What is the difference between normal gasoline and diesel fuel?

Question

What is the difference between normal gasoline and diesel fuel?

Answer 1

The main differences between the gasoline engine and the diesel engine are:



A gasoline engine intakes a mixture of gas and air, compresses it and ignites the mixture with a spark. A diesel engine takes in just air, compresses it and then injects fuel into the compressed air. The heat of the compressed air lights the fuel spontaneously.



A gasoline engine compresses at a ratio of 8:1 to 12:1, while a diesel engine compresses at a ratio of 14:1 to as high as 25:1. The higher compression ratio of the diesel engine leads to better efficiency.



Gasoline engines generally use either carburetion, in which the air and fuel is mixed long before the air enters the cylinder, or port fuel injection, in which the fuel is injected just prior to the intake stroke (outside the cylinder). Diesel engines use direct fuel injection -- the diesel fuel is injected directly into the cylinder.

Answer 2

Well diesel fuel... has a lower flash point... this meaning that it takes a more heat to ignite this fuel when compared to gasoline. Diesels do not have spark plugs like regular gasoline combustion engines so they rely on pure pressure in the chamber to ignite the diesel fuel... this is why diesels are so hard to start in the winter and must be pluged in when in cold conditions and aren't in use for long periods of time. Diesels also burn hotter and more effeicently lb. for lb. vs. gasoline. Gasoline has a higher flash point and does not require as hot of a spark as do diesels. Gasoline engines do not need the high compression ratios as a diesel.

Answer 3

Another way to express it is that gasoline is more volatile, it more readily vaporizes which is why there is carburetion, to mix gasoline vapor and air. Diesel fuel does not vaporize as easily and can be more compressed before it will explode thus releasing more power into the piston's power stroke.