Why the Two-Stroke Diesel Was AHEAD of its Time

I’m a simple man, I see 2 stroke Detroit, I click

I can't believe that you didn't include a sound clip of a 2 stroke diesel! They sound so freaking good!

I drove semis with DD 8V92's, 6V92s and a 12V71, They were powerful, reliable, and loud! That Buzzing Dozen was a blast todrive.

I was taught in diesel mechanic school by a navy vet instructor that a pair of 6-71s could be made to run opposite direction and built as mirrored twins for clockwise/counterclockwise propellers. It keeps the boat running straight in the water. The inlines could be assembled in a variety of ways. A great marine engine in WWII.

I’ve seen one set for 10 years. Started in less then a minute, after adding fresh fuel, new batteries, and good coolant. It’s the perfect prepper engine for generators.

Detroit Diesel: Converting Fuel To Music since 1938.

One of the biggest advantages of the two stroke diesel engine is in powering electric generators. The fact that “every stroke is a power stroke” as the marketing literature used to say, means two stroke engines react extremely fast to load changes. This is especially important when operating generators. Many stationary and marine generators are still driven by EMD, Detroit Diesel and Fairbanks Morse two stroke engine designs for exactly that reason.

You stick to what you know. You know more than most of us. You tell the story in a unpretentious no bullshit kind of manner. There's no stupid background music playing way to loud: That's a thumbs up from this guy.

Awhile ago I had read that this a company that make emission compliant parts (injectors, cams, pistons)for those older Detroit 2-stroke series diesels. Suppose to bring those engines up to Tier 2 emissions 2005 and earlier. Surprisingly parts are still widely available for those old Detroit's! They made over 4 million of those engines and about 1.5 million are still in use today world wide. It's been said that there wasn't a better engine that could turn fuel into noise and smoke! Love those old Detroit's!

Detroit Diesel built this country. Consider this: Detroit Diesel 71 series was designed in 1938, and essentially ran basically unchanged in design until Detroit went to four stroke with the 60 series in 1987. Almost 50 years unchanged, while CAT, Cummins, etc were constantly changing their engine designs and platforms. The CAT 3406 for example only ran from 1973 to 1987. So despite being designed in the 1930s, the Detroit Diesel remained a viable option for all sorts of applications until emissions finally killed it. Talk about timeless!

I have two turbo charged 671's in my boat. love them, never have problems like the newer ECM controlled engines, and they sound awesome

You briefly mentioned GM purchasing Electro Motive Diesel at the beginning of the video. As a division of GM, Electro Motive (EMD) almost single handedly dieselized road freight and passenger trains in the 1940s and 1950s, also with a two stroke design, the 567. It went on to evolve into the extremely popular 645 in the 1960s. A further evolution into the 710 came out in 1985, and was in production for US railroad applications until 2014. The two stroke EMD 710 is still being produced for marine, export, and emissions credit locomotives to this day.

i was a 91B in the army, wheeled vehicle mechanic, and in our older fueler trucks (HEMTT) they had the massive 8v92TA engine. dead nuts realiable and could could tow a freaking 6 stor building

Even in Australia these engines are infamous. So many old scrapers, trucks, graders, and logging skidders from the last century came with one, but rarely were those machines the fancy type: these were the toughest of the tough amd that's why people still rave about them. Also if you want an idea of their power: the 225 timber jack skidder came with a 353 detroit. This motor is only 159 cubic inches or 2.6 litres in displacement, and the motor was apparently released in the late fifties. This motor had about 100 horsepower, and in a skidder, that already weighed around 8 tonnes could then haul another 6 or so tonnes off the back. If a 158 cubic inch diesel from the fifties moving 15 tonnes of weight all day every day doesn't impress you, then nothing will.

One thing not mentioned was the fast acceleration of the 2 stroke over the 4 stroke diesel. The 8V-71 was fun to drive racing through the gears.

The Detroit Diesel design was also licensed to Minsei/Nissan Diesel starting in 1955, hence the trademark UD (or Uniflow Diesel).

love the video but the smallest 71 series detroit is acualy the 1-71 or the one lug jimmy as they called it in the navy. they were and in some cases still are used on ships as emegancy pumps and generators due to thier abilty to run at full load for extended periods of time due to thier extremly good thermal efficnty. DD also made a 2-71 with a 180 degree firing order. also to give you an idea of how the detroit disel 2 strokes stand up to other disels. the 4-53 detroit is a 3.5L 4cyl 2 stroke that outpreformed the 12v cummins acorss all the years it was manufactured. it was lighter smaller and made more power, and had cylider sleves so it was rebuildable.

I actually work on marine two strokes as a marine engineer it is pretty amazing being able to reverse the engine typically on older engines this is done by an extra lobe on the cam shaft then with shifting of the roller reversing the firing order of the engine. Some newer designed 2-strokes dont have camshafts at all its all done via computers and hydraulics.

A new two stroke diesel is actually being developed by Achates Power to meet cleaner emission standards. They are utilizing an opposed piston set up and lots of new technology for 3, 4, 6 cylinders layout for passenger and commercial applications. It's super neat tech and does let two stroke diesels back onto the road.

I liked Detroit Diesels In boats because you can nearly always get them to run well enough to get you back to port. Biggest in one of mine was a pair of 12V71TIs. 720 hp each.