Diesel is most commonly the most misunderstood of the vehicle fuels. Most of us think of them as dirty and loud but that is not necessarily true. In fact, diesel engines are capable of being cleaner than any gasoline engine out there and they are the most highly regulated. Diesel engines have gone through a metamorphosis in the last 25 years, making them cleaner and more efficient than ever before. The reason for this is the way combustion occurs in a diesel engine. In a gas engine you have air and fuel mixed and a spark introduced to ignite the mixture. This combination generally burns more completely with minimal emissions. Diesel, on the other hand, is ignited in a completely different manner.

To start diesel is not as volatile as gasoline, although we would not recommend handling it with any less caution as regular gasoline, it needs more than a spark to completely combust. To begin, air is sucked into the cylinder through either a turbocharger or natural aspiration. Once the fuel is in the cylinder, the piston compresses the air to an extremely hot temperature. Theoretically, once the air is heated to its peak, the injectors spray atomized diesel fuel into the superheated air, causing an explosion. This pushes the piston down just like in a gasoline engine and produces power. Now, when you see diesels blowing tons of black smoke, that is essentially unburned fuel and not an ideal burn. Normal diesels are much more efficient and will burn the fuel completely, making them ideal for producing exceptional fuel mileage and power.