We've actually driven past moose before with it....It moves so slow (faster than on foot though) that I think the animals get used to the sound coming towards them. It's quite loud.

 

After purchasing it from GM, until 2000 Penske owned Detroit Diesel - see HERE.

Rusty

 

When you go on the Detroit diesel web site they show the 60 series along with two Mercedes diesels. Anyone know how the Merceded engines are stacking up to Cummins or Cat?

 

I am lucky enough to have an 06 Benz 320 CDI and that little 3.2 is SWEET !!! Have only put 425 mi on her mostly city driving and haven't hit 1/4 tank yet ............. on a 21 gal tank !!!! Beast hauls booty like you wouldn't believe and oh so smooth !!!!

 

OIC. I don't know much but work for a large private shipping company with around 30 trucks at our facility and penske is right next door

 

Detroit makes a hell of a marine diesel. Cat is probably better though.

 

Growing up on the crewboats, all boats were powered with 3 or 4 12v71Ti's depending on size of boat. Cat tried selling 3412's to certain companies, but they could not hold up to the throttle jockey's at the rigs. The Detroits could run with minimal oil pressure, poor fuel quality, and minimal maintenace from the shotty crews. The cats and K-19 cummins were dogs (sorry) but the truth in this application of reliability. See my avatar for a 12v71TTI.

 

I'd say it's probably very hard to beat a set of 71's in a boat. Set one up regular, and one to run backwards, and you have minimal vibration (if any). Thay were built for that environment...too bad they got a bad rep in trucks (well deserved in most cases, too)
I've never been in a boat with them though, just heard lots of stories

Chris

 

I thought Ford owned Detroit Diesel??

 

The trenching company I work for runs Detroits, we've never had any problems with them, the only thing bad I can say about them is that their external lubrication system is not well liked and all their power is in the top end, I've had the engine in the backfilling machine running backwards(let it bog down to much in some wet sticky dirt )

 

I have to say that the old 2-stroke detroits are perhaps the most reliable big horsepower engines ever made. For example; A friend of mine is an ex-coal miner that used a 8v71 for a underground water pump motor. It had upwards of 20,000 hours on it and showed it. As the end of the mine came into being they were getting quite deep and the water was giving them a hell of a time. Instead of hauling another pump down there he just turned the governor up on it. At the end of its life it was turning 4k rpm with 5lbs of oil pressure it ran that way for 2 weeks and previous to that it had been turned up as the water level rose. The only reason it had any oil pressure at all was the high rpms. Show me any other engine that would stand up to that abuse. I have had several experiances with 71 series detroits and have to say they are loud obnoxious beasts that demand to be wide open. I also know a guy that used to drive buses to alaska. He would get the bunk buses to "blow them out" he said he could get a bad running 8v and by the time he was half way up the alaskan hwy it would be running like a top. His secret, WFO all the way. Thats the way they like it. None of this computer enginered BS, those are all american heavy duty over enginered. Here is a really great link to get everthing in perspective. http://www.yachtsurvey.com/comparing_diesel_types.htm
Long read but worth it. My family has a three tub grinders the little one, a 8v71 powered tub that is 10', 2 big ones a 12v71 powered tub that is 12', and a 3408 tub that is also 12'. All are straight piped against common sense. Ear plugs are required with the detroits! For a varying load the detroits are hard to beat. The cat likes to get into some tuff grinding and get plugged because the turbo isn't spooled up. The detroits don't have that problem. And what sweet, sweet music they make! They are not nice in an over the road truck I will agree, but if you can keep them pinned they are hard to beat.

 

That was a good read. Thanks!

 

yeah, in smaller displacment sizes, but once you go to big and slow, 2 stroke is the only to go. i won't post the link, but that most powerful diesel engine [the 100k hp one] is a inline 14 turning 100rpm 2 cycle diesel...

still, i would love a jeep with a 4-53 or a 6v53.. fun toy