My 1986 Pete had an 8V92TA @475hp. I would get a kick out of some of these new drivers while fueling at a truck stop. I always had the hood open while fueling....and a driver would walk by and look......
" Well, I ain't never seen.....what kinda engine ya runnin ?" I'd tell them it was a big block Chevy with a blower. They would scratch their head and walk away.

 

I remember CO State Patrol didn't pull over Monfort drivers, they just wrote the tickets and mailed 'em to the company!

 

We had similiar experiences...

My first OTR truck was a '73 Transtar with a 350hp 8V-71T and a 13 speed.
I hauled swinging beef and boxed meat for Distributors Service Co out of Quad Cities area to the Boston area.

We pulled company reefer trailers, and when they transitioned from 12'6" tall trailers to the new 13'6" trailers, that 'ol Detroit couldn't pull in 13th gear running westbound against the wind.

 

We have three 8V71's at work for emergency water pumps. Man them things scream and we only run them at 1800 rpums. Got into an arguement one day with the supervisor when I told him each cylinder had four exhaust valves. He still don't believe me.

 

They do scream. Our backfiller has a three cylinder two stroke and it runs at WOT all of the time. From listening to it you'd think it was turning 4,500+ Rpm but it's really only 2,200

 

lol... i remember having a test question on a tech school exam that went along that route... how many intake valves on a 2 cycle diesel???

 

I don't know about an 8v-71, but the 16v149s I work on have 4 exhaust valves. I could have sworn that a 6-71 only had two valves last time I worked on one, but I could be wrong. I think I have the record for biggest detroit of any of you guys. 2384 CI. 1800 HP @ 1800 RPM. two superchargers, 4 turbochargers a little bigger than a dinner plate. I thought about rebuilding one next time we burned one up, and using it in a set of twins. I don't think that would be a good idea. My employer doesn't appreciate things like that.

 

we used to have an old GMC 7500 dump with a 4-53 detroit with a 5spd split rear was a great truck until the frame cracked in half on it, that thing would scream and blow smoke all day long

 

i guess the emd engines i work on don't count biggest displacment one is a 20v645 3600hp/900rpm. most power would be a 16v710 4300hp/950rpm.. that last one uses electronic injectors and a pair of DDEC III or IV ecm's controling the fuel system [emd rebranded as EMDEC]...

emd did make a 20v710 engine 5000hp/950rpm for the sd80's but i have never seen/worked on one [they use 3 ddec ecm's as the ddec ecm's can only manage 8 cylinders a piece]

 

The detroits only have exhaust valves on the the two stroke series. The older ones had two big ones, then newer were 4 exaust valves per cylinder. The older heads held up better with the two because they were big and beefy, the four were and are prone to hairline cracks in the seats, and between the injector tube. Hence the saying old style new style head. Just as a dry block or wet block. All this came around the late 60's. The dry blocks were notorious for cracks. Then the 92 series was a wet block with wet liners kinda like the big cummins and cats. The 71 and 53 series were wet block dry fit liner types. Msn I love detroits. But...do have a special place for for Cummind in my heart.

 

I just meant detroits. I worked on a fairbanks morse opposed piston 12 cylinder 8 1/8" that put out about 3650 HP at about 950 rpm. It wasn't electronically controlled, or technologically advanced by any means, but it is something else working on an engine with two crankshafts, no intake or exhaust valves, two turbochargers, one supercharger, dry sump oiling, and two injectors per cylinder. oh, did I mention it started by injecting compressed air directly into the cylinder to push the pistons apart?

I am not completely familiar with EMD engines, but is the one you work on the one that has fork and blade connecting rods? I have only seen this once.

We all know about the "world's biggest diesel engine" thread that pops up on here about once a month. I think the biggest I have seen is a colt pielstick v-16 that put out 8250 HP at 520 RPM, and at full fuel uses like 9 ounces of fuel per injection. I have never worked on it, just stared in awe.

 

How about my 3612 Cat? SChweeeeeeeeeeeeettttt too.

 

When they were current I loved them, but now they are dino. I put over 1,000,000 on a 70 Transtar, 238, 13 speed 913, 444 rear with tag axle. Did 12v and several 92 series.

Comment was made of the 12v71 only getting 3 mpg. Need to clarify that a little, you could light pedal it and get 5 but driving it normally and using the power in the Pocono's only got me 2 1/2. Ahhhh but they were fun. Nothing else sounds the same as a 12v with dual stacks up the back with straights.

Now what did you say? Can't hear that

 

You should hear those three at work loaded up right to the end of the rack moving 17000 gpm of river water.

 

yep... fork & blade rod arrangement.. the largest actual detroit diesel 2 cycle i have done any work on is an older 6v71 2 valve engine and that was in tech school... i still dream of a little jeep with a 4-53 turbo..