DEUTZ ENGINE DESIGNATIONS

The base Deutz engine designation used for most of its history has six characters, such as F3L514. As technology was added, there could be a letter prefix or suffix added to make a total of eight or more characters. Here is the breakdown of the characters applicable to the air cooled. Later designations changed, though sometimes using the same characters in different places, but we won’t go there.

FIRST CHARACTERS:

A: An engine not used in a motorized vehicle. This designator was dropped in the 1960s. F: Early on, an engine used in a motorized vehicle. Later for high-speed compact engine.

SECOND CHARACTERS:

1,2,3,4,5,6,8,12 etc.: The number of cylinders.

THIRD CHARACTERS:

L: For air-cooled (Iuftgekult).

M: For water-cooled (wassergekult)

FOURTH CHARACTERS:

2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9: Engine series. These reset at some points because there are early engines and later with a particular series designation that are completely different.

FIFTH AND SIXTH CHARACTERS:

08-85: The stroke in rounded centimeters. A 100 mm stroke would be listed as a 10. Example: F2L410. A 109 mm stroke would likely be rounded to 11. Example: F4L411.

OPTIONAL SUFFIX AND PREFIX

A: Often a suffix for a multi-fuel engine.

B: Prefix for turbocharged.

C: Suffix for charge-air cooled.

E: Suffix for external oil cooler.

F: Suffix for further developed engine.

G: Prefix for gas (natural gas fuel). GEN: Suffix for generator-spec engine. P: Suffix high output version.

R: Suffix for inline engines.

W: Suffix for two-stage combustion (indirect injection). In the ‘70s, Deutz converted from indirect to direct injection, with the exception of certain engines used in special venues like mining. At that point, IDI engines were identified by a “W.”