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

Hybrid Diesel Engine International School Bus

We have an International Hybrid School Bus that is powered by a 6 Liter MaxxForce Diesel Engine. I just wanted to go through some of the components in this system that will increase fuel economy when applied under the right driving conditions.

The generator is inline with the driveline and acts as an electric retarder. The generator also provides more horsepower defined in Kilowatts to help the diesel engine with added torque up to 30 mph.

The Computerized Control Unit (CEU) monitors the loads and speeds and sends amperage to the generator from the battery pack to provide braking then allows the generator to recharge the battery pack when the bus is going downhill in the coast mode. Light braking also helps charge the battery pack.

The generator is water cooled (long life antifreeze) and has a coolant pump to circulate the coolant through the generator body then it returns to the radiator which is specifically for the hybrid system.

The radiator is mounted below the driver's area and has an electric fan that is controlled by the CEU. The coolant pump is also monitored and operated from the computer. The more stop and go driving creates more heat in the generator but creates maximum torque/Horsepower/Kilowatts out of the hybrid system.

The battery pack has a main switch that must be turned off when working on the system. The batteries are lithium Ion and weigh far less than previous hybrid systems. They were manufactured in Korea and ENOVA (the developer of this hybrid system) reported very positive testing results with these batteries. The orange covering on the cables indicate high voltage and should be handled with care and properly insulated gloves.

Previously the battery pack used to be liquid cooled. This caused some minor problems with leaks and maintenance. Now ENOVA has developed an air cooled system that has a standard paper type filter with a high output blower inside the battery case that is funneled throughout the battery pack and exits out the rear of the aluminum encasement (towards the frame).

This has been a short over-view of the International School Bus Hybrid Diesel Engine. Please feel free to make any comments & thanks for stopping by...

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.

Replacing Kingpins International Thomas School Bus

I recently had to replace the Kingpins and Bushings on a 2000 International Thomas School Bus. The bushings were showing movement on the Drivers side. During disassembly I had seized taper lock pins in the axle bore. These taper pins secure the kingpin itself to the axle bore.

The trick is to drill out each pin with a 3/16 drill bit [cobalt if you have one] and heat up the hole with a torch. Once the pin is good and hot [orange range] hit it with water and cool it down. This shrinks the pin and out it comes with a good rap with hammer and punch. You'll find this works 99% of the time.

The lower pin has a threaded end. This is an option since the new kingpin kit comes with extra taper pins without the threads. The pins go in the opposite direction. The upper pin seen here points towards the rear of the bus, the lower pin faces the front.






A cobalt drill bit goes through the pin material like butter. I'm not sure what kind of material the pins are made of but they're solid!







Once the cool down contraction has taken place the pins will knock out of the axle very nicely! I wouldn't recommend using this method on something like an engine block[removing a seized plug etc.], very sensitive to dry heat and there's no telling what could happen.






Removing the ABS wheel sensor is easy, The sensor slides out of the steel sleeve in the spindle. Make sure to seat it completely before reassembly[you'll get an ABS code]

This is a tidbit of Mechanic Information that I hope will help you out someday!

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.

Diesel Engine Oil - Switching to CJ-4 For 2007

To meet 2007 EPA standards low emission engines must use CJ-4 engine oil formulated especially for diesel engines using exhaust aftertreatment systems. New EPA standards are a 50% reduction in oxides of Nitrogen and 90% reduction in particulate matter. CJ-4 is a low ash diesel engine oil that can be used in older engines but comes at a higher price. The warranty becomes invalid if regular CL-4 oil is used in '07 diesel engines but the 10 to 30% increase in price is significant when it comes to a fleet operation.

You could stock both oils but there is a risk of operators who normally add oil to there assigned unit could inadvertently grab the wrong oil and mix the two. Mind you one litre of the wrong oil would not be detrimental to the life of the 2007 diesel engines but over time it would make a difference. The possibility of an engine oil test after a failure could happen.


Our fleet operation only stocks the CJ-4 so there is no confusion and zero risk to jeopardizing the integrity of the DPF [Diesel Particulate Filter]. The DPF has a regenerating cycle when a difference in input and output exhaust gases in the DPF [muffler] are picked up by the engine ECM [electronic control module]. The DPF literally cooks out the carbon build up and it gets kicked out the exhaust pipe which creates extremely high temperatures.


EPA standards are here to stay, with vehicle emission standards being on top of the heap when it comes to environmental concerns. Our School Bus Fleet will be receiving a Hybrid International School Bus next September. This will be an interesting technology to experience and another brand new learning curve to grasp.

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.