Just realized how much less a modern diesel engine weighs than the old ones

I was reading an old service manual for a 90s 7.3L Powerstroke the other day (you know, the paper kind). It said the engine alone weighed over 900 pounds. Then I looked up the specs for a newer 6.7L Powerstroke, and it's almost 200 pounds lighter. Found that in a tech bulletin from a couple years back. Makes you think about all the aluminum and compact designs they use now. Anyone else run into a spec that made you stop and think about how the job has changed?

3 comments

3 Comments

martinez.diana27d ago

Wow, that weight difference is wild! I had the same shock pulling a 90s 5.9L Cummins versus a newer one. @taylor_fox is right about composites, I've seen plastic intake manifolds and aluminum brackets that used to be cast iron. It's not just lighter, it changes how you handle everything in the shop. You can actually move some parts by yourself now.

henry_palmer246d agoMost Upvoted

Seriously, the shift to composites is a game changer for repairs too. I remember struggling with a heavy steel radiator support, now the same part is plastic and one person can swap it in twenty minutes. It even changes the tools you need, less worrying about a hoist for every little thing. The whole feel of working on a truck is just different now.

taylor_fox27d ago

Yeah, the part about aluminum and compact designs really stands out. Read an article a while back about how they're using way more composite materials now, not just in engines but all over. It's crazy how much they can shrink things down without losing strength. My back hurts just thinking about moving a 900 pound block.