Japanese manufacturers have reliable diesel engines. And what is the most reliable diesel engine reliable in Japan?
Let's take a look at the most common modern diesel engines in the Japanese car industry.
What are these diesels, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Japanese diesels. They now dominate mainly in Europe, but quite often they began to appear in Russia.
But, unfortunately, they also have problems when their runs exceed one hundred thousand kilometers, and even some up to one hundred thousand.
The caution in the supply of diesel engines from Japan is due to their capricious attitude towards fuel. Their fuel system is rather weak to the use of our diesel fuel.
Another problem is the availability of spare parts. There are practically no non-original spare parts from reliable manufacturers. Chinese ones appear, but their quality leaves much to be desired and does not at all correspond to Japanese quality.
Hence, their very high price is dictated, much higher than for German spare parts. There are many factories in Europe that produce spare parts of decent quality and at prices significantly lower than the original ones.
The most reliable diesel engine from Japan
So what's the most reliable diesel engine from Japan? Let's rank the TOP 5 of the best diesel engines.
5th place
In fifth place, you can safely put a 2.0-liter Subaru engine. Four-cylinder, turbocharged, opposed, 16-valve. Common Rail intake system.
I must say, this is the world's only boxer diesel engine.
A boxer engine is when reciprocal pairs of pistons operate in a horizontal plane. This arrangement does not require careful balancing of the crankshafts.
The weak points of this engine is a dual-mass flywheel, it broke down even up to five thousand kilometers. Cracking of the crankshaft, until 2009 crankshafts and shaft bearings were destroyed.
This engine is very interesting in its design, with good characteristics, but the absence of spare parts for such engines negates its advantages. Therefore, in the Japanese range of diesel engines, we assign it the fifth place of honor.
4th place
The fourth place is taken by the Mazda 2.0 MZR-CD engine. This diesel has been produced since 2002, and is installed on Mazda 6, Mazda 6, MPV cars. It was Mazda's first common rail engine.
Four cylinders, 16 valves. Two versions - 121 hp and 136 hp, both developing a torque of 310 Nm at 2000 rpm.
In 2005, it underwent modernization, with an improved injection system and a new high-pressure fuel pump. Reduced compression ratio and adaptation of the engine with a catalyst for the emission of harmful gases. Power became 143 hp.
Two years later, a version with a 140 hp engine came out, in 2011 this engine disappeared from the line of installed engines for unknown reasons.
This engine quietly nursed 200,000 kilometers, after which it was necessary to change the turbine and dual-mass flywheel.
When buying, you should carefully study its history, and it is better to remove the sump and look at the oil sump.
3rd place
Also Mazda engine, Mazda 2.2 MZF-CD. The same engine with increased but increased displacement. Engineers have tried to eliminate all the jambs of the old two-liter engine.
In addition to the increased volume, the injection system has been modernized, and another turbine has been installed. On this engine, they installed piezo injectors, changed the compression ratio and radically changed the particulate filter, which caused all the problems of the previous model of the two-liter engine.
But the global struggle for the environment, both in Europe and in Japan, adds gimoro to all engines, and a system is installed on this, with the addition of urea to the diesel fuel mixture.
This all reduces emissions to Euro 5, but as always, in Russia, this adds problems to all modern diesel engines without exception. This is simply solved with us, the particulate filter is thrown out and the afterburning valve of the unburned exhaust is muffled.
The rest of the engine is reliable and unpretentious
2nd place
Toyota 2.0 / 2.2 D-4D engine.
The first two-liter Toyota 2.0 D-4D CD appeared in 2006. Four-cylinder, eight-valve, cast iron block, timing belt drive, 116 hp The engines were indexed "CD".
Complaints about this engine were very rare, they all boiled down only to the injectors and the exhaust gas recirculation system. In 2008, it was discontinued, and instead a new one was launched, with a volume of 2.2 liters.
