(Abairsty) wrote:

Heard someone mentioning that diesel powered cars struggle at altitude, does
anyone know if this is correct....seeing as im thinking of driving up to val
Thorens?

Both normally aspirated diesels and normal aspirated spark-ignition
engines are both normally aspirated: They fill from ambient air
pressure. Thus it makes not difference.

As you go higher, the air is thinner, and less of it will fill the
cylinder when the intake valve opens. Less air in the cylinder means
you do not have as much oxygen to burn with the hydrocarbon which
means less energy. Regardless of how the hydrocarbon is ignited.

That is all you need to know and even that is insignificant in the
Alps. I thrashed a four-cylinder car, heavily overloaded with gear, up
to Zermatt once - on three cylinders.

Turbocharged, fuel-injected, carbureted and diesel engines all react
slightly differently at altitude but nothing you need be concerned
about.