Detroit Diesel Series 149
Encyclopedia
The Detroit Diesel 149 is a series of diesel engines by Detroit Diesel
which first came out in the early 1960s.
The first configuration was a naturally aspirated 12V149 rated at about 600 hp soon followed by a naturally aspirated 16V149 rated at about 1000 hp. As manufacturers in the marine, construction, mining, and many other industries required more power output, Detroit added turbocharging and intercooling to the engine. Over a period of time, Detroit Diesel continued to further the design of the engine. They finally brought the engine up to 137.5 hp per cylinder and 406 ft.lbf torque per cylinder; needless to say, this is a considerable amount of power coming from 149 CID per cylinder. Much of this increase in power could be contributed to DDEC III (the third generation of Detroit Diesel Electronic Controls) electronics, intercoolers, by-pass valve controlled blowers and Separate Circuit Charge Cooling (SCCC) system.
. For example, a model discussed later in the article is a 20V149 TIB; it has 20 cylinders in a V-type configuration, is a series 149 engine, and is turbocharged, intercooled, and has by-pass blowers. One of the unique features of the 149 engine is its 5¾-inch bore x 5¾-inch stroke; hence, it is known as a square bore
design. It has a relatively high power-to-weight ratio. The 20V149 TIB DDEC III SCCC in stand-by generator spec has an output of 2936 hp from a capacity of 2980 CID.
s and the cylinder heads fit into the engine block; this is referred to as the "pothead" design. The blowers are also recessed into the block; this section of the block is called the "airbox". Above the blower is a thick piece of steel that covers the blower and seals the top section of the air box. On a turbocharged engine an intercooler and sometimes a by-pass housing is present with the intercooler housing. The 16V- and 20V- configurations have two blocks, two crankshafts bolted together, two blowers, and four turbos. The 16V149 has dual 10 inches (254 mm) exhaust outlets with eight bolt flanges.
's 4000 Series of diesel engines is helping to fill the void left by the cessation of the 149 Series' production. Like the 149, the 4000 can be had in 8V-, 12V-, 16V-, and 20V- configurations.
Detroit Diesel
As a corporation, Daimler Trucks North America has decided to rename the company "DETROIT".Detroit Diesel Corporation is an American-based diesel engine producer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, USA...
which first came out in the early 1960s.
The first configuration was a naturally aspirated 12V149 rated at about 600 hp soon followed by a naturally aspirated 16V149 rated at about 1000 hp. As manufacturers in the marine, construction, mining, and many other industries required more power output, Detroit added turbocharging and intercooling to the engine. Over a period of time, Detroit Diesel continued to further the design of the engine. They finally brought the engine up to 137.5 hp per cylinder and 406 ft.lbf torque per cylinder; needless to say, this is a considerable amount of power coming from 149 CID per cylinder. Much of this increase in power could be contributed to DDEC III (the third generation of Detroit Diesel Electronic Controls) electronics, intercoolers, by-pass valve controlled blowers and Separate Circuit Charge Cooling (SCCC) system.
Configurations
The engine is available in V-8, V-12, V-16, and V-20 configurations; using the alphanumeric nomenclature utilized by Detroit Diesel, these engines were known as the 8V149, 12V149, 16V149, and 20V149. The first number indicates the number of cylinders per engine, the "V" indicates a V-type cylinder arrangement, and the last set of numbers indicates the series of the engine. Suffixes are commonplace with Detroit Diesel model designations: "T" means the engine is equipped with turbochargers, "I" for intercoolers, and "B" for by-pass Roots-type blowersRoots type supercharger
The Roots type supercharger or Roots blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by pumping fluids with a pair of meshing lobes not unlike a set of stretched gears. Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake side to the exhaust...
. For example, a model discussed later in the article is a 20V149 TIB; it has 20 cylinders in a V-type configuration, is a series 149 engine, and is turbocharged, intercooled, and has by-pass blowers. One of the unique features of the 149 engine is its 5¾-inch bore x 5¾-inch stroke; hence, it is known as a square bore
Stroke ratio
In a reciprocating piston engine, the stroke ratio, defined by either bore/stroke ratio or stroke/bore ratio, is a term which is used to describe the ratio between the diameter of the cylinder bore and the length of the piston stroke within its cylinders...
design. It has a relatively high power-to-weight ratio. The 20V149 TIB DDEC III SCCC in stand-by generator spec has an output of 2936 hp from a capacity of 2980 CID.
Design features
All 149s have overhead camshaftOverhead camshaft
Overhead cam valvetrain configurations place the engine camshaft within the cylinder heads, above the combustion chambers, and drive the valves or lifters in a more direct manner compared to overhead valves and pushrods...
s and the cylinder heads fit into the engine block; this is referred to as the "pothead" design. The blowers are also recessed into the block; this section of the block is called the "airbox". Above the blower is a thick piece of steel that covers the blower and seals the top section of the air box. On a turbocharged engine an intercooler and sometimes a by-pass housing is present with the intercooler housing. The 16V- and 20V- configurations have two blocks, two crankshafts bolted together, two blowers, and four turbos. The 16V149 has dual 10 inches (254 mm) exhaust outlets with eight bolt flanges.
End of production
The Series 149 has been out of production since around the turn of the millennium, and MTU FriedrichshafenMTU Friedrichshafen
MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH is a manufacturer of commercial internal combustion engines founded by Wilhelm Maybach and his son Karl Maybach in 1909...
's 4000 Series of diesel engines is helping to fill the void left by the cessation of the 149 Series' production. Like the 149, the 4000 can be had in 8V-, 12V-, 16V-, and 20V- configurations.