Wish I could say I had a FuKing diesel. Ashwamegh 6/1 with ST-5 head gets me to 3800 watts before I start seeing a little smoke. Exhaust note changes very little under load. After becoming accustomed to the sound of a marine engine loading up while going over big waves this is really a trip. The impression is of immense torque available.
According to modern thought/common practice you can load a dizzle to the point where it just begins to smoke and back it off just a scosh and that's where it's happy running. When you see a truck belching out black smoke, that's just wasted fuel. The new electronic control systems they're putting in modern diesels minimize smoke via oxygen sensors and the ever-present computer (what would we do without them?) and don't allow the engine to smoke. The local fisherfolk who have re-engined with new electronic diesels say fuel economy is so much improved their effective operating range is extended significantly, and they have no need to their extra tanks.
But all that's based on multi-cylinder high-speed dizzzles. Something that might run 2000 rpm or more. These old rock-crusher types might run OK with a little smoke. I'd expect them to, especially the one-lungers because crankshaft speed throughout the 720 degree 4 stroke cycle varies more than it would in a multi-cylinder engine. On the other hand, smoke will eventually cause problems by slowly coating the exhaust system with carbon, eventually increasing back pressure in the exhaust system and decreasing engine efficiency, so I'm still undecided about where to run the engine if I have need for near-maximum power. Note the pepper can mufflers these engines come with are largely immune to carbon build up because they stay so hot.
Glad I didn't get the ST-3 head. The extra capacity in the ST-5 helps starting grunt-loads, and the price difference was minimal. Oh yeah, I'm at 400' elevation, so I might have a bit more oxygen available than folks like Jack in the rarified air of southern Idaho.
Now there was a fellow up in Canadia (Montreal?) who successfully turbocharged a 6/1. That's an impressive piece of wrenching. I'd _really_ like to do something like that, but after pricing Jetta turbos from a wrecking yard I figure it's cheaper to just buy a 12/2 or install some compact fluorescents.
Quinn