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In the world of work, the debate is not “gas versus diesel.” Sure, there are times when a gasoline engine is the right tool, but diesel is the fuel of choice on most big jobs. Instead of arguing about which handle to grab at the pump, what I hear (or read) most people fighting about is engine layout. Some manufacturers swear by “V” cylinder configurations, and their loyalists follow suit; others, however, stake their claim on inline engines. So, which is best?
Former Caterpillar engineer and longtime semi truck dealer Jim Coles is a red-blooded believer in the inline-six. He began his career at Caterpillar in 1966 before opening a Peterbilt store in 1973, and over the next four decades, his network grew to 18 locations. Forgive me for sounding biased, but I’m inclined to believe Coles a bit more than the random keyboard warrior on Facebook truck groups.
Coles recently visited the Earthmoving Legacy Center in Elkader, Iowa, which then uploaded a 25-minute interview to its YouTube channel. In the video, he reminisced about his early years at Caterpillar in which they were developing purpose-built engines—many of them for off-highway use. The manufacturer prized the inline-six because it was naturally balanced, not to mention simpler to cool. And when it came time to mount new components to these engines, whether that be turbochargers or emissions equipment, they were a far better canvas to work with.
Specifically, Coles went on about the Caterpillar 3406, a 14.6-liter (or 893-cubic-inch) engine family that lasted more than 30 years in production between 1973 and 2007. It was internally referenced as the VITEL, standing for “vehicle industrial truck engine line.” Whether it was being deployed in earth-moving equipment, stationary applications, marine environments, semi-trucks, or whatever else, it was a rockstar.
“Caterpillar and everyone else did go into V-type engines,” Coles pointed out, mentioning the 90-degree RM180 and the 3408. “But V’s versus sixes were always more of a compromised design.”
Earthmoving Legacy Center via YouTube
“If you’ll notice today, sixes are all the way up to covering 1,100 hp,” Coles continued. “All the other V’s that were in the market—whether it be the 903 Cummins, the 555 Cummins, the 3208 Caterpillar, the 8V71 and 8V92 Detroits—all those V engines are gone. Nobody’s in the V business today, and rightfully so.”
Now, I doubt Coles has ever uttered the phrase, “Eight in a vee, you squat to pee,” but he seems to agree that “six in a row makes it go.” So if you drive a Cummins and get into a fight with Duramax or Power Stroke guys in the comments sometime, make sure to show this to ’em.
Why the Inline-Six Won | Former Caterpillar Engineer Jim Coles
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
