Friday, February 01, 2008

Diesel Engine Pros and Cons

The diesel engine is fast becoming on of the more economical choices for individuals. With the herising costs of fuels, it is seen that diesel is still one of the more affordable options. It in the best has generated a reputation for being very much a major source of pollution but in recent times has been cleaned up to a great extent.

The biggest advantage of the diesel engine is seen in the fact that the fuel is much more economical. The diesel engine gives a lot more than the gasoline engine for much reduced costs. There is an approximate advantage of using diesel of as much as 30% at times. There is less fuel consumed for the same task and you therefore do not have to refill your tank as often.

The reason many persons do not opt for the diesel engine is in fact the initial start up costs of installing such an engine. The extra costs are quite high for the engine and its installation. If you however look into the savings overall the diesel engine will in fact be the more economical choice.

It is seen too that the vehicle that is installed with a diesel engine will retain more value than the gasoline engine. This is due to there being a demand for vehicles that are fuel efficient on the market as the cost of fuel continues to rise. T diesel engine vehicles also tend to stay on the road longer. If properly maintained these will outlast the typical gasoline engine.

It can also be seen that the diesel engine will give a different drive from a gasoline engine. The vehicle running on a diesel engine will have more of a zip too it. The vehicles will also have more power for tasks such as towing as the diesel engine can handle more load.

There is also another downfall associated with the diesel engine. This is the fact that it is much noisier when compared to the gasoline engine. This noise level is however no where as loud as the past and is in fact quite bearable to users. In fact most of the typical drivers on the road will not be able to tell the difference between a diesel engine and a gasoline engine.

Emissions continue to be a cause for concern for the environmentally conscious. It is true that the diesel engine has come a long way from times gone by in terms of emissions but it is still dirtier than the gasoline engine. There is more visible pollution from the diesel engine and this is due to the fact that the diesel engine will throw out more particulates from the exhaust tailpipe as well as more nitrogen oxides. There is however less carbon dioxide pollution. This is a tradeoff but it is the dilemma that many persons face when choosing between the gasoline and the diesel engines.

One of the other concerns when dealing with the diesel engine is the fuel availability. The diesel fuel is commonly found at truck stops on highways bit is not as common in neighborhood service stations. It is vital that consideration be made of where you will source fuel for a diesel engine. It is also seen that there are not that many options when purchasing a diesel engine car so the choices are limited.