How to differentiate bus engines?

914727 SG

I have heard of people mentioning about ZF and Voith for the engines of buses… but I just cant differentiate between these 2. How to differentiate the engines?

sinicker SG

ZF and Voith are the gearboxes rite?

take SBS905R. it really sounds different from the rest of the MK4 DMs.

^tamago^ SG

ZF and Voith are mentioning makes of the gearbox, not the engine.

Voith is the clear-cut 3-speed gearboxes. ZF are the 4-speeds.

If you wan to differentiate between engines from different makes, that will be up to your hearing. Certain manufacturers come up with engine that has certain throttle sound that you can differentiate far away, just like how car fans can differentiate different sports cars.

SBS9828X SG

MK4 DM(later ones) and Striders sound abit like 0405s due to them using ZF gearbox rite?

I believe MK4DMs got two different models... earlier ones are simillar to MK3 while laterr ones got strider like engines

SBS9828X SG

5. Engine specifications

Volvo B10M Mk II
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD101GC (9,600cc, mid-mounted)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk III
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD101GD (9,600cc, mid-mounted)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 381.4 3-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk IV Soon Chow (ex-Sentosa/Turf City)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD102KF (9,600cc, Euro-1, mid-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 851.2 3-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk IV DM (early)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD101GD (9,600cc, mid-mounted)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 381.4 3-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk IV DM (most)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD102KF (9,600cc, Euro-1, mid-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk IV Strider
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo THD102KF (9,600cc, Euro-1, mid-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

Volvo B10M Mk IV DM3500
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo DH10A (9,600cc, Euro-2, mid-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 863.3 3-speed automatic

Leyland Olympian 3-axles
Chassis Origin: UK
Engine: Cummins LT10 (~11,000 cc, Euro-1, inline 6-cylinder rear-mounted 252bhp, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic
Length: 12050 mm, width: 2450 mm, height: 4382 mm
Unladen Weight: 14400 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight: 23500 kg
Turning Circle: 22.0 m

Volvo Olympian 2-axle
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo TD102KF (9,600cc, Euro-1, 245bhp, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 851.2 3-speed automatic

Volvo Olympian 3-axle (9200-9400)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo TD102KF (9,600cc, Euro-1, 245bhp, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic
Unladen Weight: 14400 kg
Gross Vehicle Weight: 23500 kg

Volvo Olympian 3-axle (9401-9670)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo D10A (9,600cc, Euro-1, 245hp, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic
Gross Vehicle Weight: 23500 kg

Volvo Super Olympian 3-axle (9800-9849, 9888, 9889)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo D10A285 (9,603cc, Euro-2, 285bhp @ 2000rpm, 1200Nm @ 1450rpm, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Voith DIWA 863.3 3-speed automatic

Volvo B10BLE-CNG (2988-2999)
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Volvo GH10B245 (9,600cc, Euro-2, 245bhp, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

SCANIA N113CRB
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Scania DSC1104 (11,021cc, inline 6-cyl rear-mounted transverse position, 254bhp, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Scania GAV781/GAV680 (now replaced with Voith models)

SCANIA L94UB
Chassis origin: Sweden
Engine: Scania DC902 (~9,000cc, inline 6-cyl rear-mounted, 280bhp, turbocharger)
Gearbox: ZF 4-speed 4HP590

Mercedes-Benz O.405 (SBST)
Chassis origin: Germany
Engine: MB OM447h (11,967cc, 250bhp @ 2200rpm, 890Nm @ 1300rpm, rear-mounted)
Gearbox : W3E 110/2.2 R

Dennis Dart
Chassis origin: UK
Engine: Cummins 6BT
Gearbox: Allison AT545

Dennis Trident
Chassis origin: UK
Engine: Cummins M11-305E (10,780cc, Euro-2, 305bhp @ 1900rpm, 1250Nm @ 1200rpm, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox: Voith D863.3 3-speed automatic

Dennis Lance
Chassis origin: UK
Engine : Cummins C245 (8,300cc, Euro-2, 245bhp @ 2200rpm, 1025Nm @ 1400rpm, inline 6-cyl rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox : ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

Mercedes-Benz O.405 (SMRT)
Chassis origin: Germany
Engine : MB OM447hA (11,967cc, Euro-1, 250bhp @ 2200rpm, 900Nm @ 1100rpm, rear-mounted)
Gearbox : ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic

Mercedes-Benz O.405G (SMRT)
Chassis origin: Germany
Engine : MB OM447hLA (11,967cc, Euro-2, 250bhp @ 2200rpm, 1100Nm @ 1100rpm, rear-mounted, turbocharger)
Gearbox : ZF 4HP500 4-speed automatic/ Voith DIWA 851.2 3-speed automatic

solve them and see which sound the same...

ive got one Mk4s and 0405

sinicker got one Mk3 and earlier mk4DMs

gorby107 SG

Volvo Olympian 3-axle (9200-9400)
and
Volvo Olympian 3-axle (9401-9670)

Volvo B10M Mk IV Strider, DM
and
Dennis Lance

?????

