Diesel or Gas - Loud Smoking Dinosaur or Fuel Gulping Monster
- Author Simon Byholm
- Published May 15, 2008
- Word count 855
In this article I'm going to discuss the properties of the diesel and gas engines, and compare them to each other. I'm
specifically referring to their use in automobiles.
Looking at them from a distance both the gas and the diesel
engine work in about the same way. A fuel made from refined crude
oil is burned inside a cylinder and the hot expanding gasses
forces the piston to move. The movement of the piston is then
transferred to the wheels through crankshaft, gearbox and
transmission.
It's when we look at the engines a little closer that we start
to notice that there are differences. Differences in gas mileage,
smell, vibrations, price and expected age to name a few.
Ignition System
The gas engine has an ignition system with high voltages, wiring
and spark plugs. The diesel does not need this, it compresses the
fuel/air mixture until it's so hot it ignites all by itself. In
the gas engine it's the spark plug that ignites the fuel-air
mixture through a high voltage spark at the right time.
Another thing that separates the diesel from the gas engine is
that gas engines adds the fuel vapor to the air in the intake
manifold either through a carburetor or through fuel injection
nozzles. The air/fuel mixture is then sucked into the cylinder to
be burnt the next time the piston strikes.
The diesel on the other hand sucks clean air into the cylinder
and then waits for the piston to compress the air as much as it
will go. At this time when the air is compressed and hot enough
to ignite the fuel, diesel is injected directly into the cylinder
(or a small space connected to the cylinder) through high
pressure nozzles. The fuel ignites instantly due to the high
temperature in the cylinder.
The differences is fuel injection and ignition results in the
diesel burning the fuel more efficiently than the gas engine.
That's why a diesel has a better gas mileage than it's gas
powered counterpart.
This is not to say that a diesel is better. It's different, it
has drawbacks too. Diesel engines usually is harder to start in
cold and freezing weather. If you remember it was compressed hot
air that ignited the fuel. When it's too cold outside the air
will never become hot enough to ignite the fuel, and the engine
won't run.
Cold Starting a Diesel
To handle this diesels have something called glow plugs for
handling cold start situations. Electrical power from the
accumulator is used to preheat the glow plugs inside the
cylinders before the engine is started. This way the hot glow
plugs ignite the fuel when the air is not hot enough to do it.
Then when the engine starts it only takes a few seconds for the
cylinders to get hot enough to ignite the fuel without help and
the glow plugs are not needed again until the next cold start.
This is one of the nuisances of having a diesel in your car. The
glowing takes from a couple of second to half a minute and can
easily lead to stress when in a hurry. You just have to wait
until it's ready or the car won't start. On the other hand if
the engine is well done the glowing does not take long and you
soon get accustomed to it.
Lets for a second look at the practical differences between the
diesel and the gas engine. The diesel is large and loud, it emits
black smoke when accelerating and is generally regarded as bad
smelling by those not owning one. It also has a sturdier
construction due to the higher pressures it must handle and thus
can often go twice as many miles as a gas engine during it's
lifetime. The sturdier construction also makes it more expensive
when first bought.
Features of The Gas Engine
-
More quiet that the diesel
-
Better acceleration and higher top speed
-
Uses an Ignition System with Spark Plugs to Light The Fuel
-
Adds fuel to the air before letting it into the cylinder
-
Not as sturdy as a diesel. Lower price but breaks down faster
-
Gas readily available everywhere
Features of The Diesel Engine
-
Loud noise, sounds like a truck or agricultural machine
-
Slow acceleration (get one with turbo charger, that helps)
-
Lower top speeds but can easily reach the legal speed limit in
most places
- Uses glow plugs to help the fuel ignite when the engine is
cold
-
Lets clean air into the cylinder and injects the fuel later
-
Engine is simple and robust. Higher price but runs many miles
-
Emits black smoke when loading it (like a quick acceleration)
-
Easy to convert to using Eco fuel oils
If I where to give you advice on selecting either a gas or a
diesel powered car I would probably tell you this: Get a diesel
if you drive long trips and can live with the small nuisances of
more noise and poor acceleration, get a gas powered car if you
drive less than average or if you just want the comfort at any
price.
Simon Byholm runs the free Gas Mileage Calculator at http://www.milesgallon.com where you can calculate your true gas mileage and get tips and tricks on how to improve the mpg of your car. He is also a software engineer with a B.Sc degree in electrical engineering and a proud owner of a diesel powered car.
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