What Makes Detroits Run Away? Serious Question.

[JumperAndSon]

The best looking Detroit Diesel I ever saw had a huge hole in the side of the block with part of a rod through the hole.

I bet it still ran fine. I heard a story of a Brockway with a 12V71 pulling dump trailers in NY. A guy was driving it and heard kind of a "pop" one afternoon. At the end of that day, he told the guys at the garage that it was using mor oil than usual. They opened the hood and found out number 11 and 12 cylinders had no connecting rods in them. They knew this by looking in through the windows in the block. But it still ran fine.

Ben

[220cummins]

Older Detroits should have been sold with a steam jennie to wash off the underneath of the truck cause after a week's worth of running the rears are dripping with engine oil. I call the breather tubes "puke" tubes because of the oil thats puked out. Detroits are a good motor but they are not exactly my cup of tea. To many "issues"...too easy to get running backwards if you lug em or get pushed in gear, have them takeoff, drink oil and piss it out,you got to run them up real tight to make the power, and they are always screamin' like a banshee. To each they're own. lol

[41chevy]

Older Detroits should have been sold with a steam jennie to wash off the underneath of the truck cause after a week's worth of running the rears are dripping with engine oil. I call the breather tubes "puke" tubes because of the oil thats puked out. Detroits are a good motor but they are not exactly my cup of tea. To many "issues"...too easy to get running backwards if you lug em or get pushed in gear, have them takeoff, drink oil and piss it out,you got to run them up real tight to make the power, and they are always screamin' like a banshee. To each they're own. lol

But they DO sound good!

[randyp]

I kinda like em, the older ones anyway. randyp

[randyp]

I let her blow once...got into trouble with her husband!

heh heh, I remember the first time I had to tell a girl "blow" was just a term. I thought she was gonna pop it. randyp

[other dog]

I kinda like em, the older ones anyway. randyp

here's one for you-nice clean one too!

[mowerman]

Older Detroits should have been sold with a steam jennie to wash off the underneath of the truck cause after a week's worth of running the rears are dripping with engine oil. I call the breather tubes "puke" tubes because of the oil thats puked out. Detroits are a good motor but they are not exactly my cup of tea. To many "issues"...too easy to get running backwards if you lug em or get pushed in gear, have them takeoff, drink oil and piss it out,you got to run them up real tight to make the power, and they are always screamin' like a banshee. To each they're own. lol

heard about them running backwards,,years ago,never seen it,,never heard of running away,,,but i havent really had any time with them,,only drove 2 of them for a short while..back in the 70,s and yes they do sound good..bob

[JumperAndSon]

But they DO sound good!

I kinda like em, the older ones anyway. randyp

Finally! You guys admitted it.

Ben

[JumperAndSon]

By the way, any 4 stroke Detroit Diesel is the biggest pile of garbage that you'll come across. They're a disgrace. They don't deserve to have a badge that says "Detroit Diesel". Instead of DD15, it should be P.O.S.15.

But the Two Strokes, on the other hand, are the sickest, most awesome, best diesel engines around.

Ben

[1958 F.W.D.]

By the way, any 4 stroke Detroit Diesel is the biggest pile of garbage that you'll come across.

Now I'm calling bullshit on you- because the 60 Series DD was one of the best engines ever put into Fire Apparatus. There have been just as many 60's installed in fire trucks as there were Lawn Boys, if not more. The fire service cried when DD announced they would no longer produce engines for the fire service. Also many truckign fleets out there touted the 60 as one of the best engines. Jevic, which had a fleet of 1200 tractors when they claimed bankruptcy and closed down had thousands of 60's in the fleet throughout the years, and their record of performance versus time-lost breakdowns was stellar when compared to the Cummaparts and Kitty Cats. (Kitties being better than the Cummaparts.)

[Green Dash]

here's one for you-nice clean one too!

A still photo and I still had to turn the sound down.

Now I'm calling bullshit on you- because the 60 Series DD was one of the best engines ever put into Fire Apparatus. There have been just as many 60's installed in fire trucks as there were Lawn Boys, if not more. The fire service cried when DD announced they would no longer produce engines for the fire service. Also many truckign fleets out there touted the 60 as one of the best engines. Jevic, which had a fleet of 1200 tractors when they claimed bankruptcy and closed down had thousands of 60's in the fleet throughout the years, and their record of performance versus time-lost breakdowns was stellar when compared to the Cummaparts and Kitty Cats. (Kitties being better than the Cummaparts.)

I'll second that. As a driver I always enjoyed having one under the hood/cab and I think they must have set some records when it comes to reliability. Detroit Diesel saved their own asses big time with that one.

[mowerman]

A still photo and I still had to turn the sound down.

