I have a question for all you Ford Diesel Mechanics Our fleet has a 2004 F550 with the 6.0 Liter and it developed a miss when hot. I test drove it for 1/2 an hour without the trailer and Bobcat and it took that much time for it to start missing. It comes on suddenly like someone hit a switch. Before that it ran perfectly with tons of jam. It also smoothes out at 2000 rpm.
All the injectors have been replaced along with the EGR. The injection pressure is down 10 psi and I was informed that a low pressure will take out the injectors again eventually. I would love to hear from any mechanics or owners who have come across a similar symptom. Please leave your comment below...much appreciated!
Mechanic Notes: A diesel engine is 'dead in the water' without the turbocharger. High pressure atomized diesel injection needs maximum air intake boost to operate efficiently. You'll know when the turbo is not working up to speed, the smoke show out the tail pipe will be the obvious sign.
Mechanic Checks for A Turbocharger Problem
If you suspect a turbocharger problem and the diesel engine you're working on is a mechanical model you can check the boost pressure which should be around 20 p.s.i.
Take the reading off of the intake manifold with the engine at full throttle and full load. Hook up a line and go for a road test and make sure you get a nice heavy pull on the engine. The next step is to remove the intake side of the turbo (easier than the exhaust side) and check the compressor wheel and shaft for any movement and wear or signs of engine oil in the piping.
The air induction system includes the air filter and piping which must not be overlooked. Simple steps include checking for a restriction in the air filter and visually checking out the piping for loose clamps and perforations. The first sign of a hole in the piping or a loose clamp will be a high pitched whistle, not to be confused with the characteristic whine that comes from a turbocharger under load.
This is a common problem and can be checked by setting the park brake (set wheel chocks as an extra precaution), foot brake on, transmission in gear and throttling up the engine RPM enough to feel a load. You'll need assistance with this test so you can look and feel for leaks.
Electronically controlled diesel engines will most likely flash a trouble code on the dash which requires diagnosis with a laptop / software. The modern day Mechanic needs software and a laptop...if you don't have these tools you're going to go down fighting.
Here's an excellent video tutorial on how the turbocharger works. Check it out!
My friend Tristan who is also a member of my newsletter was passing through town and invited me to come and have a look at his 1995 PrevostCoach. I took some snapshots so I could share them here and show everyone how much quality goes into these units. Marathon Coach Inc. is a bus conversion company that turns the Prevost into a high end motorhome. After taking the tour I was very impressed with the quality that goes into these rigs. His car is out of site being towed on a trailer. He mentioned that parking is limited with a bus this size so he has to plan ahead for each destination carefully plotting out an accessible route.
The hot and cold water system is all stainless and obviously plumbed by a professional. It doesn't look like a 16 year old coach with absolutely no indication of any corrosion. The Marathon Coach factory must have very well trained employees and/or licensed tradesman working for them.
The Diesel Engine is a 500 Horespower Detroit Series 60. The air bag you see here at the fan drive pulley on the left adjusts the belt tension automatically. I'm thinking the fan drive is actuated only when needed saving horespower and wear. I've never seen this set up before which made it obvious that these bus manufacturers put a lot of thought into the design and installation of the components. Everything is very accessible and Mechanic friendly.
This alternator puts out a maximum of 270 Amps. I didn't take enough notes and can't tell you the model of this unit (maybe a Delco?), but I can tell you that it's a workhorse and is oil lubricated for good reason. I can't imagine how much heat this alternator develops keeping up to the demands of the DC system.
Have you ever seen wiring prettier than this? (CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE) It's open and laid out with easy access in front of the steering axle. The routing is nicely done and makes wire tracing a breeze. I could not find any signs of corrosion anywhere. The steering box below is easy to get to along with the transmission vehicle interface module. Usually you have to stand on your head to gain access to these components. Speaking of transmissions this rig has an Allison New World 4000 Series automatic transmission. We're talking heavy duty drive train and axles to support the big load of the Prevost.
