BCM Community

Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: AndyyCoulic on October 06, 2014, 02:20:39 PM

Title: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: AndyyCoulic on October 06, 2014, 02:20:39 PM
Im just curious if there is any significance to the paint colors on 8v71.
My 4106 is red, and ive mainly only seen green on others.
Also where can i find the serial number on the engine?
Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: chessie4905 on October 06, 2014, 03:17:33 PM
   Color don't mean nothin. Ace painted his white, I believe. Go by the block serial number.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: eagle19952 on October 06, 2014, 04:50:34 PM
Quote from: AndyyCoulic on October 06, 2014, 02:20:39 PM
Im just curious if there is any significance to the paint colors on 8v71.
My 4106 is red, and ive mainly only seen green on others.
Also where can i find the serial number on the engine?
Thanks!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

traditionally..green was 53 and 71 series
silver was 92 series
red was fuel squeezer 92 series
pink is still frowned on....
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: lostagain on October 06, 2014, 05:48:00 PM
When I overhauled my 4-71, I asked for DD green paint at the Detroit delearship in Calgary. When I got home and started spraying, I saw that it was bright green, like John Deer. I was 200 miles away, so just carried on with it and had a bright green engine. I don't know if it was good for it or not...

JC


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Dave5Cs on October 06, 2014, 06:23:56 PM
I got Alpine Green from O' Reilly's but now they stopped carrying it. Luckily I did all the touch-up I needed when fixing parts or replacing. ;D
Title: The Older Detroits Must Be Proper Detroit Green
Post by: HB of CJ on October 06, 2014, 06:28:57 PM
Genuine Detroit Diesel Green paint must be used.  If not used, the engine will self destruct instantly.  Flying Detroit parts can be dangerous.  Also, fist fights have occurred on the non proper exact color of Detroit Diesel Green Paint Not being used.  Of course, in the short run, it does not matter as the mill will quickly become black anyway.  HB of CJ (old coot) :) :)
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: luvrbus on October 06, 2014, 07:05:32 PM
From 1973 till 78 the 92 series in trucks were painted black so people didn't get mixed up on what engine 71 or 92 as most 92's were N/A back then,you still see a few Eagle buses with the 8v92 N/A engine still on the road
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Dave5Cs on October 06, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
N/A Natural after-cooled?
Nasty Attitude?
Not Apply?
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: eagle19952 on October 06, 2014, 08:18:00 PM
Quote from: Dave5Cs on October 06, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
N/A Natural after-cooled?
Nasty Attitude?
Not Apply?

NA...naturally aspirated...no turbo, blower only
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Dave5Cs on October 06, 2014, 09:31:05 PM
Thanks Eagle. ;D
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: bevans6 on October 07, 2014, 03:35:35 AM
I've seen pictures of Military engines that were dark green.  Mine was Detroit green though.

Brian
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: lostagain on October 07, 2014, 07:08:05 AM
A friend of mine had a red 8V71  in a '85 Prevost XL

I know an independent engine rebuilding shop that paints them all light grey, regardless of brand.

JC


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: TomC on October 07, 2014, 07:28:10 AM
My Double O 8V-92TA in my 1980 KW was charcoal gray. My Caterpillar in my 1985 KW is white. Do figure. Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: ol713 on October 07, 2014, 08:19:17 AM
  Hi all;
     Just to pass along my experience.  Back in 2001, I was at a bus bash in Springfield Mass.
     There I met a fellow that used to work at a Greyhound depot.  The motor in my MC-7 is
      is also painted red.  That guy told me that Greyhound motors were painted red to
     identify them as Greyhound rebuilt and installed.
                                                                        Merle.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: wagwar on October 07, 2014, 10:33:42 AM
Could be just a Krylon overhaul.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: chessie4905 on October 07, 2014, 02:33:22 PM
   I purchased a mid 80's Roadway tractor several years ago from a big fleet used truck dealer. I found one there that had a reman 6v-92 in it. It still had an orange shipping invoice label stuck to it. It was painted black.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: AndyyCoulic on October 08, 2014, 10:29:20 AM
Im just trying to figure out if the engine should have originally been alpine green. If so, was it rebuilt, or replaced at some point? I sadly have no information about things like such about my bus!
Where exactly is the blocks serial number? And will that code match up with anything on the bus to tell me if its the original motor?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: bevans6 on October 08, 2014, 10:59:44 AM
A typical bus in highway service would have had three, four, maybe five different engines.  They were designed to be swapped out every 300K - 400K miles and a rebuilt one popped in, in a day.

Brian
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: luvrbus on October 08, 2014, 11:54:43 AM
It is easy enough to tell if it is the original engine or not if you have 2- 4 x 8 air box covers on each side with 2 bolts in each that is the original dry block 8v71 3 covers 2 inches wide rectilinear is a later block.

