MaxxForce DT Diesel Engine

This video is on the big Bore Models in Highway Trucks and covers a large part on how the MaxxForce Engines are contructed.

The MaxxForce DT Diesel Engine is the newest edition of the original DT 466 and DT 466E diesel engines. Our fleet brought in five 2010 IC conventional school buses with this engine model. They are 230 HP with a 7.6 Liter (466 cu. in.) displacement.

They stuck with the wet sleeve cylinder design which is very popular with us Mechanics who do in-frames. If you've ever done an in-frame there is no comparison to an integral (DRY) cylinder diesel engine model. The dry sleeve design of course means pulling the entire engine out of the frame. This adds labor and parts expenses.

I did some research on these diesel engine models since it's always an advantage to know the details on our fleet engines. They have the roller cam followers which helps reduce wear and tear on the camshaft and valve train. A 4 valve per cylinder configuration helps with breathing and emission controls.

This video explains the EGR system in Maxxforce 2010 Engine Models.

Other features include:

• replaceable valve seats and guides
• top of engine access to fuel filter and fuel/water seperator
• top loading fuel strainer
• maintenance free closed crankcase ventilation system
• internal cylinder dosing eliminates downstream fuel injection equipment.
• On-board diagnostics system
• International's electro-hydraulic generation two (G2) electronic controls for optimizing fuel economy and delivery. 
• G2 fuel system allows diesel particulate regeneration without equipment dowstream.
• EVRT electronically controlled turbo creates improved engine torque curve and response and produces exhaust back pressure to better control EGR rate of flow and exhaust braking.

Jacobs exhaust brake (optional) up to 150 brake horse power. Works with the EVRT Turbo eliminating standard exhaust brake system.  The MaxxForce DT Diesel Engines in our fleet have been running great so far. 

International DT 466E In-Frame Repair

The International diesel engine project is at the head installation stage. We had the head sent to a machine shop and inspected. The valves were touched up and the head was checked for cracks since the failure was an overheating condition. If you're going through all this work it makes sense to take every step necessary to prevent a come-back.

With the head installed the injectors come next. They are hydraulic electronic unit injectors that run on high pressure oil controlled by the electrical signals from the engine ECU. The valve rocker arms are then torqued down and the valves are set at .025 inches.One thing to note with DT 466E engines is the diesel mechanic needs to make sure the engine oil pressure is up to specs because it is responsible for engine starting. If you have low oil pressure for whatever reason you will experience a hard starting or no start condition. We have since returned this bus into service and it's running nicely. The total cost of the in-frame was much less a complete rebuild on a non wet cylinder diesel engine. The fact that everything can be performed in-frame saves a LOT of time and money. One of the disadvantages of running an engine with removable cylinders is they are not part of the block and can move against the sealing o-rings around the liners. If a Mechanic has to rebuild a DT 466 diesel engine once in it's lifetime after hundreds of thousands of miles, I would say that engine definitely paid for itself.

International Diesel Engine Rebuild Installing Liners

In the past International DT466 Diesel Engines used 2 orings to seal the liner in the block. Here is the upgrade with the one seal. You notice we're using Lubriplate grease to pre-lube the seal. You can also use cooking oil which International recommends, all the Mechanics (myself included) in our shop swear by Lubriplate and it has never failed us.

Installing the liner is the next step.It's recommended to keep the liner seated firmly after installation as pictured here with metric fasteners and washers. The liner protrusion has to be checked as well to maintain a good seal surface for the head gasket. I hope this quick Mechanic information tidbit helped you out.

DT 466 International Diesel Engine In-Frame - Removing Radiator Assembly.

The International DT 466E  Diesel Engine that's running in a school bus is more accessible by first removing the hood as in the previous post. The Mechanic does not need to be standing on his head to dis-assemble everything.

The radiator assembly comes out as a unit. You can see from the photo these models have a split radiator and charge air cooler. You might think half of a normal radiator might cause a problem but we have not experienced anything major besides deterioration over time of the radiator core. Usually they cannot be repaired and a complete unit needs to be installed in case of any failure. This radiator had been replaced not too long ago so all a Mechanic has to do is remove the radiator and send it out to be flushed and checked at a radiator shop.

Thinking ahead is a good practice for any Mechanic performing a major overhaul like this one. The radiator, turbo, oil cooler, water pump, charge air cooler and cylinder head all needs to be inspected carefully right away and either sent out or repaired which ever is the most practical. Stand by for more Mechanic Information on our in-house DT 466 International Diesel Engine Rebuild. 

DT 466 Diesel Engine In Frame Rebuild.

