what are high engine hours on machines

[barbender]

First off, it would be cheaper to just rebuild the Detroit, rather then doing a Cummins swap.

Have you ever listened to a Detroit? ;D

[BargeMonkey]

8k is all I hope for with either a 6BT or 6.8 Powertech in equipment, after that it's borrowed time. I've got a 4-276T in a 590D that has ??? 10k+ hrs on just a new head. I saw and confirmed with my own eyes a 6.8 Powertech with 23k+hrs on the original pistons and crank, new head in a gen set. The aft 671 on my boat has 37k on it, had a new head at 30k. We plan to run it till it starts to consume/drip 3+gal a day.  :D the 645's EMD's I run have 28k on the rebuild, a blown one will go 60k if you don't run 900 rpm hard all the time, turbo is usually getting tired by 40K hrs but different pistons and liners / rings. I've got 2 listers in our pit on stackers we can't kill. Start in any weather, eat dirt and dust all yr. They are a great engine. Recently had to purchase an obscure early model Cummins??? To re-power the one that died in our Pettibone crane, I haven't been involved in the project but I saw the bottom end in the old one, literally just U-Bolts holding the rod and cap together. Wasn't impressed. Got 14k hrs out of our 8.1 in the 644H before she smoked a piston last fall, that's not a cheap engine to fix either.
I've got 1 Detroit left. She does her job but wish I had done a 4BTA re-power instead.

[danbuendgen]

First off, it would be cheaper to just rebuild the Detroit, rather then doing a Cummins swap.

Have you ever listened to a Detroit? ;D

Sure, I have a 4-53 DD in my 240, don't get me wrong is loud, but I don't think its too bad. I also have a real muffler though, I honestly like the DD better then a Cummins, I have had both and the DD is the working mans diesel motor, cheaper rebuild, no injection pump, cheap injectors, easy to work on, fuel efficient, and powerful.

I teamed up with a buddy last winter on a log job, we have the same skidder, except his has a Cummins. My 240 with DD would pull a bigger hitch and burn less fuel then his Cummins would. Also, on a DD they pump/return more fuel, and the fuel runs through the block and injectors are under the rocker cover, so it returns warmed up fuel to the tank, part way into the day, my fuel tank would have no snow and ice on it, and the fuel tank would be warm. His 240 with the Cummins would be ice cold all day. His skidder jelled up 2x last winter, mine never did, and we were running fuel from the same location.
I know they leak more oil, and they are louder, but I still like them more.
Just my .02

[barbender]

     danbuendgen, I'm just ribbing you ;) And, I know the ol' DD's actually have a lot going for them, everything you pointed out. The 2 things I don't like are the noise, and the dirt bike power curve. We used to call that "pipey" with bikes, dead on the bottom but when it wakes up look out ;D In all fairness, all my DD experience has been manual tranny cable skidders  with non turbo 353's. And my experience is limited at that ;)

[danbuendgen]

You are definitely right about the "dirt bike power curve". The 4-53 had way more power then the 3-53. DDs need to be run wide open for power. They don't like being driven like a car. And they are the loudest motor in the woods, by far. I knew a old time logger that had a straight pipped Timberjack 240 with 4-53 DD and he said people could hear it on the other side of town! Know wonder he was def! Back then loggers had no ear plugs, hard hat, chaps or anything... Its a wonder any of them survived... I still love those Detroit Diesels.

[barbender]

When I am just hitched up and pulling with mine, revved up and in the meat of the power, I like my 3-53 just fine. It's when I am manuevering around, especially in tight spots, that it gets on my nerves a bit. What kind of muffler did you put on yours? Mine has what looks to be the original Donaldson can, not much bigger than a coffee can really, then the exhaust comes over the top of the cab and ends right behind your head. I don't run the poor ol girl much, every time I do (wearing my saw helmet with earmuffs and earplugs) I swear I am going to do something about that racket

[danbuendgen]

Its not technically a muffler (no baffles), I think what I welded on is a resonator. You can look through it. But its 3 foot long and much better then the coffee can type. When I got the 240 the whole neighborhood HATED me. So I welded it up and seems much better.

I am trying to post a picture here for you of the muffler, and cant figure out how.... But at this point it might be in my photo gallery?

For a millennial I am not so good with computers....

[ehp]

change my oil at 250 hours and run rotella 15w40 , On the TJ 450 I had with a 4-53 in it I just welded up covers and brackets  the clark or newer 230/240 have to protect the muffler on the roof and used a muffler off of a truck that had a DT 466 engine in it , Made a huge difference in noise , machine worked just the same but quiet

[coxy]

the nice part with a DD is its hard to steel logs cause every one knows who has one here :D :D

[sandsawmill14]

i used to drive an old gmc general with a 6-71 dd that ha over a million miles and still ran good but did use quit a bit of oil i loved the sound of it  ;D but i was only 18-19 years old :D :D :D

[coxy]

I still run a 6-71 in my gmc its getting tired down 2 gears coming up the hill to my house  :D