GAS or DIESEL - What's BETTER to DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD OVERLAND?

Thanks for watching! Next video (coming on Thursday) I'll cover all the other topics related to fuel - how much range do you need, what about filtration and quality and what happens when you run out in remote locations around the world.

Another advantage of petrol is that it does not coagulate into a gel like diesel at low temperatures.

In Australia I am often given a diesel hire car to travel to remote towns for work, A few times places like Halls Creek or Fitzroy Crossing have temporarily run out of fuel, and they always run out of diesel, probably because 90% of the vehicles on the hwy are diesel.
Also when fuelling up I am often stuck in line behind 10 freakin caravanners fuelling up too for the diesel pump whilst the petrol pump bays are literally empty.
Diesel is almost 10c more expensive than petrol where I am too now

Good to know.. Thanks! This runs totally counter to all I had heard before—long before—but your commentary on the new diesel changes has it all making sense.

I was waiting on diesel Jeeps in the US, but when they got here they were only 3.0 liters, and required auto-trans. Each day I become even more glad that I opted for the gasoline man-trans instead!

Diesel range advantage is critical for outback Australia. In some places you just cannot carry enough Petrol to get the range required and all other camping gear within GVM of vehicle. Hard enough with a diesel.

That's easy

Always Gas cuz its cheaper , diesel is too exspensive the diffence is

Gas is cheapest fuel on world meaning it just needs more RPM unlike diesel it needs more HP not to mention diesel is strong fuel for hard ways and hard to clean


So just use gas i drive on 1996 Lada Niva 1.7 4x4 2121 it runs on petrol but remmeber any petrol vehicle can be combined with gas its just cheaper and fun to drive and honesly its all i need

Buy diesel engines meant for africa. They are made to tolerate high Sulphur unlike the diesel engines sold in europe which are euro 6 standards

Hahaha. That means, all these modern SUV and offroaders (diesel or gas) are build, just to cruise around the forests and mountains near your city. A trip "around the world" with a brand new car makes not much sense at all. So, ..... the car manufacturers do not want us to travel and have adventures anymore. 😄😜 For me the best choice would be any diesel vehicle made before 1980. Some really old MAN, Hanomag, Henschel diesel engines even can run on deep-frying fat. These engines don't give a shit about the diesel quality, as long as it's oily.
Downside of these vehicles, ...... you surely won't make it in "80 days around the world". Probably in 80 days to the next border, but these cars and trucks are made to be reliable and they bring you back home, anyhow.

Modern turbo charged petrol ia a lot worse than common rail turbo diesel. So you really should do an apple to apple comparison. 2015 onwards new engine to new engine, i would still bet on diesel being more robust. Imagine drive a new VW golf R 2.0T to africa...

And also, if you're driving in Africa, you should rather pick an older vehicle with simple mechanics. If you have that, you'll have no problem to get it fixed

Has your jeep been reliable?

I'm from Malaysia just bought a new Ford Raptor and its gas. Thinking will drive to Nepal. Thank you for the advice

Gas + lpg can make trips cheaper. My Toyota lpg consumption same as with gas

Hugs 🤘 u are good 🤗

what many people don't know that even your car may be sold in different part of the world and running the same engine code, it doesnt always meant they are identical, hence they are differ in emission compliance, fuel and even maintenance requirement

For Example, the Hilux with GD Diesel Engine that sold in Europe is Euro 6 variant, it has multiple emission equipment: EGR+DOC+DPF+SCR, this engine needs diesel fuel that has less than 5ppm sulphur, and it uses API CK/CJ oil with up to 10k miles/1 year service interval "under normal driving circumstances". The Australia Hilux is Euro 5 so it doesnt come with SCR, the sulphur limit in the diesel fuel is 15ppm.

On the other part of the world like most of Southeast Asia where Euro 4 standards are mandatory, euro 4 variant is sold, therefore the emission equipments are only down to EGR and DOC, the injectors also slightly differs in hole numbers and size, so since no DPF, SCR and different injectors, this variant are less susceptible to high sulphur content in fuel, and while the official requirement is Euro 4 compliance diesel fuel (50ppm sulphur or less), it is known this variant can take diesel fuel with 500ppm, even 1000+ppm sulphur relatively trouble free. However the oil service interval is 10.000 km/6 months "under normal driving circumstances" and 5000km/3 months "under special operation".

On the other hand, at the part of the world where emission standards is still Euro 2 or even no emission regulation at all, the euro 2 variant is sold and only has EGR, the fuel requirements is only CN48 diesel fuel without any mention on its sulphur content. However if diesel fuel with 500+ppm sulphur is used, the engine oil should be API CI, and if diesel fuel with 3000+ppm is used, the engine oil should be API CH.

So yeah for driving around the world, your best bet is petrol engine, old diesel engine or modern diesel engine with low emission standards (although the common rail system still more susceptible to water and particulate contaminants than old diesel), and maybe as stricter emission standards come, the petrol engine will have more and more emission equipments hence are more susceptible to low quality fuel, we don't know yet, lets hope it is not the case.

I loved the content of this video. I’m very happy that I have a well maintained 200 tdi engine in my Land Rover Defender 130. I’m planning a trip through the Pan-American Highway. I’m looking for ways aroma Costa Rico and Panama.

Excellent video! Thank you so much!

Use Isuzu, their engines are pretty much tolerant

Totally unexpected perspective, helped a lot thanks.