One of our International DT466 diesel engines had an incident a few days ago. It over heated and shut down, after discovering coolant in the crankcase the only conclusion was to remove the oil pan and inspect it further. This is an electronic 2001 model but the mechanical principles still remain the same. They have wet liners which are sealed by o-rings keeping the coolant seperated from the crankcase.

After removing the oil pan and pressurizing the cooling system the problem was obvious. One liner had failed o-rings which caused the coolant leakage problem from the beginning. This will require an in-frame rebuild. I am going to document this procedure step by step so you can see the inner workings of the DT 466 Diesel Engine.

DT466 Engines Die Hard

The DT466 Engine has come a long way from the Mechanical injection systems to today's electronic versions. They started like clockwork in cold weather and reminded me of the Duracell Bunny you see in commercials. The video below is a typical cold start scenario and these engines don't take long to get going even in 20 degree weather.

A good set of 800 CCA batteries will get you going in any kind of weather. The DT466 electronic engines are much harder to start in the cold because of the high pressure oil required to run the injectors which are hydraulically actuated. So thick oil has enough resistance to hold back one of these models from firing up.

Plugging them in is essential (as with any diesel engine) and even throwing in an oil pan heater is a great help. I found a magnetic oil pan heater that gets up to 200 degrees and makes quite a difference with cold starts.

I found from experience that when the engine starts to fire but still struggles to give it a short rest before cranking it over again. The Delco starter (most likely a 37 MT Model)is earning it's keep in this type of weather, you can only imagine the amount of load it's going through. What a machine!



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DT466 Diesel Engine Is The Best Performer In Cold Weather

The DT466 Diesel Engine is by far the most reliable mid range engine going. I'm sticking to this statement because of years of working around them and the dependability of these workhorses is excellent.

Not only can you rebuild them in frame for a fraction of the cost of a new diesel engine but the life expectancy of a well maintained DT466 is in the range of 300 to 400 thousand kilometers. This is mainly in school buses since the maintenance program is very strict in most districts.

That's not to go without saying that any highway or off road DT466 diesel engine can reach these numbers as well. It was a sad day when International stopped making these engines.

With the electronic age came the DT466E and I'm impressed with them as well but you have to treat them with a little more sensitivity when firing them up in cold weather.

You could have a can of diesel engine starting fluid commonly known as ether and give the intake a quick shot and before you can say "thank you lord Jesus" that puppy would be smoking away and ready to go to work like a loyal bird dog!

OK here is my last plug of the day.

If you're looking for a used school bus for sale then I highly recommend going for a bus that is equipped with a DT466 diesel engine.

Check out this video: A 1989 International S1800 with a DT466 diesel engine doing a cold start up in 10 to 15 degree (Fahrenheit) weather

Diesel Mechanic Information-Setting Valves Using The Rocker Method

Setting Engine Valves

Setting engine valves is the same for every diesel engine made if you use a certain method. If you rotate the engine to a particular spot lining a pointer or engaging a timing pin, that's diesel mechanic information documented by each individual manufacturer.

You rotate the engine over to TDC (top dead center) and adjust 1/2 the valves then rotate 360 degrees and adjust the other half. The DT 466 E engine pictured above has the same valve clearances when the engine is both hot or cold.

Would If You Don't Have A Manual?

There's a universal valve setting method that I use which can be implemented on every diesel engine made. It's called the rocker method which eliminates the need for a service manual when the time comes to carry out this operation.

However you do need to know the intake and exhaust valve clearances commonly found on the decal attached to the block.

Here's How It Works

While rolling over the engine watch the valves open and close. On a 6 cylinder model #1 and #6 cylinders rise and fall together from TDC (top dead center) to BDC (bottom dead center). The same goes for #2 and #5 as well as #3 and #4 cylinders.

Think of these 3 sets as sister cylinders. Every time a piston reaches TDC the stroke will either be compression stroke or and exhaust stroke.

Follow The Firing Order

The firing order on an in-line 6 cylinder engine is 1-5-3-6-2-4 I always start at #1 cylinder. While facing the engine rotate it clockwise and watch #6 cylinder for the exhaust valve closing

When the exhaust valve closes the intake will just start to open(this is why it's called the rocker method). As soon as you see the intake valve moving STOP turning the engine and adjust the Intake and Exhaust valves on #1 cylinder. #1 is now on compression stroke (both valves closed/ rockers loose) while #6 cylinder is on the exhaust stroke.

Repeat With The Next Cylinder In The Firing Order

The next cylinder in the firing order is #5. Rotate engine until #2 cylinder is on the intake /exhaust valve overlap then adjust #5 valves. The same goes for #3 cylinder (next on the firing order) #4 valves go through the overlap process and so on through #6-#2-#4 cylinder valves.

