Anyone who has ever refueled a car will be terrified: Did I just fill up diesel, or gasoline?If you add it wrong, you're in a**, but why are these two fuels so different?
Both diesel and gasoline can be used in internal combustion engines, but they have different chemical compositions and properties that greatly change how they should ignite.
What is the difference between diesel and petrol?
Gasoline is a light fuel composed of short-chain hydrocarbons. It uses spark plug ignition, which means that the spark plug ignites gasoline vapor. A gasoline-fueled engine turns the wheels by combining gasoline with air, compressing it, and then igniting it, creating a small, controllable ** that produces the required power. The cycle of ignition and ** continues, sending your car on the road to happiness.
Diesel, on the other hand, is a heavier fuel made up of long-chain hydrocarbons. It does not use a spark, but compressed ignition alone, where the air is squeezed until it overheats and ignites the diesel. Compressed air generates heat because constantly moving molecules eventually have less and less space to move, making them move faster and faster. The kinetic energy raises the temperature until it finally reaches a temperature high enough to ignite the diesel, and then, your car starts moving.
Both gasoline and diesel engines are known to produce harmful emissions, causing pollution, threatening public health and exacerbating the climate crisis. For this reason, countries around the world** are starting to consider and even implement a ban on gasoline and diesel cars until 2030-2040 to prevent millions of their citizens from dying from air pollution-related diseases.
Why can't you put gasoline in a diesel engine?
The reason why you can't put gasoline in a diesel engine and vice versa is because they have different combustion characteristics. Putting compressed ignition fuel into a spark plug ignition engine can cause stalling and improper combustion, and gasoline is too volatile for diesel engines.
What do you do if you put the wrong fuel in your car?
If you accidentally put the wrong fuel in your car, the best thing to do is to find a professional to drain the fuel. Starting the engine with the wrong fuel can cause serious damage to the engine, so you want to make sure that all the diesel or petrol is cleaned before you start the car. It's best to let a professional do it, as you may need to replace the filter to make sure the engine is completely free of the incorrect fuel.
When it comes to fuel, do you know how long does gasoline last life?