Why do diesel engines have more torque than hp?

Question

I'm aware that diesel engines have to have higher compression ratios than gasoline engines, but why can't they just have smaller compression ratios?

Answer 1

They need the higher compression to ignite the diesel. Diesel engines don't use spark plugs to start ignition. That's also why they have more torque than HP.

Answer 2

horsepower is simply torque multiplied by engine speed, divided by a constant (I think it's 5,252).

So obviously, then, the reason that they have more torque than horsepower is that they don't operate above 5252 rpm.

See how easy that was? And it's right, too.  No engine has more horsepower than torque at 2500 rpm.  It's simply impossible.  Did you know that?

Blackcobra got sucked in by your question.  I bet he knew the answer, but you fooled him.