Detroit Diesel Engines was founded in 1938 as part of General Motors’ Diesel Division. Over 5 million engines have been manufactured since then, of which approximately 1 million are still in use. How on Earth are we supposed to go about identifying one in a million Detroit Diesel engines?
You can identify your Detroit Diesel engine by finding its ID tag, which is usually placed on the top of the engine near the valve cover, and the serial number is also stamped somewhere on the engine block beneath it.
Detroit Diesel engines are found in a range of moving and stationary equipment and vehicles, mostly large trucks. Read on to find out how, with varying combinations of just 8 digits, a Detroit Diesel engine is identified.
Where To Look For Your Detroit Diesel Engine’s ID Tag
Finding your Detroit Diesel engine’s ID tag can sometimes be a bit tricky, as every now and then, there will be an exception to the normal placement of the tag, and it’ll have been placed elsewhere. If the engine is not clean, you may also have to give it a good clean to actually be able to see the ID tag.
This table gives you an idea of where the ID tag for specific engines is usually found:
| DETROIT DIESEL ENGINE TYPE | MODELS | WHERE TO LOOK | SERIAL NUMBER BEGINS WITH | MODEL NUMBER BEGINS WITH |
| Inline 53 series engines | 453, 253, and 353 | Stamped on the upper rear corner of the right side of the block | 04D | 504 |
| V53 series engines | 6V53 and 8V53 | Stamped on the upper right corner of the front of the block | 06D | 506 |
| Inline 71 series engines | 271, 371, 671, and 471 | Printed on the option label attached to the valve cover | 06A | 106 |
| V71 engines | 6V71, 8V71, 12V71, and 16V71 | Stamped onto the block on the upper front corner of the left side OR on the upper rear corner of the right side | 08VA | 708 |
| V92 engines | 6V92, 8V92, 12V92, and 16V92 | Stamped on either the upper front or upper rear corners of the front side | 08VF | 808 |
| V149 engines | 8V149, 12V149, and 16V149 | Stamped towards the rear of the rocker cover rail | 12E | 912 |
| 60 engines | All 60S | Printed on an option label on the left side of the valve cover | 06R | 606 |
There are instances where the ID tag is not found as indicated in the table above. Don’t stress; just keep looking and you’ll find it on a flat surface somewhere on the engine.
Why Is The Engine Serial Number Important?
Besides the ID number, your Detroit Diesel engine has a serial number. You may be wondering, why is a serial number important?
The Engine Serial Number (ESN) is really important when you order parts because engines can be very different from one another even if they are the same model. If you have your ESN, you will be able to get the exact part that you need for that specific engine.
Why Is The Model Number on Your Engine Important?
On top of the serial number, you will need to know your Detroit Diesel engine’s model number. But why?
The model number provides critical information about the engine. It consists of 2 sets of 4 numbers (ex. 1234-5678). These numbers indicate:
- Series of the engine
- Number of cylinders
- What application the engine is built for
- How the engine is arranged
- Design variations
- Engine configuration
Now, let’s take a look at how to read your Detroit Diesel engine model number properly.
Reading Your Detroit Diesel Engine Model Number
This guide applies to all Detroit Diesel two-stroke engines and the Series 50, Series 60, and 8.2L series four-stroke engine models.
First Digit: Series Designation
The first digit in your engine model number indicates the series designation.
Here are the different numbers you may see in the first digit of your engine model number and their meaning:
- 1 – Inline 71 Series
- 4 – 8.2L
- 5 – 53 Series
- 6 – Series 50 or 60
- 7 – V71 Series
- 8 – V92 Series
- 9 – 149 Series
Now, let’s cover the second and third digits.
Second and Third Digits: Number of Cylinders
The second and third digits in your engine model number will describe the number of cylinders it has.
Here are the different numbers you may see in the second and third digits of your engine model number and their meaning:
- 02 – 2 Cylinders
- 03 – 3 Cylinders
- 04 – 4 Cylinders
- 06 – 6 Cylinders
- 08 – 8 Cylinders
- 12 – 12 Cylinders
- 16 – 16 Cylinders
Now, let’s move on to the fourth digit.
Fourth Digit: Application
The fourth digit represents the application of the engine.
Here are the different numbers you may see in the fourth digit of your engine model number and their meaning:
- 2 – Marine
- 3 – Industrial
- 4 – Power Base
- 5 – Generator
- 7 – Vehicular
- 8 – Vehicular
Now, let’s move on to the fifth digit.
Fifth Digit: Engine Arrangement
The fifth digit in your engine model number will show you the engine arrangement.
Here are the different numbers you may see in the fifth digit of your engine model number and their meaning:
- 1 – LA
- 2 – LB
- 3 – LC
- 4 – LD
- 5 – RA
- 6 – RB
- 7 – RC
- 8 – RD
Now, let’s move on to the sixth digit.
Sixth Digit: Design Variations
The sixth digit in your engine model number will show the design variation.
Here are the different numbers you may see in the sixth digit of your engine model number and their meaning:
- 0 – Naturally Aspirated Engine
- 1 – 2 Valve Head
- 3 – Turbocharged
- 4 – Turbocharged and Aftercooled
- 5 – Customer Spec
- 6 – Constant HP Economy (TAE)
- 7 – Constant HP (TT)
- 8 – Constant HP (TTA) California Certified
- 9 – Constant HP Economy (TTAE)
Now, let’s take a look at the seventh and eighth digits.
Seventh and Eighth Digits: Specific Model Number
The seventh and eighth digits of your engine model number are a little different from the rest.
The last 2 numbers refer to the specific model number of the engine.
Conclusion
As you can see, both the Engine Serial Number and the Model number are needed in order to identify a Detroit Diesel Engine. They are almost like the DNA of the engine and are the only way to tell precisely which engine you have, how it is configured, and whether it is being used for the proper application or not.
Detroit Diesel Engines are known for not always placing these numbers in the same place, so if you can’t find them in the suggested place, keep looking, they are there.