This is the rear electrical panel in the engine compartment similar to the front end panel. Troubleshooting is much easier with this kind of layout. The terminals are all easily accessible and the wiring schematics are attached to the access doors. I would be very surprised if there were any shorts or open circuits with this bus after looking at the wire routing and the quality of the circuit board installations.
Last but not least is the manuals that came with the bus. Tristan has them neatly stored in this cargo bay along with his tools next door. He's a licensed Mechanic and does all his own repairs saving a heap of money in the process. Without manuals a Mechanic is shooting in the dark especially with the variety of technical systems to be dealt with on this bus.
The turbo on a diesel engine is an amazing piece of equipment that puts out thousands of rpms and gives us the boost we need to get into that perfect torque curve we need to power up a grade. You will know right away when the turbocharger is faulty. Without that charge air flowing into the intake the ratio between air and fuel will go south and heavy plumes of exhaust will pump out of your tail pipe getting some unexpected onlookers staring you down along with a huge loss of power.
This Holset Model pictured here comes with a waste gate (the round housing top left). A boost line is connected to a diaphragm and when the pressure hits a pre-calibrated level the excess boost pressure is exhausted out at around 20 psi or higher. The compressor wheel seen here as well is driven by the exhaust turbine wheel on the opposite side, so it's a self driven unit.
This is pure genius and gives the engine the extra air intake volume to keep up with the fuel injection system. Both the compressor and turbine wheels should be checked periodically for wear on the shaft and if there is any scuffing on the turbo housing caused the blades making contact. You don't want one of these guys blowing up and debris getting into the intake.
Here's a video I put together going through the steps to rebuilding and installing a Cat 3116 Diesel engine in a pusher school bus. It's a big job and you can see it happen in a matter of minutes. It's much easier to assemble the transmission to the engine and use the trans jack for support and hydraulic hoist on the front end.
The whole works rolls right into the frame. Thankfully Thomas Bus allows the rear end frame to be removed. The Cat 3116 is a fussy engine to set up and you MUST have the Cat tool kit. There is no way to set up the timing, synchronization & fuel setting without the kit.
The valve train is the only weak spot on these engines, when they get too hot (in this case) the exhaust valve let loose requiring the major repair including a new cylinder head. Too avoid this keep the engine temperature down and check valve adjustment every 30,000 to 40,000 km (18-24,000 Miles). Enjoy the video....Please Leave a Comment
The diesel engine on a school bus pusher is a strange design with a transversely mounted radiator. Operators love these units because are very quiet (engine in the rear) with a stubby driveshaft. Low occurrences of driveline vibration and hearing yourself think is a bonus.
One thing that does cause problems is the hydraulic fan drive system that runs the engine cooling fan. The steering pump driven off the compressor runs the fan hydraulic motor as well. For those who find this confusing, the engine fan assy. is attached to the hydraulic motor shaft. Since the motor is driven by the steering pump it is labelled as a motor.
If you find you have stiff steering and the engine is overheating as well, you might want to look at the hydraulic steering pump. Check the hydraulic filter and magnet that resides inside the oil reservoir. If there is anything metallic then you're on the right track.
Older fan drives have a control manifold that has a electric solenoid that is triggered by an engine coolant temperature sensor. once the 200 degree (approx.) engine temperature is reached then the flow control opens the gates to full flow directed to the hydraulic fan drive motor. There is no need to worry about a fan belt on these rigs.
Newer pusher school buses have a 2 stage steering pump with sensors and manifold that controls the engine fan with a module bolted to the side of the frame. One stage of the hydraulic pump runs the steering and the other stage runs the engine fan. You also need the software to hookup to the fan control module to check out the entire system for proper flow and other parameters.
School buses have come a long way from the old belt drive and incredibly noisy gear box system that were popular in the early 90s. I think I've just dated myself, OK now you know I'm a child of the 60s... Hooray for Bob Dylan and the Chevy 283 cu. in. engine.
DIESEL MECHANIC - How To Adjust Valves On An International DT 466E Diesel Engine
The DT 466E diesel engine is the electronic version of the former DT 466. This an engine we diesel mechanics all know and love since they are virtually almost bulletproof with a fantastic performance record. With emissions standards here to stay International has followed the other engine manufacturers and engineered electronic injection into their design.
