Most people are far more accustomed to gasoline vehicles than diesel engines. After all, a tiny number of passenger vehicles operate on diesel. If you’re someone who pops the hood and expects to find spark plugs, read on for more information about diesel trucks.

Intake Air

As you probably know, it takes both air and fuel to make an engine run. In a diesel, air enters the turbocharger, where it is compressed before being mixed with fuel. The turbocharger is where the air is heated, so it combusts upon contact with fuel.

Compression-Ignition

After that, the air is forced into the cylinder. While the piston makes its intake stroke, compressed air fills the cylinder. After that, the compression stroke begins. During this process, the air is thoroughly compressed. As you know, this is different than the process that takes place in gasoline engines.

Combustion Differences

One of the biggest differences between gasoline and diesel trucks is the combustion process they use. In a diesel, combustion takes place when the fuel meets the compressed air. Meanwhile, gasoline engines mix air and fuel before the combustion process.

The combustion chambers are located in different locations based on the engine type. For most diesel trucks, you will find the combustion chamber in the cylinder heads. The only time it is not there is in direct-injection engines, where it is found inside the piston. In this case, the chamber will be a small hole found in the piston. Inside the hole is a small cone shape. This shape is what spurs the atomization and combustion processes. It also diverts the brunt of combustion into the piston’s center rather than the crown. This makes the piston more reliable.

There are noticeable differences between diesel and gasoline engines. For the most part, both the engine parts and processes are different. Even though diesel trucks make up a smaller portion of the market, they have impressive features. Remember this information the next time you are looking at a diesel.