New trucker at a loss .

Find a truck dealer that has a dyno and have them dyno it, that will tell you what its putting out at the wheels.

 

Why go through that trouble? Can't the Volvo tech just hook up the laptop and see what it is set at?

 

He could but sounds like he is complaining of low power so if jts not performing as the 500hp the computer or sticker says then a dyno test will show that.

 

Has to be a dyno for big trucks. Look up the cat or cummins dealer in your local area as most of the time they have a chassis dyno or they will know where to send you.

 

And anything with 100K on the entire rig gross weight will struggle at some point upgrade of any kind.

We do not run 750-1200 HP like the Europeans do. Most we generally get out of company trucks is 500 HP give or take. Has been this way for oh... 30 years now. Torque is going to max out at 1850 generally, no more than that unless it is special tuning for fire trucks etc for 2050 and up in torque to drive the pumper and other apparatus. 1650 to 1700 is pretty common. (It's weak, but better than nothing)

If you had a older 450 HP engine then it's REALLY going to give you less performance upgrade. You would be more concerned with Mr Pyrometer getting too hot and burning something out. I put a 350 cat at 80000 against a 20+% out of ethan allen once with hardwood furnature and it's speed was less than walking pace on that 3 mile pull. Took a hour and change to get up there and two plus to cool off down to normal.

I don't know anything about engines newer than 2001, but you definitely benefit from engines that are capable of getting to around 2150 red line and not castrated to 1900 or so. Provided Mr Pyrometer will let you do it.

It's not so much the upgrade, 100K will slow you down anyway. It's the getting down that seperate real drivers from wanna bes.