More Power for the 8.2L Diesel?

[Tractor]

Had a friend ask me a question about how to get more power out of the 8.2L V8 diesel that GM and Detroit Diesel made a few years back. They use it in a fire truck to haul water up the face of the mountains to our west. Any ideas how to do this. Our mechanic at work says it can not be done. Lets prove him wrong.
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[JRM]

It may be a "screamin" detroit 2 storke? :D Im sure you can bump the injector pump up somehow! Does it sound like a powerstroke at 6,000RPM? God I love those engines, even though they are gutless they sound sweet at redline strait piped! if it sounds like the engine on the first few seconds of the country song roll-on by alabama its a screamin detroit.

[dieseldummy]

It has been said that if you pinch off the return fuel line it will substantially increase line pressure on the common rail injection. It has also been said that it is not a recomended practice, but it will give a few more horsepower. Also, they make bigger injectors with higher pop pressures and bigger nozzels. It just depends on how much work you want to do.

[Colorado Kid]

It depends on how old a "throw away" it is.
Is it Normally aspirated or turbocharged?
Mechanical or electronic injection?
By the way JRM, no, it's not a leakin, screamin 2 stroke. It's an indirect injection, overheatin head crackin 4 stroke.

They're pretty quite and when they're perfect they run smooth . . . don't make a whole lotta smoke and mostly don't leak . . . can't think of anything else nice to say. :rolleyes:

They don't make much power, they don't last forever and when they break they usually do something catastrophic enough that they are not rebuilt, hence the nickname. 15 years ago we had a bunch of them in school busses, they fit where a 534 Ford gasser came out and made more power on less fuel with no vapor-lock or carburation problems, not too mention considerably less explosive fuel, so we routinely retrofitted them into BlueBird busses that had come with the Ford V-8s at about 100,000 miles. Unfortunately the busses still managed to routinely outlast the Detroits even though they had a head start.

Eventually we learned . . . Conventional busses get DT-466s (and International Chassis) and Transit (Flat nosed front engine) and Rear Engine busses get B-series Cummins. Transits and R.E.s used for mountain trips got C-series Cummins and electric driveline retarders.

Our Turbo'd 8.2s only made about 200 HP, but they still ran the EGTs to 1200 (maximum permitted by the mechanics, and they had "tell-tales" )on every little hill, so we'd have to back off. I suppose intercooling would be possible, but I'm inclined to agree with the guy who says they can't be turned up . . . at least not without self destructing.

[Tractor]

Thanks Guys. The mechanic, the volunter fire truck guy, and myself all work at the same place. We are all very educated in the 8.2L problems. We have had them in several trucks that plow snow. Some even at Burgess Junction, a state mountain camp that plows alot of snow. Thay are turboed and are set at 210hp. You had it to the floor all the time. Some ran good others had pump trouble and didn,t run so good. Well see about turning up the pump. Dayton is a small town of 300, and can,t put to much in to the engine. I think a grant for them will get it replaced in a few years. I just told him I,d check the deal out. THANKS.
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[JRM]

wow, way back in the grade school days, I think my bus had one! lol, crazy that i rember being 10 years old! it said "fuel pitcher" on the side. was a GMC cab and it shifted all day long (automatic). That bus was replaced with a newer late 80's one with a TBI chevy 366 with a 4 speed auto.

[ueckebes]

FYI HAD **988 GMC 7000 DUMP TRUCK SINGLE AXLE WITH 8.2 DET N/A 170 HP RAN GOOD EMPTY POOR LOADED LOAD ABOUT 33,000LBS. BLEW PISTON 154000 MILES. REPOWERED WITH 230 HP 8.2 TURBO . THE NEW ENGINE WAS A VERY GOOD PERFORMER, HOWEVER BOTH ENGINES RAN AROUND 215 F OR MORE WHEN LOADED ,AND IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS 90+ DEGRES.THESE ENGINES HAD NO COOLANT PASSAGES BETWEEN THEIR CYLINDERS .THEY HAD A FAIR AT BEST RATEING ON DURABILITY STANDARDS . THESE ENGINES ARE FOUR STROKES,BY DESIGN AND HAD NO SLEEVES. TO GET MORE POWER FROM THEM YOU CHANGE THE ENJECTORS OUT TO A HIGHER HP ENJECTOR . DETROIT DIESELS MAX HP RATE IS 230 HP. THIS INFO IS FOR TURBO ENGINES ONLY ,HOPE THIS HELPS .

[Tractor]

Yea you are correct jimmie on their heating problem. When loaded and pullin hard they even heat up in the winter when plowing the mountain face. The mountain crew has a DT466 that they had in the shop the other day putting a kit that you could flip a switch and lock up the fan for more cooling. It had a couple pistons replaced last summer. But the DT466 none the less is a good engine. For the past 24 years I got a CUMMINS to plow with first a 270hp and lately a M11 I sure could use another 100 horse when I drop the wing down. Foot always to the floor and never enough power. So what is new. I guess that is just a guy thing.
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