Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

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Denv12
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Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Denv12 »

I'd like to make some comparisons of various bus and coach engines.What are the best fuel efficient engines here in Australia? And,what are the worst?
There are the Detroit diesels,Cummins,CAT,DAF,Volvo,M.A.N,Scania,Leyland,Bedford,Ford,Perkins,Foden(?),Mercedes Benz,Commer,Dodge,International,Diamond T,Atkinson,Rolls-Royce,etc.Then there are the Asian engines like Hino,Toyota,Mitsubishi,Isuzu,etc.

I know those coaches with 6V92's TA's are a good engine and last for years but not known for their fuel economy.The Detroit V8s too were a nice engine yet still not the best economy.So,what engines were not only reliable but were fuel efficient? Some companies repowered their buses and coaches to get better fuel economy,etc.
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Daz
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Daz »

The best fuel economy I ever got was from a 1984 MAN SR280 with an old Tourmaster body. It was geared wrong (1200rpm at 100km/h) and it loved it. I used about 2/3rds the fuel of a two stroke of the same shape but had more torque and would hook out and overtake a 350hp Detroit up hills.
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Denv12
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Denv12 »

Daz wrote:The best fuel economy I ever got was from a 1984 MAN SR280 with an old Tourmaster body. It was geared wrong (1200rpm at 100km/h) and it loved it. I used about 2/3rds the fuel of a two stroke of the same shape but had more torque and would hook out and overtake a 350hp Detroit up hills.
There were a few MAN's with Austral bodies.Even a Denning Denair model on an MAN.Saw one,purple.I remember one,I think advertised in Truck & Bus a few times.
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dominodc122
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by dominodc122 »

Daz wrote:The best fuel economy I ever got was from a 1984 MAN SR280 with an old Tourmaster body. It was geared wrong (1200rpm at 100km/h) and it loved it. I used about 2/3rds the fuel of a two stroke of the same shape but had more torque and would hook out and overtake a 350hp Detroit up hills.
...now that is impressive!!!
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Bus-1809 »

8V92's are great... for converting fuel into noise! 8)
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Free Lance »

What might be "noise" to you is a beautiful tune to many others, like the old saying there real is only two kinds of music "Country AND Western"
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by moreton »

UD was a respectable fuel economy, for their day, easy engine to rebuild in chassis, enough grunt for school buses, parts service was good, PE series was used around the world, good reliable, if a head gasket went, each cylinder had its own gasket, the throttle spring would always break when you were out bush, so we used to carry a spare taped to chassis rail, so when it broke, the engine would be stuck on 1800 r.p.m and would not idle back, until you replaced with a new one. Drove many home with a leaking head gasket, or losing coolant, only had to tow a few. Not many around these days. Moreton :wink:
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Denv12
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Denv12 »

moreton wrote:UD was a respectable fuel economy, for their day, easy engine to rebuild in chassis, enough grunt for school buses, parts service was good, PE series was used around the world, good reliable, if a head gasket went, each cylinder had its own gasket, the throttle spring would always break when you were out bush, so we used to carry a spare taped to chassis rail, so when it broke, the engine would be stuck on 1800 r.p.m and would not idle back, until you replaced with a new one. Drove many home with a leaking head gasket, or losing coolant, only had to tow a few. Not many around these days. Moreton :wink:
I heard these were good engines.The single cylinder gaskets would make life easier.These engines would have been a good engine swap for many buses especially the older,noisey buses.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Doc68 »

moreton wrote:UD was a respectable fuel economy, for their day, easy engine to rebuild in chassis, enough grunt for school buses,. Moreton :wink:
Wow there is two words I have never used in a sentence :shock: UD & grunt come to think of it I've never heard used in a sentence :lol:
'GM 2strokes, still the most efficient engine ever developed for converting fuel into noise'.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by boronia »

Up till a few years back Gardener engines were regarded as the most fuel efficient engines on the market.

I wonder how they would compare with modern stuff.
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Denv12
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Denv12 »

boronia wrote:Up till a few years back Gardener engines were regarded as the most fuel efficient engines on the market.

I wonder how they would compare with modern stuff.
Those engines are history now.They must have been popular in their day.I'm glad that the world evolved since then.And buses and coaches did too.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by PoweredByCNG »

http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921- ... 3097945094

Under 33L/100km out of a 12,000kg (tare) modern low-emissions (Euro VI) bus on urban running is pretty amazing!
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Bus-1809 »

Free Lance, That's a better way of putting it!
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Cooper123 »

i have come across with these articles and really found handy information in that. thanks for that
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Jeffscania »

Hi All, Detroit’s are cool and powerful for their day but as a typical GM… noisy, leak oil and suck fuel some at 2klm per litre.
Merc 0303 V8 twin turbo 350HP now that’s a nice smooth engine uses about 28ltrs per 100klm and powers up hills pre 2000’s
Most newer stuff is really about Cummins for efficiency and reliability with Allison Autos.
Old DAF and Man and Scania all rock solid usually.
Best part is you can fix them! No computers.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Enviro 500 »

moreton wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:36 pm UD was a respectable fuel economy, for their day, easy engine to rebuild in chassis, enough grunt for school buses, parts service was good, PE series was used around the world, good reliable, if a head gasket went, each cylinder had its own gasket, the throttle spring would always break when you were out bush, so we used to carry a spare taped to chassis rail, so when it broke, the engine would be stuck on 1800 r.p.m and would not idle back, until you replaced with a new one. Drove many home with a leaking head gasket, or losing coolant, only had to tow a few. Not many around these days. Moreton :wink:
These days the UDs have quite a lot in common with Volvos. I believe the GH8 and the D8K share the same basic design.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Enviro 500 »

Jeffscania wrote: Sat Oct 09, 2021 10:14 pm Hi All, Detroit’s are cool and powerful for their day but as a typical GM… noisy, leak oil and suck fuel some at 2klm per litre.
Merc 0303 V8 twin turbo 350HP now that’s a nice smooth engine uses about 28ltrs per 100klm and powers up hills pre 2000’s
Most newer stuff is really about Cummins for efficiency and reliability with Allison Autos.
Old DAF and Man and Scania all rock solid usually.
Best part is you can fix them! No computers.
For me, the Volvo TD102 series is the best.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by boronia »

Two strokes were the best.
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Re: Diesel engine comparisons:what are the best and worst?

Post by Jeffscania »

I think as much as I am not a euro fan…. Those 0303 merc V8 twin turbo are rock solid. Full cast iron, usually rebuilt at a million klms and most can go more than that. Old school Bosch mechanical injection really can’t beat them. Scania good before computers took over and a few do your head in designs but bus engines don’t seem to be more reliable or more fuel efficient then 20 years ago???
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