Diesel engines have pretty much always been made of cast iron. It's the most common material for the engine block. Cast iron, not steel. The more hard-wearing parts (crankshaft, rods, bolts, camshafts, piston rings) are steel. Maybe they could use wrought iron, but with a lot of difficulty.
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Stationary diesel engines could still work in iron don’t you think?
The cylinder walls could be very thick.
Diesel engines have pretty much always been made of cast iron. It's the most common material for the engine block. Cast iron, not steel. The more hard-wearing parts (crankshaft, rods, bolts, camshafts, piston rings) are steel. Maybe they could use wrought iron, but with a lot of difficulty.