Posted on 1/31/2025
When you think about how a car engine works, you might picture spark plugs firing to ignite fuel. While that’s true for gasoline engines, diesel engines operate quite differently. Instead of spark plugs, diesel engines rely on glow plugs to get things started. But why is that the case? Let’s explore the fundamental differences and understand why glow plugs are essential for diesel engines. How Diesel Engines Generate Power To understand why glow plugs are used, it’s important to know how diesel engines function. Unlike gasoline engines, which use a spark to ignite a fuel-air mixture, diesel engines depend on compression ignition. This means that air is compressed to such an extent that its temperature rises significantly. When diesel fuel is injected into this superheated air, it ignites instantly without the need for a spark. The key here is the high compression ratio of diesel engines. This compression generates the heat necessary for combustion ... read more