This is diesel mechanic information you can use all the time if you have an in-line diesel engine that needs a valve set and you know the valve clearances.

Searching For Diesel Mechanic Information

Diesel Mechanic Information is by far the biggest roadblock with anyone involved with repairing and troubleshooting a diesel engine or operating system. The Internet is a great resource and I for one spend a lot of time searching diesel mechanic info using keywords.

Keyword Research

Keywords can be put inside a double colon i.e. "cummins diesel engine". If you do a Google search with this phrase you will only get results for "cummins diesel engine", otherwise you would end up with websites on "cummins" "diesel" or "engines".

Google searches the exact phrase for you and will lead you to the best information available. Google considers you and I as a valued customer and wants our experience to be a positive one. They promote unique and informative (in our case) diesel mechanic information and shutdown sites that provide poor content.

Different Information Formats

If you work for a dealership you know that there are many resources available like training & repair manual CDs, Internet sites with all the service bulletins and resources possible for each & every vehicle serial number running on the road.

Consulting with the dealer is a bonus as well. They know the inside information on their brand and can save you hours of frustration. Everything tends to happen more than once with the same model and once you explain the problem the Service Manager or Mechanic will remember the same incident that occurred in the past.

Forums

Forums are a great resource as well with experienced techs that hang around and offer there experiences and advice. This is a great place that welcomes questions and answers to that helps everybody out. To find a forum enter: diesel engines+forums into the Google search box. There are thousands of forums available to join and contribute to.

Case In Point:

Recently I worked on a DT466E International and it started out on it's run OK and half way through it started to cough and sputter. I got in later, took it for a road test and it ran like a dream!

So when I phoned the dealer who we have a good relationship with suggested right away to replace the Cam Sensor. The winding inside the sensor changes intermittently and causes a performance problem.

Here's a previous post on Cam Sensor Replacement:

In Conclusion:

*Use the double colon around your specific " keyword phrase" to zero in on your query.

*Establish a relationship with your equipment dealer (start an account, purchase parts etc.)

*Find out about training & repair CDs from your dealer.

*Do a search for diesel engines + forums on Google.

There's a lot of information out there in print and on the Internet. The next time you're looking for Diesel Mechanic Information or any information for that matter give the "keyword phrase" search a try.

The Best Diesel Engine-DT 466 International School bus

The Best Diesel Engine? By far the DT 466 by International. For the Medium Duty fleet operator this engine is the most reliable of all. Pictured is the DT 466 E [electronic version]. Each injector is controlled electronically by the engine ECM and injection is actuated by high pressure oil. These injectors are HEUI [hydraulic electronic unit injector] that are reliable but typically have to be resealed if there's a fuel in the oil problem...for example.














Here I'm setting valves which is .025 for both the exhaust and intake. One of the differences with the electronic engine and the older non-electronic models is the newer engines have the intake manifold built into the valve cover so it weighs much more, making it difficult to remove. There is the Engine Control Module as well fastened to the valve cover on the driver side.

Below is an electronic unit injector that can be tested while running with a laptop for proper injection cycles.















On the International School Bus the dog house inside the cab also has to be removed to gain access to the rear cylinders. This aside the reliability of the DT 466 E and older DT 466 in my opinion is the most reliable model for a medium duty fleet operation. One characteristic with the electronic version is a very rough start up in cold weather because of the engine oil pressure feeding the high pressure system. It takes a bit of high idling to get smooth fuel injection happening.

If you can find a mechanical DT466 then you have reached diesel heaven! With no HEUI and a Bosch fuel injection system you will have very dependable power unit. I can remember in-framing these engines for $1200.00 they are very basic and easy to work on. But technology has taken over and fuel emissions are here to stay.

Internatonal School Bus DT 466E Cam Sensor Replacement

Today we're working on a Thomas/ International School Bus that requires a Cam Sensor. It's located in the front of the engine in the gear cover and reads engine rotation sending a signal to the Engine Electronic Control Unit. The Engine will not run with a failed cam sensor and the Pro-link diagnostic tool will verify the sensor failure.






The depth is checked with a dial indicator that has been calibrated according to the new sensor part number. Shims may be removed or added to get the proper clearance which is between .025 and .030 of an inch. The belt has to be removed and the engine rotated twice to check the runout and get an accurate reading.





Here's a look at the calibrating kit that must be used to read the depth of the bore where the sensor is mounted. There can't be any interference fit, this will damage the sensor. The new sensor is seen here on the left while the rest of the calibration tools are nestled in the carrying case.
That's all there is to it when changing the cam sensor on a DT 466E Diesel Engine on a International School Bus.