I'll second that. As a driver I always enjoyed having one under the hood/cab and I think they must have set some records when it comes to reliability. Detroit Diesel saved there asses big time with that one.

drove abunch of them myself in freightliners,,,seemed to be pretty reliable.bob

[JumperAndSon]

drove abunch of them myself in freightliners,,,seemed to be pretty reliable.bob

I don't know, but anytime I go anywhere, 90% of the trucks I see broken down on the side of the road are Freightshakers with 4 stroke Detroits. But that's just what I've observed.

Ben

[slpwlker]

I don't know, but anytime I go anywhere, 90% of the trucks I see broken down on the side of the road are Freightshakers with 4 stroke Detroits. But that's just what I've observed.

Ben

you must be looking at the same truck then i see alot of cats,cummins, not as many macks but my fair share, and last but not least volvo

[other dog]

We've had problems with all of them, all in new trucks. New DD15's, PACCARs, and the IH Maxforce engines. And again, I don't blame the engine manufacturers, it's all the gummint/epa no pollution b.s. Saw one of our Freightliners swinging behind a wrecker yesterday, headed to Roanoke. The driver tried to take off from a stoplight and it just acted like it was out of fuel. Nobody could figure out what was wrong with it. Jeff said yesterday we had 6 trucks broke down, including mine.

I got to Princeton, W.V. and tried to push the clutch in at a stop light, and it wouldn't move. Had to practically stand on it to push it in to get stopped- it was too late to bump the throttle and get it in neutral. And it never got tight or felt like it was binding before, it was all of a sudden. Jimmy the mechanic said it was probably the bushings under the dash, as they'd had trouble with them before. When I told him it had worked fine up until now, he thought maybe it was broken springs in the clutch. I said "the clutch? this is a new *%^#ing truck, only 86,000 miles on it!"

Then Jimmy says " that don't make no difference, we've had to put a clutch in one of them already". That's when I dropped the trailer and bobtailed it back and got the "spare" truck.

Jeff said yesterday that Truck Enterprises said the clutch was OK, and it was the bushings.

And KW has already replaced one PACCAR engine that blew to smithereens with a new crate motor.

[fxfymn]

heard about them running backwards,years ago,never seen it

All you need to get one to run backwards is an inexperienced driver (me), a pos LaFrance ladder truck with a 6-71 Detroit, and a hill. Stop on the hill, let it roll backwards, pop the clutch, briefly stall the engine until the momentum starts the engine back up going backwards. Fill the neighborhood with smoke while everyone else on the truck gets a good laugh when you can't find the emergency shut off!

You have never seen smoke from a diesel until you have had one running backwards. It will kill every mosquito for miles around.

Besides being very good at turning diesel fuel into noise one of the other endearing feature of the Detroits and fire trucks was the builders propensity to put the emergency shut off handle near the pto handle so when you needed the aerial ladder an inexperienced (or someone with a case of the big eye) driver would pull the shut off instead of the pto. And no I never did that trick.

[Joe Ditchkus]

I run a Series 60 515 HP in a Western Star every day. It has been a very good and reliable engine so far 11,500 hours on engine. I hope I didn't jinx myself by saying that. It is hard to beat the sound of a 2 cycle Detroit though. We did run a lot of 6-71,8V-71, and 1 8V-92 through the years.In my opinion the 237 Maxidyne is about the best engine ever built in its time frame. Joe D.

[other dog]

I run a Series 60 515 HP in a Western Star every day. It has been a very good and reliable engine so far 11,500 hours on engine. I hope I didn't jinx myself by saying that. It is hard to beat the sound of a 2 cycle Detroit though. We did run a lot of 6-71,8V-71, and 1 8V-92 through the years.In my opinion the 237 Maxidyne is about the best engine ever built in its time frame. Joe D.

I've never driven any newer Detroits, but I did read in Heavy Duty Trucking a year or so ago that the Detroit Diesel engine was rated higher in customer satisfaction than Cummins or Cat, with less breakdowns per so many miles, forgot what it was. The "big horse" in H.H.Moore's fleet for a long time was the brown K100 with a 440HP 8V-92 in it.

I drove a 1977 F-model 300/5spd. for several years, trouble free except the turbo went out in Massachusets one time.

I remember one time when it was in our shop for something, and I drove another F-model with a 237 to run a trip. Took a 50,155 lb.load of Kyanite to Washington, Pa. in it and reloaded coils in Butler, Pa. Before I left I got my radar detector out of my truck and was walking over towards the other truck with it in my hand and Jeff Moore said "don't worry- you won't be needing that!"

He was about right- 2nd. gear on a lot of the hills that that 285hp. would pull in 3rd, but that ol' 237 got the job done.

[Joe Ditchkus]

I guess I have a soft spot for the 237 Maxidyne. I was running a GMC Astro with a 8V-92 in it from coast to coast. I rolled it in Montana with a load of apples. When the dust settled the only truck I could afford was a R-Model Mack single axle with a Dynatard. I put a $50.00 tag axle on it and a 24" sleeper and went back running the West Coast with it. It helped me get out of a bad financial situation and get financially stable again. I remember the scale man in Montana pulling me around back,I asked what is wrong,he said nothing he just wanted to see what kind of man would drive a truck like that coast to coast. I told him a poor one.That R-Model is still around today they made a roll off out of it.Joe D.

