Gasoline Engines vs. Diesel Engines Almost everyone has at some point gone shopping for a new vehicle. Purchasing a new vehicle can be a very stressful time for some people. When starting the search for that perfect vehicle, take into account the many options available and start to narrow the search criteria. With all of the new technology today those choices can seem almost endless. The first thing that is usually done is to start with the obvious, car or truck? For this example we will say a truck was chosen for the vehicle, but what kind of truck will it be? Choosing what type of engine may be the most difficult of all. The two main choices here are gasoline engines and diesel engines. The deciding factors in this choice will boil down
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Cost is actually a threefold issue; initial cost, maintenance cost, and fuel cost. The upfront cost is normally the most identifiable difference in the two engines. Turbo-diesel powertrains are more expensive to begin with. Price premiums can range from around $3,900, all the way to $11,000 (Smirnov, 2016). Gas engines on the other hand tend be less of an upfront cost, but depending on engine chosen can raise the initial out of pocket cost by as much as $1,000. Maintenance costs are issues that most people don’t think about when buying new vehicles. Depending on how long you plan on keeping the vehicle can help you decide if the maintenance costs are worth the sticker price. Every bit of maintenance done for a diesel engine will cost more money. For example while a standard oil change for a gasoline engine is normally between $20 and $30, a standard oil change for a diesel is $50 to $70. Maintaining any vehicle is critical to avoid unwanted expenses later on. The final cost factor to consider is fuel cost. While all fuel seems to be very expensive at the moment, diesel fuel is more expensive than regular fuel. Currently the average price for regular gasoline in the U.S. is $2.31gal, compared to the average cost of diesel at $2.57 gal (“Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update”, 2017). While a 20 cent bump in payment at the pump may seem small, those pennies do add up. Ultimately the winner in the cost arena is …show more content…
This is where the rubber meets the road. The power and torque that are produced from the engine gives you the towing and hauling capacity. Obviously the intent of power is for increased ability to haul and tow. Depending on what the consumer wants in speed and HP will make all the difference. The power an engine produces is called horsepower. One horsepower is the power needed to move 550lbs. one foot in one second. Torque can’t exist without horsepower; the torques is basically the work load, more torque more pulling or working ability (Baxter, 2011). Looking at the engines from earlier shows the major difference in horsepower (HP) and torque, these differences are seen in the towing capacity and top speed. The 3.5L V6 gasoline engine will produce 450 HP and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. While the 6.7L V8 diesel engine produces 440 HP and 925 lb.-ft. of torque. The major difference here is the torque ratio. While the gasoline engine has a higher HP rating the lower torque rating only allows it to haul an 8000lb load. The diesel engine on the other hand with its 925 lb.-ft. of torque can haul a massive 21,000lbs. Horsepower and torque are the main source of difference in these two engines. It’s clear that the diesel has the advantage in the power
Cost is actually a threefold issue; initial cost, maintenance cost, and fuel cost. The upfront cost is normally the most identifiable difference in the two engines. Turbo-diesel powertrains are more expensive to begin with. Price premiums can range from around $3,900, all the way to $11,000 (Smirnov, 2016). Gas engines on the other hand tend be less of an upfront cost, but depending on engine chosen can raise the initial out of pocket cost by as much as $1,000. Maintenance costs are issues that most people don’t think about when buying new vehicles. Depending on how long you plan on keeping the vehicle can help you decide if the maintenance costs are worth the sticker price. Every bit of maintenance done for a diesel engine will cost more money. For example while a standard oil change for a gasoline engine is normally between $20 and $30, a standard oil change for a diesel is $50 to $70. Maintaining any vehicle is critical to avoid unwanted expenses later on. The final cost factor to consider is fuel cost. While all fuel seems to be very expensive at the moment, diesel fuel is more expensive than regular fuel. Currently the average price for regular gasoline in the U.S. is $2.31gal, compared to the average cost of diesel at $2.57 gal (“Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update”, 2017). While a 20 cent bump in payment at the pump may seem small, those pennies do add up. Ultimately the winner in the cost arena is …show more content…
This is where the rubber meets the road. The power and torque that are produced from the engine gives you the towing and hauling capacity. Obviously the intent of power is for increased ability to haul and tow. Depending on what the consumer wants in speed and HP will make all the difference. The power an engine produces is called horsepower. One horsepower is the power needed to move 550lbs. one foot in one second. Torque can’t exist without horsepower; the torques is basically the work load, more torque more pulling or working ability (Baxter, 2011). Looking at the engines from earlier shows the major difference in horsepower (HP) and torque, these differences are seen in the towing capacity and top speed. The 3.5L V6 gasoline engine will produce 450 HP and 510 lb.-ft. of torque. While the 6.7L V8 diesel engine produces 440 HP and 925 lb.-ft. of torque. The major difference here is the torque ratio. While the gasoline engine has a higher HP rating the lower torque rating only allows it to haul an 8000lb load. The diesel engine on the other hand with its 925 lb.-ft. of torque can haul a massive 21,000lbs. Horsepower and torque are the main source of difference in these two engines. It’s clear that the diesel has the advantage in the power