ERF / Detroit diesel engine

I have no personal experience of Detroit Diesel engines ,but I believe they were very good and fitted to several ERF`s , has anyone any experiences of operating one of these motors and the sorts of results they produced .

That be the EC127 ,there’s a firm from up nr Llandudno still running one on bulk tipping work .

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Would it be the series 60 same as the Foden ,believed to be the first electronic engine ?

I remember Robert Coates at Coregreen cutting them down and up to fit in trailers for export ,I think all the ones he had were green 4*2 units from May be Homebase ?

If you go on my Left-Hand-Drive ERF ECs thread, you’ll see that a lot of the export ECs had Detroits in them. I’ve also got an old article somewhere, which I’ll fish out and scan for you. Robert :slight_smile:

OK, here goes: Robert


Funny how they didn’t call it the EC13 being 12.7 l,ERF must be superstition .

Could be superstition, Dan or just ERF’s usual lack of consistency in coding its models! I notice that Detroit-powered ECs came with ZF synchro boxes from the start, which almost certainly explains away the mystery of LHD ECs never having Twin-splitters, not even the later ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ones! The article also reminds us that the Detroit seems to have been ushered in under the Western Star ownership. I love the reference to not trying to test the Detroit in secret - as if anyone couldn’t tell a Detroit from anything else. Robert :laughing:

If I remember I’ll ask Robert where they were exported to .

Dan Punchard:
If I remember I’ll ask Robert where they were exported to .

The Detroit ones went mostly to Spain and Portugal, I think. Robert

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ERF EC127 4x2 LHD Olympic NL.jpg


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hiya…they must like the Detroits in Italy, Dave pearson had an ex Italian army Diamond T that was fitted with a straight six
two stroke DD it was the normal engine for italian army. DD,s
John

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mike thomas:
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I thought Cawley’s EC127s had 13-speed Fullers in them. If that’s the case my theory about them only having synchro boxes is up the creek! Robert :laughing:

3300John:
hiya…they must like the Detroits in Italy, Dave pearson had an ex Italian army Diamond T that was fitted with a straight six
two stroke DD it was the normal engine for italian army. DD,s
John

Hey John, the Italian Diamonds had most in Italian the Shermann tank engine after a replacement of the Hercules.
An engine lots used, here too in trucks, trams, locs and so on.
In those days called GM 6-71 6 in line.
Her one in a diamond 981.
Eric,

Hey, as built in tanks 2 by side in the Chermann tanks.
Pics from the net.

Eric,

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Dan Punchard:
Would it be the series 60 same as the Foden ,believed to be the first electronic engine ?

In this case it is all about the move from the previous 2 stroke range to the 4 stroke 60 series.The only connection being the name.The electronic injection systems were actually pioneered on the two strokes before the 4 stroke 60.

Iremember fitting Detroit and GMC diesels to loading shovels at Chaseside in the 60s for middle east export,as the Arabs wouldn’t touch Fords for some reason. We never had any comebacks on them,so they must have been o.k. :unamused: :open_mouth: :slight_smile:

I remember safeways running Detroit powered erf ec’s