The hardest part about working on these diesel engines is getting to the components, especially the valves if it's time for adjustment. The air to air piping has to be removed as well as the doghouse cover from inside the cab followed by the electronic control unit. These steps are required just to be able to reach the valve cover bolts.
Remove the multi-pin connectors at the ECU [electronic control unit] with a 1/4 inch drive ratchet. Remove the round connector going into the valve cover housing.
Remove the 4 bolts holding ECU to the support bracket using a 10 mm socket. Remove ECU and take care it's an expensive component!
Remove ECU support bracket, there is a larger fastener below bolted to the block and 4 valve cover studs at the top side where you have to remove four retaining nuts.
Push the ECU harness connector into the valve cover housing as it will stay with the injector wiring when removing cover.
Remove valve cover, the weight has increased drastically compared to the original non-electronic engines because of the integrated intake manifold that is now part of the valve cover.
Rotate engine until TDC [top dead center] is achieved. There is a notch on the serpentine belt pulley behind the vibration dampner. An arrow and the letters TDC has been cast right into the front cover. Once lined up, the engine valves will be on #1 TDC compression or exhaust stroke.
An easy way to tell is if #1 cylinder valves are both loose and #6 cylinder valves have no clearance, then you know you are on #1 compression stroke. Note: There are 12 valves in total #1 valve being at the front while #12 valve is the last valve at the rear of of the cylinder head.
So if I say adjust #4 valve you just count from the front of the head, the first valve being #1. This makes it easier to explain which valves to adjust.
On #1 TDC compression stroke adjust adjust valves #1 #2 #3 #6 #7 #10 . The valve clearance for both intake and exhaust is .025 in. preferably with the engine cold but that's not overly crucial.
Rotate engine 360 degrees the engine is now on #6 TDC compression stroke. Adjust #4 #5 #8 #9 #11 #12 valves.
Once you have all the valves adjusted you reverse the disassembly procedure and torque the valve cover bolts to 13 ft. lbs. and the 1/4 drive wiring harness connectors at the ECU to 35 in. lbs. The valve cover gasket is reusable but still inspect it for damage or indications of wear.
I hope this helps you out when it's time to adjust valves on your DT 466E Diesel Engine.
Today I am going to show you how to adjust the valves and injectors on a Caterpillar 3116 Diesel Engine. The injectors are mechanical and are checked and adjusted manually using the appropriate Caterpillar tune-up tools.
Here are the tools needed to perform the valve and injector adjustment:
Caterpillar Part #'s
*Dial Indicator # 1U-8869
*Contact Point # 9U-7274
*Feeler Guage # 123-4941
*16mm/18mm Drop Wrench # 128-8824
* Timing Guage Block # 9U-7269
Magnetic Base # 123-4940
Setting the valves and injectors is a preventive maintenance operation and should be done on a regular basis. Once you get through one setting it's a cakewalk the second time around. Below is the dataplate that tells you the timing specification for setting injectors.
The dial indicator has to be pre-set so it reads 62.00 mm when placed on the timing guage block as shown below. These tools come with the complete Caterpillar tune-up kit with detailed instructions included.
The first thing to do is rotate the engine over until # 6 cylinder valve rockers are rocking. Watch # 6 valve rockers as you are rotating the engine, keep turning the engine until the exhaust valve closes and the intake valve JUST starts to open. Stop there, # 1 cylinder is now on the Compression Stroke and ready for valve adjustment as well as the other designated injectors and valves.
*Adjust 3-5-6 injectors to timing spec. / in this case 65.74 mm / + or - .020 mm
*Adjust 1-2-4 intake valves .015 in.
*Adjust 1-3-5 exhaust valves .025 in.
Rotate engine over 360 degrees and adjust the other remaining valves and injectors. # 6 cylinder is now on compression stroke since #1 and # 6 pistons are always at TDC [top dead center]together.
