What Are the Smallest Diesel Engines Available and Which Brands Manufacture Them?

There are plenty of choices when it comes to picking a small diesel engine to fit your needs. Bison offers a range of single-cylinder, two- and four-stroke engines with power outputs ranging from 3−15 horsepower. One of Bison’s smallest engines is its 211cc BS170F diesel engine. The four-stroke engine measures approximately 18 x 14.7 x 19.2 inches, with a net weight of only 55 pounds.

Another notable brand is Kubota, which began its journey as a foundry in Osaka, Japan, in 1890. The company offers a range of high-quality, single-cylinder engines for multiple applications, including agriculture and construction. The OC60-E4 engine is one of the company’s smallest diesel engines with dimensions of 15.9 x 18.1 x 18 inches and a weight of 84 pounds.

Yanmar is another reputable Japanese company offering small, air-cooled diesel engines. This comes as quite a surprise given the company builds many multi-cylinder engines for large applications like recreational and commercial vessels. But models like the Yanmar L48N demonstrate the company’s proficiency in building compact, single-cylinder diesel engines.

Many of the company’s smaller engines feature an easy one-pull recoil starter while minimizing noise and vibration. As one of its compact options, the L48N measures approximately 13 x 15 x 16.5 inches with a weight of 60 pounds. Overall, there are plenty of lightweight diesel engines on the market that offer good fuel efficiency and low-end performance that are suited for industrial work, agricultural equipment, or motorized vehicles.