Any T680 Owners? Would love some feedback.

What rear end ratio do u have?

 

Oh. Two corrections. Of course I have XDA and not XDN energy tires. The other, I screwed up the conversion from kms to miles. I have 225,000mls in the clock.

 

Oram it's been a while since your last post! I'm curious as how's your truck doing? any majors issues?

I'm thinking on buying a new T680 and been reading this very informative thread. how much have you paid in maintenance (not warranty jobs) since you bought this truck?

 

Hey Deming

How is your truck doing so far...any major issues?

 

Other than my scheduled/ preventive maintenence there was not much expense. The biggest was a sensor, around 500$. Other than that some small problems, a couple hundred $ here or there. Now I need a maxi chamber and a wheel seal. I would not expect at 260,000 miles, but not a big deal. Generally I am happy with my purchase. I look forward to drive her in the next 15 years.

 

I'm choosing a 2016 KW T680 with Cummins 450HP, 2.64 rears, ultrashift.
I choose this truck base on what I've read in this website as well as questioning mechanics, Owner Operators and company drivers. I believe this truck will give me better MPG. I hope I made the right decision.
I run the southwest pretty much flat ground no mountains at all. My eastbound load most of the time is between 25k-30k lbs in the box and my westbound load is between 10k-20K lbs about 3000 miles round trip. I hope I can get 8 MPG at 65 MPH

I pretty much will follow what you have done with your truck.

By putting a Spinner II bypass filter...would that void the warranty?

You mention that you started with 10W40 conventional oil and changed at every 15,000 miles a couple times, after that changed to 10W30 partly synthetic at 25,000 miles and eventually you switched to 5W30 full synthetic. would this be a recommended path for new engine? how often do you changes oil with full synthetic?

Any feedback about what to expect (good or bad) in the next 250,000 miles?
Have you had downtime since you picked up your truck? if so, was it cover under warranty?

 

I am not sure about the 2.64 rear..... Although I do not know the Ultrashift override ratio, but with my set up it would be quite weak in top gear...With your weight on flat might be ok. The 8mpg shouldn't be a problem. My last IFTA quarter in summer, in weather you have year around I did 9.3 at 59mph, with heavier average weight than yours.
The SPINNER II does not void warranty as other added filtration what does not alter the OEM filtration and oil circulation. After a year when changed the rotor I cut open. It had about a half inch hard rubbery staff deposite in it.... From the "clean" oil. I think the minimal maintenance cost and hassle makes it a well worth investment. I think.
My oil change practice based on my common sense and exceed any recommendations. For now I keep the Cummins recommended 40,000 miles, but I use one of the best oil, Delvac 5w30 full synthetic, they recommend this mile over the 6.5mpg, I average over 8 even in winter and use spinner to clean my oil. I do oil sample check at Blackstone every time and they suggested I can extend the oil change interval if I want. I do not, just happy with the results.
As down time once I had two weeks because of small water leak. The impotent dealership ripped apart my truck... It was what I suggested, the right side mirror. The driver side seal was changed under a recall. Shhh.
One week at cummins when the turbo actuator gone wrong. I was able to drive home and cummins said they put in bay next day. They located the problem, and scheduled the repair in 5 days. Jeez. It was a two hours job. Both was under warranty and they do not pay for down time. Other than these, there were one-one day here or there scheduled on my days off. The good news for you, the about 2 dozen recall issue was an early bird special. I guess the bugs are worked out by now. Good luck.

 

I have a 2015 T680.
Paccar MX-13(485hp),13 speed and 3:36 rear.
165000 on her and very little problems.
So far had to replace a leveler valve and that's it..other than turbo replacement at 1300 miles.
Regular maintenance with recommended oil changes(5w30 synthetic blend).
Truck maintains 7.65 mpg lifetime..that's with a mix of heavy and light loads driving in the Northeast mainly.
Nice mix of mountains and semi-flat roads.
Light loads are pulled at 67-68 mph for 9 mpg+
Heavy loads are pulled at 65-67 mph for 7 mpg+
Pulls well in mountains..not the 1st to the top but not last either.

Very quiet,smooth riding truck..turns well with great visibility.
I am very happy with performance of truck as a whole.
The Paccar takes some getting use to but am very satisfied with it.

 

I drove a 2013 T680 (may have been a 14). The truck was very reliable for me. ( about 180,000 miles) This was as a company driver. The one thing I did not like was the MX 13 looked like a block with a rats nest around it. Looked like a trouble shooting nightmare. Wires, cables, boxes, hoses, etc. I couldn't even see the engine block. It just looked like an overdesigned, low reliability engine. Never the less, I only had a few non engine related problem.
So, I just had a 2016 spec truck built and opened the hood and was shocked at how they cleaned up the design. It even looks cleaner than the DD15. Very impressed. In my mind the cleaner the design, the more reliable and ease of repair, means lower operating cost and less down time.
I really believe they made some major strides.

 

Not sure why anyone would start out a new engine on a XXw40 weight oil. They are all factory filled with 10w30 to begin with. I would just use a 10w30 syn blend and be happy. The 5w30 is the very same thing just more expensive. The number in front of the "w" is winter flow rating. A 5w30 and a 10w30 are both 30w oils. Unless someone is running the Klondike, I would just stick with a 10w30 syn blend. Very cost effective, best of both worlds, and more readily available. An oil like the Mobil Elite 10w30 syn blend or the Rotella T5 10w30 syn blend would be excellent choices and hold up as well as any 5w30 full synthetic. The advances made in producing modern base oils has almost reduced the differences in oil quality to where they can only be determined in lab tests. The synthetic blends on the market are very good motor oils.

One factor many don't consider is the additive package in the motor oil. It makes up a very significant portion of any motor oil. Can't speak to every brand available everywhere, but most of the synthetic blends made by oil companies have the exact same additive package as their full synthetic products. Again, there just is no substantive reason to go with a full synthetic. Just spending a lot of money over being swayed by some marketing stuff. But of course, it is one's own money and they can spend it how they like.