On 7 Nov 2006 13:23:04 -0800, "Doug" <anothername@access4less.net>
wrote:

>Diesel fuel has more btus (watts) per gallon than gasoline. Diesels
>engines can be run at higher compression ratios because engines wont
>ping with the diesel fuel. I think just about all diesel engines are
>fuel injected (but so are gas now). Anyway, both work. Personally I
>don't like the noisy, dirty, stinky diesel (prefer gasoline), but they
>do work well. Make an engine with really big cylinders and big flywheel
>and you will have a torqy sob no mater what fuel you use.


Actually diesels ?ping/knock" all the time, that is where noise comes
from. while there is about a 12% difference in BTU content the biggest
thing limiting gas engine power and efficency is low octane fuel
because there are those that think 87 octane is the wonder fuel which
it is not and detriot has to do a LOT of trickery with timing curves
and CR ratios to control knock from it which reduces power and MPG. In
the 60's and early 70's you knew when you were not feeding your engine
right because it would knock big time but today they mask it with
knock control that quietly steals your power from you.
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