Car Portal » Diesel VS Gasoline vehicles

Diesel Versus Spark Engine Ignition

admin — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:54:37 +0000

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.

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Gas Diesel Hybrid War

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:37:38 +0000

These days, gasoline prices may be crimping your your household budget. You may like to reduce the U.S. dollars that flow to the Middle East for oil, or perhaps you are motivated by your concern for the environment, or even the nagging reality that oil is a depleting resource that shouldn't be wasted.

Fuel economy

To put it into prospective, the fuel economy are the numbers posted on the window sticker of a new vehicle. Studies have shown that the average driver only receives 75 percent or so of the mileage figures that are on the sticker.

You can use these numbers to determine the best type of vehicle for your purchase. The numbers will let you know how many MPG your vehicle will get, so you can compare vehicles and then go from there.

Hybrid pricing

The gas electric hybrid vehicles are normally priced higher than non hybrid counterparts, anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to several thousand dollars.

Hybrids can get a lot of miles per gallon, some averaging around 45 – 55. This is great for those who want to save money on gas, as hybrids can go many miles on a full tank of fuel and they come with extended warranties as well.

Diesel efficiency

Diesel powered vehicles are yet another fuel efficient option. Diesels are known for getting extra mileage from every gallon of fuel. They offer much better torque than many gasoline engines. The price differential they have over gasoline engines are usually much smaller than that of the hybrid.

With plenty of options available, you're sure to find what you need to help conserve fuel. Before you make a purchase, always remember to shop around and find what's best for you.

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Gas Trucks Versus Diesel Trucks

admin — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:15:55 +0000

If you plan to use your truck like a car, desiring quick, quiet acceleration and rarely ever haul a heavy load and don't plan to it for a long time, you may want a gasoline engine. Gas engines run smoother, fuel is easier to find, and gas engines start easier in cold weather.

If you plan to use your truck for towing, value good fuel economy and plan to put plenty of miles on it, you may want a diesel. The price to buy a diesel truck is really high, although they can offer you a lot in return.

Below, you'll find the leading vehicle manufacturers and what they offer you.

Dodge

The 2500 and 3500 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty trucks are the newest 3/4 and 1 ton trucks on the road. Back in 2002, the Ram didn't have enough power with the 245 HP 9.5L. Dodge promised more powerful engines for the 2500/3500 platform and they delivered on that promise.

The new base engine is the 5.7L gasoline V-8 that's not only the most powerful engine of the group at 345 HP but also revives the well known and historical Hemi name.

Ford

Ford helped push the 3/4 ton and 1 ton truck market to where it is today when it introduced it's international engineered power stroke diesel back in 1994. Before 1994, these diesels were poorly built and no match for the big inch gasoline engines.

From 1994 to 2002, over 70% of super duty Fords were sold with the optional 7.3L V-8 diesel engine. This engine helped to put Ford among the leaders in diesel trucks, as they had more than they needed to dominate the market.

Chevrolet/GMC

The GM 2500/3500 twins Silverado HD and Sierra HD both come standard with GM's 6.0L gas engine V-8. This engine is ideal for 3/4 ton trucks where towing isn't a concern. The upgrades start with the 8.1L gas V-8 that's based on Chevrolet's venerable big block engine.

Over the years, diesel trucks have proven to be effecient with mileage, great for towing, and easy on maintenance. Unlike gas engines, diesel engines do not have spark plugs, which means you won't need to get them tuned up near as much as gasoline engines.

For those who like to haul heavy loads on a frequent basis, diesel is the way to go. You can get quite a few miles per gallon, and diesel trucks are built to go 250,000 miles or more before the engine needs to be rebuit, making them a purchase that is more than worth your money.

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Diesel Versus Gasoline

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:13:44 +0000

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.

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Diesel Fuel Quality

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:50:36 +0000

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.

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Gas VS Diesel Boats

admin — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 13:26:54 +0000

As you may know, diesel engines aren't something you should take lightly. There are good reasons why the rush to put them in cars back in the 70s flopped. Diesel isn't the ideal power source for all applications.

