Diesel Gasoline

Diesel Versus Spark Engine Ignition

2008-07-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

As you may already be aware of, diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines of the same power, resulting in much lower fuel usage. For an efficient turbo diesel, the average is 40% more miles per gallon. The higher compression ratio with diesel engines help to raise efficiency, but diesel fuel also contains around 15% more energy per unit volume than gas.

Diesel engines that are naturally aspirated are far more massive than gasoline engines of the same power for two reasons. First, it takes a larger capacity diesel engine than a gas engine to produce the same amount of power. Essentially, this is because the diesel can't operate as quickly. The rev limit is slower, because getting the correct fuel to air ratio into a diesel engine fast enough is more difficult than a gas engine. The second reason is due to the fact that a diesel engine needs to be stronger to withstand the higher combustion pressure needed for ignition.

Diesel engines also produce very little carbon monoxide as they burn the fuel in excess air except at full loading capacity, where a full quantity of fuel is injected per cycle. They can however, produce a black soot from the exhaust, which consists of unburned carbon compounds.

Often times, this is caused by worn injectors, which don't atomize the fuel sufficiently enough, or a faulty management system that allows more fuel to be injected that can then be burned with the available air.

For commercial use that requires towing, diesel engines tend to have more desirable torque. Diesel engines tend to have their torque peak quite low in their speed range which provides smoother control over heavy loads when starting from rest, crucially allowing the engine to be given higher loads at low speeds than a gas engine.

The lack of an electrical ignition system in diesel engines improves the reliability. The high durability of diesel engines is also due to the overbuilt nature as well as the combustion cycle, which will create a less violent change in pressure when compared to a gasoline type spark ignition engine. Diesel fuel is also a better lubricant than gasoline, so it is less harmful to the oil film on piston rings and cylinder bores - making it routine for diesel engines to go 250,000 miles or more without having to be rebuilt.

For several reasons, diesel proves to be better than spark engine ignition. Diesel engines last a lot longer, they offer more torque, and they are also more reliable. They are also more expensive as well, although you get what you pay for. If you have never owned a diesel vehicle, you owe it to yourself to see everything they offer you - and you'll find yourself a very satisfied customer.

Diesel Versus Gasoline

2008-07-03T06:04:00.000-07:00

A diesel engine will go much farther on a gallon of fuel that the standard gasoline engine because of their designs, and due to the higher energy density of a gallon of diesel fuel. But, it also takes a bit more oil to manufacture a gallon of diesel than a gallon of gas, with the production and refining processes for diesel producing more gases that trap heat.

Therefore, when you consider the relative merits of deisel and gas cars, try knocking the MPG estimates for the diesel car down by 20 percent. A diesel vehicle will cost you a bit more, so you'll get more bang for your buck from a gasoline vehicle.

The nasty rumors you hear about diesel are true as well - diesel is less refined than gas, or in other terms it's dirtier. Diesel vehicles also emit more particulate matter and NOx, both of which are serious health hazards and air pollutants. Current diesel engines are more polluting per each mile they are driven than gas engines.

Using biodiesel on the other hand, will improve this situation. If biodiesel is available in your area, you'll still need to examine whether a diesel is the right vehicle for you.

When you consider the facts, you have to ask yourself which models you can afford, what is the MPG, will engine be succifient for you, and the number of passengers the vehicle will accommodate. Then, given your budget, you can go from there.

There are numerous gas and diesel vehicles available, all you have to do is decide which one is right for you. If you research carefully, you'll have the perfect vehicle for your entire family.

Diesel Vehicles

2008-07-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

Diesel Vehicles?As you probably already know, diesel engines get better fuel economy than gas, simply because they don't need to burn as much fuel as gasoline engines to get the same amount of power. Diesel engines are built heavier than gas engines, to help sustain the added stress of the much higher compression ratios.

Diesel engines don't have an ignition system either, so you'll never have to tune them up. The exhaust systems will last longer as well, as the exhaust on a diesel isn't as corrosive as an exhaust on a gasoline engine.

With diesel engines, it isn't unusual to see them with 400,000 or even 500,000 miles. There are some out there that have even went beyond 600,000 miles!