The serial number is on the starter side right between the 2 covers just below the head on the block on a 4106 on the original engine, good luck on reading it unless you remove the engine if you have the small air box covers it will be up front below the head stamped on the flat boss   
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Scott & Heather on October 08, 2014, 08:28:18 PM
Mine is blue :) No kidding


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Clumsy fingers may contribute to mistakes.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: sledhead on October 09, 2014, 04:11:04 PM
When I had my 6v92ta rebuilt in 2010 at leids diesel they painted it a light grey so as I live in the north I repaint it each spring with a light grey
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/tremclad-rust-paint-1-qt-0489196p.html#.VDcVn_ldXTg (http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/tremclad-rust-paint-1-qt-0489196p.html#.VDcVn_ldXTg)

works great and easy to spray

dave

Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: bevans6 on October 09, 2014, 04:14:39 PM
I just painted the roof of my bus shed with a bright aluminium paint, looks like chrome with the light behind it...  How about a chrome plated 8V-71TA in the MC=5C...   Yes please!   :o

Brian
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Oonrahnjay on October 09, 2014, 06:06:49 PM
      The engine in my bus is not a DD but it's a fine fairly light reddish, brown metallic -- ummm, I guess you could call it a rust -- colour!
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: RJ on October 09, 2014, 09:01:21 PM
Quote from: AndyyCoulic on October 08, 2014, 10:29:20 AM
I'm just trying to figure out if the engine should have originally been alpine green.

Yes, it would have been Alpine Green when the bus was newly delivered.

Quote from: AndyyCoulic on October 08, 2014, 10:29:20 AM
If so, was it rebuilt, or replaced at some point?

As Brian mentioned, it's not unusual to have had the original motor rebuilt and/or replaced during a coach's revenue service life.  Merle mentioned that Greyhound painted their rebuilds red, which is true.  I've seen it being done in the now-closed San Francisco shop.

Quote from: AndyyCoulic on October 08, 2014, 10:29:20 AM
I sadly have no information about things like such about my bus!

Don't feel bad, neither do many other busnuts!

Quote from: AndyyCoulic on October 08, 2014, 10:29:20 AM
And will that code match up with anything on the bus to tell me if its the original motor?

The only way to find out is to get a copy of the Final Vehicle Record for your coach.  They're available with a $25 donation to the Museum of Bus Transportation, attn: Mark.  The FVR will have the serial number of the engine, transmission and rear axle, along with other info about your coach.

FWIW & HTH. . .

;)
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: AndyyCoulic on October 09, 2014, 09:42:51 PM
Thanks! Much appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: luvrbus on October 10, 2014, 03:53:28 AM
The Greyhound rebuilds in Dallas were painted blue makes no difference in the color if a Greyhound rebuilt the engine it will have a brass tag with date,location, liner bore size if done,rod and main size bearings I have a few of the Greyhound blank tags.

Trailways did the same thing painted the engine different colors for different rebuild locations except Trailways used their own serial and model numbers you needed a Trailways book to figure out the numbers 

They removed all numbers from DD and it was on a round brass tag on the lower right hand corner of the oil pump I saw that on both Eagles and GM from Trailways makes it interesting when DD ask for the model and serial numbers when ordering parts 
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Scott & Heather on October 10, 2014, 04:43:56 AM
Mines a dd reliabilit whatever that means. My tag indicates a date of 2001.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk. Clumsy fingers may contribute to mistakes.
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: luvrbus on October 10, 2014, 04:50:07 AM
A factory re-manufactured not a rebuild Scott done in Utah sad now since Interstate/Bee has taken the plant over turning out nothing but pure junk 
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: eagle19952 on October 10, 2014, 07:18:26 AM
Quote from: luvrbus on October 10, 2014, 04:50:07 AM
A factory re-manufactured not a rebuild Scott done in Utah sad now since Interstate/Bee has taken the plant over turning out nothing but pure junk 

oh my... reliabilt was once upon a time the gold  standard ... i did not know it does not exist any more, sad sad day  :'(

are the heads at least up to snuff ?
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: wildbob24 on October 11, 2014, 05:19:16 PM
Andy,

RJ beat me to the punch, but his info is not quite correct.

The GM Final Vehicle records are available from the Ohio Museum of Transportation:

http://www.omot.org/buses.htm (http://www.omot.org/buses.htm)

He was correct about the $25 donation.

If you do this, (and I think you should, well worth the money) you will want to exercise patience. The museum indicate a delivery window of 2-4 weeks; mine took closer to 8 weeks. They are a non-profit volunteer organization so be prepared to cut them a little slack

Bob
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: RJ on October 11, 2014, 06:21:27 PM
Quote from: wildbob24 on October 11, 2014, 05:19:16 PM
RJ beat me to the punch, but his info is not quite correct.  The GM Final Vehicle records are available from the Ohio Museum of Transportation.

Thx, Bob, for catching that error.  Must have suffered a "Senior Moment" when I typed that info.

RJ
Title: Re: Detroit diesel engine paint color significance
Post by: Boomer on October 12, 2014, 08:19:56 AM
When GHL stopped rebuilding their own engines and started purchasing Reliabilts they were painted red at the factory.  I assume that if you purchased a Reliabilt from a DD distributor you could spec your paint color back in the day.