International Prosatar/Maxxforce: Worthless junk!!!

The MBE is actually quite a good engine.It just has to be driven differently to a DD,CAT or Cummins. It is not meant to be lugged down in the rev range.Drive it like the old small cam Cummins engines and it will treat you well. Keep it above 1500rpm and you will see good fuel results and a happier engine.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnGuG6tRgXw&feature=related

When we got first 50 mercedes actros trucks our drivers used to shift like they drive old truck and they said - gutless engine, no fuel economy, dies on hills....

but! on Actros there is smart tacho with variable green zone that shows driver is engine speed too high ore too low for current engine load.

Look at video how the system works and how to choose optimal shift points with Mercedes engine.

About MAN engine.. if you shift all like European drivers do you'll understand how good this engine for driver. The best combination - 16st ZF Astronic tranny (sold as FreedomLine in the USA) and D26 engine. Runs very smoothly

 

Can you just set the trailer brakes and not the tractor? Would that keep the engine from shutting down?

I tried different things to keep this pig running in the cold, it is currently set at 3 1/2 minutes for idle shutdown. Setting trailer and not tractor didn't work, originally tried chocking in the bobtail lot, then tried again with trailer set while hooked.

 

The headlights and wiper thing is a GOOD thing. If your wipers are on there is reduced visibility and your lights should be on. I don't know how many times I have heard, if your wipers are on so should your headlights. I actually runs my headlights all the time. See and BE SEEN.

I drive a 04 KW T800 and it broke down recently so I got to drive the 07 KW T800. I had a hard time understanding how KW quality had gone down so quickly. The 07 was spec'd heavy and yet it still had loads of quality issues. Trim falling off, rubber around doors that don't fit right. Rattles, squeeks and the hood has a spot that rubbed right through. The chincy toggles on the dash.

Bottom line is nobody is making trucks like they used to. Most likely money driven. I wonder if the European truck manufacturers are going through the same phase.

 

seems to me they are in the similar phase, but they do all the different way. They sell more incomplicated trucks and there are many parts, you can use genue ones and they sell parts for more $$$ they worth.

seems to me truck manufacters make more money selling parts then selling trucks.

It is not all. Usually you can get European truck with engine this company makes! Mercedes truck - with merceses engine only, Volvo - with D11, D13 ore D16, MAN - with D20/26/28 (you love Maxxforce LOL). So you cant purchase Volvo FH with CAT ore Cummins and Eaton transmission in Europe! I saw FH with ISX from Australia! but not in EU!

There are some manufacters, who offer engines of different brands, like SISU ore ERF, but it is exception. It is not all!!! I do not like Knorr/Bendix ECAS, EBS, I prefere Wabco, but I cant choose!

 

My company gave me a new prostar 6 weeks ago. With the junkforce 13 liter. Rated at 475. Not even close! Even at the flywheel it's nowhere near that, and I understand the low rpm operation. The truck has been towed off the road 2 times and has been in the dealer 3 of the 6 weeks that I have had it. Just turned 13,000 miles

 

try to rev your engine faster 1400 and you'll be surprized with better fuel milage. Paradox of MAN TGA engines

 

If you are driving someone elses truck you drive it the way they want, or you will be walking. Reving an engine higher does not make it any better. The Max torque is at 1100 and you drive with torque not HP, on a Mercidies.
When it is cold you should have the ability to, have you asked the dispatcher?

 

I've had a 2011 Prostar Limited for 3 months, almost 38k on it. It has a Cummins ISX 435 and and Eaton 13-speed. The only problems I've had is a leaky windshield when it rains hard, and the outside air temp gauge is consistently 10F-20F higher than actual air temps. The truck has ICON, which was preinstalled along with a Wabasto bunk heater. At 4k miles I added a TK TriPac APU. Unfortunately, International wired up the sleeper controls to only come on when the key is on, which kills my tripac and prevents me from using the bunk heater (Truck quickly goes into load shedding mode and kills the back panel). Otherwise its a nice truck, I had a problem-plagued '09 KW T2000 before this truck and so far it's blown the KW away.

 

Your windshield leak isn't really the windshield. If your leak is coming in the cab in the corners (both passenger and drivers side) about 1-2 inches toward center from the windshield upper outside corner, the problem in the connection point of the upper cowling, there is a little box looking cover for this securement bolt...put some flexible caulk (bathroom tub sealer) around this box like cap and your leak should disappear. Also if you have a wind noise problem in cross winds...hardware store again and get some 1/4 inch pipe insulation (the gray tube stuff) and put that over the rubber door seal all around...noise is gone!