Engine speed

Diesel engines gained the reputation for long service life early on in the history of the engines, mainly from engines that were used in commercial operations. These were big, very slow to turn engines that were usually in the 600 – 1,000 RPM range.

The long service life of the diesel engine isn't really a myth when used in the proper application. It's only a myth in pleasure craft, where the engines are operated in-frequently at high and low speeds, normally under very heavy loads and adverse conditions.

Fuel consumption

If you plan to engage on some serious long range travel, especially if fuel stops aren't available, then fuel consumption will become an issue. Diesel engines will normally burn 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of fuel as their gas equals. Considering the cost of the engines versus the amount of fuel you'll burn during the time you own the boat, fuel savings isn't really important.

Dilemma

Most questions of choice arise for boats that are in the 28 to 34 foot range where either type of engine is available with adequate horsepower. Gas engines do have the advantage that they are cheap to buy and also cheap to repair.

Diesel boats are just the opposite, as for the price of one you could buy three gas engines. For the price of a smaller in-line 6 cylinder diesel, you can buy two gas engines.

Therefore, cost wise, unless you really need diesel power, diesels aren't very practical. The advantage to diesel comes only at the point where the extra torque is needed because a gasoline engine would simply be under too much strain to have an adequate amount of service life.

If you have a choice of gas versus diesel, your first concern should be to determine whether or not you can really afford to own a diesel, as the initial price is only part of the cost.

If you simply can't afford to write a big check for routine maintenance, then you will probably be better off going with gas. On the other hand, if you have a lot of money, diesel would be your best bet. Diesel engines are great to have, although they cost a lot of money to up keep and they generally aren't the way to go for those on a budget.

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Gasoline Credit Cards

admin — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 19:26:58 +0000

With gasoline getting more and more expensive, you've probably found yourself wondering what you can do. Even with the rising costs of gas and fuel, you still need it to go places. No matter how you look at it, you are at the mercy of these prices.

If you own two credit cards, changes are that you will use one of them to pay for your gas. Gas credit cards are now starting to shine. There are many individuals who are planning to apply for a gas card. Most cards are either issued by a leading credit card company or by a major retailing gas station.

Along with that, there are some of the gas credit cards that give you a great deal like having discounts on gases such as unleaded, premium, and others. Gas credit cards also give you an assurance to have more approved gas bonus.

If the credit card is approved, the owner of the card will not only save money on gas, but he'll also get an extra allowance for car equipment and accessories. Gas cards can also help you save a bundle on repairs as well.

Keep in mind that there are some things to consider when you apply for a gas card. When you plan to apply for a card, the conditions should always be known. The benefits of the gas credit cards available should also be studied and researched in order to compare rates, features, and benefits.

As the popularity of gas credit cards continue to increase, so will the offers. Gas cards also offer a positive effect for gasoline retailers as well. The customer will also earn additional incentives as well. If you plan to stick with one brand of gas, this card can generate some of the best rewards.

When looking for the best type of gasoline credit card, the most important thing to do is review the terms and conditions. The present status of the card should also be reviewed in order to avoid a bad credit record.

There are also several gas credit cards that will give you extra rewards and point systems. What this means, is that the card holder can earn cash back on certain purchases. The more points you get, the bigger product you can receive.

The ideal purpose of applying for gas credit cards is to help eliminate the gas expenses. The credit card should help you to have a deal with gas expenses. Low interest premium cards can be the best if you can maintain the proper balance.

The best thing about gasoline credit cards is the fact that you don't have to pay for them now and you can just pay later. Just don't forget to pay the bill, as you could end up getting a bad credit rating.

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Gas Versus Diesel

admin — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 01:55:50 +0000

Cost

Due to the high compression ratios and resulting high cylinder pressure in diesel engines, they must be built to withstand a lot more punishment than gas engines. The parts that are spruced up include a thicker block and cylinder heads, pistons, crankshaft, and valves, which can be very costly indeed.

When it comes to the price, gas wins this one by far. Diesel costs a lot more to own than gas, which is one of the main reasons why people tend to choose gas over diesel.

