Caterpillar Engines

Especially when it comes to doing an overhead adjustment on an Acert Cat, you are much better off learning to do that yourself. There doesn't seem to be a lot of non-Cat mechanics that can do it properly. I started doing my own after a Kenworth dealer almost cost me my motor.

Acert is a rock solid motor, I wouldn't be afraid to buy another. I've got a little over a million on mine. Still has 63 lbs of oil pressure, no blow-by and no smoke.

 

They are not making highway engines any longer. They use to be the best engine out as far as pulling power. They were dependable, but didn't seem to be as easy on fuel as the other two major engines. They accert's were good for nothing. They were weAk ,liked fuel and had little quirks. Like Iva's going bad and oil pressure switches. Just to name a couple. However like any of them, if you learn their weakness. They can be good engines. Parts were always high on cats. As far back as I can remember. There are plenty of techs still working on them.

 

You'll want a 6NZ, MBN, NXS, BXS or MXS motor. You'll want a complete history of maintenance on the motor. You'll want oil samples. You'll want many thousands of dollars in cash ready to go at a moment's notice for maintenance (parts are expensive) but if you drive the thing right, and it's been properly maintained, that thing will run forever. Then you rebuild it and it will run forever again.

I couldn't see myself driving anything else at this point (except maybe a N14 Cummins) and I'm merely a company driver.

 

The Isx ain't bad, you just have to get intemintly acquainted with it. Just like the accert's. If not they'll dollar you to death. The days of just fueling up and haulin arse are gone.

 

Don't forget the 2ws, 1lw, or 6ts and 1mm, or 7cz. Just as good as any of them. I wouldn't even be scared of a 5ek

 

The only cat I would stay away from would be a sdp everything before that were better than anything else built around the same time

 

They can be "fixed" but at a great cost!

 

Lol we just can't speak of it

 

And what is wrong with a 5EK ? Mine seems to be doing fine and it ain't stock. Just had to replace the head due Cats poor quality control few years back. But I caught it before it did any damaged. From my research, Cat had a bad batch of valves that where soft. So they where sinking into the seat. I caught it during a valve adjustment. Couldn't get the gauge in between. Then I notice the valves stems where higher then the others when you looked at them. Anywho........ replaced the head before it drop valve. This is why one should always keep up with maintenance . I do it religiously.

 

Nothing is wrong with a 5ek. Just the first of the e-models.