Toyota 2.0 / 2.2 D-4D AD
They have already begun to make a chain, there are already 16 valves for four cylinders. The block was made of aluminum with cast-iron sleeves. The index of this engine became "AD".
The engines are available in both 2.0 and 2.2 liters.
The best reviews for such an engine, and good feedback, and low fuel consumption. But there were also complaints, the main one was the oxidation of the aluminum head at the point of contact with the cylinder head gasket, approximately in the period of 150-200 thousand km. mileage.
Replacing the block head gasket does not help, only grinding the cylinder head and block, and this procedure is possible only with the removal of the engine. And such a repair is possible only once, the motor will not withstand the second grinding of the head and block, the depth will be critical with the possibility of meeting the valves with the head. Therefore, if the motor traveled 300-400 thousand kilometers, with one grinding, it only needs to be replaced. It's a very decent resource though.
Toyota in 2009 solved this problem, with such malfunctions they even got new motors under warranty at their own expense. But the problem is very rare, but it does occur. Mainly for those who do not lightly ignite the 2.2-liter engine on the strongest version of this model.
Such engines are still produced and installed on various car models: Raf4, Avensis, Corolla, Lexus IS and others.
1 place
Diesel engine Honda 2.2 CDTi. The most reliable subcompact diesel engine. A very efficient and very economical diesel engine.
Four-cylinder, 16-valve, variable displacement turbocharged, common rail injection system, sleeve aluminum block.
Bosch injectors are used, not capricious and expensive Japanese Denso.
The predecessor of this engine was built back in 2003 with the 2.2 i-CTDi mark. It turned out to be very successful. Trouble-free, dynamic and economical in fuel consumption.
The modern Honda 2.2 CDTi engine in question appeared in 2008.
Of course, typical malfunctions did not pass, but they were all extremely rare. Exhaust manifold cracks, but they appeared in the first issues, the Japanese reacted and this was not observed in subsequent issues.
Sometimes there were malfunctions of the timing chain tensioner. Also, sometimes the turbine shaft play appeared prematurely.
All of these malfunctions arose from excessive constant loads and poor maintenance.
This engine was installed by Honda on the Honda Civic, Accord, CR-V and others.
By far, this engine has the lowest number of failures and breakdowns in relation to all other engines of Japanese automakers.
We give him five points out of five, assign him the First place of honor and wish you to have a similar one on your car.
The principle of operation of a diesel engine looks like self-ignition of the supplied atomized fuel when interacting with air heated during compression. In a nutshell, it is not entirely clear what it is about, so this article will be devoted entirely to a diesel engine.
Diesel engine device - main parts
Such engines have both a number of advantages and a number of disadvantages. The former include: the principle of its operation is ideal for heavy trucks; it is more economical compared to a gasoline power unit. Disadvantages: the process of fuel combustion itself is tantamount to an explosion, which in itself cannot be an advantage; the fuel equipment has a rather complex design, therefore, if it fails, you will have to tinker a lot; the developed speed will be less than when working on gasoline engines.
The device of a diesel engine is presented as follows. It all starts with an intake valve through which air can enter the working cylinders. The piston creates the necessary pressure so that the incoming air is heated to the required temperature, and the crankshaft receives the force from the piston and converts it into torque. This is, in short, how a diesel engine works.
The principle of operation of a diesel engine - choose the type of combustion chamber
Areas for fuel ignition are of two types, depending on the type itself. The unseparated combustion chamber is located in the piston, in which case the fuel is injected into the space above the piston. In this case, you can count on efficiency, since the consumption of the combustible mixture will be minimal, however, increased noise will serve as a negative point, especially during idle.
In separated combustion chambers, fuel is supplied to a separate chamber, which is connected to the cylinder through a special channel. Excellent mixing of fuel with air is ensured, only after that it is already supplied to the working space, which contributes to better combustion of the mixture. This improves the cleanliness of emissions, the durability of the engine and the power of the car.
