Diesel engines are different from gas engines in numerous ways, including their use of high compression ratios. Here's why that is and what it means.

A.Here's a pressure-volume diagram for a combustion engine. Although rough, it is an approximation of the so-called air-standard cycle. '' Point (a) is at atmospheric pressure, after which the air is ...

Any diesel-engine manufacturer that confidently claims it produces an oil-burner with the “world’s lowest compression ratio,” will no doubt draw the immediate attention of inquisitive enthusiasts, ...

A gasoline piston engine that can dynamically change its compression ratio —that is, the amount by which the piston squeezes the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder—has long been a holy grail of engine ...

“Too little compression will usually result in unmet performance expectations. On the high side [too much compression] carries greater risk in tuning and potential component failure if appropriately ...

Diesel engines do their hardest work in the toughest jobs, from highway semis to construction equipment, and the reason they ...