Vehicles Engine Performance Articles

Diesel Fuel Injection Systems

Ian Petersen — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 01:10:00 GMT

For drivers of petrol/gasoline-engined vehicles, fuel injection is a relatively new innovation. Only in the last decade or so has fuel injection become the norm and its predecessor, the humble carburettor, seems a turned page in automotive history. Diesel engines, on the other hand, have always used fuel injection, since the days of Rudolf Diesel himself. This technical article discusses the various diesel fuel injection systems from the days of old to the new.

Intercoolers for Diesels

Ian Petersen — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 13:56:00 GMT

“Intercooled” - it’s a pretty “cool” looking decal to have along the side of your vehicle but what does it mean? And more importantly, what does it do? In this technical article, we explain why it is important to know what function the automotive intercooler plays in our engine and then we analyse why it is so desirable to have one!

Turbos and Super Chargers

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:23:00 GMT

This article uses terminology that is explained in our Why Diesels are Different article and discusses the application of forced induction in regards to diesels. It's all about increasing the power and efficiency of internal combustion engines and this is achieved using Turbochargers and Superchargers. This article will provide you with an appreciation of what these awesome power boosters are and what they can do.

Understanding Engine Conversions

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 22:22:00 GMT

Having a vehicle that is performing well is important for reasons other than just speed and power. Improving reliability and efficiency will also result in better fuel consumption, hence reducing operating costs. In this article, we briefly look at common engine conversions for popular makes of 4WDs and we discuss the options for improving engine performance in regards to turbos, superchargers, extractors, exhaust systems and engine management chips.

Why Diesels are Different

Ian Petersen — Sat, 03 May 2014 00:59:00 GMT

The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is a type of internal combustion engine that is somewhat different to a petrol engine. Air is compressed first and at around 800°C receives an atomised injection of diesel fuel which creates the ignition. These engines are more efficient than petrol engines of the same power and this results in lower fuel consumption. This article discusses the basic operation of the typical automotive diesel engine and especially, the fundamental differences between diesel and petrol engines.