Articles


DIESEL ENGINES
Priyank Wadhwa
B.Tech Mechatronics

For many years, pick-up trucks have been the workhorses on the roads and highways. A decade ago, the average truck was very basic used mainly for work and light towing. It consisted of the bed, a single cab, and the engine. Recently, trucks have transformed into towing powerhouses, relying on strong and powerful engines that can be run hard for long periods of time. These heavy duty engines, which were previously used in tow trucks, busses, and tractor trailers, are known as diesels. Although many traditional truck owners will argue that the gas engine is better for trucks, it is not true. Because every consumer values money, safety and durability diesel engines provide better all around value.

Diesel engines are better than gas engines because economical efficiency, power, and durability are the most important features of a truck. Although more expensive initially, trucks that have diesel engines are much more economical than trucks with gasoline engines. Due to the way diesel engines manage fuel “Diesel engines are able to burn less fuel to generate a given amount of horsepower, which allows diesels to be 20%-30% more efficient than a gas engine”. Secondly, the price of diesel fuel is less expensive when compared to gasoline. Also, when comparing gasoline to diesel fuel, “One gallon of diesel fuel contains approximately 147,000 British thermal units of energy, while a gallon of gas has only 125,000 BTU’s” .This means that it takes more gasoline to equal the power output of diesel. Also, the injection system used in diesel engines allows for even better efficiency.

While modern gas engines use port fuel injection, where gas is mixed with oncoming air in the intake manifold, diesels use a system of direct injection where the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder. The direct injection method allows very little wasted or unburned fuel, letting diesels use one third of the amount of fuel as a gas engine while both are sitting at idle . This allows diesel engines to get better fuel economy than gas, and waste less fuel than gas engines. Even though gasoline is more available than diesel, averaging six to eight miles per gallon more than gas engines, diesels are much more economical.

Along with being very economical, diesels are extremely powerful and produce great amounts of torque. Typically, gas engines have more top end horsepower, while the diesel engine produces more torque. The torque advantage that a diesel has is better suited for towing heavy loads, both on flat surfaces and up steep inclines. The low end power that diesels produce allows for better towing ability than gas “Because of the high compression ratio necessary to ignite the diesel fuel (17:1 diesel vs. 9:1 gas), a diesel makes all of its power and torque low in the rev range”.   Proving to be more economical as well as comparable in power, Diesel engines are better than gas engines.

Although better economically suited, the initial cost of a diesel powered truck is greater than a gasoline powered truck of the same size. The main reason for this is that because of such high compression ratios resulting in high cylinder pressure, the diesel engine must be built with stronger parts to withstand greater punishment. The stronger parts that are used in diesel engines allow for a longer life of the engine with less problems. “Stronger parts include a thicker block and cylinder heads, stronger connecting rods, pistons, crankshaft, and valves”. The diesels’ strong and heavy duty parts allow it to be very safe, and powerful as well. When comparing the two engines, the average gas engine is only good for about 125,000 miles before it needs to be re-built, while a diesel can go three or more times that amount before it needs an overhaul. This gives the consumer the benefit of saving money by using the same truck for many years, instead of purchasing a new one every few years.   Even though the diesel may cost a few thousand dollars more than a gas engine, the value is great because the diesel will have a life that is more than twice as long as a gas engine.

Even though the diesel produces a great amount of torque and power, it fails to produce as much pollution as many consumers think. Diesel engines cause less pollution than almost all gas engines. According to diesel facts online; “The visible exhaust that is produced by a diesel engine has lower levels of toxic elements that are harmful to the environment”. Diesel is a very reliable fuel; even though diesel exhaust is more visible than the exhaust of gas it is not as harmful. What it is that people see in diesel exhaust is “particulates, carbon, and soot” not carbon monoxide. Because a clean and safe environment is valued by everyone diesel fuel is regulated the same as gasoline, and prohibited from containing un-safe compounds. In the past decade, clean diesel has played a leading role in the U.S. “From 1990 to 1998, EPA data show that the level of diesel particles in the air fell by over 37%”. Today, trucks with diesel engines produce one eighth of the emissions compared to those built 10-15 years ago.

In many ways diesels are proving to be better than gas. Because more trucks are sold with gas engines than diesel engines, it does not make gas better than diesel. Even though gas engines have gained a great reputation for powering trucks over the years, in no way are they better than diesels. The diesel is the world’s most efficient internal combustion engine. Proving to be extremely economical, as well as, providing more power and fuel efficiency than gas, diesel engines are better for trucks than gas engines.

In the end it comes down to the preference of the audience or consumer, but based on economical efficiency, power, reliability, and environmental issues, diesel engines are better for trucks than gas engines. 


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