Quote:
Originally Posted by Benzine
A petrol car is worse than battery statistically. Petrol scares the whatsit out of me how quick it goes up. A diesel engine requires compression but diesel fuel doesn't, it'll still go up when the conditions are right (e.g. comes into contact with hot components like a exhaust manifold/turbo/my body). It's auto ignition temperature is actually lower than petrol.
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That's correct - with petrol the flashpoint (temperature at which is will spontaneously ignite) is higher than its boiling point, so if you spill petrol on a hot manifold, it will likely boil and evaporate. With diesel it's the other way around, the flashpoint is lower the its boiling point - spill diesel on a hot manifold and it will catch fire without any other source of ignition if it is hot enough.