Diesel Vs Petrol Engines

There are always choices to be made and one of them has something to do with cars. If you love to speed up, you would go for turbo but should you purchase petrol or diesel? That is something you have to weigh carefully based on your preferences. To help you compare, read some notes below and check against your requirements.

How a turbo diesel engine works

Diesel cars practically thrive on compressed air created by the pistons at a ratio much higher than that of petrol engines. As diesel fuel is injected for combustion, fuel ignites as it comes in contact with the compressed air. Ignition is possible since this compressed air has a high temperature that reaches 700-900°C or about 1300 - 1650°F. The increased temperature expands the cylinders, which pushes for pressure build-up that moves the piston.

Petrol or Diesel engines: What are the main differences?

The compressed air in diesel cars is so hot that when the fuel is injected, it readily burns so there is no need for spark plugs in diesel cars. Because of this, diesels can be accurately called ?compression ignition engines? while petrol cars have ?spark ignition engines.? There are no breakers or coils in the diesel like in petrol. Diesels do not have throttle plates. Power depends on the controlled, injected fuel. Electronic engine management is not necessary in diesels but some modern models already have electronically controlled pumps.

Advantages of the diesel engine over its petrol counterpart; In terms of performance, the latest versions of performance turbo diesel engines are controlled electronically. This way the torque produced is at par or simply better than that of petrol-driven vehicles. Diesels are not immune to cold and damp weather conditions. In theory, turbo diesels are more efficient than petrol cars. Cars running on diesel are much more environment-friendly. Diesels can reach more mileage than their petrol counterparts; diesel is cheaper than petrol in the market. Turbo charging a diesel car is much easier. Diesels are great for short trips because their ignition is not affected by temperature. Engines? efficiency is high whether from a cold start or not. Diesel engines are built to last longer. The cold starts are the petrol car?s primary killer. Lubrication is damaged easily in petrol cars.

The disadvantages of diesel over petrol engines; Compression ratio of 22:1 is good for engine brakes but this makes it harder to start the engine. Owner should invest in a good battery and starter motor. Diesels would need glow plugs or electric heaters so that engine will start easily. One plug is needed per cylinder and each plug eats up 15 amps ? which consumes battery. Diesel cars only gain about 70bhp with 1.9 liters of fuel versus the 100bhp in petrol cars. Diesel engines are heavy. Steering is heavy so you?ll need power steering option. Some modern turbo diesels run quietly but most are really noisy.