How a Diesel Engine Works - Engine Stroke
The scheme of operation of a diesel engine is two-stroke and four-stroke.... In the first case, the work takes place as follows: during the working stroke, the piston moves downward, while the exhaust holes in the cylinder open and exhaust gases come out of it. At the same time (sometimes a little later), the intake ports are opened, and air is purged. Then the piston begins to move upward, all windows are closed, and the process of air compression occurs. Before the piston reaches TDC (highest dead center), fuel is sprayed from the nozzle, an explosion occurs, and the whole process is repeated anew.
It is important to know how a diesel engine works and a four-stroke scheme. In the first stroke, air is injected, at the same time the exhaust valve is open. The second stroke corresponds to compressing the air so that it reaches the required temperature. On the third stroke, a combustible mixture is injected into the combustion chamber, and an explosion occurs as a result of interaction with the heated air. During the fourth stroke, exhaust gases are removed from the cylinder body.
A four-stroke engine, all other things being equal, has less power than a two-stroke one, but it has a higher efficiency and a more efficient degree of fuel combustion.
How a diesel engine works - modern realities
The device of a modern diesel engine is equipped with a computer-controlled fuel supply. This system allows the injection of the combustible mixture into the cylinders in metered portions. This moment is very important for diesel power units, since with such a supply, the pressure arising in the combustion chamber increases smoothly without the occurrence of all sorts of "jerks", and this contributes to the smooth and quiet operation of the power unit in the best possible way.
Before buying a new car, any driver has a choice between two types of engines - gasoline and diesel. Of course, every motorist has his own preferences and beliefs about the benefits of a particular motor. However, which one is better? In this article, you will not find a definite answer to this question. Here we will objectively and in detail consider all the pros and cons of each motor, but the final choice is yours, dear readers. To do this, let's compare both types of engines in several of the most important operational parameters.
The type of engine installed is one of the most important characteristics of the car
Power and torque
Gasoline engines are shorter than diesel engines. As a result, they have less torque, but they give out more power and are able to spin up to high revs. Thanks to this, gasoline engines have good acceleration dynamics. Only modern turbocharged diesel engines will be able to compete with them in this.
If you often transport heavy loads and you need excellent traction, then diesel is your choice. Its torque is much higher and is fully realized at low revs due to the higher compression ratio required for self-ignition of diesel fuel (17: 1 versus 9-10: 1 for gasoline engines).
By this parameter, it is impossible to unambiguously single out the leader, so we pass to the next characteristic.
Profitability
Most often, cars with diesel engines are bought to save money on fuel. But is it possible to save your money by purchasing diesel? Let's try to figure it out.
As mentioned above, diesel engines have a higher compression ratio. Thanks to this, the efficiency (efficiency) increases, which is 20-40% higher than that of gasoline counterparts. This means that it is easy to guess that a diesel engine eats much less fuel per kilometer than its gasoline competitor.
In addition, in a diesel engine, fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, which means that fuel losses are minimal. In gasoline engines, fuel is mixed with air in the intake manifold.
Everything would be fine, but the days when a liter of diesel fuel cost an order of magnitude cheaper than a liter of even the lowest quality gasoline are long gone. In modern realities, the cost of diesel fuel has already surpassed the expensive 95th gasoline, which means that fuel economy is practically leveled by the difference in price.
Let's take a simple example. Diesel Ford Focus consumes 5.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, its petrol version - 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers. At the same time, in most areas of our vast homeland, diesel fuel is mainly 3 rubles more expensive than the most common 92nd gasoline. By a simple calculation we find out that in order to close the difference in cost, you will have to drive at least 145 thousand kilometers on a diesel engine. With the annual mileage of most motorists 20-30 thousand km, buying a diesel engine for the sake of economy is at least impractical.
Noise and vibration
All car manufacturers are now actively working to reduce noise and vibration from diesel engines. Modern diesel engines are already very close in these indicators to their gasoline counterparts. However, even on the street, it is very easy to distinguish diesel from gasoline by its characteristic knock and vibration when idling. The gasoline engine is so quiet that it is sometimes difficult to determine by ear whether it is working or not.
