What Are Main Parts of Diesel Engines?

Main Parts of Diesel Engines

Diesel engines are made up of dozens of parts. However, the engine parts list below provides information about nine of the most vital components.

Block - As the foundation of the modern diesel engine, the block is where all the parts for the basic internal combustion process are contained. The block has an open space for each cylinder, where the combustion happens. 

Pistons - The pistons create the bottom of the combustion chamber, moving up and down in the cylinder while the engine is working. The movement of the pistons creates the compression of the air that leads to combustion. 

Cylinder Head - The cylinder head closes the top of the open space in the block to reach the chamber where combustion happens. This head can be one unit to cover all the cylinders or multiple units that cover a section. 

Valves - With the cylinder closed by the piston at the bottom and the cylinder head at the top, there needs to be a way to allow fresh air in and the leftover gasses out. This is where the valves come in. There are usually two valves for taking in air and two for the exhaust for each cylinder. 

Fuel Injectors - Now, there needs to be a way to get fuel inside the cylinder, so there is something to combust. These components are a complex part of the process, spraying fuel in very precise patterns with highly controlled timing. 

Camshaft - Rather than relying on an electrical system for opening valves and fuel injection, most engines use a mechanical process. The camshaft’s revolutions control the timing of these events by lobes on the shaft that set them into motion. 

Connecting Rods - These pieces connect to a piston at the bottom arm and carry the force of the combustion to the crankshaft.

Crankshaft - The crankshaft transfers the linear motion of combustion (the up-and-down part of the combustion process) into a rotational motion.