I just bought a 1979 Ford 9000 Detroit 8.1 Diesel with 203,000 miles. I bought it at a auction, and man what a gutless dog. I'm very disapointed, the truck is a bear to down shift, it grinds when down shifting. I called the local truck shop and he told me it was normal for the transmission to grind when down shifting because im not getting the rpm right when I down shift. Also he said the engine wont have much power. Does this sound right guys, should the engine be a dog to drive and the tranny grind when down shifting, should I just run it back to the auction

 

Are you using the clutch or floating the gears when shifting? With big rig trannys float the gears during shifting, just takes practice in matching the rpms to the shifting.

MikeyB

 

i cant tell you about the 8.1 whether it should be a dog or not. i can tell you from experience that, as MikeyB said, you have to float the gears when you down shift that big trans.

 

Detroit two strokes belong in a boat. They make more noise than power.Some people like them, but some like me don't like them. They make great racing engines but just lack real diesel torque for pulling. If your down shifting just floor it let off and find the gear. All trucks of that size with a diesel motor will shift the same they do not have syncros.

 

You got that right .

 

Since its an old 2 stroker to get any some what of power outta it u gotta rev the **** out of it, they like to be in top end alot when ur gearing up, as for downshifting make sure ur road speed and engine rpm match before u drop a gear.

 

I think they sound cool.

 

The trans isn't synchronized. You will have to learn how to double clutch, although most of them drive better if you don't use the clutch at all. Just stomp on the gas to get the rpm right and it'll drop right in.

Like the other guys said, don't be afraid to wind it up. It is a gutless dog, but there's nothing "wrong" with it.

 

Nothing quite like an old screaming Jimmy. The engine that will never rust due to the external lubricating system. They are dog's you have to rev the crap out of them. But if you keep them filled with oil, they are like a Timex. They are also simple to work on.

 

Yeah, I agree with all of the above. With that ol' two stroke you gotta rev the heck outa it to get it movin'. When dropping gears you gotta bring up the rev's to match your shift. When I drive, I pretty much always leave the jake brake on. That way when shifting I just let off the throttle, the jake brings the rpms down just low enough to float to the next higher gear. When slowing down I let the jake drag a bit, blip the throttle, while floating down, to get the revs higher to match the next lower gear. If you're not used to floating, double clutch it. Same thottle control is necessary on both techniques.........But then I'm sure there is no jake brake on yours. But the throttle control is the same for shifting a non-synro tranny........

 

If it stops leaking it's out of oil.

 

I love the sound of them but just remember, like a giant weed eater, you gotta keep it on the red line to get anything out of them. I have some sound clips of a V6-71 on a dyno I would attach if I knew how. The thing sounds like it is going to rev up for ever. We have three of the old 8/71's at the river for emergency water supply but they're only turning 1800 rpums.

Here's one of a grain truck pulling out that is pretty cool..

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/e...6901622125.htm

 

Its not leaking oil it is excessive road Grime
When someone asks you what engine your truck has just in case you don't know the nick name for those 2 stroke detroits is Screamondemon!!

 

you have to match speed to rpm to get it in with out grinding it takes awhile to get the hang of it

 

Don't want to be "that" person but wouldn't it be 8.2L and if so it's not a 2 stroke it would be a 4 stroke V8.