"Friedrich Ostertag" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Diesel engines cannot "detonate". The term "detonation" applies to
preignition of part of the charge before ignition or before the
flamefront has reached that portion of the charge.

Detonation refers to more energy being imparted to the fuel air
mixture by
compression heating than can be absorbed without igniting the fuel.

On a diesel, the fuel is not there until the very moment when it is
supposed to ignite. You cannot ignite pure air, no matter how much
energy you impart on it.

In a turbine engine what you write is true, but you are going to have to
educate me as to the process further to make me believe. Note that not all
diesels are the same and I believe I have heard detonation in diesel engines
on starting fluid.

Detonation damages rod bearings and is a serious problem over the long
term
in reciprocating engines.

Detonation can do much more than that, serious detonation can kill an
engine within seconds. I have personally seen melted pistons after such
an event. But still detonation is only possible in spark ignition
engines, or to be more precise, in engines with external mixture
building.

I don't buy it.