When it comes to maintenance, 3,000 mile oil changes are a must. Diesel fuel isn't as refined as gas, so the oil will get dirtier faster. You should also replace the air and fuel filters at least once a year.

If you live in a colder climate, you'll need to switch to a winter blend of fuel to prevent fuel gelling. There are several additives that you can put in the fuel as well, to help prevent your fuel from getting gel.

It's also recommended that you replace the glow plugs every two years. If the temperature drops below 10 degrees, a block heater is something you should have. This will ensure starting in cold weather, especially with the heavy grade of oil that a diesel engine requires.

If you take care of your diesel vehicle, you can count on it to be around for years to come. Unlike gas vehicles, diesel engines are built for the long haul, and will last you for miles and miles if you take care of them.

Diesel Passenger Vehicles

2008-07-01T06:02:00.000-07:00

Both diesel cars and light trucks are receiving a lot of attention in the United States as a near term strategy to achieve fuel economy and climate change goals.

The renewed interest in diesel as of late stems from its potential to improve passenger vehicle fuel economy. The best diesel passenger vehicles of today are more efficient on fuel than their gas counterparts, helping to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent or more.

There are some auto makers that are talking about re-introducing diesel into light duty markets as a solution for reducing global warming pollution from both cars and trucks. Another important reason is that the higher efficiency of diesels will provide a quick fix for manufacturers who are struggling to meet federal fuel economy standards for light trucks.

Even if the efficiency benefits of diesel do yield real world improvements on the economy, the potential climate change benefits are modest.

Even though diesel achieves more miles per gallon than gasoline, many are concerned about the impact that diesel passenger vehicles have on the economy. From time to time, the combustion in the engine can cause black emissions to spit from the exhaust, which is actually very bad for the economy.

While gas is actually the worst, diesel is taking strides to improve engines and the impact on the economy. Diesel is getting more and more popular these days, as gas prices continue to rise and rise.

Although diesel engines can have an impact on the economy, they are the way to go for those looking to conserve mileage. Diesel vehicles cost more than gas vehicles, although they will offer you more than you can expect. If you are looking for a quality ride, diesel is the way to go.

Diesel Or Not

2008-06-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Diesel is often looked at as being smelly, noisy, and many think the only place for it is in a tractor. The truth to diesel vehicles is that they are slow, noisy, smelly, although they are cheaper to run than gas.

Diesel engines aren't as powerful as gas engines, as gas engines produce more horsepower than that of a diesel engine. Diesel vehicles however, offer more torque than gas. Therefore, it is a very thin line as to which one is better.

When it comes to power, diesel is the more expensive of the two. Diesel powered vehicles are normally more expensive to buy than gas, and the parts are a lot more expensive than gas vehicles. The diesel however, is more reliable due to it being less complicated internally and heavier to build, therefore it normally lasts longer than gas engines.

Economy is always a factor as well, as will fuel prices being what they are. Now days, it costs a small fortune to fill up a gasoline vehicle, especially the bigger engines. When it comes to fuel, diesel is generally less expensive. You can fill up a diesel vehicle for less of a price, and the fuel will normally go longer than gas will.

Appearance is also important. Diesel is generally loud, with the exhaust emitting black smoke when the vehicle is throttled. You can normally tell when a diesel pulls off by the black smoke it leaves behind. Keep in mind, this isn't a problem with the engine, just means that the fuel is dirtier.

Tuning is also important. Gas engines are more tunable than diesel, as you can get better power increases from gas than you can with diesel. The major thing diesel owners tend to go for is turbo, as it is one sure way to match gasoline in terms of power.

A turbo charged diesel can and will match a standard gasoline engine for power, if not slightly better it a bit. This is why most diesel cars come turbo charged, as its a way to keep up with the modern diesel engines of today.

When it comes to making the choice, you really have to choose what is best for you and your needs. If you want power with plenty of tuning options, then gasoline engines are what you want. On the other hand, if you want power and torque, then a diesel vehicle is what you want.

The choices are entirely up to you, as there are certainly plenty to choose from. Always check out the vehicle you are interested in, and find out if it will match your needs. Before you know it, you'll have a diesel or gas vehicle that will perform well beyond your expectations.

