[SEL] Cummins Engine Problem

[Rick Rowlands]

I had a chance to perform a detailed inspection of the Cummins LI-600 diesel engines on our GE 80 ton locomotive. The front engine is stuck, most likely from water in one or more cylinders. One head is missing and the cylinder wall is a bit rusty so this may be the one that is stuck.

The rear engine does run, however the no. 2 connecting rod bearing disintegrated and apparently the engine was kept in service for a while longer probably until the knock became too much to listen to. The crankpin is now of course galled. I have not yet taken a mic to it to find out how much metal was lost. Actually only one liner was still somewhat intact, the other one was in the bottom of the pan in a million pieces.

I need to be able to move this locomotive under its own power to get it out of where it is at and into a new location for rebuilding, probably two miles total. So I am now thinking if there is a way that I can run the engine on five cylinders for long enough to get it where it needs to go.

Some of the issues with doing this would be whether it would be better to try to clean up the journal as much as possible, put in a new liner, disconnect the injector and engage the compression release on that cylinder, or to remove the connecting rod, tie the piston and rod out of the way and install a machined clamp that would provide some of the weight of the rod and seal off the oil hole.

Anyone ever have to do something like this on a diesel engine? Would such a temporary repair work?

For the uninitiated, the LI-600 is a six cylinder inline engine, generating 250 HP at 1000 RPM. 7" bore, 10" stroke. Crankpin is 4.25" dia. First produced in 1929, this engine was built in 1944. Parts are somewhat available. 

Rick Rowlands