Detroit Diesel in a Dodge truck

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Bret Ludwig - 20 Jun 2006 14:59 GMT

Anyone seen a 53 Series DD in a pickup like this recently? Since DD
was GM for decades and is now DCX I figure both GM and Dodge truck
buffs could go that way.

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Steve Lusardi - 20 Jun 2006 16:46 GMT

Bret,
All the DD 2 strokes are out of production because of pollution. I
entertained doing a 6V53 aluminum motor with an Allison 6 speed automatic,
but the power band is too short and the fuel efficiency is much worse than
the Cummins. Plus it would also be a lot noisier. I am a real fan of the DD
engines, but in this application, it doesn't work and would be very
expensive.
Steve

> Anyone seen a 53 Series DD in a pickup like this recently? Since DD
> was GM for decades and is now DCX I figure both GM and Dodge truck
> buffs could go that way.

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Bret Ludwig - 21 Jun 2006 03:08 GMT

> Bret,
> All the DD 2 strokes are out of production because of pollution. I
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> expensive.
> Steve

Actually DDA is _still_ making 53, 71 and 92 Series engines brand new
and reman. Although most are for stationary and military applications,
the first engine they got to pass the current emissions regime was a
DDEC 6V92TA. I believe it's an option on certain motor coaches.

You don't want to know the price.

Rebuildable 3-53 and 4-53 cores are cheap, thiugh. A 6V53 is about the
same weight as a 555 Cummins or a 3208 Cat-in other words, too high for
a pickup.

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Steve Lusardi - 21 Jun 2006 06:23 GMT

Bret,
I'm a real fan of DD motors. I have an aluminum 3-53 in my sailboat. I knew
parts were still available, but I didn't think the 53s, 71s and 92s were
still being sold as complete units. As I recall I thought MTU bought DD, not
DC.
Steve

>> Bret,
>> All the DD 2 strokes are out of production because of pollution. I
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> same weight as a 555 Cummins or a 3208 Cat-in other words, too high for
> a pickup.

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Bret Ludwig - 21 Jun 2006 07:26 GMT

> Bret,
> I'm a real fan of DD motors. I have an aluminum 3-53 in my sailboat. I knew
> parts were still available, but I didn't think the 53s, 71s and 92s were
> still being sold as complete units. As I recall I thought MTU bought DD, not
> DC.
> Steve

MTU is connected somehow, I'm not sure.

I don't know which two cycles are still available new, and for what
applications. It's down to a few mostly military and building fire
pumps, particularly for NYC highrise buildings, as they are certified
for the application. Whether they would sell one new as a complete
running engine, I don't know.

Mostly they sell Reliabilt remans. They have put a lot of energy into
high tech block and head welding so as to not need to pour new ones. I
think certain heads are being made by third parties as well. There is
no shortage of Detroits in any configuration or series for cores,
except for oddballs only a collector would want. 8V53s are scarce, as
are 1-71s.

I think there is one coach chassis you can still get a 6V92T DDEC in
if you want it. So that's probably a new configuration available. It
may be something like an airport ramp bus or similar.

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