MCI 8 Repower

[edroelle]

Nick,

You will double or triple your speed up the mountains that you describe because of the tired 8V71.

If you do the project, I would spec the job to be done completely and right the first time.   Engine cooling is marginal on the MCI 8, even with the 8V71.

1.  NEW (not used or rebuilt) "102" radiators, Part Number: 6K-1-5, as Craig Shepard shows on his site
http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Mechanical/Radiators_And_Blowers/radiators_and_blowers.htm

2.  Large radiator blowers sealed perfectly (Sam should know the difference) and are opened at the exit so that they have basically a square opening.  Early MCI 8s had small blowers

3.  Small radiator drive pulley

4.  Good or rebuilt rear axle ring and pinion of 3.33   Yours is currently ABOUT 3.75   

5.  A good engine.  Will Sam give you a guarantee for some amount of time?

Others may see additions specs that should be added.

Ed Roelle
Flint, MI

[busnut104]

It still is a lot of work, maybe not as much as going to another make of eng. but the 8V92 is one inch longer then the 71. You will have to shorten the drive shaft, the front motor mount is different, you will have to go to a larger air cleaner and a 5" in and out exhaust. I have to make a special plate so that the 740 transmission would attach to the throttle linkage, the turbo pipes where in the road, I changed the tork convertor,  I forget the number that is need to make things perform right, And there is more but it has been several years since I did the swap and off the top of my head these are the thing that come to mind. Yes I did install two of the larger radiators and larger squirrel cage fans.  If you have Sam do the work he should have what you need. Good luck. and you will love the power

[belfert]

Nick;

Have you thought about repowering with a Series 50 engine.   

Here is one >>  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180353709795QQssPageNameZMERC_VIC_RCRX_Pr2_PcY_BIN_IT&refitem=180345505046&itemcount=2&refwidgetloc=closed_view_item&usedrule1=CrossSell_LogicX&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget&_trksid=p284.m183&_trkparms=algo%3DCRX%26its%3DS%252BI%26itu%3DUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D2

Interesting that this seller has both the Series 50 and a 6V92 and the 6V92 is selling for more!

[NickRussell]

Sam said he can get me a factory rebuilt 8v92 turbo, with 100,000 mile warranty from Detroit Diesel, and with the upgraded radiators and other cooling system upgrades, exhaust, etc, my out the door price would be about $25,000 Sam has done many of these upgrades, and he has done other work for us, including upgrading our steering box, so I am comfortable with his skills.

We are fulltimers with no place to work on a job like this, and I have neither the mechanical skills or the time to take it on myself.

[Zeroclearance]

Two things guys..   Belfert I need to Thank You for giving me the tip on Ebay with that Delco 50dn.   I picked it up>> and a few other parts for Very reasonable prices.    The seller name is Dan, he runs a transit/city buses.    Right now they are scrapping some of there fleet.   

I talked to Dan this evening because he was putting the alternator and brackets on a pallet, along with a Series 50 and B500 for a local Charter repower.     I asked him what he would sell another package S50/B500 runner for.   He told me that he would like $5,700 for the engine and trans complete.   He would include the B500 key pad and partial wiring harness.    The engine has 290K on it and the B500 was also rebuilt.    For guys with MCI 8 and 9's and early 102 I think this is a good upgrade path.   

I don't have any financial interest in this ebay transaction other than a happy buyer.    If anyone is looking to repower, you might want to give Dan a phone call.   

[blue_goose]

If anyone Need to re power you won't beat this price.  That is less than the core price for the engine and transmission. 
I have a series 50 in my bus and love it.  I don't get up the hills quite as quick as I did with the 8v92, but I don't over heat, burn less fuel and know if I have problems some one can work on engine. 
I don't think anything new over the road has been built in at least 15 years that used a two cycle engine.  Most of the people that can work on these are gone. 
For less than the $25,000 you could have a series 50 or 60 with a world transmission put in your bus. 
Jack

[luvrbus]

I run a 8v92 in a Eagle never a cooling problem now a MCI maybe so
.Knowing Sam 25 grand is a lot of bucks but it will be done right.
We are getting ready to remove a 50 series from a friends bus that he has never been happy with it
.Fwiw he gets 7.5 mpg the same as my 8v92 so go with 8v92 there are people out there that can set the engine up to get good fuel mileage and power.
I have no problems with my 8v92 running with 60 series or Cummins M or I series engines with about the same fuel mileage at 70 or 75 mph.
If I ever switched engines it would be to a 3406 Cat 425 hp and not worry about the fuel mileage     good luck

[Zeroclearance]

Luvrbus,  having a 8v92 and rebuilding it is one thing.   But pulling out and repowering in a MCI is a costly endeavor.    The cooling system has to be spot on.   With S50 coming down in price, and being able to MATE the B500 to it.   That alone should make one do the conversion.   Rumor has it that with the proper turbocharger and software you can get 350HP out or the Series 50.   

I have two buses, one has a 6V92 which I will replace and most likely repower with this above mentioned package.   Sell my good runner, along with the transmission,  and I might actually break even (wishful thinking)    In my other bus I have a Series 60..     I wouldn't think twice about moving into a 4 stroke with the "cost" of conversion coming down to reasonable prices.

[luvrbus]

Zero,takes more than a turbo and software to get 350 hp from series 50.A series 60 I would go for but not a obsolete series 50 that will shake the bed sheets off the bed.
Parts that don't inter change with the 60 series are getting hard to find in new parts and no one is making aftermarket parts for the series 50.John Deere doesn't make heads any longer,cranks are hard to find along with cams and balance rs.
That engine has been out of production for almost 10 years now.I am in Texas now visiting with Cole (makemine a 2 stroke) he worked for Stewart and Stevenson for 40 years and these are his comments not mine "a series 50 was the worst engine Detroit ever built".But we all do it our way    BTW he said thanks for the help with the projection TV a few months back   good luck