Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors


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Mrsmackpaul
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Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #1 by Mrsmackpaul » Fri Feb 06, 2015 5:08 am

Were would I find out information on these motors is there a Gardner Club I have had a bit of a hunt around on Google and I am not reel sure that I am looking in the right places

Anyway thought I would ask if any part of the world would know I reckon it would be on a forum in the UK

Paul
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Jeremy Rowland
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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #2 by Jeremy Rowland » Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:57 am

Hi Paul what info were you after on the Gardner 8LXB & CT engines? The 8LXCT was the turbo charged version of the 8LXB. The 8LXB was more commonly known as the Gardner 240 because it produced 240bhp and many British trucks of the period that were fitted with these engines carried a cast aluminium 'Gardner 240' badge on the front grill.
The Gardner 240 was a popular choice for many hauliers because of Gardner's reputation for reliability and economy; these engines were straight eight engines and on day cab trucks the engine used to stick out from underneath the back of the cab, I serviced many trucks with these engines and once rebuilt one.
Sadly for Gardner they did not keep up with the times and lost out in the 'horse power per ton' race; the 8LXCT was supposed to keep them in this race but by that time they were losing out to the likes of the Cummins NTCE290 which was already being uprated to the 'Super E320'

Jeremy


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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #3 by Mrsmackpaul » Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:07 am

Thanks for that Jeremy this going to sound real silly but Im not sure what I want to know I know that towards the end of Gardner's rein out here the fitted some to Plastic cab Atkinson's in the early 70's and also to Delta cab Fodens but never many

I guess how much power did the turbo make ?
can you still get parts ?
were would I get parts from ?
Does anybody deal in these as in could I buy them second hand and ship them to Australia ?

Paul
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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #4 by Jeremy Rowland » Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:44 am

Paul from what I can remember the 8LXCT put out something like 265bhp; yes I think that you can still get parts and I am sure that I have seen that there is a place down under that still repairs Gardner engines, think I may have seen that on YouTube?

Jeremy


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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #5 by essexpete » Fri Feb 06, 2015 11:49 am

I don't often look but if you go on the classic truck type forums you will see with just how bad a reputation Gardner finished. A great pity as they were world leaders pre and immediately post WW2.


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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #6 by Mrsmackpaul » Fri Feb 06, 2015 12:06 pm

thanks for the replies so far fellas
whats the difference between a LXB and a LXC ?apart from a letter are the blocks ect different can a LXB be built into a LXC ?
from what I know about them is the main dislike is they arent a revy motor they sought of go at there own pace a bit like a Mack still gets you there just as quick just feels a lot slower the other trucks will round you up along the flat but you catch them in the hills
As far as I know they had a great reputation right till the end in Australia they just got left behind in the power stakes
Paul
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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #7 by TrevorJ » Fri Feb 06, 2015 1:19 pm

Still popular in boats here though.

http://www.mainlinediesel.com.au/

http://norvalcharters.com.au/index.php/our-vessel

Heh, you might make a killing importing them Paul, saw one really done up listed at $30,000 in gumtree.


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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #8 by Jeremy Rowland » Fri Feb 06, 2015 3:04 pm

essexpete wrote:I don't often look but if you go on the classic truck type forums you will see with just how bad a reputation Gardner finished. A great pity as they were world leaders pre and immediately post WW2.


Actually Pete they were a good engine until the very last models they produced after the LX series engines; the problem was that they sat on their laurels as the saying goes, and as other engine manufacturers were making even more powerful truck engines to keep up with the increasing tonnage that trucks were legally permitted to carry, by the time they had played a game of 'catch up' it was far too late and the last series of engines they made had a poor reputation and great problems, something that you don't need when your in the 'cart'
Just like Hymac the reputation of the product suffered; they also treated the chassis makers very badly and missed the opportunity to buy out Rolls Royce Diesels when they went bump around 1973.

I don't think there was much difference between the LXB and LXC models it was more a case of fine tuning but all too late by then! Also they lost the support of the truck drivers and as drivers jobs became more freely available they could pick and chose who they worked for so if a driver did not want to drive a truck fitted with an old 180 Gardner he could simply go drive for somebody who would give him a 290 Cummins powered truck or better still a Volvo or a Scania :cry: no wonder the British truck and engine manufacturing industries died.

Many drivers referred to Gardner engines as 'Patricroft plodders' because they were so slow; a great pity really and a sad end to what had been a firmly established and profitable business.

Jeremy


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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #9 by Mrsmackpaul » Fri Feb 06, 2015 9:34 pm

I think the 8L was a all cast iron block ect and the LXB and LXC had a lot of aluminium in them I was reading a road test report on a plastic cab Aussie Atkinson with a 8LXB and the motor was liter than any other motor in its class hp/kg it was out in front as well hp/liter of fuel used it was out in front in all ways it was way out in front of any other motor around in the same sought of size except it didnt drive like a race car

Paul
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Re: Gardner 8LXB and 8LXCT motors

Post #10 by modelman093 » Sat Feb 07, 2015 2:05 am

Bit off topic but there's a firm just outside Canterbury (Kent,UK) that offers a complete rebuild service for Gardner Marine engines and travels the world maintaining and repairing Gardners in pleasure and work boats.
http://www.gardnermarine.com


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