cummins ism overhaul

[HBarlow]

This is interesting stuff!

 

[mwilson]

Mercedes Benz is the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the world. In the '70's they had a presence in the MD and HD market in this country, but it didn't last long.

And they needed the expertise of Detroit Diesel to produce an engine that was capable of being reliable in the US, Canadian and Austrailian market.



No foreign engine company has been able to meet our specific needs for a Class 8 powerplant.

If you doubt that, then look at the choices available to the Austrailians.



What do they run hauling triples across the outback???



US designed trucks. Nothing else will stand the rigors of that duty.



Here is a cut and paste from a Road Train Website... in regard to trying to pass one of them... ... or one of them trying to pass you. .





Few basic rules on Western Australians roads

1. Overtaking or being overtaken can take considerable time so you need to be able to see at least three kilometres ahead before attempting to pass. If it's dusty and visibility is impaired, don't even think about passing.

2. One of the most common reactions of drivers when they see a truck coming up behind them is to reduce speed. This has the effect of causing the truck driver to reduce speed, thus making it difficult for him to gather the momentum needed to safely overtake.

3. The best thing you can do is to maintain your road speed until the road train or trucks is alongside then slow down and, if safe, ease to the left. If you want to pull over before the truck passes, try to get right off the road.



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

Mike,

That too is very interesting. Why is that the case?

Is it because of lower speeds, shorter distances, lighter loads?

 

[mwilson]

Mike,



That too is very interesting. Why is that the case?



Is it because of lower speeds, shorter distances, lighter loads?

I have always felt that the many border crossings, etc. encountered in Europe along with the light loads simply don't stress an engine like a rested up driver with 300 gallons of fuel at his disposal and thousands of miles of Interstate highway can.



If he doesn't have to pee or eat he can hold that truck in the groove for 10 hours or better at least at a time.

That brings the weak spots right out on one of those little individual cylinder head diesel engines.



Mike.

 

[HBarlow]

Mike,

Do you have any idea what the service life in miles is for a European OTR truck is?

I understand the big American brand tractors of today have a 500k warranty and fleet owners expect no real problems during that period. Perhaps that reliability has been reduced by the new EPA mandated crap that's on them now.

 

[mwilson]

Just did a quick search, I can tell you that the language barrier was a challenge... ..... :-laf:-laf



Found a Scania Truck site in Great Britain, they have extended plans to 1,200,000 Kilometers. (app 750,000 miles).



Easy to find once I realized it was listed under "Support Programmes", apparently the Queen and the ministry have no use for the word "Warranty"... .....



Also hit some of the other links to the left while you have the page open, Trucking looks a heck of a lot stricter over there.



Link here... .

Repair and maintenance - scania.co. uk



Mike.

 

[mwilson]

Check this out, I just stumbled onto the European "LEZ" map.



Low Emission Zones. Give it a minute to load when you select a country.



Europe-wide information on Low Emission Zones



Mike.

 

[NIsaacs]

Good info on Detroit's history guys, thanks!



Those full sized doubles in Australia are used here in the west, not Arizona tho. Utah coal truckers pull those full sized doubles (two 40+ footers, not 27 footers) . Years ago I was hauling an oversized load through Utah and got to running with one of those big boys. When we hit a good sized hill he run off and left me I was 86,000 and just guessing, but he was probably twice that. There are a lot of full sized trucks pulling a pup in all type of combos and triples in the west also. On a windy day the last trailer can be two feet out of alignment with the truck



I always figured that trucking being what it is, you end up pulling the pup for nothing. Then if you don't, you can't get a job or compete.



Nick

 

[RustyJC]

That brings the weak spots right out on one of those little individual cylinder head diesel engines.

Individual cylinder heads have nothing to do with the design integrity of a diesel engine. The largest industrial diesels universally use individual cylinder heads - can you imagine a unitary cylinder head 60 feet long??



Rusty

 

[mwilson]

I'm sure that they are fine in that application.



However they do not work in a truck application when pushed to the limit. The sleeves will not sit still. Counterbore city.



Mike.

 

[RustyJC]

However they do not work in a truck application when pushed to the limit. The sleeves will not sit still. Counterbore city.

That has more to do with the block/liner/head/clamping design of a particular engine than it does the use of individual versus unitary cylinder heads. (And, yes, I've worked in technical management roles for an industrial engine manufacturer for over 38 years. )



Rusty