Please explain this difference between diesel and gasoline engines

[DarkBlack]

spark plugs, timed distributor, upper cams, carburetor or throttle-body, engine sensors for air mixture, PCV system, etc.

https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a31515330/diesel-vs-gasoline

Diesel engines also have fewer components than gas engines, which means your car has fewer potential parts that could malfunction.

Upper cams? What unique “upper cams” are required for gasoline engines?
I call BS
An equivalent diesel is every bit as complicated and roughly equal parts count to a gasoline engine.
Throttle body? Try counting parts in a diesel injection pump, and related repair costs compared to a throttle body and carburetor.
Spark plugs……glow plugs…..
PCV system isn’t a unique requirement for gasoline engine design

 

[CalG]

Upper cams? What unique “upper cams” are required for gasoline engines?
I call BS
An equivalent diesel is every bit as complicated and roughly equal parts count to a gasoline engine.
Throttle body? Try counting parts in a diesel injection pump, and related repair costs compared to a throttle body and carburetor.

There are a LOT of parts in an early magneto, and a lot of parts in any carburetor. They may be small and relatively simple parts, but they add up.

Now most of us can service both carbs and mags, but don't let us get anywhere near an injector pump assembly! ;-)

I wonder how they did it back in 1910?

Those "upper cams" are what are holding us back, for sure!
;-)

 

[DarkBlack]

There are a LOT of parts in an early magneto, and a lot of parts in any carburetor. They may be small and relatively simple parts, but they add up.

Was magneto ignition the point of the pre-1980’s comment?
Does an early diesel injection pump have less parts than a simple carburetor?

Look at reality for just a moment..….
How many average Joe’s can fix/modify/repair their diesel engines no problem, but struggle to, with their gasoline engines?

 

[etpm]

When I posted my original question I in no way would have thought it would have become a thread with 151 posts. But I did learn a lot. Folks posted stuff and I went online to further learn about what they posted and now have a much better understanding of the differences of diesel and gasoline combustion engines. I am NOT gonna ask about turbine engine combustion though, I am sure that would really get me into the weeds of learning about a different combustion mode.
Eric

 

[bmaverick]

Upper cams? What unique “upper cams” are required for gasoline engines?
I call BS
An equivalent diesel is every bit as complicated and roughly equal parts count to a gasoline engine.
Throttle body? Try counting parts in a diesel injection pump, and related repair costs compared to a throttle body and carburetor.
Spark plugs……glow plugs…..
PCV system isn’t a unique requirement for gasoline engine design

I could care less if you call BS. I'm into vintage diesels only. The modern diesels are crap.

My diesel injection pump is super small, compact and easy to work on. Then after the mid-80 came the crappy Tier-1 emission junk. Yeah, those pumps are over complicated, lots of parts and involve timing. Nope, not wanting those problems.

 

[bmaverick]

When I posted my original question I in no way would have thought it would have become a thread with 151 posts. But I did learn a lot. Folks posted stuff and I went online to further learn about what they posted and now have a much better understanding of the differences of diesel and gasoline combustion engines. I am NOT gonna ask about turbine engine combustion though, I am sure that would really get me into the weeds of learning about a different combustion mode.
Eric

Eric, just be happy we have vintage diesels. They are so simple and easy to work on. 2 and 3 cylinders does a bunch for our needs. What a Ford 8N has for power in a 4-cly gas engine, we can do in a simple 2-cly diesel from the 1970s.

 

[etpm]

Eric, just be happy we have vintage diesels. They are so simple and easy to work on. 2 and 3 cylinders does a bunch for our needs. What a Ford 8N has for power in a 4-cly gas engine, we can do in a simple 2-cly diesel from the 1970s.

Yeah, I love my Yanmar YM2310. My son does too. A truly great machine and a beast for its size.
Eric

 

[pmsmechanic]

Upper cams? What unique “upper cams” are required for gasoline engines?

This is not hard to figure out even though it could have been more plainly stated. Most newer engines have overhead cams that are in the head vs the old style where the camshaft was in the block.

 

[Grumpycat]

There are a LOT of parts in an early magneto, and a lot of parts in any carburetor. They may be small and relatively simple parts, but they add up.

Early carburetors were quite simple section of pipe with fuel fed to a venturi jet. A perfume bottle in a closed passage.

 

[Grumpycat]

This is not hard to figure out even though it could have been more plainly stated. Most newer engines have overhead cams that are in the head vs the old style where the camshaft was in the block.

The claim was "early engines".