Gasoline engines have a clear advantage here.
Something else useful for you:
Starting and working in frost
Probably everyone knows the problems of a diesel engine in frosty weather. The thing is that in a diesel engine, the fuel ignites spontaneously due to heating the air with strong compression. At temperatures below -30 degrees, the air cannot warm up enough to ignite the fuel. To work around this problem, diesel engines use glow plugs that heat the combustion chamber to the required temperature before starting.
However, if a car with a diesel engine starts up in frost, this still does not give any guarantees that it will get from point A to point B. If low-quality or summer fuel gets into the tank, then in the cold, paraffin crystals will instantly form in it, which in turn clog the fuel line and filters and the car simply stalls on the go. Experienced diesel engineers advise not to lower the fuel level in the tank below ½ in winter in order to avoid such phenomena.
This will not happen with a gasoline engine in winter. The fuel is stably ignited by a spark, providing easy starting. You just have to monitor the level and choose the right engine oil.
Another point in favor of petrol cars.
Service
Ten years ago, it was generally accepted that maintaining a diesel engine is much more expensive than gasoline engines. Currently, the situation has changed radically: the prices for consumables for diesel engines are quite acceptable. True, it is worth adding diesel fuel additives to the expense item. Sometimes it is worth adding them because Russian diesel fuel is not always of good quality.
Another issue is renovation. By and large, labor costs for the bulkhead of a diesel engine are no more than a gasoline one: the same pistons, cylinders, crankshaft, rings, sometimes turbines, etc. However, not everything is as good as it would seem. There is one detail that greatly spoils the picture - the injection pump (high pressure fuel pump). The device of such a pump itself is not complicated, however, it uses very precise processing of parts, which not every service can provide. As a result, it takes a long time to look for a good master to repair the injection pump, and you will have to pay from 400 to 1500 dollars for the work. Installing a new pump can be quite comparable to buying a used foreign car.
Sustainability
Despite the fact that a diesel engine burns fuel more efficiently, it is still inferior to gasoline engines in terms of emissions. Diesel fuel contains more sulfur and forms soot when burned. Smoky diesel is also more common. Finally, the fact that according to research by scientists, the combustion products of diesel fuel greatly increase the risk of cancer in humans, finishes.
Gasoline is a lighter fuel, burns faster with less deposits. Consequently, cars with these motors are much more environmentally friendly.
Durability
The diesel engine runs at a lower speed than the gasoline engine. The operating range of diesel engines in passenger cars is most often limited to 5000-6000 rpm, while gasoline engines rotate up to 8000-9000 rpm. Most gasoline engines run 300-350 thousand kilometers before major overhaul, while some diesel engines are capable of driving up to a million kilometers without serious intervention.
Price
The compression ratio in diesel engines is much higher, so the pistons, cylinder block, connecting rods, crankshaft, cylinder head, etc. are subjected to higher loads, and therefore must be strengthened accordingly. Consequently, the price of diesel engines is inferior to gasoline counterparts.
Conclusion
Comparing gasoline and diesel engines according to the above parameters, it becomes easier to make the final choice. If you need good acceleration dynamics, you do not plan to transport heavy loads and you are satisfied with a resource of 300 thousand km, then gasoline cars are for you. Diesels, on the other hand, are more suitable for trucks, "workhorses", which often carry any cargo with large annual mileage.
However, whatever you say, each type of engine has a lot of fans, and the debate over what is best will continue as long as these engines exist. No wonder they say - there are no comrades for taste and color.
An article about the main pros and cons of a diesel engine. Important features of operation. At the end of the article - a video about which engine is cooler, gasoline or diesel!
