T444 vs DT466

pcdreams · 10-06-2017, 11:09 PM

OK, I missed out on a sweet sweet deal on a 90 international with dt466C motor (4 actually) that were just out of service from the school. The engine guys swooped in and got em before I could make the call.

Anyway, It's the first DT466 I've seen close to me in about 3 years. So should I continue to wait or settle for a 444? 444s are all over the place here.

Convince me.

Here are the things I'm concerned about. 444 power. I plan to tow a vehicle on a trailer behind me at times. Was going with the 466 for the extra power (and the fact that inline 6 are beast). MPG is likely about the same. I don't think the 444 has the wet sleeve (so no inframe rebuild) anything else I'm missing?

Rusty · 10-06-2017, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcdreams

OK, I missed out on a sweet sweet deal on a 90 international with dt466C motor (4 actually) that were just out of service from the school. The engine guys swooped in and got em before I could make the call.

Anyway, It's the first DT466 I've seen close to me in about 3 years. So should I continue to wait or settle for a 444? 444s are all over the place here.

Convince me.

Here are the things I'm concerned about. 444 power. I plan to tow a vehicle on a trailer behind me at times. Was going with the 466 for the extra power (and the fact that inline 6 are beast). MPG is likely about the same. I don't think the 444 has the wet sleeve (so no inframe rebuild) anything else I'm missing?

never owned either, but those 466 buses in my district are quick. Stick to your guns, when you pull the trigger on " the one", go a bit past your comfort zone, but not a 1-1 war.

If same bidder is on 4 of the same units, so am I- I will make his purchase 3x more expensive until he backs off mine.

pcdreams · 10-06-2017, 11:30 PM

I shoulda just bit the bullet. The guy that had them was one of the schools mechanics so knew what he was getting when he bought them. He was literally selling em for about $100 over salvage. I thought I'd mull it over for a day or two.

Rusty · 10-06-2017, 11:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcdreams

I shoulda just bit the bullet. The guy that had them was one of the schools mechanics so knew what he was getting when he bought them. He was literally selling em for about $100 over salvage. I thought I'd mull it over for a day or two.

You snooze, you loose. No regrets. Many, many buses out there, but they are out-of-season now.

Study past sales for your area, know the comps, be disciplined in your bidding, then throw all that crap out the window and overpay for something far away that doesn't run- like Me !!!!

cadillackid · 10-07-2017, 06:42 AM

I like my 444E and am a fan of it but if I had a full size bus or was going to be doing alot of towing a 444E is Not the engine I would choose.. it would be 466 all the way...

-Christopher

EastCoastCB · 10-07-2017, 06:57 AM

I have two buses. One with a 444 and the other with a 466.
I'm wishing the 444 was a 466.
I'd wait and get the bus you want. 444's are *ok* in a tiny bus, but even then its not the ideal engine. the 466 is about as good as it gets.

gbstewart · 10-07-2017, 07:36 AM

I have a full size t444e at545 pull a trailer, and go where ever I want. 6 years and over 40000kms never a issue . yes a 466 is a better motor, but I would not be afraid of a well looked after t444e, plenty of them around , you can get parts anywhere for them, and if you really have to a good ford mechanic can work on them. I replaced my injectors and I change the oil every 5-6000kms, or every spring, replace fuel filter as well, she runs great, but its no power house, but I'm not in a hurry, I drive for fuel mileage.
good luck
gbstewart

cadillackid · 10-07-2017, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbstewart

I have a full size t444e at545 pull a trailer, and go where ever I want. 6 years and over 40000kms never a issue . yes a 466 is a better motor, but I would not be afraid of a well looked after t444e, plenty of them around , you can get parts anywhere for them, and if you really have to a good ford mechanic can work on them. I replaced my injectors and I change the oil every 5-6000kms, or every spring, replace fuel filter as well, she runs great, but its no power house, but I'm not in a hurry, I drive for fuel mileage.
good luck
gbstewart

I will say that with my allison 1000 transmission in my shorty with a 444E im getting upwards of 14 MPG if I am nice to it (drive 60) and over 10 even if I drive it 65-68.

