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Duramax diesel

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Starman

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 16, 2009
Messages
2,011
Location
High in the Andes Mountains
Ive been thinking of getting one of these for my airplane. It is a 400 cubic inch V8 made by Isuzu, and soon it will be made by Isuzu and GM jointly.

9bf59_gm_duramax_2010.jpg


I want to use direct drive for my airplane and this is a problem with most auto engines, but this diesel has a redline of 3200rpm so it is perfect for direct drive. I think running it at 3000rpm should be fine for it. It comes standard with a turbocharger. I'm not sure about the weight, but people who are familiar with them guess it is around a half ton with all the manifolds, etc.

Evidently this engine design is a 'backwards' V8, with the exhaust ports dumping into the central valley between the banks and the intake ports on the outside of the engine. This style is being adopted by more and more V engine manufacturers because it is the most efficient way to run a turbo, the exhaust going straight into the turbo, which is placed where the carburetor used to be on V8s. The intake runner distance doesn't matter because all engines are fuel injected now, and long runners can help with ram charging. Another thing that is nice about these engines is they have a limp mode so that instead of just quitting if there is a problem with the electronics they still put out some power to help make it to the nearest airport. Or, in a lead sled like mine, maybe extend the glide to a safer place. I don't know how muchpower they put out in limp mode.

Evidently diesel engines will run on jet kerosene with no modifications so the question then becomes: Is jet fuel available at very many small airports? Is it available at the Snohomish airport? I guess that's two questions.

The 6.6L has two tune versions, one puts out 300hp and the other puts out 365hp and can run at full power continuously. Then there are electronic chips that you can buy which make it put out more power.
image014.jpg


850 foot pounds of torque at 2800rpm, I guess from a stock engine with a custom chip?

Then, later, when I win the lottery, I can get one of these and a PSRU:

hrdp_0609_01_z+banks_performance_sidewinder_duramax_diesel+completed.jpg


According to Banks, a stock LLY block of a GM 6.6L Duramax with a manual transmission typically maxes out at 310 hp at 3,000 rpm and 605 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm. Those numbers are fine for hauling a load, but pretty ho hum for any sort of hot rod, especially when you factor in the heft of a diesel block. Diesels require very rugged parts to withstand high cylinder pressures, and such heavy-duty parts typically limit a Duramax engine to a redline of 3,200 rpm. Now imagine revving it up to as much as 5,000 rpm, nearly 2,000 rpm above redline. Depending on the tuning, Banks can alter the output from 650-700 hp and 800-900 lb-ft of torque. Note that while the torque can increase as much as 50 percent, the horsepower more than doubles. More torque could be dialed in, but the Banks team intentionally limits it to make sure the rest of the drivetrain will survive the onslaught of power.
 
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