Do you use diesel fuel in your personal car, or for your business’s fleet vehicles, trucks, and equipment? If you do, you may have wondered what exactly makes diesel fuels different than that of regular gasoline. We’ve put together six facts about diesel to help keep you in-the-know!
A gasoline-powered engine is only 20% efficient. You read that right. Only 20% of the gasoline you put into your vehicle’s tank goes into actually moving it. Friction, noise, engine functions, or exhaust takes care of the other 80%.
Diesel-powered engines, on the other hand, are nearly twice as efficient, reaching efficiencies of 40% and higher!
Did you ever wonder why diesel is so popular with trucks? It’s because diesel is the most efficient, cost-effective fuel for these larger bodies and engines.
Stronger standards from the Environmental Protection Agency over the years, including mandates for using ultra-low sulfur diesel in both on-road diesel and off-road diesel, have led to today’s diesel fuels being more clean burning than ever before. And the diesel fuel industry is just getting started: They’re working on technology to help reduce diesel emissions from older engines as well!
Engines run on gasoline need to operate at a very specific ratio of fuel and air. But in higher altitudes, there are fewer molecules of air per cubic foot. That makes the air thinner. That means less fuel can be added to keep that ratio, which diminishes the performance of gasoline engines.
However, diesel turbochargers pump more air into these combustion chambers. They are critical to the power output and efficiency, and help these vehicles perform better than gasoline at high altitudes.
Diesel fuel is widely regarded as a safe fuel to both handle and store. In its liquid form, that is true for the most part. Diesel is a stable liquid at normal outdoor temperatures.
For instance, if you tossed a lit match into a puddle of diesel, it would go out. Gasoline, on the other hand, would ignite when the match hit the vapors before it reached the actual gasoline.
P.S.: PLEASE DO NOT TRY THIS.
Leadfoots are not compatible with a diesel engine. Diesel engines reach peak power at speeds below 65 miles per hour. Depending on the vehicle and the specific engine, it is recommended to keep the engine running below 2,000 revolutions per minute for peak power. So, ease off the gas pedal when operating a diesel engine vehicle!
A diesel engine injects fuel into a highly compressed air. There is heat already present within the internal combustion chamber and that is what ignites the diesel.
Whereas with a gasoline-powered engine, the gasoline is mixed with air to make a vapor. That vapor is compressed by a piston and ignited by a spark plug.
LG Jordan is the Apex area’s leader in commercial diesel fuel services, providing on-site fueling and bulk diesel delivery. Contact us to find out more about our diesel fuel services, and how we can help your local business and its fleet—today!
