Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not? Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

On Aug 19, 8:54 pm, "42etus" wrote:
What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not? Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message

ups.com...

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Uh, duh --- I plead brain fart! Sometime the obvious solution just
ain't so obvious. Of course...


Anybody know what the problems with the AL block versions might be?
Haven't heard any specifics, just "don't get one with an aluminum
block".

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

Bob,
Just make sure to check the block and the heads separate of eachother.
It's very common for an iron block to be mated with aluminum heads.

Respects,

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.

"Bob" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Aug 19, 8:54 pm, "42etus" wrote:
What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not?
Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message

ups.com...

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Uh, duh --- I plead brain fart! Sometime the obvious solution just
ain't so obvious. Of course...


Anybody know what the problems with the AL block versions might be?
Haven't heard any specifics, just "don't get one with an aluminum
block".

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

On Aug 19, 11:14 pm, "RDF" wrote:
Bob,
Just make sure to check the block and the heads separate of eachother.
It's very common for an iron block to be mated with aluminum heads.

Respects,

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.

"Bob" wrote in message

oups.com...



On Aug 19, 8:54 pm, "42etus" wrote:
What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not?
Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message

roups.com...

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Uh, duh --- I plead brain fart! Sometime the obvious solution just
ain't so obvious. Of course...

Anybody know what the problems with the AL block versions might be?
Haven't heard any specifics, just "don't get one with an aluminum
block".- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm not sure if detroit had any engines with aluminum heads, and I'm
amazed to know they did produce a diesel with an aluminum block.
I would say that the majority of problems would be electrolisis (sp)
eating away the block especially if raw water cooling in salt water.
also the problem with mis matching materials (AL block, copper gasket,
and cast iron head) would be the expansion and contraction issue witht
he aluminum eventually wearing the head gaskets out. But don't know
that for a fact.

Wow, a 3-53 in a boat"? 159 cubic inches!

is this for a gen set? or the main engine?

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

"Tim" wrote in message
ps.com...
On Aug 19, 11:14 pm, "RDF" wrote:
Bob,
Just make sure to check the block and the heads separate of eachother.
It's very common for an iron block to be mated with aluminum heads.

Respects,

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.

"Bob" wrote in message

oups.com...



On Aug 19, 8:54 pm, "42etus" wrote:
What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not?
Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message

roups.com...

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit
353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner
doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Uh, duh --- I plead brain fart! Sometime the obvious solution just
ain't so obvious. Of course...

Anybody know what the problems with the AL block versions might be?
Haven't heard any specifics, just "don't get one with an aluminum
block".- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm not sure if detroit had any engines with aluminum heads, and I'm
amazed to know they did produce a diesel with an aluminum block.
I would say that the majority of problems would be electrolisis (sp)
eating away the block especially if raw water cooling in salt water.
also the problem with mis matching materials (AL block, copper gasket,
and cast iron head) would be the expansion and contraction issue witht
he aluminum eventually wearing the head gaskets out. But don't know
that for a fact.

Wow, a 3-53 in a boat"? 159 cubic inches!




Yes, but it being a 2 Cycle multiply that by 2 and add a blower.
Steve





is this for a gen set? or the main engine?

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

On Aug 19, 10:35 pm, Tim wrote:
On Aug 19, 11:14 pm, "RDF" wrote:





Bob,
Just make sure to check the block and the heads separate of eachother.
It's very common for an iron block to be mated with aluminum heads.

Respects,

Rob Fraser

Fraser Competition Engines
Chicago, IL.

"Bob" wrote in message

roups.com...

On Aug 19, 8:54 pm, "42etus" wrote:
What are you asking here? How to tell if the block is aluminum or not?
Try a
magnet.
42

"Bob" wrote in message

roups.com...

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

Uh, duh --- I plead brain fart! Sometime the obvious solution just
ain't so obvious. Of course...

Anybody know what the problems with the AL block versions might be?
Haven't heard any specifics, just "don't get one with an aluminum
block".- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I'm not sure if detroit had any engines with aluminum heads, and I'm
amazed to know they did produce a diesel with an aluminum block.
I would say that the majority of problems would be electrolisis (sp)
eating away the block especially if raw water cooling in salt water.
also the problem with mis matching materials (AL block, copper gasket,
and cast iron head) would be the expansion and contraction issue witht
he aluminum eventually wearing the head gaskets out. But don't know
that for a fact.

Wow, a 3-53 in a boat"? 159 cubic inches!

is this for a gen set? or the main engine?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Tim --

Yep, they used to be pretty common main engines in small workboats and
utility craft, now mostly used for deck engines and gen sets. The
marine engine configuration produces just over 100 hp naturally
aspirated.

Bob

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

Bob wrote:
Wow, a 3-53 in a boat"? 159 cubic inches!

is this for a gen set? or the main engine?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Tim --

Yep, they used to be pretty common main engines in small workboats and
utility craft, now mostly used for deck engines and gen sets. The
marine engine configuration produces just over 100 hp naturally
aspirated.

Bob

Interesting. I know the old 6-71 "jimmy" was a 426 CID and was rated
at 238 hp in a standard (not marine) configuration. So I'm amazed that
the little 3-53 can obtain 100hp.

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

On Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:43:25 -0700, Bob wrote:

I'm looking at a nice little fishing boat/cruiser with a Detroit 353,
only about 1000 hours on it, runs great. I know this is one of the
more reliable diesels ever made, but I have heard some not-so-good
things about the ones that came with aluminum blocks. The boat was
built in 1987, so the engine is at least that old. The owner doesn't
know much about it.

Is there a way to tell which version it is?

Thanks,

Bob

Dunno about Detroit Diesel in particular, but in general I know that an
aluminum block engine will last forever if it's designed right
(i.e. if it's not a Vega engine) and it's maintained right. "Maintained
right" for an Al block engine requires a lot more attention to the
coolant than Fe block engines, which is why so many die early deaths in
automotive applications.

If, as mentioned in another post, they're running salt water through it's
veins you can probably take it as "not designed right".

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Need to learn how to apply control theory in your embedded system?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" by Tim Wescott
Elsevier/Newnes, http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

Detroit 353 diesel -- aluminum block? How to tell?
 

Not sure why we're crossposting to re.crafts.metalworking so I trimmed
it. Feel free to post there again if you think we should though.

Tim wrote:
Wow, a 3-53 in a boat"? 159 cubic inches!

Bob wrote:
Yep, they used to be pretty common main engines in small workboats and
utility craft, now mostly used for deck engines and gen sets. The
marine engine configuration produces just over 100 hp naturally
aspirated.

Tim:
Interesting. I know the old 6-71 "jimmy" was a 426 CID and was rated
at 238 hp in a standard (not marine) configuration. So I'm amazed that
the little 3-53 can obtain 100hp.

I was in charge of a 35' Bruno-Stillman for a number of years so I'm
fairly familiar with a Detroit 4-53. It was a 212 cu in, 4 cylinder,
2 stroke, 140hp, with a blower. It could cruise on semi-plane at about
11-12 knots. As a club Committee Boat, it had to be idiot proof and it
was definitely that. We had no serious problems with it from the time
it was new in '77 until we lost it in Katrina in '05.

Rick