Which engine is better for UAZ: gasoline or diesel?

The cars of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant are the best SUVs of the current automobile industry, which have won great people's love, which also makes car owners interested in the question: which engine is better to choose for a UAZ car so that it is guaranteed to serve for a long time and reliably, withstand difficult operating conditions and off-road driving.

In this article, we will look at the features of each of the engines, their main differences, advantages and disadvantages, and you can draw a final conclusion and decide for yourself which of the motors is better.

The principle of a gasoline engine

To decide whether to choose diesel or gasoline, consider the principle of operation of a gasoline engine. It is well known to many car owners: it is an internal combustion engine, in the cylinders of which a compressed fuel mixture is ignited by an electric spark. Power control in most cases is carried out by regulating the air flow using a throttle valve.

The device, as well as the individual features of the “gasoline” engine of the UAZ “Patriot” determine its advantages and disadvantages.

There are several downsides to it:

• Relatively weak power at low revs. Even a seemingly powerful engine with 127 hp. does not make it possible to use all these horsepower at low speeds, on the other hand, the car picks up speed very well and quickly accelerates to 100 kilometers.
• Demanding quality of fuel. Gasoline with an octane rating of at least 92 is suitable for refueling, due to which the operation of the car and engine becomes quite expensive, especially in the face of a constant increase in gasoline prices.
• Rapid wear. During operation, motor parts are exposed to strong temperature effects, which lead to increased wear and faster failure.

Of course, when deciding for yourself what is better than diesel or gasoline, you can't look only at the shortcomings of the engine, because it also has advantages:

• a gasoline engine is cheaper than a diesel engine by almost 100 thousand;
• fast warming up even in extreme cold;
• low engine noise at idle.

How a diesel engine works

Now consider the UAZ Patriot diesel engine.

To an inattentive observer, it may seem that gasoline and diesel engines practically do not differ from each other, but they have radically different ways of forming and igniting the fuel-air mixture. In a diesel engine, the fuel ignites due to the high temperature of the air in the cylinder.

The process of work looks something like this: air enters the cylinder, heated to almost 1000 degrees due to the high degree of compression. High-pressure fuel is injected into the combustion chamber, which mixes with heated air and ignites. Such a mechanism is characterized by noisy start-up, however, it allows you to effectively ignite cheap fuel and lean mixtures.

The main advantages and disadvantages of a diesel engine 

The main “pluses” of a diesel engine:

• High torque performs well in low gears. The engine allows the car to climb hills better and more efficiently at low speeds.
• Little expense. Diesel consumes about 25% less fuel than a gasoline engine.

But there are also disadvantages:

• noise;
• high cost;
• the smell of fuel in the cabin.

How a diesel engine was created for UAZ

For the first time, within the walls of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, they started talking about a diesel engine back in 1978, when many modern motorists were just born, and others were not there for a very long time. 

Initially, work on the creation of the motor was carried out simply to create a new version of the engine, they did not see any special prospects in it. However, in the 90s, when a large number of foreign cars with diesel engines appeared on the domestic car market, our customers were able to appreciate their parameters, in particular, the ability to fill the car with cheap fuel.

After that, work on the creation of a diesel engine for UAZ began with renewed vigor and was completed only in 2002, when the first production model ZMZ-514 was created.

The main differences between a diesel engine and a gasoline engine

We have already talked about the main difference in the ignition of the fuel-air mixture in the UAZ “Patriot” on gasoline and diesel, about performance, cost and consumption too, but there is another indicator that is recommended to be considered today, and this is environmental friendliness.

Oddly enough, but diesel engines are considered much more environmentally friendly, as they emit less harmful substances into the world around us than gasoline ones.

Because of this, they have become widespread in countries where concern for the environment is gradually coming to the fore. These include not only Europe, but also many countries in Asia and America.

How to put a diesel engine on a gasoline UAZ

So which engine is better diesel or gasoline? Many people opt for diesel because of the economy, environmental friendliness and lower consumption. Some even manage to install diesel engines on their initially gasoline cars.

It is quite difficult to do this and it is better to first consult with real pros in this matter, who will be able to tell you how to make an adapter for a diesel engine, how and which unit is best to install. Some manage to put engines from Mercedes and other Western cars on their old “Loaves”. There are such monsters, oddly enough, lately it has been wonderful.