The DT466E Diesel Engine Memories
The DT466E International diesel is no more mainly because it could not meet emission standards. It’s one engine that performed only as good as the oil pressure that supplied the HEUI (hydraulic electronic unit injectors). They had a tendency to run rough when cold because of the lack of supply to the HEUI system which ran on thousands of pounds of oil pressure. If the engine oil pressure is poor the injection system suffers.
Adjusting The DT466E Cam Sensor
Another problem we encountered only a few times was a defective cam sensor which caused the engine to either quit all together or run very rough. So back in the day we used the ProLink reader to see what kind of code was going on with the engine. The cam sensor was easy to change but required special tooling to measured the proper gap to send an accurate reading to the ECM.
The cam sensor is located on the passenger side of the front timing cover and reads engine rotation that relays a reading to the ECM (engine control unit). As I stated before if the cam sensor does not send a signal to the ECM the engine dies since the ECM thinks that the engine is not rotating and it’s programmed to shut down the injection system.
The dial indicator that comes with the adjusting kit is calibrated to the new sensor part number. Shims can be added or removed to get the correct clearance which will be between .025 and .030 inches. To get an accurate reading the drive belt has to be removed then the engine needs to be rotated 2 times to check for any run out.
The calibrating kit reads the depth of the sensor bore and there can not be any interference with the sensor fit which might damage the sensor. Once the clearance is established and the new sensor is installed there should be fire in the hole and we’re back in business. These engines were designed with precision to cut down on wasted fuel and create a more accurate fuel injection delivery.
The last model we owned in the fleet was a 1998 that was sold recently. As I say with every diesel engine we’ve owned in the fleet…it was a slice. We learned from experience what made this engine tick and how to get them up and running again.
