Bob Ball knows a few things about performance diesel engines. With over 30 years of diesel engine building experience at Detroit Diesel under his belt he has seen it all. Bob Ball’s Hardman Trucking-sponsored – Playboy’s Second Chance tractor powered by a 14-liter, 60 series engine delivers 3000 horsepower and finished second in the recent Ohio State Tractor Puller Associations competition. He is more than sold on MAHLE Original Pistons’ durability. In fact, Ball uses MAHLE diesel pistons in all of his personal and professional engine builds – big and small – mild and wild.
“I have had excellent service with all of the MAHLE Pistons we use at Detroit Diesel,” said Ball. “I have close to two years of wear on the race engine in my tractor puller and have not taken it apart as opposed to my competition that takes their engines apart after every two or three runs. They have to re-ring their engines that frequently. I haven’t taken the head or the pan off my engine in all that time – that is unheard of in this kind of racing. I have never had a break down. I’d put a MAHLE Original sticker on my tractor any time – they are that good.”
Concluded Ball, “MAHLE pistons come in a variety of different compression ratios and they allow the engine builder to change the angle of the piston top to control and direct the flame travel in the combustion chamber. The same latitude holds for the other engines I build at Detroit Diesel which include Cats, Mack’s and Cummins. To be able to change the compression ratio but retain the same volume really makes a difference. In addition, MAHLE has kept up with the EPA regulations by adding new part numbers that allow the engine builder to alter the combustion chamber to meet the emissions requirements for the engine.”
For more information visit www.mahle.com.
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