The content of the article:
When buying a car with a wide range of offered engines, a motorist always faces a difficult question, which consists not only in choosing the optimal combination of power and displacement, but also the type of engine as a whole. The confrontation between diesel engines and traditional gasoline units continues for quite a long time. Since they both have a number of advantages and disadvantages, we will consider them in more detail.
What are the nuances of a diesel engine
More recently, due to the fact that diesel fuel cost almost half the price of gasoline, the shortcomings of such an engine were overlooked, because cheap fuel was combined with its low consumption and excellent traction capabilities of the car.
The main disadvantages were the increased noise, strong vibration loading and low acceleration dynamics.
Now the situation has changed radically, and good diesel fuel, despite the fact that it is actually a by-product of oil refining, is more expensive than gasoline. In addition, the diesel engine itself is significantly more expensive and more difficult to operate and maintain than a gasoline engine.
With such a ratio of factors, the choice is no longer limited to measured, economical driving or dynamic, but slightly more consumable. The very fact of the expediency of purchasing a car on diesel fuel is questionable, because despite the tremendous work aimed at eliminating its weaknesses, some of the shortcomings still could not be eliminated.
We will not consider in this article commercial vehicles, for which the most important indicator is traction under a high load, as well as efficiency, since most of the commercial vehicle fleet does not offer gasoline versions at all. This is due to the fact that a large-volume diesel engine at high loads is much preferable to its gasoline counterpart in terms of economy. After all, when it comes to fuel consumption of tens of liters per hundred kilometers, even insignificant savings look impressive in monetary terms.
In addition, for such cars, driving at high speeds is not necessary at all. A gasoline engine is prone to a significant increase in fuel consumption at maximum load, a diesel engine in this situation is more stable.
Diesel engine design features
The use of heavy fuel implies completely different principles of operation of a diesel engine, which is reflected in its design. From time to time, there is news that a particular plant has mastered the production of diesel engines based on the gasoline version, this mainly refers to the outdated production of low-power motors that are not famous for their reliability. As experts admit, it is desirable that diesel and gasoline engines do not have common parts and are created independently of each other.
First of all, a diesel engine is made from much whiter alloys, and its parts, such as a cylinder block, pistons, connecting rods, and a crankshaft, are designed for much higher loads. This is due to the fact that the compression ratio of the diesel engine is 19-24 units, while the gasoline engine has only 9-12 units. This leads to an increase in the weight and dimensions of the unit.
The key difference lies in the power supply and ignition systems. In a gasoline engine, mixture formation occurs in the intake system, that is, a ready-made mixture of fuel and air enters the cylinder, which is ignited by a spark plug. In diesel, everything is somewhat more complicated - first, air enters the combustion chamber, which heats up to 800 degrees Celsius, after which fuel is injected there under huge pressure, and the resulting mixture is ignited by a glow plug.
During the combustion process, a huge pressure is created, which provides a huge torque, but at the same time leads to increased noise. This principle of operation ensures stable operation of the lean-burn motor, which gives good efficiency indicators.
When operating a diesel engine, great attention should be paid to the quality of the fuel, since the high pressure fuel pumps used are much more expensive than a simple gas pump.
This engine power system is now the most widespread, but there are also more exotic options with unit injectors, in which the functions of supplying and spraying fuel are combined, which allows replacing only one element when it fails, but makes the diesel engine even more demanding. Moreover, such units are not repairable.
The high cost of such a motor is also due to the fact that it is often equipped with a number of important auxiliary systems, such as heating the fuel tank and return lines, particle filters and reinforced damping cushions.
In addition, most modern diesel engines are equipped with a turbocharger, which can significantly improve dynamic performance and accelerate reaching maximum revs, while efficiency also slightly improves. The main negative factor is the price of both the turbocharger itself and its replacement. This unit is designed for a shorter service life than the motor, in addition, it is very sensitive to the quality of working fluids and consumables. In some cases, its repair is not provided, the entire compressor is changed.
Contrary to popular belief, diesel engines, like gasoline engines, can be subject to overhaul, the technologies of which are very similar. The only thing to consider if you are buying a used car or are going to operate it for many years is the design of the cylinder block.
