This is not the fanciest video but it is pretty awesome when you consider the subject and the circumstances. You are looking at a monster EMD 645E7 engine. This is a 16-cylinder monster with each hole displacing some 546ci! While this particular version of the engine was likely used in a marine or stationary power role,the whole class of engines was initially developed to power locomotives. The video below is mostly a slide show that shows the parts and pieces and some of the work done to bring it from a wrecking yard curiosity to a running engine on the dyno, which is how the video ends.
Weighing in at about 18-tons, using a crankshaft that’s as tall as three guys on each other’ shoulders, and designed around a bore and stroke of 9.25×10-inches, there’s nothing small about this thing. The compression ratio if 14.5:1 and the turbos are interesting because they are set up in such a way that they can be gear driven off the engine at low speeds before they would normally want to spool. Once the engine is up to speed then operate normally. The engine was dyno tested at the factory recommended running speed of 900rpm and it produces over 3,200hp at that time. We have no idea what the torque output was but prodigious would be one way to describe it.
Huge piston engines are still a part of life and they are vitally important in varying applications from mining to the construction of ocean going ships. Long live the internal combustion engine, especially those the size of small houses!
18, 666.666xxxx torque. A simple calculation (I cheated and used an internet calculator).
Cool stuff.
Dan
Correction: –> the EMD 645E7 engine is not 546ci per cylinder, it is 645ci per cylinder.
That’s nuthin’, you need to check out EMD’s biggest 645, the 20 cylinder monster 645E3 from an SD45.
645 was discontinued decades ago. 710 is the current displacement. One inch longer stroke. 900 rpm. 4300HP These work great on tugboats and hospital emergency lighting systems too. You have to be pretty special to break one of these engines. Seen a few blow the dyno room doors off at EMD. That was during a flat out 100 hour kill test. Spectacular destruction.
Yep, and when 1 cylinder fails, the other 15 don\’t care and keep running twisting and breaking anything and everything. I worked at a shop where they rebuilt these (as did my dad and his dad too) Saw many come in where the rod was all twisted. Mind you the rods are bigger than a mans leg. Each cylinder can be changed out independent of the others. EMDs are 2 stroke diesels. The turbo is gear driven up to 7 throttle and becomes free spooling at 8 throttle. The newest ones have 3 turbos.