The image of a giant tractor-trailer chugging down the highway is a thing of the past. Semis still have diesel engines in them, but they are new and improved. Since its creation in the early 20th century, the diesel engine has been the workhorse of the automotive industry. It’s in trucks, farm tractors, trains, submarines, and construction equipment all over the world. The capacity of a diesel engine to do work is legendary and the only way to go for heavy machinery. We are going to tell you why diesel engines are better than gasoline. After that, you’ll want to run out and buy the biggest damn truck with a diesel engine you can find.
They Are Cleaner Burning
As stated above, the days of diesel trucks belching out black smoke into the air are over. The government has placed restrictions on the amount of emissions that diesels can put into the atmosphere. Manufacturers responded with particulate filters and cleaner-burning engines that exceed the regulations put in place. Compared to what they were 30 years ago, diesel engines are so clean that they are damn electric.
They Deliver More Power and Torque
It’s no secret that diesel engines are strong, powerful, and durable. Their design allows them to create more torque and, in turn, deliver more power. The two principles go hand-in-hand; one doesn’t exist without the other. The increased power that diesel engines deliver over gasoline engines is the reason they are used to power the heavy-duty machines.
They Are Easier to Repair
Gasoline engines rely on spark to create combustion. Diesel engines do not; they rely on heat and compression. Because of that, they have fewer moving parts in them, making them easier to repair. Less moving parts means less things that can break.
They Burn More Than Fossil Fuels
When Rudolf Diesel unveiled his invention in the early 20th century, it ran on peanut oil. There was no such thing as diesel fuel at the time—that came later, because of the oil companies. Today, the diesel engine can run on alternative fuels. Biodiesel is a new product that is a combination of animal fats, vegetable oils, and other waster oils. It must be refined, though, so that it can flow and make it into the engine.
The Fuel is Cheaper
In almost every state in the union, diesel fuel is cheaper than gasoline. That means the price per gallon is cheaper everywhere—unless you live in Illinois. That means you can fill your tank for less money every time over gasoline.
