[AT] Detroit Diesel was gas versus diesel trucks

[charlie hill]

Don,  I spent a few years behind Detroit diesels.  Your father in law was
right but maybe not exactly like you took it.  You have do drive them like
you are mad at them but really you aren't.  The power band is very narrow,
typically between 2100 and 2650 rpm and 2650 is stretching the top end.
Most are governed at 2600 or less.  They require a lot of gears in the 
transmission.
You can't lug them down and no they aren't particularly good on mountains or 
even
big hills but for flat land hauling in rough conditions they were a good 
value.  Repairs and
maintenance are cheaper than equivalent Cummins or Cat engines.  Although 
life span might
not be as long.  If you are young and something of a hot roder as I was back 
then they are a
lot of fun to drive but they are by no means a lazy mans truck.  Leave that 
to the Macks.
No disrespect for the Macks, they were tough and powerful just slow and 
boring.

In truth they are probably better suited for running power units 
(generators, etc) where they sit and
run a set RPM all the time.  That said, I wish I had never sold my old Jimmy 
with the 8V71.
It would make a fine parade piece now.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: Don
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2016 9:17 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: [AT] Detroit Diesel was gas versus diesel trucks


I have heard many times that the Detroit Diesel was the best and fastest
way to turn Diesel fuel into noise.  My father in law was a longtime
truck driver and said the best way to drive a Detroit was to open the
door, place your hand in the door jam, then slam the door.  That put you
in a good mood to drive a Detroit.

I spent a little time in the mid 70 moving a worn out 318 up and down
California mountains.  We called it the Flexible Flyer as you went up
very slowly and very quickly down.

Twin 671s powered many a troop landing craft in WWII.  That was its
primary design.  The later 53 series showed up in many pieces of farm
and construction equipment.

A distant cousin worked a river boat around the Canton dam.  He took us
for a ride then nosed the boat into the concrete wall and went gull
power on those two 12V110NA Diesels.  Lots of noise and mud and debris
boiling off the stern.  He said they do it every now and again to clear
sediment out of the lock entrance.  The 110 also powered many Budd Rail
Diesel Cars.

The related EMD locomotive 567 engines was of similar uniflow design
with direct pump injectors and powered most of the Diesel locomotives in
the US until emission controls killed the Two Stroke.  It also powered
many LSTs in WWII.  The 567 grew up through 647 and 710 and as many as
20 cylinders.

The EMD 567 was designed by Kettering Sr and his son designed the DD 71.

-- 
Don Bowen       --AD0NB--

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