Interesting Article "How to Destroy Your Engine"

[Greenleaf]

Read article from A John Deere publication, about "how to" destroy the diesel engine.



The argument is AGAINST turning up the pump (power). Tells the reader that this particular full sized tractor engine is designed by MANY MANY trained engineers who design the engine to operate at a given power level. The engine will do this and last long long time.



Goes on to say the engine piston (for example) is subject to 1050 psi and turning up fuel rate will increase to over 1800 cracking the piston. The added heat expands the piston and causing the rings to stick and score the cylinder walls. This also causes the engine oil to cook and turn into tar. Now, blow by allows fuel to enter the cylinder wall and wash it down. The engine is thus destroyed.



Continues to convey to the reader that there is NO SAFE METHOD to increase the power as the weakest link will fail and there is no such thing as a non weak link.



What do you guys think about the article? It does have some valid points. How often are the guys rebuilding the engine that operate under 4,5,6,700 hp????? Do they work for Cummins and thus obtain free parts or is the article full of bung?? Maybe JohnDeere engines are simply junk??? I always thought they are nearly the best engine available.



In short it relays to the reader that Joe Public is not qualified to pit himself against highly trained engineers, and thus CANNOT beat the odds.



GL

 

[Hohn]

First, keep in mind this is a manufacturer publication, so they are going to "toe the line" when it comes to parroting the JD party line.



This article has soem valid points, but only when referring to JD engines in JD equipment in that particular usage profile.



The Cummins in a Dodge truck is severe overkill. First, relative to other ISB applications, the Dodge truck is super-light and the engine doesn't have to work as hard.



Now, if you start cranking up the HP so you can tow 30K at 80mph up the Grapevine, then you are going to hurt your engine, and hurt it bad.



For a guy like me who never tows, I see no reason why a 500hp daily driver wouldn't last as long as the truck itself.



You get into heavy towing, and the "safe" hp goes down.



Justin

 

[barbwire]

I believe that a lot of the individuals building up horsepower on their engines are for the most part VERY mechanically inclined. And by trial and error, they have helped to develop the engines into what they are today. There are also a select group of these backyard mechanics that could teach these engineers a thing or two.

These statements made by me are in no way to be taken as to discount the training, or knowledge of the engineers. However, they are no more than humans. And to say that they cannot be taught something new, would be arrogant at best. JMO

 

[Greenleaf]

Thats the problem with "Factory Trained Technicians" The "factory trained" Instructor tells them (brainwash) that this is the way a particular item operates. no thinking "outside the box". Hows that for analysis?



Tell the fuel pump shop that your 70 cc VE is pushing 300 cc's of fuel.



-S

 

[tugboatphil]

Scott,



Keep in mind that "factory engineers" are also the folks that decided to put a dowel pin into the gear case.

 

[DValentine]

When I got out of diesel school, I worked for a outfit that fixed, sold and built logging equipment in western Montana. Much of the equipment sold used both the B and C series engines. Much of the equipment came in for a major rebuild with around 10,000 hours on the meter. The hydraulic system, cylinders, tracks, undercarriage, controls were usually tired. But the engines were for the most part ok. For the sake of conversation lets say a vehicle averages 40 miles an hour in a average of hiway and city driving. Thus 10,000 hours computes to 400,000 miles. The difference is that the hours the equipment ran with much more of a sustained load than what is asked of our trucks. Engines from an engineering stand point are rated for so many horsepower hours. I remember PB mentioned this a while back. The more horses extracted over time leads to a shortened life of said engine. But look at how long a guy (jim fulmer) with a 700+ horse engine is actually running at that load level. Dyno runs, strip racing, pulling, what ever, they are not sustained loads. Say you had a farm tractor, jacked up the engine, and started cultivating the back 40. That is a sustained load, where running an egt of 1400 will cause problems. Industrial engines are rated differently than automotive. This is what JD is talking about in my opinon.

 

[Greenleaf]

All Good Stuff Guys!

Keep thinking.....



Tugger, They dun did that so us "shade trees" could gather together and make a party out of it. Have friends over... ... grill over Kingsford etc. Oo.



GL

 

[formula]

Last night my buddy was talking about turning up the power in his dad's boat. It's a 31' down-east custom with a 350hp Yanmar. He wants to get a few more kts on top end. I told him that would be relatively simple... but... and a big but... ... (errr... . right :-laf ) The issue he's gonna run up against is that with the marine engine, you will easily be able to run it at full power... . continuously, therein is the problem. I also warned him that he'd darn well better get a pyrometer on it first, and a boost gauge too



Sean

 

[cerberusiam]

The KDP is a pretty good example of what happens when design tolerances are exceeded. Far from reflecting negatively on the original engineering, it illustrates the point of what happens when specs are not followed. There are literally thousands of engines that have never had and will never have a problem with the pin while a few, in the grand scheme of things, will suffer from a manufacturing error of a few thousanths of an inch. The 53 block is another, some will never have an issue and others will crack, and given the circumstances of some of the failures, use and BOMBing may have been large contributors.



Physics is a zero sum game, somethin' for nuthin' doesn't happen. What you gain here is lost there, etc, etc. All other things being equal, if you have a 700 hp engine but only ever use 250 hp will it last as long as the engine that only makes 250 hp?



The article is pretty much chapter and verse from the manufacturers bible. It would not do to let "Joe Public" know that "more" is possible. The fallout from that boggles the mind. Better yet, am I qualified to even open the hood of my truck? Probably not, but, "I am my own warranty station", and, its fun!!





What was the question again??

 

[Bob Beauchaine]

I wouldn't believe an "automotive engineer" if he told me the Pope was Catholic!!! Look around at all the guys that are pushing over 250 RWHP - which just a few years ago was the theoretical limit on 1'st Gens. How many "weak links" have blown up?



Bob