do petrol engines warm up quicker - true or false ?

forgotmyname

espresso wrote: »

You really should learn what a glowplug is and how it really works before making any more of a !!!!!! of yourself! I can never understand why anyone would post about something that they obviously don't understand.

DITTO... to you espresso.

My Mondeo has a pre-heater as mentioned.

Its 3 glowplugs 250watts each. Controlled by the ECU in cold weather.
Plumbed into the cooling system before the heater.

Not the glowplugs that pre-heat the engine.

This.... Post #17

http://www.talkford.com/topic/196788-glow-plug-fuse/


My petrol Mondeo warmed up (middle gauge) before i hit the main roads. The
diesel one is barely on a quarter at the same spot.

Robisere

WorriedJim answered the question asked by the OP.

"Yes it does."

No need for technical (or pseudo-technical) 'explanations.'

Endof.

espresso

scotsman4th wrote: »

My Audi 80 has the same system, 3 glowplugs to heat the coolant.

Just google coolant glowplug.

Agreed some cars do have three engine coolant heaters which are fitted between the four cylinders into the coolant to help the engine get up to running temperature quicker but they are not glowplugs.

Glowplugs are fitted one per cylinder and actually glow when activated for a few seconds to aid combustion at start up when it's very cold and compression alone is not enough.

Two totally different functions.

Heaven_Scent_2

Petrol engines do burn fuel more quickly and have a higher engine RPM than diesel engines, so yes, they probably do warmup slightly quicker.

GolfBravo

Answer: true.

Diesel engines are much more thermally efficient (up to 50% efficiency) than petrol engines (around 25% efficiency).

An internal combustion engine converts heat energy into mechanical work. Any heat that isn't converted into work is simply wasted and is removed from the engine by the cooling system.

Petrol engine = very good heater.

red_eye

espresso wrote: »

Agreed some cars do have three engine coolant heaters which are fitted between the four cylinders into the coolant to help the engine get up to running temperature quicker but they are not glowplugs.

Glowplugs are fitted one per cylinder and actually glow when activated for a few seconds to aid combustion at start up when it's very cold and compression alone is not enough.

Two totally different functions.

so because they glow for a few seconds and fitted to each cylinder they can not be used for heating anything else?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-MK4-GT-TDI-150BHP-WATER-SYSTEM-GLOW-PLUGS-028121145B-/330701781922?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4cff5cbba2you can see three short glow plugs (1 is hiding behind the id tag) this part is also fitted to an audi 80

andrew-the-cat

espresso wrote: »

You really should learn what a glowplug is and how it really works before making any more of a !!!!!! of yourself! I can never understand why anyone would post about something that they obviously don't understand.

espresso wrote: »

Agreed some cars do have three engine coolant heaters which are fitted between the four cylinders into the coolant to help the engine get up to running temperature quicker but they are not glowplugs.

Glowplugs are fitted one per cylinder and actually glow when activated for a few seconds to aid combustion at start up when it's very cold and compression alone is not enough.

Two totally different functions.

Thanks for making yourself look like a complete idiot but I'll forgive you for insulting me. I am well aware what a glow plug is what what its primary role in a diesel engine is.

However, I was not referring to the preheating of the combustion chambers in order for the diesel combustion process to start. I was talking about the preheating of the COOLANT in the heater matrix loop which is done by an ECU controlled water heater, which also uses glow plugs. I know for a fact that it is glow plugs that are used because I took the damn thing apart on my last car and I removed one of the glow plugs to see if it was still working (which it was).

Gloomendoom

vikingaero wrote: »

Diesels are thermally efficient which is why it takes so long to produce any meaningful cabin heat. Petrols are the thermally inefficient.

This is the reason why.

Although, I would have simply said that diesel engines are more thermally efficient than petrol engines.

Tobster86

Possibly a more significant factor in older cars is how fluffed up the radiator is and how well the thermostat works. My older 306 with a new radiator and old, probably stuck open thermostat took forever to warm up. My current one is really quick, much quicker than my BMW 323i with it's 11 odd litres of coolant and again, probably slightly stuck open 'stat.

AlexisV

Worth considering when manufacturers' mpg figures are based on a nice warm engine.