When equivilant in power which pollutes more - Diesel Engines or Gasoline Engines?

Answer 1

I'm no scientist, but it would seem logical that diesel would actually pollute more, due to the fact that it is more of a less refined raw fuel, than gasoline.

Also, due to the fact that almost everyone in my area puts a smoke chip in their truck, this is a whole different story of pollution.

I am a diesel technician so let me shed some light on this. Pound for pound and like for like, a diesel is more efficient and pollutes less. This is because that a diesel engine unlike a gas engine does not limit the amount of air that gets to the combustion chamber and most new diesels are turbo charged to match air to fuel more efficiently.

I am assuming that both the gasoline and diesel have unrestricted air filters, recent tune ups, and are properly functioning. Diesel takes less energy to refine from the get go so there is first step in reducing pollution. Diesel has more heat calories or BTU's per gallon than gasoline, this equals more power per gallon and is second to reducing pollution. Third like I stated prior, diesel engines match air to fuel, not fuel to air like gasoline engines. A gas engine needs 14.7 to 1 air to fuel to burn clean and if anything alters that ratio it will burn dirty. A diesel in comparison can operate on a wide variety of A/F ratios and still burn clean.

The down fall of the diesel is oxides of nitrogen. NoX is created with combustion temps of over 2500 degrees F. This requires that O2 is not limited to the combustion process and in a diesel it is not. Gassers can produce NoX as well if the A/F ratio becomes lean. Both systems can be filtered through a catalytic converter to reduce these emissions. Hope this helps.