Is GM holding off on offering passenger-car diesels in the US because of consumers' bad experiences with their diesels in the early-and-mid '80s? Do they need to get over their fear and start offering them again?  

I dont think GM is holding off beacuse of the bad past with their diesels but beacuse of what the general car buying public thinks about diesel. you know, the people that say "what's a manifold?". My mom thinks all diesels are poulluting, noisy, stinky, unreliable cars beacuse she used to own an old diesel pugoet (or how ever you spell it). people need to hear what diesels can save them in both monitary value and in terms of the planet. good PR is what the diesel needs if GM wants to sell them.  

By the way did any one else hear the rumor that GM turned down putting Cat engines in their 2500, 2500hd, and 3500 trucks beacuse the block had to stay yellow? if this is true someone should slap the guy who made that discision. although duramax is good cat is best. (this is confirmed by my buddy drives one almost every day)  

Good discussion, TransAm. But let's stay on topic. Truck diesel discussion should go into it's respective folder in the truck section. This forum is for cars. Although there are no passenger-car GM diesels currently sold in America, don't expect it to stay that way forever!  

You are absolutely right. The american perception of the diesel engine is the only thing stopping manufacturers from devoting more to their diesels.  

Then what do you attribute the success of the Liberty CRD to? It has sold beyond DCX's (admittedly modest) expectations. And there's a literal gray-market for VW TDIs in California. People have figured out the 6-month, 7,500 mile loophole to get it into the state. The market is red-hot for those right now! I think the public is coming around to diesels. Possibly faster than some of the OEs think.  

Oh mybad esanchez. what cars do you think might become diesel for GM?  

For the life of me, I can't figure out why GM is so averse to putting diesels in cars and/or half ton trucks. They've got some good diesels accross the pond. I would guess that they have some Anti-diesel peeps in management/decision making positions.  

GM just needs the right person to take the reins and clean house of the losers all paid off by lobbyists sucking up the salaries pushing hybrids and things not proven quite yet. A Go For It Lady with Giant Testicles running GM would be so funny to see take over and bring diesel cars and trucks to the US consumer as they are so readily available in Europe. Americans have taken the diesel truck market and shown the retarded politicians what they will buy when the excellent product comes to market as a big pickup buyer does now. When the guy puts E-85 in his Tayhoe and goes from 20 to 13 miles per he will still be ok if E-85 is half the cost of gas. But the guy who puts diesel in his VW Blue Motion Polo a 3 cylinder turboed diesel roller skate that gets 78 MPG on the autobahn and goes 150 MPH!!! I need one of those 8 gallons and your good for 2 weeks!!!!  

I own a 84 diesel sprint with a 5.7 in it except for the head bolts I have had very few problems with it.  It's a DX block engine so I'd like to know if there is a stud kit for it, and maybe some mild preformance parts for it.  

I found this site out there. It looks like it's just maintained by an individual, but might be a good resource for Olds diesel info:

http://members.tripod.com/~A350Diesel/newmain.html  

I looked on that guys' page, and he mentions ARP head studs. You might check and see if they still offer them, or could make you a set.  

I'm all for GM putting out diesel-powered cars again.



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I think that the general public is still shy of diesels though. Yes we have VW and Mercedes but really thats it and it's a very small part of the car segment. The one thing helping to promote them though are us diesel truck guys. People may start seeing them different as we push forward. I think the idea is great, however Jane the local bank lady isn't going to buy bases on the old perception of noisy, smoking, underpowered cars they were. It's up to the diesel faithfuls to help the push and maybe someone will come around. By the way the Liberty is considered an SUV. And what about Chrysler and Ford in the mix of a diesel powered car??  

Yep, I think the diesel converts are going to happen one-by-one. Someone that's first on their block with a new VW or BMW or Mercedes diesel. They'll show it off to their neighbor, take them for a ride, and tell them what awesome fuel economy they're getting. The more often this happens, I think the more of them you're going to see on the road, and for the OEs that are on the fence right now about selling diesels in the U.S., if they see VW and other continue to have strong diesel sales year after year, you can bet they're going to start offering diesels too.