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Differences between Petrol and Diesel engines

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The main differences between a petrol and a diesel engine are that the diesel is ‘Compression Ignition’ and the petrol engine is ‘Spark Ignition’. Diesel engines have an ideal air:fuel ratio of 20:1 and Petrol engines have a ratio of 14.7:1. Diesel engines are often cheaper to run than Petrol engines aswell, below are the advantages for both petrol and diesel engines.

Diesel

  • No Spark Plugs
  • Greater Thermal Efficiency
  • Cheaper to run, more economical
  • Greater torque output
  • Torque output lower down rev range
  • More suitable to commercial vehicle
  • No ignition system, no high voltage wires avoids the risk of water ingress

Petrol

  • Quieter
  • Less Vibration
  • Lighter than Diesel
  • Requires less careful maintenance
  • Less Compression Pressure
  • Lighter starting system
  • Less complex outlay
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