DETROIT DIESEL 53
General Information
GENERAL PROCEDURES
In many cases, a serviceman is justified in replacing parts with new material rather than attempting repair. However,
there are times when a slight amount of reworking or reconditioning may save a customer considerable added expense.
Crankshafts, cylinder liners and other parts are in this category. For example, if a cylinder liner is only slightly worn and
within usable limits, a honing operation to remove the glaze may make it suitable for reuse, thereby saving the expense
of a new part. Exchange assemblies such as injectors, fuel pumps, water pumps and blowers are also desirable service
items.
Various factors such as the type of operation of the engine, hours in service and next overhaul period must be
considered when determining whether new parts are installed or used parts are reconditioned to provide trouble-free
operation.
For convenience and logical order in disassembly and assembly, the various sub-assemblies and other related parts
mounted on the cylinder block will be treated as separate items in the various sections of the manual.
DISASSEMBLY
Before any major disassembly, the engine must be drained of lubricating oil, coolant and fuel. On engines cooled by a
heat exchanger, the fresh water system and raw water system must both be drained. Lubricating oil should also be
drained from any transmission attached to the engine.
To perform a. major overhaul or other extensive repairs, the complete engine assembly, after removal from the engine
base and drive mechanism, should be mounted on an engine overhaul stand; then the various sub-assemblies should be
removed from the engine. When only a few items need replacement, it is not always necessary to mount the engine on
an overhaul stand.
Parts removed from an individual engine should be kept together so they will be available for inspection and assembly.
Those items having machined faces, which might be easily damaged by steel or concrete, should be stored on suitable
wooden racks or blocks, or a parts dolly.
CLEANING
Before removing any of the sub-assemblies from the engine (but after removal of the electrical equipment), the exterior
of the engine should be thoroughly cleaned. Then, after each sub-assembly is removed and disassembled, the individual
parts should be cleaned. Thorough cleaning of each part is absolutely necessary before it can be satisfactorily inspected.
Various items of equipment needed for general cleaning are listed below.
The cleaning procedure used for all ordinary cast iron parts is outlined under Clean Cylinder Block in Section 1.1; any
special cleaning procedures will be mentioned in the text wherever required.
Steam Cleaning
A steam cleaner is a necessary item in a large shop and is most useful for removing heavy accumulations of grease and
dirt from the exterior of the engine and its sub-assemblies.
Solvent Tank Cleaning
A tank of sufficient size to accommodate the largest part that will require cleaning (usually the cylinder block) should be
provided and provisions made for heating the cleaning solution to 180 F.-200 F.
Fill the tank with a commercial heavy-duty solvent which is heated to the above temperature. Lower large parts directly
into the tank with a hoist. Place small parts in a wire mesh basket and lower them into the tank. Immerse the parts long
enough to loosen all of the grease and dirt.
Rinsing Bath
Provide another tank of similar size containing hot water for rinsing the parts.
Drying
Parts may be dried with compressed air. The heat from the hot tanks will quite frequently complete drying of the parts
without the use of compressed air.
March, 1973
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