Which motor would you choose.....

[Lee Bradley]

LOL   I knew the answer on Japanese re-power from a Harley owner.

My bus keeps going backwards everything I open up leads to another. I hadn't planned on doing much to the cockpit area this go round but as long as I had the heater lines disconnected, to lower the passenger deck, I would pull the driver heater/AC and clean it. There were some dead ended wire bundles (factory) so I figured I would track them back to the power panel and get rid of them. I couldn't remove them because some other bundles were in the way so ..... The whole dash, gauges, lights, switches is in a box and all the wiring is out on the ground still connected to the power panel. But I discovered the two air gauges are double needle gauges but they are plumed so that two needles read the same line. Redundancy I guess but I am going to re-plum them so one gauge reads primary air and front applied and the other reads secondary air and rear applied ... and the heater/AC is collecting dust. Reminds me of the book 'Princess' by Joe Richards; Joe had bought a Friendship Sloop prior to WWII and in the process of rebuilding it he lost sight of the original propose which was to go sailing.

[larryh]

Chaz,

I don't know how old you are if your 8V71 needs rebuilding it is a very simple engine to work on. and almost Bullett proof and should last you a lifetime of driving with no more miles you will put on it get it to a good 2 cycle man and let them do what it needs and you'll love the old girl they love to be rode hard and put up wet LOL.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Larry Higuera

[TomC]

Chaz- I concur with the last post.  Have your engine overhauled by a quality Detroit person.  I would highly recommend you either run it as is with just N60 injectors (best balance of performance and economy) with no turbo, or rebuild as a turbo engine and go with 70 injectors also for economy since you just have a 35ft'r.  Good Luck, TomC

[Chaz]

Thanx Gents.

Larry,
  I'm 48 yr. old. I have plenty of mechanical backround (and tons of fabrication experience as I owned a weld and fab shop) but I don't really think I want to mess with big girl. Sure, water pumps, stats, hoses, stuff like that - no problem, but I am old enough to have learned to leave the stuff I don't know to people who do. If the guy who works on my bus would want to allow me to hang around while he does an in frame or overhaul, I'd be all about that! But like I've said, this is the first diesel I have ever touched with a wrench. (It's still a little intimidating )
 
  Thanx Tom. More than likely that will be my plan, but if there is a good "beneficial" swap out there, it would be nice to know so I can weigh all options. My plans are to run this ol' girl aloooooong time. I'd probably only "step up" if I hit the lottery. But they say you have to buy a ticket before that can happen.  ( 'magine that! ) So it looks like it's going to be another loooooong relationship.    Actually, even to the point that if I do stay with the 8V71, I have been kinda watching around for a good spare. No hurry there, but if one should happen to show up....why not?

And to be honest, one of the main reasons is because I still work with metal and see where it's going. I take my scrap (which truely is "scrap" if I'm getting rid of it) to the recycler and see all the "good stuff" people are willing to throw away for a couple bucks. Seriously, it blows me away!! (and sometimes pisses me off, but what's a poor boy to do?  ) So it's my guess, old DD's could end up getting rarer and more expensive down the road. Maybe I'm wrong, but I do my best to try to think ahead.

 Thanx again,
     Chaz


 

[larryh]

Chaz,

I'm sorry I forgot to add that Chiltons.s Motor Manual has a very good book a step by step on rebuilding a Detroit 2 stroker. Unfortunately I don't know where you can find one but I bet others also have em.

PS I'll stick with my goldwing 1984 1200GL 

Larry Higuera

[larryh]

Chaz heres some specs on the 8V71
Popular Horsepower Ratings (8V-71)
866 ft·lbf @ 1400 rpm 318 hp (237 kW) governed at 2100 rpm (naturally aspirated)
990 ft·lbf @ 1400 rpm 305-350 hp governed at 2100 rpm (turbocharged)
1064 ft·lbf @ 1200 rpm 305-370 hp governed at 1800-2100 rpm (turbocharged/aftercooled)

Mine with the injectors should be right at 345 enough to run at governed speed of 83 checked with GPS and average 6.8 at 70+MPG 65 gives 8.2 average over a 7000 mile tripat Glacier and MT rushmopre was down to 5.5 in 2 and 3rd gear a bunch of miles so I'm happy with it have got as high as 12 in CA where limited to 55 and enforced strictly especially with out of states plates of course your MMV.

LarryH