Diesel vs Gas Ambulances

[Arctickat]

I'll never go back to gas, but I sure miss the 7.3 engine. I've got one with the 6.0, fortunately after all the computer problems were rectified. I've driven Dodge, Chev, and Ford, gas and diesel. For reliability reasons, I'll stick with the Diesel engines, however, most of our driving is highway rather than tooling around the city. In the low speed start stop start environment, gas is a better option.

When I do my remounts...I'm seriously looking at a Hino.

[paramedicmike]

I think that open box design is going to be a little drafty in the winter, 'Kat. You guys do get pretty cold up there from time to time.

[Diesel McBadass]

Here in the northeast how long an engine lasts doesnt matter since either one will outlast the frame.

[mobey]

Kat: Just gotta warn you against air suspension. A few companies here in Ab have it and HATE it! Freezes up all the time... air line antifreeze or not.

[Arctickat]

Mike, I'm thinking an open air fire pit in the back.

Yeah, I know Mobes...

Diesel, in our environment we typically had to replace a gas engine at least once, and the cylinder heads 3 - 4 times during the life of an ambulance,,,and they were usually rotated out of service at 300k. Worst engine ever was the Chevy 400 small block. There wasn't enough space in the water jacket between the two inboard cylinders for proper cooling and the cylinder walls would melt. We bored one out to 0.060 over before the wall was smooth again, but by then it was too thin.

[rock_shoes]

Having been in the usual range of chassis, I'll take a GM Duramax over any of the other options. Smooth reliable power without the jerky, uneven throttle response that seems to plague gas powered units. The problems regarding feeling inadequate power have nothing to do with diesel versus gas (at least in speaking about GM chassis). The duramax engine has actually been de-tuned to lower power output in van chassis to accomodate the less robust transmission that fits in a van chassis (to the tune of 100+ HP).

I have a few conspiracy theories as to why GM hasn't beefed up the van tranny to handle the duramax at full power, the primary one being durability. Consider the realistic life expectancy of a gas unit versus a diesel unit. Realistic life expectancy for a gas unit is somewhere in the range of 200000 Km. Realistic life expectancy of a diesel unit is somewhere in the neighborhood of 350000 Km. To put that into a little better perspective, a diesel unit can expect to have a 75% longer service life than a similarly equiped gas unit. If GM took away the one percieved advantage to Gas (namely more available power) chassis they would end up selling fewer total chassis. The additional initial outlay of $8000-$10000 for a diesel unit (keeping in mind the total unit cost will likely exceed $100000 no matter what) doesn't seem so far fetched when you factor in a 75% increase in service life prior to replacement.

Now from the driving perspective. An ambulance weighs anywhere from 12000-16000 lbs. That's a significant load to move at all times. What's the engine of choice for nearly every industrial internal combustion engine in existence when the primary function is moving heavy loads? Diesel! The laws of physics haven't changed. Proportionally heavy vehicles of any kind are better served by the low end torque provided by a diesel engine.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Kat: Just gotta warn you against air suspension. A few companies here in Ab have it and HATE it! Freezes up all the time... air line antifreeze or not.

We had a couple ambulances that had the auto lift suspension and air ride suspension, when you opened the back doors the suspension went down and when you closed them it went up.

AVOID THIS at all costs. These ambulances SUCKED BIG DONKEY BALLS as the mechanism when it was broken really sucked. Plus when it failed and I guarantee it will fail when you are transporting a patient, then your ride will be the absolute worst ride you ever have been. You effectively have no rear shocks and thus the ride is like driving over boulders on a tricycle. I hated the 2 ambulances we had with this feature.

The 10 times it failed with patients on board (not counting the times it failed just to spite us), we ended up having to call another ambulance to transport the patient due to the terrible ride.

I just wont put my patient through a terribly rough ride.

[mikeymedic1984]

The problem with the old gas burners was that Ford/Chevy were too stupid to modify the vehicle as an "ambulance" versus traditional pick-up; the catalytic converter was mounted to close to the fuel tank, so when you ran hard for long distances, the heat would boil the gas in the tank, resulting in gas spewing like a water fountain from the side of the truck, and then catching fire. Hopefully, that has been rectified in the new gas burners.

[Diesel McBadass]

Spent today bumming around in a diesel and going from dead stop to 55 just takes way too long.

[Arctickat]

Spent today bumming around in a diesel and going from dead stop to 55 just takes way too long.

It's not a dragster, it's an ambulance. Fast acceleration is not a priority, smooth acceleration is. Your partner and your patient will appreciate it far more.