine used up in it's operation, leaving a relatively
> scant amount to heat up the cavernous interior of a Vanagon?  Granted it's
> much better than any of the air-cooled models (without aux heat), but not as
> good as a gasoline fired engine.
> 
> Dave B

You are correct.    It is part of the Otto heat cycle.   It takes heat
to burn the diesel fuel, but excess heat is generated in the process. 
A diesel engine's efficiancy can be measured by the amount of heat it
produces vs the heat consumed in the process.

Jay