Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, we find this! The audio is not the greatest here so if you are wearing headphones, keep the volume down. That being said, you can hear all the words and see all the video from this exceedingly hopeful video promoting diesel Oldsmobile models in 1980. As history reminds us, these cars were not exactly great.
In fact, they were so not good some of them went back for gasoline engine retrofits over the course of their lives. The diesel Oldsmobile program lumbered along for a few years past 1980. Never sold in huge volume, they were not that much more efficient than the gasoline models, they were expensive as hell, and they brought complications to people’s lives who were not used to glow plugs, block heaters, or trying to get fuel sitting next to a garbage truck at the station.
Performance was pretty dismal and while this video makes it seem like no one would ever know the difference between a gas burner and a diesel, shoving your foot to the floor would bring a clattering noise and little acceleration. Hell, the biggest service that these cars provided was to make the 307 Olds engine seem like a mighty beast!
There are still some of these cars in collections and they have their fans, like everything in the automotive world does. If you were never worried about getting there early or trying to win a drag race, living with one of these cars might have been ok. Hell, if you lived on a farm and had access to the untaxed diesel used on equipment, owning one of these may have been a no-brainer.
All this being said, the promotional video below will make you smile.
Yep, talk about a turkey. I was a young man when these were introduced. The few people who bought them soon hated them due to noise and drivability problems. Most were yanked to become boat anchors and replaced with gasoline engines.
This idea meant well, but was compounded by fuel delivery problems. They used a “fuel” lubricate Roosamaster injection pump; other used n engine oil lubricated pump. At the local service station many unused premium tanks were filled with diesel, mixing with left over gas and water with quickly ruined the inaction system. Also number 2 diesel was sometimes supplied during cold weather, leading to paraffin clogging of the fuel filters. I used truck stop and farm diesel. It was the infamous 200M hydromatic transmission that killed it for me. In the 80’s GM had the diesel, the 200M, and improperly heat treated “soft lobe” camshafts. Haven’t owned a GM car since.
amazing. meant well but never worked well. many mechanical problems. it was an attempt to stay current. everyone was talking about diesel. the cars practically shook/vibrated when idling. the trunk area was always black from the exhaust.