There are diesel engines in which the cylinder block and its head are combined into a single non-separable element, which leads to the need to search for specialized workshops that could carry out a groove of a similar design. Most services simply do not have such equipment.
How to properly operate diesel engines
As for the end consumer, it is important for him to remember the main nuances of a diesel engine, such as the use of different varieties of it in winter and summer. The fact is that diesel fuel thickens at negative temperatures and the resulting gel-like mass can simply clog the fuel system and even damage it, therefore, before the onset of cold weather, diesel fuel with special additives is imported to the gas station.
This is important to remember for those who rarely use a car, because after refueling in the warm season, it will no longer be possible to leave in winter. To do this, you will have to purchase additives and add them to the tank yourself. The old technology of adding a small amount of kerosene to a summer grade of solarium can be detrimental to a modern engine.
Winter operation of a diesel engine is also associated with the fact that its extremely slow warming up does not allow quickly heating the passenger compartment from the standard heating system. For cars with a large interior, as well as for SUVs and station wagons, this leads to the need to install an auxiliary heater.
Do not forget about the fact that it is necessary to closely monitor the fuel level, because if the gasoline runs out, it is enough to just add it to the tank, in the case of a diesel engine, air enters the system, which will not allow the engine to start without special pumping.
Unlike older models, modern diesel engines are extremely sensitive to fuel quality, and inattention to this fact can lead to much more expensive repairs than in the case of gasoline.
Against this background, the most insignificant drawback of a diesel engine is a rather narrow operating range, which actually translates into the need to change gears more often. Of course, in the case of "automatic" this fact becomes unnoticeable, but the need for more gears is obvious.
A modern diesel engine is literally packed with various electronic systems, so maintenance should be carried out only at an authorized center. In addition, for these motors, the replacement of working fluids should be done almost twice as often.
For many car owners, safety is an important factor. Diesel fuel is extremely difficult to ignite and is not prone to spontaneous combustion or explosion, therefore, in the event of a fuel tank leak as a result of a serious accident, the risk of fire is extremely small.
Fighting Diesel Disadvantages
All of the above disadvantages of diesel engines are due to objective reasons and their design features, so in some cases it is almost impossible to get rid of them.
For example, increased vibration is associated with a sharp increase in pressure in the combustion chamber in the middle of the working cycle, therefore, the fight against this phenomenon is carried out in two directions - reducing the consequences, that is, the use of engine cushions that effectively damp vibrations and adjusting the operating mode. As for the latter, modern diesel engines are distinguished by a reduced compression ratio, this somewhat stabilizes the process, but gradually deprives the diesel of its advantages - torque and economy.
Reducing the compression ratio has a positive effect on reducing noise, but, as already mentioned, there are plenty of negative factors for such a solution. The only rational way out so far is the use of effective sound insulation.
More expensive solutions in the form of torsional vibration dampers also make it possible to reduce the disadvantages of this type of engine, but, in addition to increasing costs, lead to an even greater complication of the maintenance process.
Serious work is underway to improve the combustion chamber to ensure high-quality mixture formation by creating turbulent vortices in it. To stabilize the ignition process and reduce detonation, motors with two nozzles per cylinder have been developed, which, however, leads to a significant increase in the cost of the structure.
Moreover, for the complete combustion of fuel, a recirculation system is used, which directs part of the exhaust back to the intake manifold, which reduces the temperature in the combustion chamber and can lead to premature wear, since it is almost impossible to completely clean the gases from solid soot particles.
Advantages of a diesel unit in a car
Let's list the main advantages of a diesel engine:
- profitability;
- greater resource;
- thrust-to-weight ratio and huge torque at low revs.
The only negative factor that has been completely eliminated is the possibility of self-destruction of the diesel engine. This phenomenon got the name "went crazy" and consisted in the uncontrolled set of revolutions by the motor up to failure. The modern power supply system and electronics exclude the possibility of such a situation.
