SHIFTING FROM A STOP WITH HEAVY LOAD

When I watch videos of old trucks, I cringe when I hear them wind the snot out of them, then I remember, that's the way you had to do it. I'm extremely new school when it comes to winding up an engine. 12.7, I feel uncomfortable going past 17. Old Detroit, that's lugging.

 

Funny thing is, Detroits today with a Detroit auto will run the engine brakes (max setting) clear up to 2,400 rpm but only in engine brake descent mode.

 

The Lot Lizards fought over Tony Two Strokes.

 

I had a Detroit 2 stroke run in reverse once, never saw smoke blow out of the air cleaner before..

 

Ya,heed this advice...or Risk tearing out an axle...always try to "Keep her rollin...No Matter how slightly.We had a temp(Big ole boy,Kinda Slow ,Kinda Ugly in the Face...Tear out an Axle..coming out of McCormick Whiskey in Weston Mo.Well...He stopped at the "peak of the hill(never could get it to "grab&go" ,ripped our axle.WERE talkin 6 grand to get outta this Mess.

 

Start in 2nd. Pull on the shifter as you reach 1500 rpms. Let off the gas. The shifter will pull right out of gear and drop right into 3rd with no clutch. Works the same in all gears. To downshift, flick the throttle, take it out of gear, flick the throttl a little higher, and downshift. You can count "one alligator two alligator" between shifts if it helps. Using a clutch makes shifting harder and slower. I only use it when stopped. Practice out of traffic. Eventually you won't even have to think about it much.

 

the 2 strokes made their rated torque in the 1200 to 1400 rpm ranges,just like the cummins and cats of the same era.

the whole "slam your hand in the door and drive it like you're mad at it" sounds cool at the truckstop,but it is not how they have to be driven. the turbo models will not get above about 800 degrees on the pyro,there is too much air being blown thru it. the naturally aspirated ones may be a bit more hot on the pyro,they were too far before my time,but the rated torque was still in the 1250-1400 range.

our Silver 92 pulled its hardest at 1400 rpm,200 rpm above its rated max torque.

a lotta "old timers" don't know how to drive a 2 stroke either. it'll forever have the stigma of having to be wrung out to do anything,even tho city busses ran them with automatics for decades.

i did chuckle at the thought of the series 60 being the old detroit motor...lol!

 

Sheesh, Ristow, I don't know what to correct 1st. 1st, let me say, I realize times have changed, I'm not that stupid. Of course we've moved on from 2 cycle Detroit's, and I never owned one, my trucks had BC Cummins, but I usually got stuck driving one, many times, through out my career, by cheapskates who couldn't afford a real motor. I'm most familiar with the 238 inline 6. I can say, without any reservation, that was the most worthless "boat anchor" to ever be put in a truck. Don't argue with me, it was "needle against the pin" ALL DAY, and an air 4x4 kept the r's up,( and kept you busy) and if it fell 200-300 rpms, ( from 2250) you'd best grab another gear, or next gear change, you'll drop 2. I had limited success with the 318, but same thing, gotta wind 'er out. The Silver's and such may have been different motors, never sat behind ( or above) one, but I can say, I cut my teeth in trucking on a motor that was fine for a generator at a carnival,,,you're turn,,,

 

yah,with a whopping 238 horsepower i'd be winding the piss out of it too. i'm not disagreeing with you. none of those motors made torque back then. thats the point i was making. everyone wound em all out,regardless of who made them.

i bet you wound the 250 cummins up real good too....?