Diesel fuel is a type of distillate fuel that is essentially produced from crude oil, which gives diesel engines slower cylinder wear than gasoline engines. This gives diesel fuel lubrication properties that extend the overall lifespan of the engine.
In addition to more oil and coolant capacity diesel engines are simply built with heavy duty components that wear out less frequently. Diesel engines are built with a simple yet durable valve train. The rollers are harder and more solid than in gas engines and there are no hydraulic lifter failures to worry about.
But an amazing fact is that diesel engines can run for 1,000,000-1,500,000 miles before needing any major diesel repairs. If kept well-maintained, a diesel engine can be driven for about 30 years or more.
Diesel engine longevity is primarily due to two factors. The engines are built more durably to handle the compression force of the ignition cycle, and the fuel itself is an oil that gently lubricates the engine as it runs.
Diesel engines are generally more rugged than petrol engines, as they have to withstand higher compression ratios; this means better longevity.
"You can get up to maybe 250,000 km or 300,000 km before a gas engine starts to make noise, or burn oil because it's wearing out, but a diesel can quite easily do 500,000 km and still be in excellent shape," says one certified mechanic I spoke with.
Turbos are designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle (or around 150,000 miles); however, it's possible for them to wear out over time depending on how hard you drive the car and the original build quality of the turbo.
Cons of diesel cars
Diesel fuel usually costs more. Servicing can be more expensive, although you don't need to do it as often. Diesel cars produce a lot more NO2. Diesel engines can be slightly noisier.
Yes, a diesel car is still worth buying in 2022. If you are in need of a car and are not financially ready for hybrid or electric options, a diesel vehicle can serve the purpose. The UK government is not banning the sales of diesel vehicles until 2030.
It's good for the engine to idle. Diesel engines don't burn much fuel at idle. Diesel engines create more heat by idling. Diesel engines must idle or they won't restart.
Diesel Rule 1: NEVER buy high mileage
To be clear - avoid diesel cars with over 100,000 miles on the clock. Just avoid them.
If the driver does not regularly (ie – about once a week to once a fortnight) go for a drive of at least half an hour, the filter trap clogs up. In addition to not filtering the diesel soot properly, continued or repeated clogging will eventually destroy the filter, requiring a very expensive replacement.
The diesel won't be around forever. Unless our industry begins to break away more effectively from its present ways of thinking about combustion and designing engines, it will be extinct before it ever reaches its full potential as an efficient and clean power plant.
Diesel engines, because of the weight and compression ratio, tend to have lower maximum RPM ranges than gasoline engines (see Question 381 for details). This makes diesel engines high torque rather than high horsepower, and that tends to make diesel cars slow in terms of acceleration.
Under ideal conditions, diesel fuel can be stored between six and twelve months. To extend the life past twelve months, even under the best conditions, it needs to be treated with fuel stabilizers and biocides.
Petrol and diesel cars could be banned in Sydney by 2027 under new proposal. How will the Australian property market fare in 2023?
Petrol or diesel car in 2022 – Conclusion
The answer would be a yes, as the future of ICE vehicles seems safe at the moment. It also seems that buying an ICE car makes sense for the next few years.
Can I still buy a second-hand petrol or diesel car after 2030? Like the above, the ban only affects the sale of new vehicles, so you'll still be able to buy and sell used petrol or diesel cars after 2030. For the same reason, you'll also be able to buy and sell used hybrids after 2035, too.
Water causes damage to both fuel tanks and engine parts. Rust and corrosion in the tank create hard particulate that is passed along in the fuel, causing engine wear.
Come March 2023, a new phase of emission norms will kick-in and this is further making carmakers vary of diesel engine cars. Maruti had earlier said that the second phase of emission norms will further raise costs and impact sales.
Why are diesels so unreliable? Diesel engines rely on self-compression, meaning that fuel is compressed to very high pressures, putting more pressure on internal engine parts, it says. Problems can also be more difficult and expensive to diagnose.
The higher air mass allows more injected fuel to be burned. This has two effects: An increase in engine efficiency and an increase of air mass. This improves the torque output. Diesel engines are ideal for turbocharging as their torque output is controlled with a forced flow of the air-fuel mixture.
Fact: This is one of the most common myths about diesel engines. Most engine manufacturers recommend that newer diesel engines idle for no more than 3 minutes before driving. Gelling of diesel fuel used to be a problem. Refiners have resolved this problem by making winter blends that work better in colder weather.
No. today's turbochargers are designed to last the lifespan of the vehicle. The truth is, boosted engines require the same amount of maintenance and care that a naturally aspirated engine does. Does a turbocharger decrease the life of an engine?