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Daihatsu
6DK-20e
The Daihatsu 6DK‑20e is a vertical water‑cooled, direct‑injection 4‑stroke diesel auxiliary engine delivering up to 1 200 kW at 900 rpm, equipped with an electronic governor and capable of running on HFO or MDO.
1200.0 kW
Power
16,000 kg
Weight
Engine Specifications
6
Cylinders
200 mm
Bore
300 mm
Stroke
1,200 kW
MCR Power
900.0 rpm
MCR RPM
4-stroke
Stroke Type
Family: Daihatsu Diesel DK
· Tier: IMO Tier II
· Fuel: HFO, MDO
Inspector Detail
▸
Common issues
- Fuel injector nozzle coking or wear, worse on HFO than MDO
- Turbocharger fouling on compressor and turbine sides
- Cylinder liner wear or cold corrosion if jacket water temperature is not properly controlled
- Piston ring sticking/carbon buildup
- Exhaust valve burning from sustained high load or poor combustion
- Jacket cooling water corrosion/scale from inadequate chemical treatment
- Lubricating oil contamination from fuel dilution or water ingress
- Governor/actuator wear affecting speed regulation and load sharing
Inspection checklist
- Exhaust temperature per cylinder, trended against baseline
- Turbocharger speed and vibration trend
- Fuel injector spray pattern/condition at overhaul
- Jacket cooling water treatment level (nitrite or equivalent) and coolant analysis
- Lube oil analysis (TBN, water content, wear metals)
- Governor response and load-sharing check on parallel operation
- Crankcase oil mist detector and relief valve check
- Turbocharger air filter condition
- Engine foundation/mounting bolt tightness
Service intervals
| Lube oil analysis | typically every 500 running hours |
| Fuel injector overhaul | typically every 4,000-8,000 running hours depending on fuel quality |
| Turbocharger water-wash | condition-based, commonly every 1,000-2,000 running hours, with full overhaul at a longer interval - confirm exact figures against Daihatsu's manual for the DK series |
| Top overhaul (piston/liner/valve inspection) | typically every 8,000-12,000 running hours |
| Cooling water treatment check | monthly or per the maker's chemical treatment schedule |
Typical wear limits
| Piston ring gap | typically 0.8-1.5 mm depending on ring position for this bore class - confirm against Daihatsu's own manual |
| Main/big-end bearing clearance | typically in the region of 0.15-0.35 mm for an engine this size when renewal is due - confirm against the maker's manual |
| Cylinder liner bore wear | monitor closely and plan renewal as wear approaches roughly 0.3-0.5% of bore diameter (on a 200 mm bore this is on the order of 0.6-1.0 mm) - confirm against Daihatsu's actual limit |
Ranges are typical for this design class. Always confirm against the manufacturer documentation for your serial number.
Critical spares
- Fuel injector nozzle/injector assembly
- Piston ring set
- Cylinder liner
- Main/big-end bearing shells
- Turbocharger bearing cartridge
- Cylinder head gasket
- Exhaust valve
- Fuel pump plunger and barrel
Safety
- HFO handling - fuel is heated, so leaks present a burn/scald risk in addition to fire risk near hot exhaust surfaces
- Crankcase explosion risk - oil mist detector must be operational and alarm-tested
- High-pressure fuel injection lines present an injection-injury risk during testing/cleaning - never check for leaks with a hand
- Rotating flywheel/coupling guards must be in place
- Oil-soaked exhaust lagging is a fire risk and should be replaced, not just re-taped
Class survey
Auxiliary generator engines have their governor and protective trips (overspeed, low lube oil pressure) function-tested at survey, crankcase explosion relief valves checked, generator insulation resistance tested, and parallel/load-sharing operation demonstrated; oil analysis and overhaul records are reviewed.
Estimated lifetime:
Top overhaul intervals commonly fall in the 8,000-12,000 running-hour range, with a major overhaul/TBO commonly in the 24,000-32,000 running-hour range - treat as planning figures and confirm against the current Daihatsu DK-series manual and the engine's own maintenance history.
Other Cylinder Configurations 17
5DC-17
5 cyl
· 700 kW
5DK-20e
5 cyl
· 1,000 kW
5DK-26
5 cyl
· 1,750 kW
5DK-28e
5 cyl
· 2,050 kW
5DK-32
5 cyl
· 2,700 kW
6DC-17
6 cyl
· 840 kW
6DC-32
6 cyl
· 3,180 kW
6DK-26
6 cyl
· 2,100 kW
6DK-28e
6 cyl
· 2,460 kW
6DK-32
6 cyl
· 3,240 kW
6DK-36
6 cyl
· 4,320 kW
8DC-17
8 cyl
· 1,120 kW
8DC-32
8 cyl
· 4,240 kW
8DK-20e
8 cyl
· 1,600 kW
8DK-28e
8 cyl
· 3,280 kW
8DK-32
8 cyl
· 4,320 kW
8DK-36
8 cyl
· 5,760 kW
Components & Design
Component data being added…
Technical Data
Type
Vertical water-cooling direct injection 4-cycle diesel engine
Mean Effective Pressure (Pme)
2.16-2.45 MPa
Piston Speed @ 900 rpm
9.00 m/sec
Piston Speed @ 720 rpm
7.20 m/sec
6DK-20e Dry Weight
16.0 tonnes (16000 kg)
5DK-20e Dry Weight
13.5 tonnes (13500 kg)
8DK-20e Dry Weight
22.0 tonnes (22000 kg)
Displacement (6-cylinder calculated)
56.5 liters (56500 cc)
Cooling System
Jacket cooling with fresh water and sea water cooler option
Fuel Injection
Direct injection with nozzle cooling system (critical for HFO operation)
Starting System
Direct electric start (6DK+); Air motor start (5DK)
unified from engine model
True
source
manufacturer datasheet
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Common failures & inspection points
Fuel injection nozzle corrosion from improper cooling temperature control. Low temperatures cause sulfated corrosion on nozzle tip; high temperatures cause carb
Vibration and fatigue failure of fuel oil piping due to high-pressure oscillations; documented technical bulletin countermeasures exist
Cylinder ring groove wear and chromium plating degradation requiring renewal; chromium-plated piston rings must be replaced when original surface appears worn
O-ring degradation in cooling water connecting pipes leading to sealing failures and coolant leakage; improved O-ring specifications documented
Piston ring seal degradation causing insufficient compression pressure; non-airtight piston rings require maintenance or replacement
Type-general inspection and maintenance points for this equipment category — not model-specific.
Suppliers & Spare Parts
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Equipment Model #38103
· ✓ still in production