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General Information => General => Topic started by: airhead on June 15, 2009, 09:07:32 am

Title: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: airhead on June 15, 2009, 09:07:32 am
I thought this topic might raise a debate or 2. I'm not just speaking about cars. Im talking about any diesel engine, anywhere doing anything. And just to keep things interesting, lets exclude VW engines altogether.

Personally, for sheer engineering and the wow factor, it would be the SU Sulzer or Wartsila ship engines. Just their sheer size and power is what does it for me. Outside of that, there's the old reliable Lister and Perkins diesels which seem to just keep hammering away day after day in the most hostile conditions, and then yes, in cars, well I'd have to say the new Peugeor diesels are pretty amazing, considering their efficiency and reliability. I mean the French have always made a good diesel engine. The 1.5 dCI Nissan Renault engine is a lovely versatile little thing and seems to bolt into a whole host of cars and do the job for many miles, from the Renault Clio to the Nissan Qashqai.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: catlin_cava on June 15, 2009, 09:36:09 am
3 cylender Perkins diesel in our farm tractor and its 50 years old and has had i motor job because it Was running on 1 lol. could be -50 out and It will start with no glow plugs. i love that old massie lol
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: zukgod1 on June 15, 2009, 09:59:20 am
Dodge Cummins 12 valve with the P Pump.


Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: rabbitman on June 15, 2009, 11:31:08 am
Dodge Cummins 12 valve with the P Pump.

X2 ;D
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: catlin_cava on June 15, 2009, 11:33:25 am
detroit 515, had 700,000km was leaking everything lol, yet would still bring the truck up to 140 kph hauling 80000lb, the motor was over hauled twice, all the injectors where replade a couple times, blew 5 turbos and much more in 4 years with my brother at the wheel.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: blackdogvan on June 15, 2009, 04:35:03 pm
Some might say the 2 stroke Detroit Diesel played a pivotal part in winning WW2. Pretty ahead of its time & the basic design was in production until very recently. Currently the Detroit Diesel Series 60 owns the highway tractor market for good reason.

My call is the 90hp TDi.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: the caveman on June 15, 2009, 05:33:00 pm
ALH TDI . When VW brought out the TDI at first ,it won lots of engineering awards
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: diesel smoke on June 15, 2009, 06:13:21 pm
In a car, the ALH TDI when the VNT 15 is ditched; in a truck, the 12v Cummins; a stationary engine, the Lister CS, going to get a clone one for our off-grid power system. ;D
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: Wingaman on June 15, 2009, 08:28:46 pm
Dodge Cummins 12 valve with the P Pump.

X2 ;D

X1827374

A 5.9B/BT/BTA with this beautiful P7100 pump is amazing, It's called millions miles engine, use on Case construction equipment, dodge truck (94-97.5), Case agricultural tractor and combine, many excavator, ...

Also 3.9B/3.9BT/3.9BTA in many Case construction too, generator, ...

Another good engine is a Deutz air cooled, like a Lister, not expensive on parts, smaller than a water cooled.

Perkins is in the mild, reliable, but don't expect 20 000 hours with a Perkins. Cheap to rebuilt but not lasting.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: airhead on June 16, 2009, 02:51:22 am
All the city buses in Ireland use 6 cylinder cummins engines in fact and they have astronomical mileage on some of them.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: blackdogvan on June 16, 2009, 07:18:15 am
One interesting thing to compare in this topic is power/displacement.

For its longevity the 90/145 1z/AHU/ALH has a very high ratio, over 47hp per liter & 76ftlb/liter.

Cummins from those days, (160-170/400 i believe?) 27hp/liter 68ftlb / liter.

FYI you can buy a 5.9 cummins in stock form at 370hp for marine use! Its amazing what you can do with a endless supply of cold water for your intercooler.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: jtanguay on June 16, 2009, 08:29:26 am
One interesting thing to compare in this topic is power/displacement.

For its longevity the 90/145 1z/AHU/ALH has a very high ratio, over 47hp per liter & 76ftlb/liter.

Cummins from those days, (160-170/400 i believe?) 27hp/liter 68ftlb / liter.

FYI you can buy a 5.9 cummins in stock form at 370hp for marine use! Its amazing what you can do with a endless supply of cold water for your intercooler.

very true!  a high flow pump with two air/water intercoolers, fuel cooler... hmmm!!! 8)
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: theman53 on June 16, 2009, 06:58:45 pm
No votes for the 6.0L ford powerstroke?  ;D  That thing was the biggest piece of junk ever.

 The toughest little diesel I ever drove was my original 1.6L 1981 vw rabbit N/A. I have had several after, but none as tough as that one. I couldn't figure out why it was overheating all the time and boiling over. I replaced coolant, radiator, thermostat and all seemed to help. Then when you least expected it  it would boil over. Lasted about six months before I finally figured out the water pump was bad. So my vote goes to the vw, but this is non vw, so I would say my dad's duramax is smooth, quiet, and powerful out of the box diesels I have ever been in. I never owned one but the 7.3 powerstroke and the cummins 6B were some amazing runners as well.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: jtanguay on June 16, 2009, 07:41:54 pm
i heard that some of the new duramax use the a/c to 'chill' the fuel?  hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: Wingaman on June 16, 2009, 08:00:26 pm
5.9 could hold 70psi of boost only with o-ring head with 60lbs valve spring and a nice compound turbo setup, injectors and pump adjustment(governor spring kit and fuel plate) for about 600-800hp. The hp/liters ratio is over ! lol

Ho, I forgot, can turn 5000 rpm with fluidamper too without harmonic destruction hhehehe :)
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: Wayland on June 16, 2009, 08:19:15 pm
From my own experience I'd have to go with the 12v Cummins, and the old air-cooled Listers (I have 5 or so of them).
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: maxfax on June 16, 2009, 08:32:18 pm
My vote is for the Benz om617..   Never saw one wear out before the three bodies it's been installed in rusted in half...
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: macka on June 17, 2009, 05:09:19 am
60 series detroit, or the volvo/penta in my friends fishing boat.
Title: Re: Objectively speaking, what is/was the best diesel engine ever built?
Post by: dieselweasel on July 05, 2009, 08:58:43 am
I'd agree...the older Detroit 60 series (non egr) and the Cummins 5.9 (12V especially) are some damn good engines.  I'll add the Cat 3406 B, C, and E engines to the list...very common to see these with a million miles before major failure/overhaul.