I was a rig mechanic (oil drilling rigs) in a previous life and worked as a
mech in industrial and ag services after that. I've seen DD tortured in all
kinds of ways. I had a service report on a water pump once, that had a 4 or
6-71, can't recall just now which, that "shook and vibrated badly". When I got
around to it (long drive out) the motor man and me were looking at it "shakin
and vibratin" when I asked him how long it had been this way. He said "couple
a years". Now, this engine had been running a minimum of 10 hours a day, 7
days a week. It was an old unit to begin with. After some questioning I found
out that something had happened to one cylinder, either a rod bearing or
piston or whatever had come from together and the swing shift motor man pulled
the pan and sawed the rod off with a hacksaw, then pulled the airbox cover
(after pushing the piston to the top) and put a sheet metal screw in it to
hold it up. He also removed the pushrods from that cylinder, and went back to
moving water with this engine. The day shift motorman wanted to know what I
was going to do about it. I asked if it was pumping an adequate supply of
water and did it start ok and did it burn oil excessively. When I left it was
still "shakin and vibratin" and moving water. Yeah, they're tuff, and easy to
work on. The last I checked I could do an inframe overhaul (liners, pistons,
rings, rod and main bearings, all gaskets) on a 6-71 for about 1100 bucks,
cheaper if you shop around. And anyone with even a little skill can do it. And
parts are available all over the world.
I was a rig mechanic (oil drilling rigs) in a previous life and worked as a
mech in industrial and ag services after that. I've seen DD tortured in all
kinds of ways. I had a service report on a water pump once, that had a 4 or
6-71, can't recall just now which, that "shook and vibrated badly". When I got
around to it (long drive out) the motor man and me were looking at it "shakin
and vibratin" when I asked him how long it had been this way. He said "couple
a years". Now, this engine had been running a minimum of 10 hours a day, 7
days a week. It was an old unit to begin with. After some questioning I found
out that something had happened to one cylinder, either a rod bearing or
piston or whatever had come from together and the swing shift motor man pulled
the pan and sawed the rod off with a hacksaw, then pulled the airbox cover
(after pushing the piston to the top) and put a sheet metal screw in it to
hold it up. He also removed the pushrods from that cylinder, and went back to
moving water with this engine. The day shift motorman wanted to know what I
was going to do about it. I asked if it was pumping an adequate supply of
water and did it start ok and did it burn oil excessively. When I left it was
still "shakin and vibratin" and moving water. Yeah, they're tuff, and easy to
work on. The last I checked I could do an inframe overhaul (liners, pistons,
rings, rod and main bearings, all gaskets) on a 6-71 for about 1100 bucks,
cheaper if you shop around. And anyone with even a little skill can do it. And
parts are available all over the world.
