8.3 Cummins vs. DT466 vs. CAT 3116 in an MDT

If i would of put more gear in it fuel would of gone to $h!t with LP 22.5s and a 7 speed it would turn 1,650rpm at 68mph i was thinking of going to a bigger gear put the tranny would not let me that motor anything over 1,500 your burning fuel 7th gear is the same as 10th so puting a 10speed just wouldnt help
The 8.3 did pull better than the 3126
Some pics of mine

 

Its an Allison auto and the motors specd at 330hp, The trailers GVW with 4 horses on and full water tanks with gear is 25K.

 

I've owned both the 3126 and the DT466... while I like the CAT I prefer a Farmall with an Allison.

The FL60/70/80's are crap... these were the expeditors truck of choice in the 90's and early 2000's and they had many problems.

The 3116 is a mechanical motor and don't have much going for them... find a DT466E or a DT530E....

 

It was air ride the inside was tight no rattles at all it was heavy on the front axle all the time i didnt have this truck long i think 3-4 months it just didnt have the power to do what i was doing

 

I have a 01 freightshaker w/ISC,it came w/a 4.11 gear that would run 70 mph @ 2400rpm,I drove it home getting 8.5 mpg empty.Called around & found a 3.42 gear & @1800 it's 63 mph & gets 10-11.5 mpg depending on the wind it has a 13.6 tall 24' box.It weighs 16Kempty,I've had 16K in it & still pulled it pretty good.This was a lease truck from Ryder well maintained had 191K when I bought it & 230 now,so far needed a few minor things,like alternator,transfer pump,work on air con $350.00 but I driven it out to WY w/8K in it over the mountains slowed me down alittle.This has 215 HP & 620 torque,not much but it's been good truck & I know there's better butI shopped a good 6 mon since I needed air ride,liftgate,air con.& cruise & Cummins.

 

I had 2 different type of vehicles with a DT466, one was a 1978 Int. Track Loader which i purchased in the late 80's and never had any issues with it and when i sold it it had over 15K hours over 10 years later.
The second was a 1988 S 1800 Inter. dump truck with the 200 hp DT466 that i purchased new, put over 100K miles on it running dirt and digging swimming pools and sold it 5 yrs later with no issues, one thing i remember when i purchased the S 1800 with the DT466 was the dealer showing me in the parts dept a rebuild kit was under 1K.
I don't know anything about the 8.3 Cummins but i know a several boat owners that had major issues with the 3116 and if i remember correctly Cat changed it to a 3126, which also had issues but were later resolved under a sort of recall, if they complained Cat would rebuild it with better components.