Why?...................... I worked on them for a living, the thrill is gone in dissecting a 3406. leave it there at 2100rpm and it will continue to live forever.
Ameristar,
My new home and shop is 15mi west of Exit 80 on I-24, I will let you borrow if you
go get it for me! :lol:
Ya I'm still around just been running a nice hard 4450 mile per week average the last month and a half.
Biggest issues are the lack of power in a bad head wind, cab noise, no where to put anything in this cramped obs pickup cab and small bunk. horible ride with a spring suspension, lack of some parts availability running otr as the truck stops cater to big rigs and it's sometimes hard to get people to work on these trucks........ too big for car shops and sometimes too small for the truck shops.
Allison AT545 blows. Makes the poor Cummapart run wound up at 2500 rpm through the gears and climbing hills with it's lack of a lock up torqe converter. This tranny makes a Cummins 12 valve sound like a Detroit 6-71 2 stroke.
What I would do different. taller truck cab, air ride suspension and seat, better tranny, bigger sleeper, better aerodynamics and an aluminum bed and wheels to stay as light as I am now as well as 255-22.5 tires you can actually find on the road. 19.5 tires are a beach to get, especially 245 19.5 tires. I still like my 5.9 12 valve.
Man, you're running team miles. But it's better than unemployment, that's for sure.
After running a couple of older KW's and experiencing the same thing as you're experiencing now, I knew if I ever got back out on the road that I'd make some changes so that an already hard job could be more enjoyable.
Even with the MD, if it doesn't have an extended cab I won't drive it. I was running tall rubber on the W900, and of course you paid for it. The K100, well, you know where I am going with that. Drove my friend's Volvo with a Series 60 and that changed the game for me.
Having more than enough power to do the job, that'll never change.
Talked to Jeff over at Garmon's Diesel about the pump mods, and it looks like a build would cost 1650.00. He said stick with the stock HX-35 for max economy. I'd even go through the trouble of putting one of those tow cams from Scheid, PDR, etc. if it meant picking up another mile to the gallon or so.
Wish you well out on the road, be safe.