Best and worst diesel engines ever put in a big truck

[Kranky]

We used to have this 1968 truck just like it. It had this, I think, gas 585 Cadillac motor in it. That thing barely moved.

Now that I think about it that can't be right, a GM motor in a Ford truck, duh I remember 585 and some kind of motor. I'll have to ask my father what the hell engine it was. 8) 8)

534.

Ford also offered a 401 and 477 which used that same grotesquely inefficient block.

[all18wheels]

had a Cummins ISX 600 HP 8)
great power, but it did use a bit of oil

now i have a Detroit DD15 with 550 HP.
its a gutless wonder. but im stuck with it for at least 300k more miles

just say NO to Detroit Diesel

[Colts Fan]

Cummins stock skyrocketed the other day when it was announced that CAT is getting out of the North American diesel engine business.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7582348

[cowdoc]

Cat announced at the same time that there will still be a Cat brand engine but it will be built by Navistar/IH. Also Cat brand specialty trucks-construction,waste haulers,etc. also produced by Navistar.

[Rev.Vassago]

International announced they were building an engine already last year, about the same time as Paccar did.

[Orangetxguy]

We used to have this 1968 truck just like it. It had this, I think, gas 585 Cadillac motor in it. That thing barely moved.

Now that I think about it that can't be right, a GM motor in a Ford truck, duh I remember 585 and some kind of motor. I'll have to ask my father what the hell engine it was. 8) 8)

International offered the 549 gasoline engine in "Industrial" trucks. They were cheap..and plenty of Oilfield Service companies bought them up..Halliburton, Dowell, BJHuges. I drove lot's of Paystar5000's equipped with the 549 engine, 411 rear's and Roadranger 18 speeds. On the flat's the engine would haul azz..hit a bump in the road..and it was draggin hinnie all over the place...terrible truck to run in Wyoming mountains.

LOL..back then.....most of us were thrilled to get a truck that had the Cat3208 as a power plant!!

[cowdoc]

Yeah but this will be a Cat brand engine and trucks. Navistar gonna make em and Cat sell their name I guess. Like the old White Freightliners.

[bigtimba]

My '05 Volvo has this big red thing that says Cummins. I have driven it around 47000 miles and observed two things . . it's extremely reliable and it will out pull most trucks at or near gross on most hills.

RIP CAT . . you sure sounded good . .
RIP anything box, square or long nosed . . you USED to look good . .

7.2 over all MPG. It was 6.7 when I got it.

[Walking Eagle]

I just LOVED my old 12v71 Detroit. Had all the marien conversions, 92 blowers, twin turbos, hell of a motor (As long as you could keep oil in it). Walk up, do a walk around, walk up to the cab, open the door, put your hand on the sill and then slam the door. Then you were ready to go trucking. Wind it up till it wouldn't wind no more

[cowdoc]

I had a 12V71 in the 70's. One day I sunk a little bit loaded and I was rockin back and forth trying to get out. I rocked it forward,stalled it and it rolled back in the hole. This started that ole 318 running backwards. Blowing blue smoke out the vents and clattering like the devil. I abandoned ship scared to death. The other guys got a big laugh out of it and told me it wasn't uncommon for those 2 strokes to run backwards. That was the only time it ever happened to me.

[Walking Eagle]

Yep they used to do that, mine did it pretty regular. Really screwed up the air filters if you left it do it to long

[Walking Eagle]

Yep they used to do that, mine did it pretty regular. Really screwed up the air filters if you left it do it to long

[TK THE TRUCKER]

I had a 12V71 in the 70's. One day I sunk a little bit loaded and I was rockin back and forth trying to get out. I rocked it forward,stalled it and it rolled back in the hole. This started that ole 318 running backwards. Blowing blue smoke out the vents and clattering like the devil. I abandoned ship scared to death. The other guys got a big laugh out of it and told me it wasn't uncommon for those 2 strokes to run backwards. That was the only time it ever happened to me.

I had that happen to this old Mack I drove a long time ago in a quarry keeping the asphalt plant full of stone. I couldn't figure out what the hell was going on. I was backing up to dump in the stone bins and when I bumped the rail it caused it to almost stall but then started running backwards. I was still in reverse and the truck started going forward and of course the filters were full of dust so that was blowing out the cleaners all over the place. A quick call over the company radio and I shut it off, restarted it and everything was fine. Scared the crap out of me though at first. 8) 8)

[Mackman]

Cummins stock skyrocketed the other day when it was announced that CAT is getting out of the North American diesel engine business.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7582348

I damn near teared up when i read that. Say it aint so.

[Kranky]

I had a 12V71 in the 70's. One day I sunk a little bit loaded and I was rockin back and forth trying to get out. I rocked it forward,stalled it and it rolled back in the hole. This started that ole 318 running backwards. Blowing blue smoke out the vents and clattering like the devil. I abandoned ship scared to death. The other guys got a big laugh out of it and told me it wasn't uncommon for those 2 strokes to run backwards. That was the only time it ever happened to me.

The Detroit 318 was an 8V71, not a 12V71.

[cowdoc]

You are correct of course. I guess brain disengaged. We had a 71 8V71. We also had a 6V71 238 which was weak. Hooked to a 10 speed would barely pull itself off.

[Kranky]

You are correct of course. I guess brain disengaged. We had a 71 8V71. We also had a 6V71 238 which was weak. Hooked to a 10 speed would barely pull itself off.

The 238 Detroit was a 6-71 (inline 6) not a 6V71.

[CapnDave56]

The smoothest running and strongest pulling engine I have driven was a 60 series Detroit in a '95 Pete. Rolling up I-75 north of Cleveland, TN I hit the grade at 70 with 79,500 on and topped the hill at 64. Not bad really.