ENGINE HOURS VERSUS MILEAGE

[roadking]

I AM A NEWBE TO THE TDR FORUM I HAVE 2001 QC 4X4. I INSTALLED AN ENGINE HOUR GAUGE WHEN THE TRUCK WAS NEW. MY ? IS I HAVE 17,000 MILES AND 382 HOURS ON THE TRUCK. WITH SUCH LOW ENGINE HOURS IS MY MOTOR BROKEN IN YET? I DON'T USE ANY OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES (6000MILES) BUT FUEL MILAGE COULD BE BETTER MY 94 TD GOT 20 MPG THIS ONE SAYS (TRIP CUMPUTER) 15 TO 16 MPG HWY

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2001 SLT QC 4X4 LWB BRONZE/SILVER 295 75R16 BFG AT 29 CHICKEN LITES CB 115 GAL TRANSFER TANK MOON VISOR GENOS TRANS TEMP & COMBO GAUGE SHEEP SKIN SEAT COVERS CUP SMOTHIE 3. 54 POSI AUTO CAMPER&TOW CAP

 

[LSMITH]

A lot of people are going to tell you that you can't trust your trip computer. Mine is right on the money but I have checked it with hard math for about 18k and still check it once in a while. You need to do the same before you can know if your mileage is ok or not. My economy improved untill I got about 40k on the truck, so you might be a little premature in your judgement.

 

[illflem]

Walter,with stationary diesel engines I've worked with we always figured about 250 hours for break-in. Also figured that one hour = 50 miles,you're pretty close at 45 miles. You should be broken in,your fuel economy may have increased without you knowing it due to winter fuel. Like LSMITH said it's better to check it with a pencil,also check some highway mile posts to make sure your speedo is correct. Also realize that you will never get the mpgs with a 24v that you got with the 12.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

My 1995 2500 has 2700 hours on the hour meter I installed when it was new. The odometer now says 120. 000 miles. The same engine in a Case IH farm tractor says change engine oil at 200 to 250 hours. I have seen these engines run 7 to 9,000 hours between overhauls in industrial or agricultural use(do the math). The Coleville Wa. indian tribe has a ferry on the Columbia river with 4-5. 9's, The ferry is on 18 hour days 300+ days a year and they go 10,000 Hours between overhauls!!!! That would figure into a LOT of miles on a under loaded clean environment use (pickup) vehicle. Our Powerstroke friends cant say there V8 is used in industrial applications. It just wouldnt stand up to hard use. I am not slaming the V8 it is a good pickup engine but it is NOT in the same catigory as th I6 Cummins.

[This message has been edited by Robert Grenzow (edited 01-04-2001). ]

 

[Lil' Dog]

10,000 hours to O/H eh. . Well I have to start looking for a new one soon,LOL.

J-eh

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Jason Hoffman
Lil' Mack - 89 D250LE 5 Spd 3. 54 Reg Cab. K&N,"tweaked pump", BD Injectors, Banks Pyro/Boost, 3. 5" Exst tail section straight. E&M Custom seats. Bosch H4, PIAA 80W/80W HdLites. 100W Drv,55W Fogs. 237,500 miles (380,000 Kms) 7850 Hrs.
Cummins Power Booster member.
The Original Turbo Diesel

Lil' Mack Pics

 

[Shrimpy]

In my limited experience with Hour meters, I was told that the hour meter registers hours based on RPM's. In other words the hour meters on my dad and uncle's boats use between 1200 and 2000 RPM's as absolute hours. The hour meters are calibrated to show 1 hour time at designated rpm's.

Lets say that on one of my fathers boats (the one with the twin Cummins!!!!) the hour meter is in the same gauge cluster as the tach. Now if it is a 1600 rpm hour meter, the hour meter rolls one hour if the rpms are held constatnt for 60 minutes. If you turn say 1750 rpms it would roll one hour sooner than 60 minutes. If you turn 1500 rpms the hour meter would roll 1 hour later than a true 60 minutes (say 70 minutes). I'm not sure if I am making sense with this but, this is how it has been explained to me.

P. S. The rpm setting you choose for the hour meter is purely a personal choice. My father prefers 1650 rpm because he tries to have one that is a mid point between Idle and Max. rpm that he will run the engine. The Max rpm that the Cummins (twins) turn on this particular boat is 2400 rpm.

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92 Ext. Cab, Auto trans. , 3. 54 Non-LS, Isspro Tach, 16 cm housing, no name 3 Gauge cluster, 220,000+ miles, straight pipe, old and abused but still running strong!!!!

 

[illflem]

10,000 hrs at the 50 mph conversion I've always been told=500,000 miles,isn't that what we all shoot for?

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

In aviation circles we call that Hobb's time versus tach time. In hobbs time 60 minutes=60 minutes of hobbs time regardless of where the engine is running. Tach time is variable based on RPM's - cruise RPM's will be fairly accurate, idle and full power less so. Hobbs time is generally based on whether there is oil pressure or not and is accurate to the clock. Tach time is accurate as long as the engine is at cruise power.


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-Steve St. Laurent - President of the Great Lakes TDR
'98 QC LB (CMNSPWR), 4x4, ISB, 5sp, 4. 10 LSD, TST Powermax, 275hp RV injectors, SW fuel pressure gauge, BD exhaust brake, Isspro turbo temp monitor, front Draw-Tite receiver, rear Draw-Tite class V receiver, BFG 285/75R16 AT KO's, (all the common stuff clipped)

 

[Murle]

Put a hour meter on my 01 when it was new. I hooked it up so when the key is on the meter is running. Do some slow driving in the pasture feeding and checking the cows. I have 78 hrs on the meter and 2,600 miles on the truck. I will be changing the oil every 100 hrs. no matter what the mileage is. Just a little imput.

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1998 4x4 2500. White. Regular cab. Not bombed. Gear Vendor(9 forwards)
2001 4x4 3500 White Flat bed. Has BD Plug in Power. I represent Murle's Gunsmith Shop and Sporting Goods.

 

[Gonzo 1066]

100 hour changes might be a good choice if you do a lot of idle time. Unburned fuel and oil contamination at low temperatures can be a problem with diesels. They like to run hard= full power, full temps and near full rpms. I tend to disagree with the owners manual. It says the harder you drive the more often you change oil? In ag-industrial application it is common to change at 200 to 250 hours.

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1995 2500 5 spd US Gear 2 speed,PackBrake, bombed,big turbo, injectors CUMMINS POWER!!. 2001 ETH 3500 PackBrake, gagues,otherwise stock. 1972 "1066" International Harvester 414 ci diesel pulling tractor, big pump,turbo and injectors. Alcohol injection,BINDER POWER!! .
GONZO