Diesel Engine Conclusion
Thus, a diesel engine is a justified solution when driving intensively, carrying a large amount of cargo or fully loaded with passengers, when towing a trailer or driving off-road.
In the case of sedate driving on good roads, the efficiency of this type of motor simply does not have time to compensate for its price, as well as the complexity and cost of maintenance. It is worth remembering that the shortcomings of a diesel engine at the modern technical level were only minimized, but not eliminated.
Video about which engine is cooler, gasoline or diesel:
Greetings friends! The diesel power unit has long won love and respect among motorists! It is more economical, more reliable, and the overall efficiency is an order of magnitude higher than that of a gasoline counterpart. However, the more complex structure and principle of operation of the diesel engine do not allow many domestic drivers to decide to buy a car of this type. It is not strange, it makes you pay attention to the cost of maintenance of vehicles and rightly so! But still, in order to allay the fears of colleagues, today I will try to describe to you in an understandable form all the features of such a unit. But about everything, as usual, in order ...
A little background
The first motor of this type was created by the French engineer Rudolph Diesel, who lived in the 19th century. As you can imagine, the master did not think for a long time about the name of his invention and followed in the footsteps of the great inventors, calling him by his last name. The engine was powered by kerosene, and was used exclusively among ships and stationary machines. Why? Everything is very simple, the huge weight and the increased noise of the engine did not allow increasing the range of its application.
And so it was until 1920, when the first copies of the already significantly modernized diesel engine began to be used in public and freight transport. True, only 15 years later, the first models of passenger cars that run on diesel fuel appeared, but the presence of all the same drawbacks did not allow the use of the power unit everywhere. It was only in the 70s that really compact diesel engines saw the light, by the way, many experts link this event to a sharp jump in oil prices. Be that as it may, the diesel power unit during its formation did not work on anything. The experimenters poured everything that came to hand into it: rapeseed oil, crude oil, fuel oil, kerosene and finally diesel fuel. Nowadays, we all see what this led to - against the background of expensive gasoline, diesel conquers not only Europe, but the whole world!
Design features
The device of a diesel engine, by and large, has not so many differences in comparison with a gasoline analogue. This is the same piston internal combustion engine, in which the fuel is ignited not by means of a spark, but by compression or heating. There are several main elements in its design:
- Pistons;
- Cylinders;
- Fuel injectors;
- Glow plugs;
- Inlet and outlet valve;
- Turbine;
- Intercooler.
For comparison: the efficiency of a gasoline engine averages about 30%, in the case of a diesel version, this figure increases to 40%, and with a turbocharger and in all up to 50%!
Moreover, the functioning schemes are also very similar to each other. Only the processes of creating a fuel-air mixture and its combustion differ. Well, one more global difference is the strength of the parts. Such a moment is caused by a significantly higher level of compression, because if a small backlash between parts is allowed in the "lighters", then everything in a diesel engine should be as tight as possible.
Principle of operation
Let's finally understand how a diesel engine works. If we talk about the four-stroke version, then here you can observe a combustion chamber separate from the cylinder, which is nevertheless connected to it with a special channel. This type of motor was promoted to the masses much earlier than the two-stroke modification, due to the fact that they were quieter and had an increased rev range. If you follow the logic, it becomes clear that if there are 4 cycles, then the working cycle consists of 4 phases, consider them.
- Intake - when the crankshaft is turned around 0-180 degrees, air enters the cylinder through the intake valve, which opens 345-355 degrees. Simultaneously with the intake, the exhaust valve also opens, when the crankshaft is turned by 10-15 degrees.
- Compression - moving upward at 180-360 degrees, the piston compresses the air 16-25 times, in turn, at the beginning of the stroke at 190-210 degrees, the intake valve closes.