Fuel cost

Diesel fuel is easier to refine, taking less time to get from raw petroleum to final product from gas, giving it a lower price than that of gas. On the other hand, within the United States, diesel is priced the same or just a bit below regular unleaded gas.

Noise and vibration

Despite many improvements in noise isolation and engine noise technology in trucks over the last 10 years, diesels are still much louder and shake more than gasoline powered vehicles. At idle, the clatter and shake of diesel vehicles are clearly noticeable, while it can be hard to tell if the gas engine is even running.

Cold weather

If you've tried to start a diesel engine on a cold day, you know that gas is by far easier to start. Diesels don't have spark plugs like gas engines do, as the fuel is ignited once it's injected into the cylinder that is already under pressure. When it gets cold, the air isn't hot enough to ignite the diesel fuel.

Maintenance

Maintenance on a diesel vehicle is more expensive, thanks to many things including the larger volume of oil in the engine and the fact that fuel filters and water separators must be serviced more often than gas vehicles. Gasoline engines have a bigger advantage due to extended service periods on spark plugs, engine oil, and even antifreeze.

Making that final choice between gas and diesel comes down to what you'll do with your vehicle and where you live. If you use your vehicle for quick, fast acceleration and rarely ever haul heavy loads, and don't plan to keep your vehicle past 100,000 miles, you may want to consider buying a gasoline vehicle.

Gas runs smoother, fuel is easier to find, and they are easier to start in cold weather. On the other hand, if you plan to tow, value good fuel economy and plan on racking up a lot of miles, then you'll want to buy a diesel.

Price is also an important consideration, as diesel vehicles can be a bit more expensive than gas. If you aren't worried about price, then diesel may be your best bet. For trucks, diesel is by far the superior choice for those who like to haul heavy loads on a frequent basis.

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Hydrogen Boosted Gas Engines

admin — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:06:19 +0000

With the ever increasing cost of gasoline prices, auto makers are having to work overtime to cost effictively improve the fuel economy, while still meeting the strict emission requirements of today with gasoline engines.

One ideal and promising way to boost the fuel economy of gas engines is to add hydrogen to the fuel/air mixture in the engine. Since hydrogen isn't available at the local gas station, selling a hydrogen boosted gas engine wasn't on the list of engines – until now.

Lack of emission

A major cost and environmental advantage to hydrogen boosted gas engines are low amounts of NOx emission gas, which will completely eliminate the need for external NOx emissions control. Currently, NOx emissions control is a major cost problem for diesel engines which use expensive traps to meet the emission standards. Diesel engines particulate emissions that must be collected by a filter that should be changed periodically.

Hydrogen boosted engines on the other hand require neither NOx or particulate control and require only a low cost oxidation catalyst to control very small amounts of exhaust which is formed mostly during the engine starting up and warming up. Additional cuts in emissions control requirements stem from the engine's ability to use only the clean hydrogen enriched charge during the cold start phase when 90% of emissions are generated in the emission test.

Cost

The hydrogen boost system is effectively a bolt on technology that can be added to an existing vehicle's engine compartment. According to those developing the system, the cost of the system is less than half of the added cost for diesel.

The future

Prototype hydrogen boosted engines are now be installed in test SUV vehicles that have sufficient space for the reformer and it's related system. The start of long term road testing for performance, reliability, and durability information is planned for later on in the year before the system goes further into development.

Four cylinder gasoline engines will likely be the prime candidates for the technology as high gas prices continue to generate competition among the higher fuel economy models that seek MPG leadership.

With gas prices getting higher and higher, hydrogen boosted gas engines offer you the chance to get more miles per gallon and not have to worry about burning up all of your fuel. Instead of having to go out and buy a diesel to conserve fuel, hydrogen boosted units will help you preserve gas.

Even though they aren't available to buy right now, they will be very soon. Many manufacturers are looking into them, as they offer gasoline engines something like never before. If you own a gas powered vehicle and have thought of giving it up to go diesel, you might want to think again – as hydrogen boost units may change the world of gas engines forever.

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Diesel Or Not

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:46:23 +0000

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.

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