*Adjust 1-2-4 injectors
*Adjust 3-5-6 intake valves
*Adjust 2-4-6 exhaust valves
As you can see from the above picture the magnetic dial indicator holder sits on top of the injector. The dial indicator measures the distance from the top of the injector to the machined body surface at the bottom which must be set correctly. This dimension effects injection timing and can be adjusted at the injector rocker arm set screw.
I hope this post helps out all you Cat 3116 owners. The valve and injector adjustment is probably the most crucial as adjustment can change with normal wear and tear as your diesel engine racks up the mileage.
That's all for now, thanks for visiting and be sure to check back for more Diesel Mechanic Tips.
We learned the hard way & experienced troubles trying to prime the Mercedes MBE 900 Diesel Engine. It was a chore trying to get it started again after it ran out of fuel.
Pressurizing the fuel tank and bleeding the system at the fuel lines was tedious and a crude method to say the least.
Most of these engines come from the factory with a quick coupler located at the fuel filter housing. The 2005 and earlier models have to be installed with the new coupler, a kit can be obtained from the Mercedes dealer.
We acquired the female quick coupler from the local dealer and added a hose along with a stainless steel pressure tank similar to a lawn fertilizer set up. There isn't a lot of pressure required to bleed the fuel system, all it takes is 5 p.s.i or better. There is a bleeding apparatus available that we are looking at picking up. I will re-post when it arrives and give it a test drive.
This tank has to be topped up with diesel and pumped continuously while a second person cranks over the engine. It works great and saves a lot of wear and tear on the starter!
Note: there is a Technical Service Bulletin on the Thomas C2 School Bus models having a defective fuel gauge senderThe sender must be removed and tested with an ohm meter. We had some incidents on one of our C2 units running out of fuel prematurely.
Once you get this pressure tool all set up it will make removing the air from a Mercedes MBE 900 Engine fuel system much easier.
The local Mercedes dealer recommended to replace thermostats and coolant every two years on the MBE 900. Coolant breaks down over time and becomes acidic chowing down on gaskets and engine parts. On a conventional and pusher bus this is an easy operation. Three bolts and upper rad hose is all it takes to get to the thermostats.
The two thermostats come with a split o-ring that fits around the edge of the stat and nestles nicely into the bore of the thermostat housing. Below is a short video of a Mercedes MBE 900 diesel engine idling in a pusher bus. These engines come with EGR and DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) systems to control emissions. Check out how the emissions are controlled using these componentsRight Here.
Diesel Mechanic Books are the lifeblood for any Mechanic looking to increase his or her knowledge and efficiency. I have always depended on up to date information to reduce the guessing game when troubleshooting and repairing diesel engines. You will learn something new everyday and hopefully that new found knowledge will be in a positive light.
Knowing exactly how to disassemble and reassemble a diesel engine or adjust a fuel injection pump gives you the instant confidence you need to succeed. There is a difference between studying a book compared to a CD. Everyone has their preference. If you don't have access to a computer the book option is right for you.
BARRING OVER A CUMMINS ISC DIESEL ENGINE FOR A VALVE SETTING
Knowing torque specs & parameters along with a diagnostic procedure will save time and headaches. There are thousands of diesel engine books covering specific diesel engines and fuel injection systems that is an essential tool for the conscientious Mechanic who prides himself on the doing the job right. If you go into a job blind you're looking for trouble, the complexities of a modern diesel engine far exceeds the engines from 20 years ago. Emission Controls are computer driven and have to be respected using the right tools and know-how.
My First Diesel Engine Rebuild Story
When I was a greenhorn apprentice in my 2nd year I was instructed to rebuild a Cummins NTA 350 Diesel Engine (N = series T = Turbocharged A = Aftercooled). YIKES! Here I was 19 years old tearing down a truck driver's engine with his livelihood depending on me. This was my first rebuild so that Cummins overhaul manual went home with me every night. I studied that until I had it memorized. It would have been a losing proposition if I never had that diesel mechanic book by my side.
These engines were straight mechanical, the fuel injection timing was checked with 2 dial indicators. One on the injector cam lobe and the other on the piston. The timing was altered with shim / gaskets for the cam followers according to the dial indicator readings. The counterbore also had to be cut with a manual cutter where each cylinder wet sleeve fit into making sure there was the proper protrusion above the block surface to allow proper sealing for the head gasket.
