What makes a diesel engine different to a regular gas engine, and is one better than the other?

The original concept of combustion engines as we understand them dates as far back as the late 1800s. And while they are more or less a solved science today, they definitely didn't start that way.

If you've ever driven a car into water that was deeper than you expected, you might have suffered the consequences of a submerged engine. While getting a car engine wet is no big deal, getting water ...