Skip to main content
Stesso

Shop Tour: Engine Manufacturing and R&D

1:03
37:43
233.7K views

At 1:03 in

The Big Boss: Jerad Wittwer's 1,800HP Peterbilt & Performance Diesel Inc Shop Tour

Watch on YouTube

What happens here

Jerad leads a tour of the PDI shop, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a clean and organized facility, even in a high-traffic repair environment. He states that it would be a 'disgrace' to bring a multi-million dollar motorcoach into a dirty shop. He explains that PDI manufactures all parts for the engines they work on, from the block and cylinder head to injectors, exhaust manifolds, and turbo kits. He shows an unpainted yellow Caterpillar engine block, highlighting PDI's capability to reverse-engineer and improve OEM parts for durability and performance. He points out a 3D-printed Caterpillar engine block used for research and development (R&D), where PDI tests stress levels and ensures longevity before mass production. Various exhaust manifold cutaways are displayed, illustrating PDI's thicker, better-flowing designs compared to thinner, corrosion-prone factory parts, and the use of Inconel seals for enhanced durability under extreme heat.

Goal: Showcase PDI's clean shop environment, in-house engine parts manufacturing, and advanced R&D processes.

Tools and materials

  • Caterpillar Engine Block Caterpillar — Base engine component for modifications
  • Connecting Rods PDI — Demonstrating enhanced internal engine components
  • DLC-Coated Piston Pins PDI — Highlighting advanced material coatings for durability
  • Engine Mounting Studs — Demonstrating high-quality fasteners and mounting hardware
  • Exhaust Manifold Cutaways PDI and OEM — Illustrating design improvements over OEM parts
  • Inconel Seal Unspecified — Providing a durable, heat-resistant seal for exhaust components
  • Mark Martin's Motorcoach Newell — Example of a high-value vehicle undergoing PDI modifications
  • Monotherm Steel Pistons PDI — Advanced piston design for extreme conditions
  • Oil Pan with Internal Support PDI — Custom modified oil pan for increased engine strength
  • Turbos PDI — Displaying turbocharger offerings

What they say

Hide

>> 2001 379 long hooded Peterbuilt 292in wheelbase. So it's called family business. You can see the logos everywhere. The the scallops, the paint, everything on the whole truck's got it. >> This is crazy. >> Check out the frame, the suspension. I mean, it's just amazing everywhere you look. build all new frame rails cuz you can see there's no bolts in the frame that hold the crossmembers. And then the engine, of course, was a brand new engine that makes I think this made 1,800 horse. >> That's it. >> Uh-huh. Just kind of kept going with it. We built it in 4 months. >> 1,800 horsepower. How much torque is that? >> I think it was like close to 7,000 foot-lbs. >> That's just insane. I've never seen anything like this before. >> Yeah. We don't even know what other kind of transportation device would have 7,000 footlbs of torque besides like a ship. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> Or a locomotive. >> You don't even have a visible door handle. Anyways, your shifters are right here. So, like you know how usually you have a gear shift here, you shift to gears here. It's low on air. After we show you the engine, I'll start it and let it idle. So, as you can see, we fabricated every piece of this. So, even the air to air has the same scallops from there from the landing spots of the hood. Even the crossmember under there has it. >> Yeah, it does. >> What do you notice about this thing, >> man? How do you make that >> big? The big guy build all that. Tyler build all that. >> That's insane. >> He is no CAD drawing. Just scallops, cuts, welds, and then cleans it up to >> Insane. >> Yep. And we were talking earlier, remember that showing in my office, the tunable turbo? >> Yeah. >> This truck's got one on it. It's even got the scallops I machined into it. >> So, what all did you do to the engine to make it make 1,800 horsepower? >> Tons different pistons, cams, injectors, tuning. I mean, this this engine at one time spent about 3700 RPM. That's a lot for a big engine. This sounds pretty cool with that big old this scoop on it. It's a fiberglass hood, but see the logo in the front of it, too. >> Everywhere. >> Literally everywhere. >> So, how did you uh how did you get your wheels? You obviously got them without holes. >> Yeah. So, it starts with one single hole, which is here for the valve stem, and then you just…

Auto-generated from the video audio.