Diesel engines are more popular in Europe than they are here in the States. Still, Village Autoworks services and repairs diesel engines because they have many advantages. They compete well against gasoline engines. In fact, some of their advantages make them better than gasoline engines. Both have their pros and cons. Let’s discuss why diesel engines can give gasoline and even hybrid cars a run for their money. Yep! Even hybrid cars.
Efficient at the Gas Pump
Gasoline-powered vehicles use combustion ignition, i.e. the carburetor mixes air and fuel and sends it to the combustion chamber where the spark plugs ignite it. Diesel engines use compression ignition that doesn’t have spark plugs. Compression-ignition systems run hotter than combustion-ignition systems do, and this heat makes the engine more energy-efficient. Heat creates more energy using less fuel, so you will find that a diesel engine is more fuel-efficient – gets better gas mileage – than a gas engine. Plus, in some areas, diesel fuel is cheaper, which gives you an added bonus each time you fill up.
They Also Produce More Torque
Diesel fuel is more “energy dense.” This means it takes less fuel to produce more power. Couple this with the added power the hotter compression-ignition system produces and you have more torque. We tend to focus on horsepower in the States, but torque is what powers the drivetrain – gets the vehicle moving – and the more torque the engine produces the easier it is to move from a stop and go faster. This is why large and heavy vehicles rely on diesel engines. They produce the torque needed for motion that is more difficult to generate when you’re dealing with a heavy load.
Durable – Tough – Long-Lasting
The energy and torque produced makes a diesel engine hot, hot, hot! As such, these engines are built to stand up to their own extreme conditions. If you compare them side-to-side, you will see that a diesel engine lasts longer than a gasoline engine does because they are built to handle the higher temperatures they produce. Today’s gasoline engines last well over 100,000 miles, but you’ll be lucky to get 300,000 miles out of them. The longest-lasting diesel engine on record ran up 900,000 miles before it finally died. That’s a lot of miles! Durability is also one reason why diesel vehicles resell better.
As we said at the beginning of this post, we service and maintain diesel engines. We also service and maintain gasoline engines. Village Autoworks in Roseville, MN, can take care of all your automotive service needs. Call us at 651-362-9598.