I can't imagine what it would have been like to do this job without an engine manual. What an adventure that would have been!
ADJUSTING VALVES ON AN INTERNATIONAL DT466E DIESEL ENGINE
REPLACING A REAR SEAL ON A DT466E DIESEL ENGINE
In conclusion... having a reference to follow is essential when tackling a big job that you haven't performed yet or just need some torque specs. Most repairs on diesel engines are time consuming and could end up costing a bundle if one step is missed or a component isn't torqued down properly. It sounds easy pulling a head off an engine but each manufacturer has designed their diesel model differently with various procedures unlike any other engine on the market.
Each diesel engine running on the road today is unique with their stand-alone design and fuel injection system. Diesel engine bookswill save your butt if you use them and follow the guidelines. Thousands of hours of research go into these books...it would only take a fraction of that time to look up a spec or procedure that could inevitably save your reputation.
Please leave your comments, feedback & questions below.
When it comes to diesel engine troubleshooting you're opening up a really big can of worms. There are so many models and designs that you would need several years of study to know everything about them. However I have seen so many of the same failures in non-fuel injected areas of a diesel engine that it's always a good practice to check the simple things first.
If you start at the fuel tank (The Source) think about the problem and if lack of fuel is related to the symptoms. Is the engine hunting and sounding like Grandma's old wringer washer? If the flow of fuel is interrupted by a restriction or a gaping hole in the suction line then you will get this type of symptom.
If you're getting plumes of black smoke then there's too much fuel that could be caused by a bad injector. With today's electronic engines if you don't have a laptop, all I can say is Good Luck. If you have a bad sensor somewhere you gotta have a computer hooked up to find it.
I know it's tougher and more expensive to run a diesel these days but it's all for the good of helping sustain a healthy environment, I'm all for that but the frustration is accelerated sometimes when a problem isn't poking you in the eye telling you directly what's going on with a diesel engine performance problem.
Troubleshooting: GM 6.5 Diesel Engine.
We had a 2001 GM One Ton Van with our 6.5 diesel engine making a strange noise. It was very loud right after start-up but would quiet down a fair bit 3 minutes or so into the morning warm up.
It was a thumping sound coming out of the intake side through the air cleaner. That made it obvious we were looking at a possible intake valve problem. A couple of us put our inquisitive minds together and guessed it could be a valve lifter. The lifters are hydraulic and can be noisy at first start up.
The only drag about changing lifters on a 6.5 is you have to pull the heads. You can add some time since we're working on a van body. You can see the defective lifter below. It got misaligned somehow and caused the intake valve it was operating to not close properly and turn that cylinder into a compressor.
It's highly advisable to send the heads out for a magniflux treatment which checks the head for cracks. Both of these heads had hairline cracks around the combustion chamber so the only option was to get 2 new ones. One of our local machine shops Valley Speed supplied the heads and did the testing. This isn't the first time we've had trouble with the 6.5 models.
They tend to crack in the block as well from high heat and loads. We've had a couple of long blocks and a rebuild go out the door in the past year. We bought half a dozen of these 1 ton vans in early 2000. They gave us ten years of service so it's worth the time and money to fix'em up.
The Cummins ISC Diesel Engine is a great performer, we have several in our fleet and they are a very durable diesel engine. As with any engine there are failures and in this case we experienced the oil level increasing to an over full condition. One test that told us it was fuel in the oil was the oil sample analysis. We took a sample and the guys at BTA in Kamloops faxed over a report to let us know it was in fact diesel fuel.
Another tell tale red flag was the oil pressure was dropping below normal along with a splatter of oil on the rear engine compartment door. The viscosity decreased making the oil thinner causing these conditions. We actually went through this repair before and the symptoms were exactly the same (that's what happens when you have a fleet with the same drive train).