SBS9828X SG

issit? The lance sound weird...

I can say they sound like CRLs

gorby107 SG

hmmm.... Rolling Eyes

It sound almost the same to me

CAIX SG

MKIV Strider and Dennis Lance (UK & Mayaysia) sound almost the same. Go try taking them.

sinicker SG

Take SBS905R. shiok.

SBS1908B SG

Count the gears. Voith has 3 gears, ZF gearboxes have 4. The ZF is a bit more difficult to count the gears bcos of the lock-up clutch which kicks in when the bus picks-up speed.

BTW, I saw 877M cameo on 147, isn't that one of 2 mkIIIs with ZF? I did not manage to hear the sounds it emits though, bcos a VO3X masked the sound. Mad . Which model of gearbox does it use?

SBS1908B SG

Surprsingly 882Y is an exception. It has the ZF4HP500 instead. Laughing

SBS1908B SG

Agreed. Very Happy I took it when it cameoed on 107, and it proved to be wonderful, with the bus holding the gears to high rpm, but no shaky transition found on the mkIIIs in gears. Guess it's the age of the mkIIIs that is causing the diff, since they use the same engine and gearbox.

SBS 9631X SG

But how come the VO3x(Batch 2 and 3)sometime sound more like they got more than 4 gears?And what speed of the gearbox do the Scania N113CRB have?

SBS1908B SG

All VO3X use ZF gear-box. And the CRB's original Scania gearbox has made way for Voith ones, which cause them to whistle. Mad

^tamago^ SG

that is due to the torque covertor locking up at the first gear, which causes a sensation akin to a gear change but is actually not. this means, it stays in the first gear longer. this is a trait of the ZF 4HP500 gearbox with the torque convertor set to lock at first gear.

there are also ZF 4HP500 gearboxes which lock-up at the second gear (e.g. Mk IV Strider, Dennis Lance, B10BLE, B10BLE-CNG), which takes advantage of a more powerful driveline to increase take-off acceleration and to enhance inter-city start-stop operations.

whether the torque convertor locks up on first or second gear depends on the engine. the series of SMRT O405 and Mk II's have both types of configurations depending on the tuning of the engine.

it's very hard to pinpoint over text how to differentiate. we might need a outing soon then we can teach.

Scania N113CRB has a Voith 3-speed gearbox.

^tamago^ SG

ZF 4HP500 Lock-up at 1st Gear
All Leyland Olympian 3-axle
All Volvo Olympian 3-axle (except 9396A, i think)
All Scania L113CRL's
Most Mercedes-Benz O405G, if they are ZF
Some Volvo B10M Mk II
Some SMRTB Mercedes-Benz O405

ZF 4HP500 Lock-up at 2nd Gear
All Volvo B10M Mk IV (Strider)
All Volvo B10M Mk IV (DM), if they are not Voith (if they are ZF)
Volvo B10BLE SBS1688K
All Volvo B10BLE-CNG
All Dennis Lance
Scania L94UB SBS2888T (though this uses a variant 4HP590)
Few Mercedes-Benz O405G (limited to some buses of range TIB1148J-TIB1207Y)
Some SMRTB Mercedes-Benz O405

Voith
All Volvo Super Olympian 3-axle
All Volvo Olympian 2-axle NAC
All Volvo B10M Mk III
Some Volvo B10M Mk IV (DM)
All Volvo B10M Mk IV (DM3500)
All Volvo B10M Mk IV (Soon Chow)
All Scania N113CRB
All Dennis Trident
Some Mercedes-Benz O405G (TIB1024C-TIB1060C, TIB1062Y, TIB1208U-TIB1247G)
All DAF SB220LT

Mercedes-Benz 3-speed gearbox
All SBST Mercedes-Benz O405

Apex-LW'21 SG

Oh yes, 914727, you can check out ^tamago^ Newcomers' Guide to look up information on buses.

Click here!

^tamago^ SG

SBST’s Mercedes-Benz O405 uses their own MB gearboxes. You can hear that the torque convertor locks up at the first gear, hence the seemingly 4 gears you hear are actually 3 gears only. Actually it is known as a “slip gear” in this case, though you can assume it works just like a lock-up.

ceecookie SG

hvaing 3 speed autos for bus is kinda ancient…