[bullhusk]

I guess I have a soft spot for the 237 Maxidyne. I was running a GMC Astro with a 8V-92 in it from coast to coast. I rolled it in Montana with a load of apples. When the dust settled the only truck I could afford was a R-Model Mack single axle with a Dynatard. I put a $50.00 tag axle on it and a 24" sleeper and went back running the West Coast with it. It helped me get out of a bad financial situation and get financially stable again. I remember the scale man in Montana pulling me around back,I asked what is wrong,he said nothing he just wanted to see what kind of man would drive a truck like that coast to coast. I told him a poor one.That R-Model is still around today they made a roll off out of it.Joe D.

Joe, I have 2 12.7's 470hp DD series 60's with over 1,000,000 miles on them and all I did was the bottom end @700,000 mi. and adj. the top end a few times, I have one 09 shaker with a DD 15-475 and so-far trouble free! I also have the 14 liter 515's that are monster pullers! I don't even want to talk about the Cat A-Cert 475's cause when I do I just want to blow my brains out!!

BULLHUSK

[Joe Ditchkus]

Ernie we ran some 475-550 and straight 500 HP. Cats they were good no accerts no twin turbos. We also had a C-12 410 HP. good power andfuel mileage for its size but loved new head gaskets and turbos. We also have one Cummins 565 HP. its pretty good but if I was to buy any more new trucks they would be Detroit powered. No more working trucks for my Brother or me.I am 62 and my Brother is 57,he feels same as I do too much aggravation with emissions and in Penna. most towns are getting the local cops DOT Certified to get on the money train with truck inspections. I am all for safety but its turning into a circus with local enforcement. At least State Police Inspections for most part are about safety,Local Police are bragging in paper how they made $12,000. in a few days inspecting trucks. A lot of them could not find their ASS with both hands. Rant over. Joe D.

[bullhusk]

Ernie we ran some 475-550 and straight 500 HP. Cats they were good no accerts no twin turbos. We also had a C-12 410 HP. good power andfuel mileage for its size but loved new head gaskets and turbos. We also have one Cummins 565 HP. its pretty good but if I was to buy any more new trucks they would be Detroit powered. No more working trucks for my Brother or me.I am 62 and my Brother is 57,he feels same as I do too much aggravation with emissions and in Penna. most towns are getting the local cops DOT Certified to get on the money train with truck inspections. I am all for safety but its turning into a circus with local enforcement. At least State Police Inspections for most part are about safety,Local Police are bragging in paper how they made $12,000. in a few days inspecting trucks. A lot of them could not find their ASS with both hands. Rant over. Joe D.

Joe, I have a new W-Star rolling glider commin in about 3 weeks, I'm powering it with a non EGR 575 14 liter S-60 DD. The motor will be a Detroit Reman, but the trans and rears will be new. This will be my first Glider and I hope all goes well with it , cause I will not buy a DEF tractor at this time, and like yourself, I'm 58 and I don't need to start learnin about cow piss at this time in my life !!

Ernie DS

[other dog]

Joe, I have 2 12.7's 470hp DD series 60's with over 1,000,000 miles on them and all I did was the bottom end @700,000 mi. and adj. the top end a few times, I have one 09 shaker with a DD 15-475 and so-far trouble free! I also have the 14 liter 515's that are monster pullers! I don't even want to talk about the Cat A-Cert 475's cause when I do I just want to blow my brains out!!

BULLHUSK

Each tag represents a trip to Carter Cat with a C-15 Acert twin turbo, for broken rockers and mostly the dreaded "intake valve actuator fault". I'm sure I accumulated a few more after I took this picture.

But, the last year or so before Jeff traded the Pete was pretty much trouble free. It was a 550 with the heavy haul package, and it ran and pulled while derated with the engine light on about as good as the new paccar does all the time.

[theakerstwo]

Joe, I have a new W-Star rolling glider commin in about 3 weeks, I'm powering it with a non EGR 575 14 liter S-60 DD. The motor will be a Detroit Reman, but the trans and rears will be new. This will be my first Glider and I hope all goes well with it , cause I will not buy a DEF tractor at this time, and like yourself, I'm 58 and I don't need to start learnin about cow piss at this time in my life !!

Ernie DS

That is may dream engine. I worked a few of them before i retired and loved them.The rod end of the rod is too large t go thru the liner so you have to load piston into liner and stuff it like a two cycle.To pull piston liner has to come with it.Why cant i have one?

[Rob]

That is may dream engine. I worked a few of them before i retired and loved them.The rod end of the rod is too large t go thru the liner so you have to load piston into liner and stuff it like a two cycle.To pull piston liner has to come with it.Why cant i have one?

You Can!! Think Positive as anything is possible. If they don't make it, build it!

Rob