wrote:

"Max Kallio" wrote in message
om...

2-stroke diesels need compressed air for starting the engine, so the
turbo (exhaust driven centrifugal supercharger) is out of a guestion
and it produces very little boost at low rpm anyhow.


Unfortunately, I avoided the opportunity to learn about these engines. My
father ran some
3 cylinder 2 stroke diesels in earth moving equipment some years ago and was
very happy with them. I believe they were turbocharged, but am not certain.
They may have started with a pony engine but again am not certain.


Almost certainly Detroit Diesel 3-71 engines. There are millions of X-71
series engines still in use (X denotes the number of cylinders, and
there may also be a "V" in the designation: a V-12-71 denotes a V-12
with each cylinder displacing 71 cubic inches; a V-6-92 denotes a V6
with 92 cubic inch cylinders). Detroit Diesel is no longer producing any
of the 2-stroke series new, but they still support them and probably
will for another 20-30 years because there were so many built from ~1930
to ~2000.

In most earthmoving applications, the 3-71 was not turbocharged, but all
x-71 engines were supercharged with a roots blower (they won't run
without it, being 2-stroke engines). Pony engine start was common on
equipment made in the 40s and 50s, but electric start was almost
universal by the 60s, with compressed-air start being common on marine
and fixed engines.