Diesel vs Gasoline Engines: What's the Difference?

by Kevin Smith Author

When shopping for a truck, you will typically be choosing between a gasoline engine and diesel engine. You may have noticed the higher gas prices for a diesel engine but this doesn’t tell you the whole story. Usually, smaller trucks will use gasoline while bigger trucks will use diesel. There are specific reasons for this. Understanding the difference between these two types of fuel will help you decide which type of truck is best for you when visiting Chevrolet used truck dealers in Floresville, TX.

Fuel Efficiency

While diesel fuel is more expensive when filling up a truck, it may be the cheaper option depending on where you drive. Diesel engines offer better fuel efficiency when driving on the highway as it features more energy. However, if you’re driving in the city, gasoline might offer better fuel efficiency. This is largely because a diesel engine has more torque than a gasoline engine. The result is better acceleration and fuel efficiency on the highway.

Performance

Two major aspects of an engine are torque and horsepower. While horsepower is the power the engine can provide, torque is the twisting force on the driveline. Torque is what gets a truck moving so more torque is better when dealing with heavy loads. This is why most of the larger trucks tend to have diesel engines. On the other hand, a lighter truck doesn’t need as much torque and will typically have more horsepower.

Pollution

At one time, the pollution caused by diesel engines was a big concern. This was largely because the engines are burning a larger amount of sulfur. This is why so much black soot would come out of the exhaust pipe. Modern diesel trucks now run much cleaner than they once did. Diesel trucks still don’t burn as cleanly as gasoline, and therefore are not as environmentally friendly, but the gap has closed considerably.

Noise

It used to be that you could tell the difference between a diesel and gasoline engine because of the noise. When a gas pedal was pushed on a diesel truck, you would hear a loud noise and black soot would come out from the back. Modern technology has changed those features. Today, diesel engines are much quieter than they once were. This is especially important if you’re driving through neighborhoods as residents don’t want that noise pollution.

The trucks that you might be looking to purchase will feature either a diesel engine or a gasoline engine. The difference between these engines really comes down to the size of the truck they’re placed into. Understanding the differences between these will allow you to choose the right truck when you visit Chevrolet used truck dealers in Floresville, TX.