# Do electrical sparks ignite gasoline vapors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 16, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772 "2008-07-16T00:28:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/1 "2008-07-16T00:28:26Z")
If a spark ignites gasoline fumes, why does it not ignite diesel fumes, too? Answer: The hot spot from the spark current flow at the tip of the plug ignites gasoline, but it does not get hot enough to ignite Diesel Fuel! Higher voltage or more current flow will ignite diesel fumes, too, and improve the diesel engine timing and control. And, that hot-spot must cool-down between cycles, or pinging will occur. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/2 "2008-07-16T00:39:10Z")
i never heard of glow plugs. what is this in reference to? BTW, sparks DO ignite diesel vapors. static electricity can do it. what are you trying to say? [http://www.google.com/search?q=diesel+static+explosion&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a](http://www.google.com/search?q=diesel+static+explosion&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/3 "2008-07-16T00:48:34Z")
i am thinking… possibly … poets… should NOT a mechanic be! ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/4 "2008-07-16T01:00:43Z")
I wished you would explain all of this a bit further. Diesel can be ignited by a spark just like aviation fuel; just not as easily. There’s a reason why they run a multitude of ground wires when fueling an aircraft. Where does “higher voltage” and “more current flow” come into this in regards to a diesel? Once the glow plugs fire off a diesel they’re out of the equation and there is no electricity keeping the cylinders firing. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/5 "2008-07-16T01:14:11Z")
Diesels run fine just the way they are…If you want to use spark ignition, you would first have to lower the compression ratio enough so the Diesel would not self-ignite when injected the way it does now…You would lose much of the diesels efficiency benefit by doing that. And you could never get a cold diesel to start on spark ignition. Diesel fuel is not volatile enough. Back to the playpen… ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/6 "2008-07-16T01:34:56Z")
is this ruben again? ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/7 "2008-07-16T01:48:50Z")
Gasoline is a flammable liquid, diesel fuel is a combustible liquid. A flammable liquid gives off vapors at room temperature, a combustible liquid does not. No vapors, no ignition. Higher voltage or higher current flow will not ignite diesel fumes. If the spark duration is long enough, it could heat up the diesel fuel enough to give off vapors and then ignite them. ---
**Author:** ![cappy208](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cappy208/32/31_2.png) [@cappy208](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cappy208)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/8 "2008-07-16T01:56:23Z")
you are correct in your technical description, but… diesel fumes are already in a gaseous state, ready to be ignited. the diesel either under pressure and sprayed, or agitated is capable of being ignited by spark or static. ---
**Author:** ![B.L.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@B.L.E](https://community.cartalk.com/u/B.L.E)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/9 "2008-07-16T02:34:17Z")
In the days before WWII, many old farm tractors had intake manifolds that ran inside the exhaust manifold in order to vaporize kerosene so it would burn in a spark ignition engine. These engines had to be started and warmed up with gasoline before being switched to kerosene. After refineries developed catalytic conversion of kerosene to gasoline during WWII, kerosene quit being the bargain it used to be when it was a byproduct of gas refining that was almost given away. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/10 "2008-07-16T11:52:50Z")
Try this using a very small container of gasoline and a like container of diesel a long stick Now tape a match to the end. Light the match and stick it in the gasoline. Now after things get back to normal, try the same thing with diesel. The diesel will put the match out. Note: do the above at your own risk. If you vary the expected conditions you may change the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 11:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/11 "2008-07-16T11:59:34Z")
The OP’s lack of technical knowledge, and his ability to skew the facts, are both stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/12 "2008-07-16T14:30:03Z")
Do the sparks from a normal spark plug ignite combustion in any gasoline engine? Or, do one cylinder mechanics “buy all propaganda” from spark plug salesmen, without thinking? A “glow plug” is needed to start most diesel engines, since a Tesla-type spark plug will not ignite the diesel-air mixture in any cold diesel engine, at present, unless someone has improved the spark-plugs that have remained unchanged for about 100 years after reading my theory and conclusions. COLD & HOT PLUGS are needed to compensate for the fact that the SPARK does not ignite the mixture in any engine. “Heat starts at the Negative pole of any DC electrical circuit, including a Lightning strike, which will seperate water into its basic elements of Hydrogen and Oxygen, and which causes an explosion.” THEORY by ARMISTEAD, a biginning poet. The Armistead Invention, Revised To: Al Gore, another thinker Jules Verne visioned steam pushing space machines, Since it blew stone comets to smithereens! Thor knew that lightning makes Hydrogen vapors, And frightened Man with his Thunder capers! Steam burns clean or expands one thousand-fold; And, fast Lightning heat makes dark clouds explode! Water injections make Jet fumes hotter; So, Man’s best fuels need vaporized water; Or, Fossil-fueled, internal combustion, If unimproved, could speed Man’s destruction! So, to stop most Global Smog pollutions, Just add moisture to dry air combustions Of Gasoline, Air and other mixtures, With Armistead, swamp cooled, air intake fixtures! James H. Armistead Copyright ?2008 James H. Armistead @ [Poetry.com](http://Poetry.com) ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/13 "2008-07-16T14:36:04Z")
Does Nurse Rached know you’re using the institution’s computer to spread your paranoid blather across the Internet??? ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/14 "2008-07-16T14:44:13Z")
Are you biased? Or, too dumb to understand anything but orders! ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/15 "2008-07-16T14:52:08Z")
GOOD! Then DO IT! ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/16 "2008-07-16T14:56:53Z")
DON’T THINK----IT HURTS THE BRAIN! ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/17 "2008-07-16T14:58:05Z")
Thanks for the Compliment, if intended! ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/18 "2008-07-16T15:11:36Z")
Now, how do I test the diesel, since my match disappeared in the gasoline fire? Oh, by the way, try pouring water on a candle-wax fire and explain what happens! But, be sure you are outdoors! Does Steam burn and turn back into water or does it add more oxygen to the fire? And, Why do dual carberators work better than one on any Jaguar XK-150? ANSWER: The engine gets more AIR. ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/19 "2008-07-16T15:14:09Z")
Diesels RATTLE when they are COLD. A Better Spark plug would correct this. Try LASERS! ---
**Author:** ![Shakespirit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@Shakespirit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Shakespirit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/20 "2008-07-16T15:16:07Z")
Who’s RUBEN? Did he try to break your chain of thought? [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772.md?page=2)