Diesel engines, unlike gasoline engines, do not use spark plugs to induce combustion. Instead, they rely solely on compression to raise the temperature of the air to a point where the diesel combusts spontaneously when introduced to the hot, high pressure air. ... The glow plug solves this.
How many spark plugs does a diesel engine have?
A diesel engine needs zero spark plugs and one glow plug per cylinder.
Why does a diesel truck have no spark plugs?
This is what happens in a diesel engine. Air is compressed, diesel is injected into the ignition chamber and instant combustion occurs. ... While compression ignition means that diesels don't require spark plugs, they can come fitted with components called glow plugs.Apr 22, 2020
Do any diesel engines have spark plugs?
All combustion engines need three things: fuel, air and heat or an ignition source. Both spark plugs and glow plugs are the ignition source in a combustion engine. ... Spark plugs are only found in gasoline engines and glow plugs are in diesel ones.