Diesel Fuel Quality

2008-06-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

Diesel Fuel Quality.The designs of diesel engines striving to increase performance have made a lot of advancements in engine fuel delivery to the combustion chamber. The diesel engines of today are much quieter, smoother, and also more powerful. The quality of diesel fuel on the other hand has not advanced at the same rate as the improvements of engines.

As soon as it is produced, diesel fuel begins to deteriorate. Less than 30 days of refining, all diesel fuel, regardless of the brand, goes through a natural process called oxidation. This process forms varnishes and gums in the fuel by causing the molecules of the fuel to lengthen and start bonding together.

Now, these components will drop to the bottom of the fuel tank and form diesel sludge. The fuel will begin to turn very dark in color, smell bad, and cause the engine to smoke. The engine starts to smoke as some of these clusters are small enough to pass through the engine filtration and on to the combustion chamber.

As the clusters begin to increase in size, only a small amount of the molecules will get burned, as the rest will go out the exhaust as unburned fuel and smoke.

Its estimated that eight out of every ten diesel engine failures are directly related to poor quality and contaminated fuel. The build up of contamination in the fuel systems and storage tanks can clog filters, thereby causing the engine to shut down, and damage to the engine to occur.

The number one reason for bad fuel is due to the increasing popularity of diesel power and the accompanying increased demand for more diesel fuel. Long ago, diesel fuel remained in the refinery storage tanks long enough to naturally seperate and begin to settle, allowing the clean fuel to be drawn apart. Now, with the demand getting higher than ever, the fuel is never stationary long enough to settle, and the suspended water and solids are passed on to the person buying the fuel - you.

The changes in refinery techniques is also a problem. In order to get more products, diesel fuel is being refined for more marginal portions of the crude barrel. This results in a lower grade product that is thicker and also contains a lot more contamination.

As time continues to pass and technology gets better and better, one can only hope that the quality of diesel fuel improves. As it stands now, the quality isn't good at all. If you run diesel fuel, all you can basically hope for is that the fuel you are getting isn't contaminated.

Diesel Engines Forgotten Treasures

2008-06-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

There are very few engine configurations that promise increased fuel economy and power. There are few engines that offer this in addition to reliability. Today, those across the ocean are enjoying the fruits of diesel technology revolution.

Diesels have experienced a great history here in the United States. In 1980, General Motors modified their 350ci gas V8 to run on diesel fuel. The result however, wasn't that god. These engines offered better fuel economy but little else. They were very slow, and not very reliable.

Mercedes Benz on the other hand, had better luck in the 1980s with an array of vehicles available with diesel engines. These great vehicles offered amazing durability although they were rough, noisy, and smoked quite a bit. Volkswagon offered diesel as well, although they had a habit for spewing blue smoke from the tail pipe.

Throughout the 90s, Benz and Volkwagon offered diesel vehicles in the United States, with each generation becoming cleaner, smoother, and more powerful than the last. Overall, they were a tough sell as they still lacked the horsepower that many were seeking.

Today, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Volkswagon, Ford, and many other manufacturers are offering diesels to many markets throughout the world. To put it simple, forget everything you know or think you know about diesel engines in the United States.

These newer engines benefit from hundreds of technical innovations. There are several diesels in Europe that offer better acceleration than their gasoline counter parts. BMW's 120d has 163bhp, goes 0 - 60 in under 8 seconds, and achieves 49.6 miles per gallon.

Benz offers the C320 CDI SE that has 224bhp, and over 360 lb foot of torque. This car gets just under 48 mpg on the highway, with an acceleration of 0 - 60 in under 7 seconds. Throughout North America, you won't find a gasoline engine that offers this unique blend of fuel economy and excellent performance.

The reason why diesels haven't caught on in North America comes down to one word - sulfur. We have too much sulfur in the diesel here in the United States. This cheap grade of diesel fuel will run havoc on the more sophisticated diesels offered overseas and cause an increase in emissions.

There is hope however, as refiners will soon be producing what is known as ultra low sulfur diesel fuel. This will help to reduce the sulfur content from 500ppm to 15ppm.

