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[englishdude]

What do you call an "ignition barrel" on a diesel engine? I keep saying "I turned on the ignition on my car" and a little, annoying voice at the back of my mind *keep* on saying "But diesel engines doesn't *have* an ignition..."

Comments

[barakta]

Diesel does ignite, just under compression and not spark, so its probably accurate to talk of the ignotion barrel as there isnt a separate diesel car word.

[kimble]

Injector barrel (assuming electronic injection, of course)?

Buss isolator barrel?

Off/Run/Start switch?

[kimble]

The semantic difference is that the key switch in a petrol car turns on and off the electrical spark ignition circuit, which is what stops the engine. In a diesel, it ignites under compression and will just keep going, so the key stops the fuel supply, not the ignition.

Of course glow plugs muddy the issue...