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The Legend Lives On: Rebuilding The International DT466 Engine

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Crankshaft
The crankshaft essentially stayed the same throughout the life of the DT466, except that early on the decision was made to increase the main and rod bearing width dimensions. This change, which actually increased the bearing life and dependability, was a judgment call that probably had Rudolf Diesel spinning in his grave.

Engineers reduced the fillet/radius size of both rod and main bearing journals (see Figure 3). Rod journal bearing widths were increased from 1.198˝ to 1.255˝ and main journal bearings were increased from 1.219˝ to 1.296˝; the fillet radius dimension was reduced to .192˝-.208˝ for both the rod and main bearing journals. This gutsy move paid off since neither bearing failures nor crankshaft breakage are at all common to this engine.

Connecting Rod
The connecting rod is forged steel with tongue-and-groove type parting faces as shown in the inset of Figure 4. The forging number of the connecting rod (#688922) stayed the same throughout the engines. This rod is a bit unique in that it always remained a straight piston pin bushing and never went to a tapered top type.

Camshaft
There are three camshafts (Figure 5) that correspond to the three different blocks. The first one is the small 1˝ flat lifter diameter which pairs with the same lifter bore block. The second camshaft is the 1.25˝ flat lifter, and the last one is for the roller lifter that is used in the block with the lifter retainers since roller lifters cannot rotate. The flat lifter camshafts can be built up and repaired as shown in Figure 6.

Pistons
The piston used in the DT466 stayed the same throughout production of the Legend engine. When used in LPG applications the piston is, in fact, made out of the original diesel piston although it has a much larger bowl cut into the head due to reduced compression for the LPG application (see Figure 7).

Cylinder Head
The 466 cylinder head is a relatively simple two valves-per-cylinder head with a flat deck face and no combustion chamber, since the combustion chamber is in the piston. It has press-in bronze injector tubes and valve recession is .000˝ to -.020˝ for both intake and exhaust valves.

Remote outpost areas that may need power or irrigation can drill for natural gas and be able to power a unit almost endlessly. The 466 engine can readily be converted to a LPG or Natural gas application for irrigation and stationary power units where diesel is not readily available. It is one of those engines that does this very well and with less modification in comparison to many others (Figure 8).

The 466 can have the injector tube area machined and you can then install an insert and now install a spark plug where the injector once used to sit.

Fuel Injection
The Legend engine used three different PLN (Pump Line Nozzle) fuel systems. The first one, Model 100 Ambac, was used from 1972-’82 and looked like the top image in Figure 9. The second pump was a MW Bosch injection pump, used from 1983-’93 and the last one is the PLN NGD pump called P3000 and P7100 used 1994-’97. Their appearances are different enough that there is no mistaking which one is which.

Oil Pumps
There were three oil pumps in the Legend series of engines. the early agricultural A models used 7/8˝ wide housing; 1˝ from 1978-1982 in B models; and 1-1/4˝ 1983-1993 for C models. For those looking to use the larger pump on the B models, the crank pulley that was made for the 1˝ oil pump will lock up on the 1-1/4˝ C oil pump. The B model pulley can be machined to accept a C oil pump as seen in Figure 10.

In Figure 11 you can see the C model oil pressure relief valve: the one on the right is a B series. The additional porting change provided better lubrication to the valve itself.