Best engine for Class 8

killer

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C-16 Cat was the new way to go, discontinued the 625hp after only two years.

I believe, and I don't have it handy, in a recent issue of Diesel World they had a one page write up about a new Cat Challenger farm tractor with a 625hp C-16 in it.
 

Captain Morgan

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They (C-16) will pass a 565isx like its goin backwards! We have two identical KW's only difference is Cummins and Cat, Cat has had fewer issues than the ISX, otherwise about the same ammount of down time in 60k. Cat is just alot stronger. The old E-9 macks will pass both of them, just not near as comfoftable of a ride. We get the chance to test different trucks because we move lots of identical equipment to the same place. Usualy we send out sidebooms two at a time they gross around 160,000lbs loaded at full dress.
 

BigRigTech

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Having seen them all I would buy a CAT, seem to have the least troubles....2nd choice would be a Detroit, ...my issue with them is some are very good yet the next guy can get a real POS....The Cummins are ok, not great but not bad....Don't even ask about the Mercedes 4000 POS....Not worth using for a boat anchor.
 

Agnem

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Neat thread. I wish I had more knowledge of big truck motors. All I know is what I see at the tractor pulls. When it's big rig pulling time, either side by side drag racing or pulling a sled, I've seen more Mack's kill Pete's and KW's than anything. What is the status of Mack these days? I know they were bought out by some foreign company, and have probably gone down hill since. I know for a long time, if you were in the Applachians, and you hauled coal from the mine to the tracks, a Mack was the gold standard for heavy duty work.
 

BigRigTech

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Mack is owned by Volvo now and some have a Volvo engine in them labeled as a Mack:eek: ....Mack has had their share of troubles over cheap parts and dumb ideas in the last few years - the same as all the other brands i guess. They share the same engine plant now in PA with Volvo.

It doesn't matter who makes it, all the EGR technology is new to diesels and therefore growing pains are expected. DPF's are going to be a PITA until they get the bugs worked out and the drivers learn how they work.:rolleyes:
 

Flagship

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I guess I have to chime in here. I've owned and driven just about all of them. Bought my first truck in 1961 I've run just all over the US, a lot of Canada, and a little Mexico. My experience includes being an Owner Operator, a company driver, and a fleet owner. I've hauled dry boxes, reefers, flats, tanks, drops, hauling just about everything except live livestock.

Mack had one of the most reliable of them all. Like a Timex watch, took a licking and kept on running. Their 500 HP V8 was one impressive motor! I've no experience with late model Macks.

The old Detroits, the 71 and 92 series were nothing but a joke. Oil leaks and absolutely no torque. the 12v71 could get down the road, but 3 miles per gallon was considered good. They would, however, start in cold weather when nothing else would. This was back in the days when straight 40 weight oil was all there was to be had.

The 60 series Detroits are completely different. Never owned one, drove one for a little while. I liked it well enough. Nothing spectacular, just did the job.

Alice Chalmers had a big power engine available back in the 70's. Wasn't bad, I know one company used them up in Michigan hauling steel on two trailers with more axles then I could count. Engine was painted PURPLE!!!

Cats have always been a good engine. The old 169x series was the first to go a million miles without rebuild. Far too heavy though, no Jake available, and too expensive to repair when things did go wrong. The new Acerts are working out pretty well, we are using them at the company where I now work, hauling coal out of the mine, pulling 132,000 gross on 11 axles, two trailers.

After the first couple of trucks, a Mack and a couple of Detroit powered units, I made the decision to go strictly Cummins. They never set me walking, always got me home. Best trade off between longevity and repair costs. Cummins shops have always, always had the best customer service available, period! The old K series were a thing of beauty, and would out power every thing else on the road. I had a friend with an old Pete, with a K series, outrun my Cadillac across I-80 in PA, and he was over the legal weight!

The company I drive for now is replacing their Cat powered units with ISX Cummins for the coal haul operations. These things will outpull the Cats without trying. We're getting noticeably better mileage too. We've only about 100k miles on them now, but both management and the drivers are happy. The Cats have 18 speed autoshifters in them. Problems with the computers on the trannies, but at 3 to 4 hundred thousand miles on them, no engine problems. The new Cummins powered ones have 10 speed trannies. The wide torque range of the Cummins makes more gears unnecessary. These Cummins will just keep pulling, and I mean pulling, down to 900 rpm! We'll see how long they last.

