# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/21 "2008-07-16T15:53:35Z")
You do realize that Diesel engines don’t have spark plugs…right??? ---
**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, 4:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/22 "2008-07-16T16:11:41Z")
Why?? What is the advantage? ---
**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, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/23 "2008-07-16T16:13:03Z")
Please don’t feed the Trolls… ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/24 "2008-07-16T16:49:43Z")
Diesel ignites more readily than gasoline. The way a diesel functions is that the air is heated by high compression and the fuel self detonates from the heat when it’s injected. Since diesels have to have a hot compressed gas to ignite the diesel due to the lack of a spark, glowplugs become necessary in cold weather to heat the cylinder some in order to get the temperatire hot enough to ignite the fuel as it’s sprayed in. The reason it seems that gasoline ignites more readily is because diesels can operate at high compression ratios without preignition but gasoline engines cannot. But this is misleading. Remember that no fuel is present in the chamber during the deisel’s compression cycle, it’s only compressing air. If fuel were present, ignition would take place way too early, on the piston’s upstroke. ---
**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, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/25 "2008-07-16T17:19:48Z")
Looks like a case of developing a tolerance for Xanax and Lithonate. It happens with any drug when taken in quantity over time. ---
**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, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/26 "2008-07-16T17:52:46Z")
And, Why do dual carberators work better than one on any Jaguar XK-150? ANSWER: The engine gets more AIR. We all know that unless they have changed, two carburetors will keep twice as many Jaguar mechanics employed. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772/27 "2008-07-16T18:27:54Z")
Beer…through…nose! Ack!! (in reply to NYBo above) [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/do-electrical-sparks-ignite-gasoline-vapors/16772.md?page=1)