How are you interpreting your engine hour data?

[Crunch]

I just checked mine at 90000 miles and it was 2325 hours. That works out to just under a 39MPH average over the life of the truck, and about 516 hours per year. A friend of mine with a 2003 4WD has 77000 miles on his, but has over 2800 hours on the engine. His average speed over the life of his truck is about 10MPH slower. Other than being another piece of data to note, is there any valuable use in periodically checking engine hours, i. e. maintenence intervals? For those who are interested in knowing how many hours their engine has but don't know how to check it, here's the procedure:



Turn your ignition on, but don't start the engine.

Wait till the coil light goes out (not critical, but what the heck... ).

Press the trip button next to the odometer and hold it for 6 seconds.



The trip meter will change to engine hours and remain in that mode for 30 seconds or till you start the truck or shut off the ignition.



Kind of strange knowing that I've spent almost 100 solid days behind the wheel of my truck.

 

[JApol]

Chrysler will use the engine hour information if you ever go to a dealer with injector problems. I think the magic number is 35 MPH. if you are below that mark you have idled your engine to much and they may give you static about it.

 

[Crunch]

Chrysler will use the engine hour information if you ever go to a dealer with injector problems. I think the magic number is 35 MPH. if you are below that mark you have idled your engine to much and they may give you static about it.

Couldn't it also mean that your truck was primarily used in heavier traffic, city driving or some other application that tended toward slower speeds? I would think that anyone who uses their truck to pull a large trailer will also have lower average speeds, though not necessarily because of long idling periods.

 

[JApol]

Couldn't it also mean that your truck was primarily used in heavier traffic, city driving or some other application that tended toward slower speeds? I would think that anyone who uses their truck to pull a large trailer will also have lower average speeds, though not necessarily because of long idling periods.

And that is the flaw behind Chrysler's thinking. I bet that they consider the RPM's required for 35 MPH with stock tires is idling the motor

 

[Kirwin]

Engine hours

I've installed an hour meter in all 4, really 3 as the 03 came with one already installed, of my Cummins trucks just for my info. The 03 has 49,800 and 1200 hrs so far thats 41. 5 MPH. The 97 has just over 75,000 miles and 2025 hrs for 37 MPH. Just kind of interesting when you look at Cummins recommended service that only changes the oil every 300 hrs or so! Food for thought. Ken Irwin

 

[Heavyweight]

I am in trouble,,,,, I am avg 31MPH... . BUT I HAMMER IT all the time,, does this count?

 

[DonFitzwater]

I just rolled over 21000 miles and have 1200 hours... ... ... ... ... ..... yep, she idles alot!

 

[MChildress]

I believe our trucks have electronic hour meters which click off real time once they get power. My tractors hour meters run off the tach. and click off real time hours only when the the engine is running 2200 rpms,which gives you a more accurate idea of load hours on the engine. So if your only running 1100 rpms the engine runs two hour before showing one hour on the meter. The electronic hour meters will show more hours than what the true work hours are.

 

[Tinman]

I thought the ECM stored the amount of time at idle rpms??

 

[InfernoB]

The ECM stores run time, and there is possible a key time in it as well. The overhead reads time the key is on. (trip time from second key is on to off)

 

[Cattletrkr]

If engine hours were measure like they used to be... at such and such RPM then they would be a lot more useful.

IIRC I run just under 300 hours on an oil change which is typically about 10,000 miles.

My truck has averaged around 36mph without a lot of idle time.

 

[TCDiesel]

I am in trouble,,,,, I am avg 31MPH... . BUT I HAMMER IT all the time,, does this count?

That only means your truck is slow:-laf:-laf:-laf.

 

[TBartlett1]

My 1990 which I bought new had 226633 miles and 7820hrs on it when I took it off the road due to body rot.

My average speed was 28. 98 mph. And no I did not idle it a lot!!

Average mpg over that time was 19. 304

Average fuel consumption over that time was approx 1. 5013 gallons per hour.