Well, there's my input. YMMV. Sure brought back some memories though.

Flagship
 

BigRigTech

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The ISX is a decent engine, they have had some head gasket troubles though like the rest. Hard to beat a C15 CAT for reliability...Small issues like broken rocker arms and etc but not a lot of teardown type repairs. The DPF regen issues are plaguing everyone....We thought the mid-frame Cummins ISB, C & L were going along great with the DPF technology but now we are starting to get complaints about them wanting to regen too often, like 2-3 times a day. I have a 900 Mercedes at work right now, brand hammer new and it won't do a regen to save it's life....This is a stock unit - unsold. It's in the 5th DPF zone right now, I'm dealing with Detroit on that one trying to figure out what's wrong....I think it's a programming issue, won't go past 350F during a regen (exhaust temp), the doser is purging but not coming on like it should to drive the heat up in the DPF to clean it....

I also had a 4000 Mercedes that wouldn't do a regen because the minimum time/distance between regen's was set WAY too high in the programming...Easy fix once we found it but I had to go on a service call 60 miles from the shop to put it into a regen with the laptop because it was derating and shutting down.....New technology, cleaner exhaust and reduced fuel mileage....Where is the sense in that?
 

lotzagoodstuff

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New technology, cleaner exhaust and reduced fuel mileage....Where is the sense in that?

I've been around several of the newest diesel pushers motor homes as they've made the switch to the regen technology, and I'm convinced that when it comes to the powertrains, I'd rather look for a clean used pre-2007 than buy any of the regen technology. I certainly respect the opinions of all you guys who have to make money driving and/or repairing the new stuff as you see a lot more of it than I do, but my exposure convinced me that all of them were pretty rushed to market. I think it's tough to stomach the poorer mileage and from what I've heard severely reduced major overhaul intervals for super clean burning emmissions. I realize the OEMs are stuck with this newer compliance, but I'm gonna stay down here in the dirty/sooty/old technology basement.
 

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If you can afford the fuel the coming DD15's will put over 675 on the ground in mild tune but seem to avg 5-5.5 mpg on about 45% mountian work.
 

BigRigTech

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I hope the DD15 is better than the 60 series/Mercedes 4000's that they are trying to replace....Some items from each of those and some new tech too....Pure posion to work on I bet, who ever thought a rear gear train was a good idea in a truck should be hung....Imagine having to pull and engine to change a camshaft (Mercedes 4000) - pure stupidity.
 

Captain Morgan

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Heres a *NEW* one for you........

The all-new Titan by Mack is a colossal feat of engineering. This
massive truck features a 605-horsepower, MP10 engine — Mack’s
largest ever. Its torque ratings are in a stratosphere all their own. And
its bold, chrome styling expresses the pride of Mack while lifting the
spirits of every trucker that saddles up behind the wheel. Designed
specifically for the heavy transport market, Titan is ideal for logging,
oil field, heavy equipment and severe, heavy-haul applications.

Heavyweight power.
Under its long-nose hood, Titan features a standard 16-liter MP10
engine that packs up to 605 horses. This bold addition to the proven
Mack MP™ Engine Series boasts a best-in-class torque rating of
2,060 ft.-lbs. at 1,200 RPMs.

That should either turn heads or make a mechanic rich!
 

BigRigTech

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It's just a 16L Volvo engine, they have had it out for a year or 2 with Volvo on the rocker cover. Pretty strange that they are pushing a 16L engine with today's fuel prices.
 

Captain Morgan

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Its still not an E-9! I saw the ad and thought it looked good. I kinda assumed it was all Volvo now. If its not yellow I don't work on them much. I appreciate the heads up!
 

BigRigTech

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I'm not 100% sure it's a volvo, but I'm about 99%...LOL....I know Volvo makes a 16L, it puts down bigger torque numbers than the C15 " king of the hill" 625HP.
 

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