The CAPS Fuel Pump has to be replaced to repair this condition since it provides the high pressure fuel and injection delivery. It runs directly off the accessory gear and is about the same size as a 2 cylinder air compressor. The fuel lines and accessories have to be removed along with the pump accessory drive gear. The first thing to do after this repair is change the engine oil and get rid of that thinned out engine oil.
The older DT 466 Timing Advance procedure is not that hard since it's a mechanical injection fuel system. The electronic age has not yet entered this DT 466's world yet. If you haven't seen or worked around this engine model, I have to give it a thumbs up for low cost and how easy they are to repair.
They are bullet proof and just a one in a million design that got shut out by the new emission standards of today. I'm not against the new environment age but it sure was nice having these jewels in our fleet.
Watch the Diesel Mechanic in the video below and see how easy it is to work on the DT 466 diesel engine.
International DT Engines have a wet sleeve meaning the cylinder wall is a seperate machined part that presses into the engine block. The sleeve is in contact with engine coolant which is why it comes by it's description "Wet Sleeve"
International runs the wet sleeve design because it increases the durability and the cylinder wall thickness has a much better heat transfer which allows the cylinders to stay round when going through thermal expansion. Also, the cylinder sleeve is much harder than the cast block cylinder making the DT design much more wear resistant.
Rebuilding the DT Diesel Engine is very convenient since the block stays in the frame, hence the term "In-Frame". The sleeves being removeable saves the block from damage since the sleeves are replaced during the inframe process, saving time and extra costs.
With standard cast engine blocks the cylinder bores have to be machined. If there is major damage, in some cases the block might not be salvaged. Standard block cylinders become out of round during thermal expansion and wear much faster than the stronger DT steel cylinder sleeves.
DT Engine Fuel Injection
DT engines used a Bosch pump-line-nozzle (PLN) mechanical direct fuel injection system from 1984 until late 1995. DTs used a Bosch MW style pump 1984 through 1992, while the Bosch P style pump came into force between 1993-1995 where the New Generation Diesel engine design began, which is still the same basic block design.
Up to 1997 mechanical injection was used but in rare occasions. Emissions tightening started in 1994 and the injection systems were redesigned using electronically-controlled unit direct fuel injection.
HEUI (Hydraulically-actuated Electronically-controlled Unit Injection) injectors, co-developed by Navistar and Caterpillar were unleashed from 1994 to 2004. From 2004 the engines use Electro-Hydraulic Generation 2 Unit Injectors nicknamed "G2 injectors".
Deutz Diesel Engines have been around since 1864 and this video is one of the best I've seen on animatiing the diesel engine 4 stroke principle. (god bless computer technology!)
The double overhead cam engineering shown in the video shows stroke by stroke what goes on in a internal combustion diesel engine. The main advantage using overhead cam technology is less moving parts, mainly... no pushrods
Mind you the timing chain and cam gears would have to be rock solid with the extra duties. When you think about it the size and length of the chain would be an advantage since there would be a larger surface in length to distribute overall wear and load.
Note the chain tensioner device on the side. I'm not sure how it monitors and adjusts the chain tension but definitely required.
Here's A Timeline on the Deutz Diesel Engine History
1864: N.A. Otto & Cie. is founded in Cologne, Germany. 1869: The company is renamed Langen, Otto & Roosen. 1872: Company is transformed into a public share company and is renamed Gasmotoren-Fabrik Deutz AG. 1921: Cooperation with Motorenfabrik Oberursel starts and name is changed to Motorenfabrik Deutz AG. 1930: Company merges with Maschinenbauanstalt Humboldt AG and Motorenfabrik Oberursel to become Humboldt-Deutzmotoren AG. 1938: The company is integrated into Peter Klöckner's conglomerate and renamed Klöckner-Humboldt-Deutz AG (KHD). 1953: KHD becomes independent again. 1992: KHD AG is transformed into a management holding company. 1997: The company is renamed Deutz AG.
Company Overview:
Deutz AG is one of Germany's leading manufacturers of diesel and gas engines for the global market. The Deutz product range includes liquid and air-cooled high-speed diesel and gas engines with a performance of four to 7.4 kilowatts (kW) which are used in cars, tractors, ships, turbines, compressors, and pumps, to name but a few. Deutz is the main supplier of diesel engines for Swedish auto maker Volvo AB.
