DT466 Question

[Papajoe]

I am looking at an IC RE with a DT466 in it. It is advertised as tow away, because the engine needs a complete overhaul. Would it more cost effective to have that motor overhauled or to buy a already remaned motor? If I buy one, will any DT466 work or do I need to look for a specific one for a rear engine bus, and will I need to exact year as the bus? Thank you in advance.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

Usually cheaper to have existing engine rebuilt. Question is, you plan to do it yourself, or have a shop do it? DIY, plan on a couple thousand just for the parts/kit and head work, for a shop, don't be surprised for a $10,000 price tag or close to it; labor isn't cheap.

[Papajoe]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

Usually cheaper to have existing engine rebuilt. Question is, you plan to do it yourself, or have a shop do it? DIY, plan on a couple thousand just for the parts/kit and head work, for a shop, don't be surprised for a $10,000 price tag or close to it; labor isn't cheap.

I am seeing rebuilt ones $4k to $6k price. $10k wouldn't be worth doing. Are all the 466's the same or do I look for a bus specific one?

[dmattarn]

I spent about 5-6k to do a complete out of frame rebuild on a used block that I swapped into mine. Would have been way easier if my original block wasnt cracked.

Amtran flat nose front engine with a dt466.

There are differences in blocks by year.
My original block had a smaller bore than my new block

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by Papajoe

I am looking at an IC RE with a DT466 in it. It is advertised as tow away, because the engine needs a complete overhaul. Would it more cost effective to have that motor overhauled or to buy a already remaned motor? If I buy one, will any DT466 work or do I need to look for a specific one for a rear engine bus, and will I need to exact year as the bus? Thank you in advance.

Its way cheaper and easier to just buy a good one that doesn't need a new engine right off the bat.
This bus sounds like a good parts bus or scrap.

[Dead pirate]

I rebuilt a dt466 with zero experience. Well, a couple of 350's and a vw 1800. But no diesel exp. Maybe $1500 for pistons, sleeves and gaskets. Total price. 2 weeks work. Worth the investment. I'd do it again on another rig. That dt was designed to be rebuilt in frame.

[Papajoe]

Originally Posted by Dead pirate

I rebuilt a dt466 with zero experience. Well, a couple of 350's and a vw 1800. But no diesel exp. Maybe $1500 for pistons, sleeves and gaskets. Total price. 2 weeks work. Worth the investment. I'd do it again on another rig. That dt was designed to be rebuilt in frame.

Great! When will you be in the Indy area?

[Dead pirate]

Hahaha I'm from Indy. Wee live in Florida now. After the covid we will travel again

[cadillackid]

whats wrong with the existing engine? has it been diagnosed as a bad block? water in the oil? hydrolocked?



as for wheher to overhaul it yourself or not.. have you ever had any experience with working on engines?



Dead pirate may not have done a diesel but he did build other engines so he had the concepts and mechanical abilities of putting things together..



alot of overhauling a DT comes down to being careful, cleaning surfaces up, not getting hasty, having the right tools (or being able to make them).. to remove the cylinder liners and insert the new ones..



you can send the head out to a shop to be worked, even send out the injectors to be tested



buy quality parts, it makes a difference.. watch lots of youtube videos..



now onto the bus.. I think ECCB has the right idea unless its a bus that you already own sitting in a place where you can rebuild it.. just find one that runs right from the get-go.. if you blow it up some-time down the road then determine whether to fix or ditch.. there are a lot of good running busses out there to be had.. and from some of the rumblings in the school industry if you just get patient there may be a TON MORE.. as schools talk about how to function in a Post COVID world, reducing classroom days and therefore transportation reductions are being brought up..



now if you have to buy this broken bus pay a couple grand to ship it home then rebuild it.. then id definitely go shopping for something different..