I've averaged 10 hrs between fill-ups.

I changed my oil approx every 200hrs or 6000 miles. In my case 6000 miles = 207hrs

The engine & 5spd transmission are now in my other 1990 and continues to run like a champ.

It has never been apart for repair except for seals in the injection pump, valve covers, 3 valve adjustments and 1 head re-torque when the engine was removed and transplanted...

I have burned approx 11739 gallons of diesel.

It currently burns no oil and needs no oil between changes.

The axle ratio is 3. 07 and my son gets 23+ mpg running it to college if he behaves!

Using the fuel map for my engine I've calculated that it takes between 31 and 40 hp to cruse at 60~75 mph on my 124 mile commute to and from work in the North East.

That's how I interpret my hours!!



Tim

 

[cerberusiam]

Chrysler will use the engine hour information if you ever go to a dealer with injector problems. I think the magic number is 35 MPH. if you are below that mark you have idled your engine to much and they may give you static about it.

DC may use it but it is Cummins reccomendation to determine the level of duty use. Under 35 is considered to severe duty and means a different maintenance schedule and warranty application.



If you cannot sufficiently prove you adhered to the Severe Duty maintenance schedule you have voilated the owners manual reccomnedations. I believe somewhere in the manuals is also a clause that says DC does not warranty our trucks for sever duty use. Go figure.

 

[MMeier]

My 1990 which I bought new had 226633 miles and 7820hrs on it when I took it off the road due to body rot.

My average speed was 28. 98 mph. And no I did not idle it a lot!!

Average mpg over that time was 19. 304

Average fuel consumption over that time was approx 1. 5013 gallons per hour.

I've averaged 10 hrs between fill-ups.

I changed my oil approx every 200hrs or 6000 miles. In my case 6000 miles = 207hrs

The engine & 5spd transmission are now in my other 1990 and continues to run like a champ.

It has never been apart for repair except for seals in the injection pump, valve covers, 3 valve adjustments and 1 head re-torque when the engine was removed and transplanted...

I have burned approx 11739 gallons of diesel.

It currently burns no oil and needs no oil between changes.

The axle ratio is 3. 07 and my son gets 23+ mpg running it to college if he behaves!

Using the fuel map for my engine I’ve calculated that it takes between 31 and 40 hp to cruse at 60~75 mph on my 124 mile commute to and from work in the North East.

That’s how I interpret my hours!!



Tim

WOW!!. . Talk about TMI!! J/K... great job!

 

[steved]

Other than I'm guilty of not doing it, I would find engine hours to be a better determination of OCIs. IIRC, doesn't Cummins recommend a 250-hour or 500-hour OCI for non-highway applications???



steved

 

[courierdog]

This is very interesting.
When I calculated mine out using the data provided by the hours of operation meter, I was getting 58 KPH hour or 35. 38 MPH
However, by my log, calculations, I drive 90 % of the time at highway speed, 60 MPH.
So I am having a hard time with the data assumptions.
As it has been said "Figures do not Lie, but liars can figure"
Hard evidence is hard to argue with!

 

[rbattelle]

I run 300 hour fuel filter changes. Everything else I do by mileage.

I track engine hours at every maintenance event and every fuel stop and keep statistics.

Ryan

 

[BHolm]

This is very interesting.

When I calculated mine out using the data provided by the hours of operation meter, I was getting 58 KPH hour or 35. 38 MPH

However, by my log, calculations, I drive 90 % of the time at highway speed, 60 MPH.

So I am having a hard time with the data assumptions.

As it has been said "Figures do not Lie, but liars can figure"

Hard evidence is hard to argue with!

Mine is mostly highway time as well. I have 87183 miles, 2252 hrs, averages to 39 mph. I would have expected it to be way higher considering the truck is only a little over a year old with those miles.

 

[Cattletrkr]

I run 300 hour fuel filter changes...

Any particular reason?