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I blew up my Detroit

Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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I have an older Trojan loader, works pretty good, but the 453 DD started to smoke and engine quit very quick, and now does not roll. So, what to do, well I have an old r model Mack....... thinking about a repower, from a 453 to a Mack , has anyone done this ? Or is it a bad idea ?
 
willie59

willie59

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We would need a whole lot more information to form an opinion, but given the lack of more info, diesel engines that "works pretty good" rarely just "quit suddenly" because they "blew up". Worn out diesel engines will run a long time, over time use more oil and smoke more until eventually they don't have enough compression to even run, but that doesn't happen suddenly. What does happen suddenly is problems related to low/no oil pressure or sudden overheating from lack of engine cooling. Aside from this, with the little info you offered, suddenly started smoking and quit running, sounds more like a fuel or fuel delivery problem.
 
B

Bluox

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Rustyfender said:
I have an older Trojan loader, works pretty good, but the 453 DD started to smoke and engine quit very quick, and now does not roll. So, what to do, well I have an old r model Mack....... thinking about a repower, from a 453 to a Mack , has anyone done this ? Or is it a bad idea ?
Click to expand...
Define roll.
Bob
 
Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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Roll .. it will not turn over, seized. Although I have not even looked into it yet.
It seemed like it ran out of fuel, so I put some in it, primed it , it started but blue smoke for 30 seconds and then it quit, now it does not turn over. The engine was good before this happened, started easy and ran on 4 cylinders nice with 0 oil consumption.
 
5

56wrench

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I assume you are referring to the air-box drains. You may have dropped part of a liner, caused by one or more liners breaking through the ports and the lower portion dropping down. On a 53, like a 92, the upper part is wet, so if the coolant is still ok, then the part above the ports is likely still intact. If it did drop part of a liner and it jammed between the rod, crank, or any part of the block, there may be block damage. If its not viable, you may try to find another engine. Old Oliver farm tractors (1900 and 1950) used the 453 and some old farm equipment wreckers may still have one that may be able to be converted to yours. The Oliver 1950t however has a Waukesha 6 cyl turbo engine and will not work
 
kshansen

kshansen

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Not sure the availability of a used engine even to use as a core but before I tried to adapt a Mack engine to replace a 4-53 I would sure do some searching.

Just keep in mind that all Detroit's and especially the in-lines could be built with an unbelieve number or variations. Just a few are which side the blower is mounted, which side the exhaust is mounted, turboed or just the blower for intake air, variable speed or limiting speed gov. including hydraulic gov!

One good thing is depending on what was the actual failure of your engine you maybe able to mix and match parts from any "new" engine to make it work in your application. But would be best if you could find someone local who is familiar with 4-53's.
 
kshansen

kshansen

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DB2 said:
Check out Ed’s 72-41 thread on here. He’s doing a transplant.
Click to expand...
Just keep in mind that he, Ed, is working on a 4-71 not a 4-53.

But many of the things he is dealing with like making changes to fit a different version of a 4-71 could apply to replacing one 3-53 with another on from a different application. Not saying it can't be done just need to keep it in mind.

One of the "good" things about the Detroits 53's and 71's is that they can be made to fit just about any application short of an airplane! One of the "problems" is that they could be made to fit just about any application.

So just because you want to replace a 4-53 with a 4-53 there is no guaranty that the "new to you" engine will just slip in unless it was out of the same make model and vintage machine. That's not to say it can't be made to work just you may have to be prepared to make some changes to components and accessories.
 
willie59

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If you don't have anything obstructing dropping the oil pan with the engine in the machine, drop it. Pull the connecting rod caps. If you don't see any evidence of crank bearing failures then pull the head, knock the pistons/rods out of the top of the engine. If you find a failure of piston(s)/liner(s), but the crank and the head is good, drop some new liners and pistons in it with a new oil pump and send it. I wouldn't go with a re-power, especially with a completely different engine (Mack) unless I had no other option, but that's just me. I don't mind work, but I'm no fan of "inventing" work.
 
Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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That's a good summary , I will pull it apart and see what's up with the engine and go from there, unless we have block know damage then we can fix what I have
 
kshansen

kshansen

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Rustyfender said:
That's a good summary , I will pull it apart and see what's up with the engine and go from there, unless we have block know damage then we can fix what I have
Click to expand...

Good idea, I mean we are not talking a D399 Cat engine, this little 2 smoke Detroit should only take an afternoon to get to where you can check 90% of the parts. This assumes you can access the oil pan to see the bottom end.

Be sure to take lots of picture, both for your use when reassembling and for posting here. We like pictures even if some are not big fans of Detroits!

One of the last engines I worked on before retiring from the quarry was a 4-53 in a small Kato genset.
 
S

Simon C

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Have Rebuilt at least 25 4-53 Engines. They were prime engine in Timberjack Skidders in Northern Ontario. There is lots of engines out there an can be converted from From blower on one side to the other side easily if you have all the plugs and proper camshafts for them. They are known as RA, RB and a few other configurations. Some were even left hand turning engines. Best to open bottom end and look up as previously stated and work from there. Way easier to fix one of them than repower. If you have any questions please let us know.
Simon C
 
Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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I am ready to pull the engine , here are some pictures , I will be putting engine in garage to dissasemble as it may be a while completing project.
 

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56wrench

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you could pull the airbox covers off for a quick look. those are the 4 oval covers on the side of the block. i'm curious to know if broken rings are jammed in the ports or pieces laying in the airbox
 
Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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Simon C said:
Have Rebuilt at least 25 4-53 Engines. They were prime engine in Timberjack Skidders in Northern Ontario. There is lots of engines out there an can be converted from From blower on one side to the other side easily if you have all the plugs and proper camshafts for them. They are known as RA, RB and a few other configurations. Some were even left hand turning engines. Best to open bottom end and look up as previously stated and work from there. Way easier to fix one of them than repower. If you have any questions please let us know.
Simon C
Click to expand...
I wonder where these engines are available here in Ontario, I do not even know where to start looking other than online
56wrench said:
you could pull the airbox covers off for a quick look. those are the 4 oval covers on the side of the block. i'm curious to know if broken rings are jammed in the ports or pieces laying in the airbox
Click to expand...
Ok I can check that easily and report back . Thanks
 
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56wrench

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looking at your pictures, your configuration is different from the oliver/cockshutt tractor engine. however, the block MAY be the same but maybe not much else
 
Rustyfender

Rustyfender

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56wrench said:
looking at your pictures, your configuration is different from the oliver/cockshutt tractor engine. however, the block MAY be the same but maybe not much else
Click to expand...
Yes That's where it gets tricky. I will check mine out when it drys up around here,
 
B

bccat

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Rustyfender said:
Yes That's where it gets tricky. I will check mine out when it drys up around here,
Click to expand...
Are you sure it’s a 4-53?, looks like a 4-71 to me, but my 70yr old eyes could be wrong, worked on lots of Detroit’s 4-53, it’s the front of engine that,s different
 
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