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What Year Diesel Engine To Buy?

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The only two common scales on most diesel engine gauges is PSI and column inches of HG. In fact, our last coach had the dash gauge in PSI, while Caterpillar published their specs for the engine in column inches of HG. As long as one knows that a dash gauge reading of 25 PSI corresponds to roughly 50 column inches of HG, no worries.

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The only two common scales on most diesel engine gauges is PSI and column inches of HG. In fact, our last coach had the dash gauge in PSI, while Caterpillar published their specs for the engine in column inches of HG. As long as one knows that a dash gauge reading of 25 PSI corresponds to roughly 50 column inches of HG, no worries.

Good point Brett!

This relates to,

· Ambient conditions
(temperature and barometric pressure. Barometric pressure is usually given as inches
of mercury and can be converted to psi by dividing by 2)
Rich.

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My Patriot Thunder 06 has a 05 C-13 525 hp and take it from a old trucker this thing is plenty stout. I get 6-6.5 mpg flat uphill down hill just seems to stay the same. And contrary to what some say you do loose horse power at higher elevations my turbo boost pressure drops from 48 psi to 40 at 10K -11k ft. but your still passing all the trucks and about half of the cars. The C 13 is in the same class as the C 15 which were installed in tons of line haul trucks. It has a 1 million mile before overhaul life.

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Well I had to go check my records but my boost gage reads in psi. I saw no reduction in power that I could measure in my trip this last summer. High boost runs around 35psi I have a tattletale so I have a record of maximum readings. The highest I have observed was 40psi. I don't know if this was momentary or? but that was the highest on the tattletale.

I am wondering how people determine they have a reduction in power?

Bill

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DEF on right rear? So how does one fill the tank? Please don't tell me you have to fill it manually with a bucket--if this is so, it is hard to believe this is a design that will remain for long.

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Anyone have any experience with the C - 15 Cat in 02 - 05 Country Coach good or bad?

C-15's in 02 and 03 are good. Pre emissions. If late 03 and later, then they are emissions, and not near as reliable.

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I keep reading about the improved fuel economy with DEF, and have one question concerning that. How much does the DEF fluid cost and how far or how much does it cost when entered into the "fuel economy" factor.

And for those that are thinking about this, I have a '90 Wonderlodge with an 8V92 DD engine, with over 230,000 miles on it. And for younger generation, it's a two stroke that is turbo and supercharged.

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The DEF engines buy back some of the fuel economy that was lost with the 2007 EPA changes, but not enough to be better than the pre-2007 engines. Probably better than your old Detroit, though. A 40 foot coach with a 2010 or later engine (with DEF as well as DPF) will probably see around 7 mpg. Larger & heavier coaches with bigger engines are probably a bit less.

A 2.5 gallon jug of DEF runs around $12 at Walmart and around $2.80/gallon in bulk. Many truck stops now have DEF pumps along side the diesel pumps. DEF consumption will likley be 2-3% of diesel fuel used, so it's an slight extra cost.

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Gary,

Just curious. What happens if you are driving down the road and you run out of the DEF? Does the engine keep running? Is there a dashboard gauge to show DEF levels? I know some coaches have a dial near the DEF tank to show levels.

Thanks,

Jack

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Thanks Rich. I have been wondering about how the DEF system affects the operation. Sounds like it would be a good idea to have a supply of DEF on board just in case. I think I read that it has a shelf life, so will have to watch that as well.

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