Have you got any opinions about buying an ex military vehicle? As these are designed to be able to be worked on in the field, presumably they are a simpler design? I appreciate that driving around in an ex military vehicle, especially around Africa, comes with added risks especially if it has been left in military colours, hence a lot are painted pink or blue etc., rather than left in drab olive green (army) or white (UN). I have an ex military Land Rover 101 forward control with a petrol V8. Very basic and No electronics. BTW Another great video. 👍

Hi Dan! Thank you for all your videos, they are so informative, and all your tips are spot-on.

I've just bought a Nissan Navara D40 from 2007, YD25 diesel engine, it's a common rail one, rated Euro 4.

I want to travel around Africa and Latin America, and now I'm very concerned about what you said regarding the quality of the diesel in those countries and the consequences of filling up my common rail car with low quality diesel.

What can we do people like me, with a common rail diesel car, that want to go on adventures and drive into Africa and South America??

Does it help somehow to change the diesel fuel filter more often? Could that be a solution to drive our vehicles into those countries without break them down?

I'd appreciate your thoughts on that. Cheers.

Would you choose a 1hz or a 1uz-fe for bad fuel?

Hi Dan, if you would buy a new Grenadier to travel the world (all countries) - would you go for diesel or gas today?

It’s not Gas, it’s petrol…. Gas is a substance or matter in a state in which it will expand freely and of no fixed volume (unlike a liquid, like petrol) which is what you put in a car… jesus

The big problem with new car it's full of F..... Sensor every were. That's shit Dan carry a book of sensor problem in my opinion it's a problem by itself at tht Point the only important sensor is Door not close
Hand Brake on and low oil and old timing belt ho yes I forget high beam light are on u don't need more then that
Yes I am old.555555

Diesel 200%
The best of the best is Toyota 1HZ engine 6 cylinders ,it's over
Million kilomètres engine change oil every 5000 k with good oil Quality a bit of maintenance and u are in Cadillac for long

My opinion is still *diesel. I’m a diesel nut though… an asterisk for not new common rail diesels, get a mechanical in-line injection pump diesel. These diesels have fuel flexibility. Just keep a bunch of 2 stroke oil and a fuel ratio mix chart to stabilize the lubricity of the different fuels. This will allow emergency ability to get somewhere on a full tank. Got only specific type of aviation fuel just add a ratio with 2 stroke oil. Got kerosene just add a specific different ratio. Got only motor oil, run through filter it work just mix a small ratio of gasoline for a pinch, it’s called black diesel.
And there are other exceptions to the rule there are full computer controlled mechanical in-line pumps through zexel that allow better fuel control allowing better fuel economy and engine performance manipulation, achieving closerish to common rail performance. I’m not disagreeing with you on your points though.

💛🙋🏻‍♂️ Thank you 🇪🇦 👍🏻

I am currently planning a Cape to Cairo expedition in 2023. I was set on a Ecodiesel Grand Cherokee, but high sulphur and Jeeps don't go together. A friend of mine accidentally filled his GC with 1000ppm in Mozambique and it constantly threw check engine lights going into limp mode. What would you suggest, 5.7 Hemi or Pentastar v6? This video made me reconsider my choices.

Traveling through the Middle East taught me that gas was king there. More people sold gas in remote areas vs diesel and gas was more accessible.

Good information thanks

Gas means petrol?

By gas, you mean LGP ?

Best advice ，you are a nice guy. Gas engines make us go further around the world.

Having driven across parts of Russia a few years ago I found it easier to use diesel than as most of the people in the wilderness drove large trucks or tractors and for a few rubles it was inexpensive to fill my tank a few times. Also my vehicle ran on heating oil curtesy of a nice farmer. 😂. Although yes anywhere in the world a Petrol makes more sense.

Very well explained mate!

Prefer petrol highly available

Fascinating

My inspiration 👍👍👍

what about the diesel filter system that can fix the sulphur and water content in the diesel ? wouldn't that help ?

Try electonic car. Its free in most of the parts of the world to charge it!

I've been having this debate with myself today. I'm getting a troopy. One is petrol v6 that is in the prado and tundra. The other is the inline 6 1hz. I was stuck because of the price difference but after watching this video again I think I'll go with petrol. Maybe lpg conversion or something

Going over Europe in a larger car, I definitely prefer diesel as it’s much cheaper and you can do 500 plus miles on one tank.

Funny, I don't do overlanding, but building a weekender out of my 89 Jeep YJ. I thought about putting a diesel in it, but declined. I like the easy to maintain and fix Weber Carb, but what I did do, was add Propane, so now it's Dual Fuel!! Can run a forklift tank or a BBQ tank in a pinch. For FL and Hurricanes (no power), Propane is still around, even without power.

Good vid and channel, subscribed!

Engine swap choice confirmed

Excellent explanation!!! Thanks a lot for it!

Rest of the world calls it petrol ⛽😄

I only just discovered your Channel recently. You just convinced me to go ahead with my old 2¼ Petrol Land Rover. Or even with the mighty V8 in my Defender 😊

You're totally right!!! Gasoline engines are easier to run, and fix that diesels. By the way, in hight altitude environments like the Andes around Bolivia, Chile, Peru , Argentina and the Himalayas, gasoline engines actually work a lot better and are more reliable!

Thank you very much, this was a mind opening for me thanks again