The main reason diesels last is because the diesel fuel acts as a lubricant
and keeps the cylinder liners from wearing.
The same person told me that diesels get great milage because ALL the fuel
injected burns, something to do with the high injection pump pressure making
a fine mist that flashes very efficiently.
This second statement tends to shoot down the first one, if all the fuel
burns, nothing is left for lubrication except combustion by-products.
All I know is fuel prices will have to get pretty high before I switch to
diesel.  I grew up piloting my parent's mercedes diesels, and was a very
frustrated teenage driver.

-----Original Message-----
From: KENWILFY <KENWILFY@AOL.COM>
To: Vanagon@VANAGON.COM <Vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 1998 12:09 PM
Subject: Re: Diesel Vanagons and Diesel engines.

>One more reason why diesels last longer than thier gas counterparts.  They
are
>lower revving engines which means in 100,000 miles the diesel enigne will
turn
>over a bunch less times than the gas counterparts (if you want a gold star
>then do the math).  Less revolutions means less wear on the motor.
>Thats my 2 cents anyway.
>Ken Wilford
>John 3:16
>(Waiting for those TDI engines to become plentiful and cheap to buy
<<2015>>)