How Diesel Engines Work: From Combustion Cycles to Cylinder Configurations

From the tractors that plough our fields to the compactors shaping our roads and the generators powering diverse sectors, diesel engines play a vital role across both automotive and non-automotive applications. Their reliability, fuel efficiency, and torque-rich performance make them indispensable in sectors such as agriculture, construction, power generation, and various industrial applications.

But what makes these engines tick? The underlying technology, particularly stroke mechanisms and cylinder configurations, directly influences how an engine performs, how efficiently it burns fuel, and how well-suited it is to specific tasks.

In this blog, we break down the fundamentals of stroke cycles (including the 2-stroke diesel engine and 4-stroke diesel engine,) and cylinder arrangements (such as the single cylinder diesel engine and 3 cylinder diesel engine) to help you better understand engine choices and their real-world impact.

The Engine Cycle: Understanding Strokes

The Workhorse: The 4-Stroke Diesel Engine

The 4-stroke diesel engine operates on four distinct piston movements:

• Intake stroke – air enters the cylinder
• Compression stroke – air is compressed, heating it significantly
• Power stroke – the injected fuel combusts with the hot air, forcing the piston down
• Exhaust stroke – spent gases are expelled from the cylinder 

Valves controlled by the camshaft open and close at precise intervals to manage this cycle. The result is efficient combustion, better emissions control, smoother operation, and a longer lifespan. This is the most common engine type in modern equipment due to its durability and consistent performance.

The Simpler Cycle: The 2-Stroke Diesel Engine

In contrast, a 2-stroke diesel engine completes the intake, compression, power, and exhaust processes in just two piston movements. These engines often use ports in the cylinder walls rather than traditional valves, allowing air in and exhaust out in a simpler design.

2-stroke engines offer a higher power-to-weight ratio and are mechanically simpler, but they are typically less fuel-efficient, produce higher emissions, and pose lubrication challenges. While no longer widely used in land-based applications, they still appear in some large marine engines and specific industrial use cases.

Power in Numbers: Understanding Cylinder Configurations

What is a Cylinder?
A cylinder is the core chamber in an internal combustion engine where fuel is ignited to generate power. Within this chamber, a piston moves up and down, converting the energy from combustion into mechanical force. While a single cylinder can perform this task, multiple cylinders working together can significantly enhance power output and smoothness of operation.

The Powerhouse: Single Cylinder Diesel Engines

As the name suggests, a single cylinder diesel engine operates with just one combustion chamber. These engines are straightforward, compact, and cost-effective—making them ideal for applications where simplicity and ease of maintenance are key priorities.

At Greaves Engineering, our range of single cylinder engines, such as the G435 A VI, G499W EU V, and G599 W BS VI, are widely used in automotive applications including three-wheelers and micro cars. These engines are air-cooled, naturally aspirated, and built for optimal fuel efficiency and minimal maintenance—ideal for urban mobility and last-mile connectivity.

Smoother Delivery: Multi-Cylinder Diesel Engines

When power demand increases and smoother performance is essential, multi-cylinder engines step in. These engines offset each cylinder’s firing cycle, providing more consistent torque and reduced vibration. Depending on the number of cylinders and the application, they can be configured in several ways:

Inline Engines

In an inline configuration, cylinders are arranged in a straight line—either vertically or horizontally. This is one of the most common setups due to its balance between performance and compact design.

• The 3G11 Series is a 3-cylinder, inline, water-cooled diesel engine designed for mid-range industrial tasks like powering compact tractors, walk-behind rollers, and mid-sized generators. 
• The 4G11 Series features 4 inline cylinders and offers greater torque and power delivery—perfect for construction machinery, agricultural pumps, and marine equipment. 
• The 6G11 Series steps up with 6 cylinders for heavy-duty industrial applications where high power output and durability are essential. 

All these engines operate on a 4-stroke cycle and are engineered for rugged performance across sectors like construction, marine, defence, and railways.

V-Type Engines

V-type engines have cylinders arranged in two banks, forming a “V” shape. This configuration is often used for higher horsepower applications, offering a compact form without compromising power.

• Our D3V6 Series is a 6-cylinder, V-type diesel engine that delivers between 313–332 HP. It is built for demanding applications where performance, space efficiency, and reliability must converge—such as in defence, railways, and large-scale industrial systems.
• Building on the same design principles as the D3V6, the D3V8 Series takes power and performance a step further. With eight cylinders arranged in a V-type configuration, this robust diesel engine delivers between 355 and 420 HP, making it ideal for operations that demand higher output without compromising on reliability. Its four-stroke, water-cooled architecture ensures efficient performance even in the most challenging industrial settings, including defence, marine transport, construction equipment and heavy-duty pumping systems. The D3V8 is engineered to support sustained, high-load tasks while offering the durability required for long-term field deployment.

Choosing the Right Configuration: The Greaves Engineering Approach

At Greaves Engineering, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Each engine we design and recommend is carefully matched to its intended purpose. Our product range spans single cylinder to multi-cylinder setups, in both inline and V-type configurations—all based on 4-stroke diesel technology for better fuel efficiency and emissions control.

• For portable agricultural pump sets, our single cylinder models are a natural fit—lightweight, easy to operate, and cost-efficient for off-grid usage. 
• For mid-size construction equipment and industrial generators, our 3- and 4-cylinder inline engines deliver a perfect blend of power, compactness, and affordability. 
• For high-demand applications requiring peak performance, our 6-cylinder inline and V-type engines rise to the challenge—powering everything from marine vessels to defence machinery. 

Understanding the Power Within

From the stroke cycle that governs how fuel burns to the number of cylinders that determine how power is delivered, every aspect of an engine’s design affects its behaviour and suitability for different tasks.

Understanding these fundamentals—2-stroke vs. 4-stroke, single vs. multi-cylinder, and where each fits best—can help users and buyers make more informed decisions about the equipment they choose.

At Greaves Engineering, we bring decades of expertise in diesel engine technology, offering a range of solutions that are rugged, reliable, and built to handle the demands of the Indian & global markets. Whether you’re running a farm, building infrastructure, or managing backup power, we have an engine designed to power your ambition.