GB: i cant remember, was your engine running badly or did you just replace injectors on general principle? ive had people tell me that on today's fuels the injectors wear out arounf 150,000 miles (im at 160 on mine).. but have seen original injectors in them at over 200K.. everyone i know who had an issue and replaced injectors says they think it runs better than new.. mine seems to run fine and doesnt throw error codes.. my injectors are the usual noisy things that they all are..

-Christopher

gbstewart · 10-07-2017, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I will say that with my allison 1000 transmission in my shorty with a 444E im getting upwards of 14 MPG if I am nice to it (drive 60) and over 10 even if I drive it 65-68.

GB: i cant remember, was your engine running badly or did you just replace injectors on general principle? ive had people tell me that on today's fuels the injectors wear out arounf 150,000 miles (im at 160 on mine).. but have seen original injectors in them at over 200K.. everyone i know who had an issue and replaced injectors says they think it runs better than new.. mine seems to run fine and doesnt throw error codes.. my injectors are the usual noisy things that they all are..

-Christopher

motor was running good , what was happening it was smoking out the tail pipe, after trouble shooting I ended up changing all 8 injectors with brand new ones, boy that woke the old girl up, big difference in performance, mpg went up about a bit. glad I did it. This year I replaced the drive tires with summer tires, got rid of the winter tires, that made a difference as well, rolls a lot better, and got rid of a lot , I mean a lot of road noise, mpg up and steady 10mpg to as high as 11, driving 93kms
6 years of using this bus and I still love it
gbstewart

cadillackid · 10-07-2017, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbstewart

motor was running good , what was happening it was smoking out the tail pipe, after trouble shooting I ended up changing all 8 injectors with brand new ones, boy that woke the old girl up, big difference in performance, mpg went up about a bit. glad I did it. This year I replaced the drive tires with summer tires, got rid of the winter tires, that made a difference as well, rolls a lot better, and got rid of a lot , I mean a lot of road noise, mpg up and steady 10mpg to as high as 11, driving 93kms
6 years of using this bus and I still love it
gbstewart

I dont smoke yet at all.. I get a small amount of oil in my valley.. when I actually dont over-fill my oil (just fill to the full line) I dont use much at all.. and maybe have a dime spot or 2 on the ground overnight.. if I over-fill it.. then seems I blow oil everywhere..

I know when dad and I changed the old injectors out of his scout a few years back.. it was running perfect but someone said "you have 200k on your injectors? change them".. and it woke that truck up...

I need to pull my valve covers to fix my valley leak at some point and may just g ahead and drop in some reman injectors.. did you get new ones from navistar or put in Remans?
-Christopher

Twigg · 10-07-2017, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I dont smoke yet at all.. I get a small amount of oil in my valley.. when I actually dont over-fill my oil (just fill to the full line) I dont use much at all.. and maybe have a dime spot or 2 on the ground overnight.. if I over-fill it.. then seems I blow oil everywhere..

I know when dad and I changed the old injectors out of his scout a few years back.. it was running perfect but someone said "you have 200k on your injectors? change them".. and it woke that truck up...

I need to pull my valve covers to fix my valley leak at some point and may just g ahead and drop in some reman injectors.. did you get new ones from navistar or put in Remans?
-Christopher

Are you guys changing the injectors, or re-building them? The overhaul videos I've seen suggest it's not that bad a process to re-build, and vastly cheaper ...

cadillackid · 10-07-2017, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twigg

Are you guys changing the injectors, or re-building them? The overhaul videos I've seen suggest it's not that bad a process to re-build, and vastly cheaper ...

I watched a couple videos on rebuilding them.. and im thinking at $150 an injector that i can source reman ones I may do that.. seems like a bit of intricacy involved in rebuilding them right.. and high stakes conseqeuences if you have one fail and dump fuel in the cylinder or break apart... esp with a 444E.. i cant even inframe if I fuel-hydrolocked and broke a rod / scratched a cylinder...
-Christopher

Johnny Mullet · 10-07-2017, 12:45 PM

The DT466 is a much better engine IMHO

Both are pretty reliable however.

Jolly Roger bus 223 · 10-07-2017, 03:03 PM

Just found a dt 466 and tranny out of a school bus for sale near me.for 1500-1800?
Probably the 545 but would the 466 be an upgrade from my current 8.2?

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