Diesel vs Gas Engines – Is Either One Better in Phoenix Arizona?

When purchasing a vehicle the choice between a diesel or a gas engine may come up. This used to only be a concern when purchasing a truck or heavy-duty vehicle, but today there are also many diesel powered cars on the road in Phoenix Arizona. There are pros and cons to each type of engine, so here are a few things to take into consideration.

Use

One of the first things to consider is how you will use the vehicle. Diesel engines are considered to be superior for pulling or carrying heavy loads due to their higher torque at lower RPMs, making them more powerful. Gas engines on the other hand generally have higher horsepower at higher RPMs enabling faster acceleration.

Cost

The cost to purchase a diesel engine can be substantially higher than that of a gas engine. It’s also more costly to repair a diesel engine. On the other hand, diesel engines are built to be more heavy duty than gas engines in order to withstand the higher compression ratio. This enables them to last 2 to 4 times longer than a gas engine, which can make them less expensive in the long run. Diesel powered vehicles have superior fuel economy since they don’t burn as much fuel as a gas engine to produce the same power. This fuel saving advantage and the fact that diesels tend to hold their value better than a gas powered vehicle can provide sizable savings.

Reliability

Although diesel engines are known to have issues in extreme cold, they flourish in the Phoenix Arizona heat. Both diesel and gas engines are internal combustion engines, but they create combustion in different ways. In gas engines the fuel is ignited by a spark from the spark plug. In diesel engines air is compressed until it becomes hot enough to ignite the fuel. Unlike gas powered engines, diesel engines can idle for long periods of time in the heat. Extreme heat can be harder on a gas powered engine, especially when forced to idle in stopped traffic where the water temperature in the engine compartment can reach over 200°, causing the engine to run less efficiently. As the water in the engine compartment begins to vaporize it can block the fuel lines.

Some Drawbacks to a Diesel Engine

Most of us are fairly familiar with both the pros and cons of gas powered vehicles. While diesel powered vehicles have many advantages some, of the disadvantages you should be aware of are that diesel engines are much louder and vibrate more than gas engines and the fumes are even more unpleasant than those created by gas engines. Every gas station may not carry diesel fuel, and the fuel is messier than gasoline. In addition, it’s imperative that you change your oil as recommended since the oil in a diesel engine will get dirtier than in a gas engine.

Scottsdale Muffler & Automotive services and repairs all makes and models of Phoenix vehicles, both gas and diesel powered.