The cylinder heads were cast by John Deere at one time.
The power plant was offered for several applications: trucks, buses, motor homes, construction and industrial equipment, and military vehicles.
In September 2004, Detroit Diesel ceased production of the Series 50 heavy duty diesel engine for on highway applications due to emissions standards.
According to Detroit Diesel, Series 50 engines will no longer be produced for non-Daimler AG trucks or buses beginning in 2010.
In addition to being powered by diesel fuel, the engine can also use alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG) under the Series 50G label.