Category: diesel vs gasoline vehicles

Gas Trucks Versus Diesel Trucks

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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Gasoline Engines

Gas engines are known as internal combustion engines
and are divided into two general classes, specifically
two cycle and four cycle engines. A cycle of an
engine represents one stroke of the piston or one
half revolution of the crank shaft, as a complete
revolution represents two cycles. With a two cycle
engine, the power impulse occurs at each revolution,
while with four cycle engines it occurs at every
other revolution, hence the terms two and four cycle
engines.

Both classes have their own specific advantages and
uses. For autombiles, the four cycle engines is
most used. For motor boats on the other hand, the
two cycle engine is most often used.

The horse power of gas engines is designated as HP
and also brake test HP. The IHP is the theoretical
HP, which is found by figuring different formulas,
in which the diameter of the bore, length of the
stroke in inches, and number of revolutions per
minute form the basis for calculation. The results
are found by the use of such formulas.

The BTHP on the other hand, is the power the engine
actually develops in service, and is considerably
less than the IHP. Keep in mind, this depends upon
the degree of the mechanical perfection attained in
the construction of the same. If both the compression
and construction are good, the engine may actually
reach 80 – 88% of the intended IHP.

With gasoline engines, high HP and high RPM ranges
are what makes them popular. Gas engines have always
been more popular than diesel vehicles, for the simple
fact that they can achieve more speed. If speed
is what you are after, gasoline vehicles are what
you should be looking for. Although they may lack
in torque and raw power, they make up for it with
speed and tuning options.

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Gas Saving Tips

Are you tired of the continuing rise in gasoline price?
If you are, you’re not alone. In this article, you’ll
find a few excellent tips designed to help you save
a bit of your hard earned money.

First, its always best to purchase your gas either
first thing in the morning or late at night. The
reason for this is because gas is denser at a cold
temperature, so you’ll basically be getting more for
your money.

Secondly, check your local gas prices to find the
best price available. You can check your local gas
prices online as well, which will prevent you from
wasting gas while driving around to look for the
best price.

By keeping your car well maintained, you can help
improve fuel consumption. By simply tuning your car,
you can decrease your fuel consumption by up to 20
percent. Also, you should keep your tires properly
inflated and aligned. Tires that are under inflated
will cause fuel consumption to increase by 6 percent.
You should also make sure that you change your oil
and air filters on a regular basis as well.

Other tips to keep in mind are to drive by staying
in the posted speed limits, as the faster you drive
you will use more fuel. Whenever possible you should
use overdrive, as this will help fuel and also
improve the wear on your engine. You can also
combine your errands by making a list of things that
you have to do, as the more you cold start your
engine, the more fuel you’ll be using.

By taking the time to do these tips, you’ll be
amazed at just how much fuel you can save. Gas
prices are becoming ridiculous these days, which
is why you want to do your part to converse little
drop that you can.

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Why You Should Choose Diesel

The major distinction between diesel and gas lies in
the type of ignition. While gas engines operate on
spark ignition, diesel engines employ compression
ignition for igniting the fuel. With compression, the
air is drawn into the engine and subjected to high
compression that heats it up. The result is a very
high temperature in the engine, much high than that
of gas engines.

In diesel engines, air and fuel are both infused into
the engine at different stages, as opposed to gas
where a mixture of air and gas are introduced. The
fuel is injected into the diesel using an injector
where in a gas engine, a carburetor is used for this
very purpose.

With gas engines, fuel and air are sent into the
engine at the same time, then compressed. The air
and fuel mixture will limit fuel compression, and
thereby hence the overall efficiency. Diesel engines
only compress air, and the resulting ratio can be
much higher.

Advantages
Diesel engines are much more efficient and
preferable as compared to gas engines due to the
following reasons:
1. Diesel engines have overcome the several
disadvantages of earlier models that featured higher
noise and maintenance costs. Now, they are quiet
and require less regular maintenance when compared
with gas engines of a similar size.
2. Diesel engines are more rugged and reliable.
3. There is no sparking at all as the fuel
ignites. The absence of spark plubs or spark
wires also helps to lower maintenance cost.
4. The fuel cost produced is 30 – 50 percent
lower than gas engine fuel prices.
5. Gas burns hotter than diesel, and
therefore they have a shorter life span when they
are compared with diesel engines.

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Diesel Vehicles

As you probably already know, diesel engines get
better fuel economy than gas, simply because they
don’t need to burn as much fuel as gasoline engines
to get the same amount of power. Diesel engines
are built heavier than gas engines, to help sustain
the added stress of the much higher compression
ratios.

Diesel engines don’t have an ignition system either,
so you’ll never have to tune them up. The exhaust
systems will last longer as well, as the exhaust
on a diesel isn’t as corrosive as an exhaust on a
gasoline engine.

With diesel engines, it isn’t unusual to see them
with 400,000 or even 500,000 miles. There are some
out there that have even went beyond 600,000 miles!

When it comes to maintenance, 3,000 mile oil changes
are a must. Diesel fuel isn’t as refined as gas,
so the oil will get dirtier faster. You should
also replace the air and fuel filters at least
once a year.

If you live in a colder climate, you’ll need to
switch to a winter blend of fuel to prevent fuel
gelling. There are several additives that you can
put in the fuel as well, to help prevent your fuel
from getting gel.

It’s also recommended that you replace the glow
plugs every two years. If the temperature drops
below 10 degrees, a block heater is something you
should have. This will ensure starting in cold
weather, especially with the heavy grade of oil
that a diesel engine requires.

If you take care of your diesel vehicle, you can
count on it to be around for years to come. Unlike
gas vehicles, diesel engines are built for the
long haul, and will last you for miles and miles
if you take care of them.

