Understanding Your Diesel Engine
Understanding Your Diesel Engine
Diesel engines are internal combustion engines that work quite differently from gas engines. We see many of these engines in SUVs, pickup trucks, cars, and vans. In order to fully understand a diesel engine, we’ll break it down into several different parts. While the main features of the engines are very similar, such as the general makeup, there are many key differences to understand when operating a diesel vehicle. Please note that you cannot use regular gas in a diesel engine, or vice versa, as it will cause significant damage to your vehicle.
What is the Difference Between a Diesel Engine and a Gas Engine?
The primary difference between a diesel engine and a gas engine is that a diesel engine has fuel that is sprayed directly into the combustion chambers through devices called fuel injectors.
Airflow is crucial in a gasoline engine, making it easy to explain how gasoline and diesel engines vary with "air" and "fuel."
- In a gas engine, you are throttling air.
- In a diesel engine, you throttle the amount of fuel injected; the air merely follows suit.
As a result, it is unnecessary to throttle the entering air. Due to this, a diesel engine does not produce a vacuum.
How Does a Diesel Engine Work?
An injection of fuel is compressed and then injected into compressed air by a diesel engine. The fuel spontaneously ignites due to the heat from the compressed air.
Key characteristics of diesel engine operation:
- Diesel fuel is injected directly into the cylinder via direct fuel injection
- Only air is compressed in a diesel engine, allowing for a significantly larger compression ratio
- The more power is produced, the higher the compression ratio
Unlike gasoline injectors, diesel fuel injectors:
- Must endure pressure and temperature inside the cylinder
- Must deliver the fuel in a fine mist
Some diesel engines include:
- Induction valves or pre-combustion chambers to disperse mist uniformly
- Glow plugs instead of spark plugs—electrically heated wires that help ignite fuel when the engine is cold
What to Do When You Need Diesel Engine Repair
When you need diesel engine repair, take your vehicle to our diesel repair shop, where our expert technicians have the knowledge and experience to handle your diesel engine problems.
Our technicians are equipped with:
- State-of-the-art diagnostics
- Advanced equipment to manage your repair needs
If you notice:
- Any issues
- Strange or unusual sounds or smells
Don’t let the problem fester into something significant. Take your vehicle to our diesel repair shop so we can determine the best course of action for you and your vehicle.
Call us today or visit our website to schedule an appointment.
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Medium & Heavy Duty Diesel Services
Beyond repairs, we offer complete service solutions for trucks of all sizes. We perform state and federal DOT inspections, preventive maintenance plans, drivability checks, and full system diagnostics. Need help with your DPF/DEF system, turbo, liftgate, or landing gear? We’ve got it covered. Our goal is simple: keep your vehicles compliant, road-ready, and running strong. Whether you're managing a fleet or just one rig, we’ll keep things moving without the downtime.
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"Was looking for a new shop to work on my truck and these guys were phenomenal. Took me right in, kept me informed throughout the process and expeditiously had me back up and running. Their knowledge and workmanship is incredible. If you're looking for a great shop to bring your truck to, look no further because these are your guys,"
- Daniel
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Here at K&M TRUCK REPAIR, we know that any product or service that streamlines your fleet repairs saves you time and money, so we now have cbCharge available. It is a simple and free charge account that consolidates your billing through a secure online portal and provides 30-day payment terms with no interest or late fees. Your fleets repairs and maintenance are completed and billed and emailed from K&M TRUCK REPAIR. Then you get one monthly invoice from cbCharge, similar to a credit card bill.
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