- Working stroke - when the stroke just begins, the fuel mixes with hot air and ignites, naturally all this happens before the piston reaches dead center. In this case, combustion products are released, which put pressure on the piston and it moves down. Please note that the gas pressure is constant, so the combustion of fuel lasts exactly the same as the diesel engine injector supplies liquid. It is thanks to this that more torque develops in comparison with gasoline units. All this action is carried out at 360-540 degrees.
- Exhaust - when the crankshaft rotates 540-720 degrees, the piston moves upwards and squeezes the exhaust gases out through the open exhaust valve.
The principle of operation of a two-stroke diesel engine is characterized by faster phases, a uniform gas exchange process and direct injection. For those who are not in the subject, let me remind you: in such designs, the combustion chamber is located directly in the piston, and the fuel enters the space above it. When the piston moves downward, combustion products leave the cylinder through the exhaust valves. Further, the intake valves open and fresh air enters. When the piston moves up, all valves are closed, at which time compression occurs. Fuel is injected by atomizers and begins to ignite until the piston reaches top dead center.
Optional equipment
If we set aside the internal combustion engine itself, a whole series of well-trained assistants comes to the general plan. Consider the top professionals!
Fuel system
The device of the fuel system of a diesel engine is much more complicated than in gasoline modifications. This nuance is explained easily and simply - the requirements for the pressure of the supplied fuel, quantity and accuracy are very high, you yourself understand why. Fuel injection pump of a diesel engine, a fuel filter, injectors and spray nozzles are all the main elements of the system. A separate article deserves not only the equipment, but also the device of the fuel filter. Perhaps we will soon analyze them under a microscope.
Turbocharging
A turbine on a diesel engine significantly increases its performance due to the fact that the fuel is supplied under high pressure and, accordingly, completely burns out. The design of this unit, in principle, is not so complicated, it consists of only two casings, bearings and a protective metal mesh. The principle of operation of the turbine of a diesel engine is as follows:
- The compressor to which one shroud is connected draws air into the turbocharger.
- Next, the rotor is activated.
- After that, it's time to cool the air, the intercooler copes with this task.
- Having passed several filters on its way, the air enters the engine through the intake manifold, after which the valve closes, and its subsequent opening occurs at the final stage of the working stroke.
- Just then, exhaust gases leave the engine through the turbine, which also exert a certain pressure on the rotor.
- At this moment, the speed of rotation of the turbine can reach 1500 revolutions per second, and the rotor also rotates through the shaft.
The turbine cycle of a working power unit repeats over and over again, and it is thanks to such stability that the engine power grows!
Injectors and intercooler
The principle of operation of the intercooler, as well as the nozzles, and indeed their purpose, of course, are radically different. The first, by means of heat exchange, reduces the temperature of the air, which in a hot state greatly affects the durability of the engine. On the nozzle, the task is to dose and spray the fuel.
It operates in a pulsed mode due to the cam extending from the camshaft and the actual nozzles.
Diesel operating temperature
Do not be alarmed if the usual 90 degrees are missing on the dashboard. The fact is that the operating temperature of a diesel engine is quite specific and depends on a specific brand of car, in fact, the engine itself and the thermostat. So, if for Volkswagen the normal value will be a mark in the range of 90-100 degrees, then an ordinary Mercedes operates at 80-100, and Opel generally in the region of 104-111 degrees. Domestic truck "KAMAZ", for example, operates at 95-98 degrees.
Whatever operating temperature your power unit has, one thing is obvious - diesel engines are more relevant today than ever. Don't believe me? Take a look around, today you can even find a diesel engine on the "Niva" and I'll tell you this, this is not an isolated case. Already from this we can conclude that such a motor is much better than a gasoline one.
Yes, in high-speed qualities, it will hardly be able to compare with gasoline ones, although modern models with turbines can definitely create competition.
If you don't want to change the car, let alone the engine, I recommend washing the engine with your own hands, because we do this not so often, as the procedure I described looks like. In general, I expressed my opinion, I'm waiting for yours in the comments! All the best!