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Gas Tractor Versus Diesel Tractor

There are many different reasons as to why a diesel
compact tractor is superior to a gasoline garden
tractor.

First of all, the diesel engine doesn’t have the
parts that normally wear out or give problems. There
are no spark plugs, rotors, points, or distributor
caps like the garden tractor. There is no carburetor
either, that will gum up and be hard to start after
being stored for a long period of time. Diesel engines
can be stored for long periods of time and still start
right up.

Secondly, diesel engines in most tractors are water
cooled. This will allow the engine to run at a more
consistent and cooler temperature, which will extend
the life of the engine. The typical properly
maintained diesel engine can run thousands of hours
without breaking a sweat – and without having to be
rebuilt.

Diesel engines will also make more power. Even though
gasoline tractors may be a little quicker to start
with, they can’t begin to match the power and raw
torque that diesel engines offer.

Another reason why diesel tractors are better than
gas is the available attachments. Most gasoline
tractors are equipped with a belly mower and don’t
normally have a three point hitch. This will severely
limit the type of implements that you can use and
also limit the tractors expandability.

Most blades and scoop implements won’t work with a
gasoline tractor. The drive train will also limit
the type of implement you can use with a garden
tractor. The typical gasoline garden tractor is
belt driven, while a belt drive won’t pull as much
load as a diesel powered tractor. You would probably
not be able to use a box blade or tiller either
with the average gasoline powered tractor.

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Diesel Engines Forgotten Treasures

There are very few engine configurations that promise
increased fuel economy and power. There are few
engines that offer this in addition to reliability.
Today, those across the ocean are enjoying the
fruits of diesel technology revolution.

Diesels have experienced a great history here in the
United States. In 1980, General Motors modified
their 350ci gas V8 to run on diesel fuel. The result
however, wasn’t that god. These engines offered
better fuel economy but little else. They were
very slow, and not very reliable.

Mercedes Benz on the other hand, had better luck
in the 1980s with an array of vehicles available
with diesel engines. These great vehicles offered
amazing durability although they were rough, noisy,
and smoked quite a bit. Volkswagon offered diesel
as well, although they had a habit for spewing
blue smoke from the tail pipe.

Throughout the 90s, Benz and Volkwagon offered
diesel vehicles in the United States, with each
generation becoming cleaner, smoother, and more
powerful than the last. Overall, they were a
tough sell as they still lacked the horsepower
that many were seeking.

Today, Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Volkswagon, Ford,
and many other manufacturers are offering diesels
to many markets throughout the world. To put it
simple, forget everything you know or think you
know about diesel engines in the United States.

These newer engines benefit from hundreds of
technical innovations. There are several diesels
in Europe that offer better acceleration than
their gasoline counter parts. BMW’s 120d has
163bhp, goes 0 – 60 in under 8 seconds, and
achieves 49.6 miles per gallon.

Benz offers the C320 CDI SE that has 224bhp, and
over 360 lb foot of torque. This car gets just
under 48 mpg on the highway, with an acceleration
of 0 – 60 in under 7 seconds. Throughout North
America, you won’t find a gasoline engine that
offers this unique blend of fuel economy and
excellent performance.

The reason why diesels haven’t caught on in
North America comes down to one word – sulfur. We
have too much sulfur in the diesel here in the
United States. This cheap grade of diesel fuel
will run havoc on the more sophisticated diesels
offered overseas and cause an increase in
emissions.

There is hope however, as refiners will soon be
producing what is known as ultra low sulfur
diesel fuel. This will help to reduce the sulfur
content from 500ppm to 15ppm.

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General Information On Diesel Engines

Diesel engines offer the lowest specific fuel usage
of any other large internal combustion engine. The
fact remains, two-stroke diesels with high pressure
forced induction, particularly turbo charging, make
up a large percentage of the largest diesel engines.

Throughout North America, diesel engines are generally
used in larger trucks, where the low stress, high
efficiency cycle will lead to a much longer engine
life and lower costs to operate. These advantages
also help to make the diesel engine ideal for use in
the heavy haul industry.

Cars however, continue to use gasoline, primarily
due to the consumer desire for a wider range of
RPM. In Europe, the use of diesel engines with cars
is far more common.

Even though diesel engines are more efficient when
throttled down, they aren’t suitable for most types
of aircraft. The higher compression ratios of the
diesel cycle demand a much stronger block, head,
and almost all moving parts in general. These
stronger parts add a lot of weight, or a lot of
expense, especially if lighter alloys are being used.

The Otto cycle engines are much cheaper to build for
these reasons, although they have long been overtaken
by the turbine engines. For the same displacement
of the engine, Otto cycles will produce more actual
power than a Diesel cycle can, because the fuel
will burn at a much faster rate, allowing more power
strokes per minute than a standard diesel can offer.

What this means, is that less fuel has to be carried.
Additionally, commercial aircraft is normally run
at preset limits, so that Otto cycle engines used
in aircraft don’t suffer anywhere near the efficiency
penalties that land vehicles do. Heavy equipment,
such as those used in mining and construction,
almost always uses diesel engines.

Diesel engines are also used with submarines. In
these types of submarines, the diesel engine is run
when the submarine is on the surface, which charges
the batteries that power the submarine once it is
submerged.

All across the world, diesel engines serve many
different purposes. They are used with almost all
types of heavy machinery, and other vehicles. Gas
isn’t the way to go with heavy machinery, as the
engines simply can’t withstand the beating.

Diesel has been popular for many years with machinery
and submarines, simply because the engines can
last for years and years. Although they won’t offer
as much speed as gasoline, the torque and power is
still there.

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Diesel Versus Spark Engine Ignition

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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Diesel Fuel Quality

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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