The company's industrial plant business division is organized under the umbrella of KHD Humboldt Wedag and builds industrial plants for the cement, mining, and aluminum industry. Deutz has sales and service offices all around the world. Deutsche Bank owns a 25 percent share in Deutz, while Volvo holds a ten percent stake.
That's quite a history on a diesel engine that's been around for so long and really accentuates German technology.
Here is a diesel engine that you can really sink your teeth into. It's built in Japan and my jaw dropped when I first saw this mega machine! I'm thinking about what the machining tools look like that built this thing?
The fuel costs amaze me (data below) and being a 2 stroke...how loud is this engine and what do the higher rpms do to the life of the engine?
PISTON AND CONNECTING ROD
ENGINE BLOCK
The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine is the most powerful and most efficient prime-mover in the world today. The Aioi Works of Japan's Diesel United, Ltd built the first engines and is where some of these pictures were taken.
It is available in 6 through 14 cylinder versions, all are inline engines. These engines were designed primarily for very large container ships. Ship owners like a single engine/single propeller design and the new generation of larger container ships needed a bigger engine to propel them.
The cylinder bore is just under 38" and the stroke is just over 98". Each cylinder displaces 111,143 cubic inches (1820 liters) and produces 7780 horsepower. Total displacement comes out to 1,556,002 cubic inches (25,480 liters) for the fourteen cylinder version.
Some facts on the 14 cylinder version:
Total engine weight: 2300 tons (The crankshaft alone weighs 300 tons.)
Length: 89 feet
Height: 44 feet
Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
Fuel consumption at maximum power is 0.278 lbs per hp per hour (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption). Fuel consumption at maximum economy is 0.260 lbs/hp/hour. At maximum economy the engine exceeds 50% thermal efficiency. That is, more than 50% of the energy in the fuel in converted to motion.
For comparison, most automotive and small aircraft engines have BSFC figures in the 0.40-0.60 lbs/hp/hr range and 25-30% thermal efficiency range.
Even at its most efficient power setting, the big 14 consumes 1,660 gallons of heavy fuel oil per hour.
This an amazing diesel engine and I wonder if they will ever go hybrid? Just Kidding...I don't think they would room for the battery pack. It would be one heck of an accomplishment. Japanese technology reigns supreme once again. It makes me wonder why they can build these huge machines in their own country and HOW A CRUISE LINE run them without going broke with the fuel costs & diesel engine maintenance. I would guess ticket sales would have to be adjusted UP (most times) in accordance with the price of fuel.
Here is an excellent video explaining how a 2 stroke Gas Engine works the principle being the same with diesel engines.
Check out this Detroit 8V 71 2 Stroke Diesel Running (Takes me back to the non emmission control days...where there's smoke there's a screamin' Jimmy!). Having 2 strokes instead of 4 makes it easy to understand how much higher the RPMs are. If I were these guys I would have rigged up a decent engine stand.
DT466 When To Adjust Valves is up to the shop or owner/operator. If you're putting a lot of miles and heavy loads on the engine a regular check should be planned ahead of time to keep the valves in tune. With our fleet every year or 50,000 kilometers is the average set point.
In most cases I have never found a valve way out on the adjustment but they still require a bit of attention if you want to keep on top of your maintenance plan. Engine valves take a lot of abuse and wear & tear so they must not be ignored if you plan on keeping your engine for a long period of time.
A loose valve will cause an engine miss or burned valves while a loose valve will upset the valve timing and severely effect the engine performance.
How To Adjust DT466 Engine Valves
Here is an earlier post I did on the valve adjustment for a DT466 diesel engine. This engine is the electronic version but the adjustment remains the same. I hope this information on the DT466 when to adjust valves has helped you...
are the lifeblood for any Mechanic looking to increase his or her knowledge and efficiency. I have always depended on up to date information to reduce the guessing game when troubleshooting and repairing diesel engines. You will learn something new everyday and hopefully that new found knowledge will be in a positive light. 