Diesel Engines And Well Known Gas

2008-05-19T09:30:00.000-07:00

In passenger cars, the diesel engine has never really caught on. During the middle to late 70s, diesel engines in passenger cars did notice a surge in sales due to the OPEC oil embargo, although that is the only real significant penetration that diesel engines have made in the market.

Although diesel engines are more efficient, there are eight historical problems that may have held them back.

1. Due to the higher compression ratios, diesel engines tend be heavier than the equivalent gasoline engine.

2. Diesel vehicles and diesel engines tend to be more expensive than gas.

3. Because of their weight and compression ratio, diesel engines tend to have lower RPM ranges than gas engines. This gives diesel engines more torque rather than higher horsepower, and this tends to make diesel vehicles slower in terms of acceleration.

4. Diesel engines have to be fuel injected, and in the past fuel injection was very expensive and less reliable.

5. Diesel engines tend to produce more smoke and smell very funny when compared to gasoline engines.

6. They are harder to start in cold weather and if they contain glow plugs, the diesel engines may require you to wait before you start the engine so that the glow plugs can heat up.

7. Diesel engines are much noisier than gas engines and tend to vibrate quite a bit.

8. Diesel fuel is less available than gas. Although one or two of these disadvantages would be acceptable, a group of them is a big turn away for many people.

Even though the list above are reasons in the past as to why diesel never really took off, you can expect these reasons to get corrected and improved in the future, meaning that you will see more and more diesel vehicles on the road.

Diesel And Gas Prices

2008-05-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

Over the years, the prices of both gas and diesel have experienced some drastic changes. Many years ago, the price of gas was around a dollar or a little more, nothing like it is today. Back then, gas wasn't high in price although the demand for vehicles wasn't what it is today either.

As the demand for vehicles grew, the demand for fuel grew as well. Other actions and events have played into the equation as well, resulting in the rising costs of fuel. Fuel is something we all need to run our vehicles, as we wouldn't be able to go anywhere without it.

As you may know, a majority of the gas we get at local gas stations comes from overseas, primarily the Middle East. Therefore, we have to pay taxes and such on the gas we use, which pays for the gas as well as the shipping. If we got our gas from within the United States, one can't help but wonder whether or not the prices would indeed be lower.

Diesel on the other hand, has always managed to keep a price lower than gas. Diesel comes from within the United States, so the prices are of course going to be lower. The only problem associated with diesel fuel is locating it, as many gas stations don't sell it.

When it comes to the choice between the two, diesel fuel is obviously cheaper to buy. Gas is in supply more, which means that you can find it almost anywhere. If you own a gasoline vehicle, you obviously don't want to put diesel in it. If you own a diesel vehicle, then you of course wouldn't want to put gas in it either.

Advantages Of Diesel Engines

2008-05-19T09:27:00.001-07:00

If you've owned a diesel powered vehicle in the past or if you own one now, you no doubt appreciate the qualities this engine provides you with. More torque, better fuel economy, and easier maintenance are but a few of the attributes of owning diesel powered vehicles.

However, there are some motorists that still complain about the engine's weak power, especially when accelerating from a full stop. What you may not be aware of is the fact that a diesel engine can be tweaked to give more power without harming the fuel economy.

Diesel engines use air compression to create combustion versus the fuel/air mixture that is required by gas engines. This attribute means that diesel engines don't require spark plugs and therefore don't need to be tuned up.

Diesel fuel has a much high fuel density than gas, which results in fuel economy increases of 20 - 30% over gasoline powered vehicles.

Diesel engines are also cheaper to maintain as they have less parts than that of a gasoline powered engine. The life span of a diesel engine is also much longer.

If you're looking for torque, for pulling a boat or other equipment, then the diesel engine has the supreme advantage. Diesel engines are surely slower, especially when starting from a dead stop, although when you climb hills or go over bridges, the diesel engine is surely up to the task.

With trucks, diesel is normally the leader over gas engines in terms of performance and miles per gallon. Diesel trucks will get more miles than gas trucks, and the price for diesel is a bit cheaper than gas these days. And with gas prices on the rise, diesel will continue to dominate for a long time to come.