When cars were originally being made and designed, why was “gasoline” used rather than crude oil, especially since it was what came from the Earth?

Question

Cars today run on “gasoline” which has the hydrocarbons that work with the air and make the combustion possible, but why design engines like this, especially since the refining process is so arduous? Would it not have been easier and more logical to try using the crude oil straight from the Earth?

In: 16

Answer 1

Two main reasons. The first is that most crude oil isn’t explosive the way gasoline vapors are. Internal combustion engines need an explosion, and a pretty good one at that, to work. Certain types of crude can explode if conditions are right, but it’s a lot harder to make crude explode than to make some if its refined products explode.

Second reason is that crude oil will gunk up an engine right quick, and much more maintenance will be necessary for an engine that will work with crude compared to an engine designed to run on refined products.

Answer 2

Two main reasons. The first is that most crude oil isn’t explosive the way gasoline vapors are. Internal combustion engines need an explosion, and a pretty good one at that, to work. Certain types of crude can explode if conditions are right, but it’s a lot harder to make crude explode than to make some if its refined products explode.

Second reason is that crude oil will gunk up an engine right quick, and much more maintenance will be necessary for an engine that will work with crude compared to an engine designed to run on refined products.